May 27, 2005
11 Steps to a Better Brain
11 steps to a better brain: Published this week in New Scientist, the free homeschool resource for today contains some practical advice for homeschoolers.
Of particular interest is the 10th item on the list, "Attention seeking", which provides practical advice on how to deal with distractions. If you have teenage or pre-teen students in your homeschool, you know how easily they become distracted from the task at hand and how that can lead to longer than necessary school days.
Train your student to recognize when their thoughts are wandering and to catch themselves by saying, "Stop! Be here now"! This practical piece of advice has the potential to dramatically improve your homeschool experience with teens and is why the article got featured here today.
The fourth item in the list, "Put your mind to work in the right way and it could repay you with an impressive bonus", talks about the impact of exercising our "working memory". I think this section helps explain why television seems to have such a strong negative effect on how well our students are able to think.
The fifth item on the list, "memory marvels", explains the impact of motion on memory and confirms the effectiveness of using motions to help kids remember long lists of facts.
The article also includes the normal stuff about sleep, exercise and diet. All in all, a good read.
Regards from Your Striving Moderator, mark@homeschoolpedia.com
[Filed under "Miscellaneous Tools"]
Posted by Mark at 12:52 PM | Permalink| Comments (0)
May 26, 2005
Balancing Chemical Equations
The free homeschool chemistry resource for today on how to balance a chemical equation is in three parts. While the material is best suited for the high school age student, it should be accessible to the first-year homeschool chemistry student of any age.
1. Balancing Chemical Equations: This site was selected as the first stop because it clearly explains what a chemical equation is. The site is all on one page and there are 5 self scoring practice exercises at the bottom of the page.
2. Balancing Equations: This site was selected as the second stop because it effectively leverages the knowledge presented in the previous site while presenting the information in a slightly different manner. Taken together, the slightly different presentations of the subject combine well for a better understanding of the topic.
3. Balancing Chemical Equations: This site was selected as the last stop because it helps the student understand the process of chemical reactions in terms of the law of the conservation of mass. In addition, this site contains a set of 50 practice problems. The problems are presented in ascending order of difficulty and the student score (percent correct) is updated after each practice problem.
A student scoring 80% in the first 10 practice problems on the last site has demonstrated an understanding of the material sufficient for general purposes. Second year chemistry students should score 80% on all 50 problems to demonstrate proficiency.
Happy Homeschooling from Your Striving Moderator, mark@homeschoolpedia.com
[Filed under "Science"]
Posted by Mark at 05:24 PM | Permalink| Comments (0)
May 25, 2005
Biology - The Digestive System
Pathophysiology of The Digestive System: This free homeschool biology resource provides a detailed and fact-filled journey through the digestive system and includes 6 self scoring quizzes.
Designed for the high school biology student, the material is clearly written and well presented and should also be accessible to middle school and junior high age homeschool students.
The sheer volume of material presented, combined with the self scoring quizzes makes this a short-course resource (10-20 hours from beginning to end) instead of a lesson.
Instructions for use: Add the page linked at the beginning of this article to your favorites or bookmarks. Begin the course with the "fundamental physiology" link near the top of the page. Once you have read the short introduction, begin the course by clicking on the first topic under "core concepts". Continue through the core concepts by clicking the green "continue" icon at the bottom. After the last of the core concepts has been completed, you will automatically arrive back at the page listing the core concepts indicating that this lesson has been completed.
At this point, go back to the page you bookmarked for this article and begin the next lesson. Following this navigational procedure will ensure that the student stays on track throughout the course.
Note: At the top of each page is an icon. The apple-core icon indicates that the material on the page is "core" material and is included in the quizzes. The chalkboard icon (Click here for example) indicates that the material is supplementary or advanced material that will not be included in the quiz. I suggest middle school and junior-high age students skip the advanced topic pages.
Regards from Your Striving Moderator, mark@homeschoolpedia.com
[Filed under "Science"]
Posted by Mark at 11:45 PM | Permalink| Comments (0)
May 24, 2005
What to Teach and When...or "Scope and Sequence"
Freedom to homeschool for many of us means freedom from having to adapt to the decreed norms of an education system which is at best based on some hypothetical "average child", and which is at worst the result of social(ist) scientists attempting to control the attitudes, behaviors and values of their little "subjects".
That being said, every homeschool parent wants to be sure that their children are learning what they need to know. The free homeschool resource for today is a compilation of online resources covering the topic of scope and sequence.
Typical Course of Study: From Worldbook Encyclopedia, a concise overview of the topics studied in grades k through 12.
BJU Press Scope and Sequence: A very detailed resource from Bob Jones University Press. Browse by subject and/or by grade.
North Carolina Standard Course of Study: You can get something like this for most states by searching for "scope and sequence" in the department of education website for your state. I selected the North Carolina version because that is where I homeschool. Reading this will help you to remember why you chose to homeschool.
Bonus -- Don't Panic! An encouraging article which celebrates the freedom to homeschool. A must read, especially if you browsed through the state standards.
Comments? Observations? Use the comment link below to share your thoughts.
Regards from Your Striving Moderator, mark@homeschoolpedia.com
[Filed under "Miscellaneous Tools"]
Posted by Mark at 06:53 AM | Permalink| Comments (0)
May 20, 2005
Prepositions: Locators in Time and Place
The free homeschool lesson for today is on prepositions and requires multiple parts. Teaching this topic is much easier when you think of prepositions in terms of locators in time (i.e., before, during, after) and place (i.e., under, on, over).
If you are the homeschool teacher who needs a quick refresher on the topic, or the older student who just needs a quick review, see the bonus resource at the end of this article.
Prepositions: Locators in Time and Place -- This is the primary teaching resource. The site provides comprehensive coverage of the topic and includes 2 self-scoring quizzes and several interactive crossword puzzles.
Problems with Prepositions -- This resource, from the Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation, is included here because it addresses clearly the most commonly encountered errors students make with prepositions. A short quiz is included.
Bonus - A Quick Review: Clear, concise and to the point, the four-part bonus resource below provides a quick review for the older student, or a great refresher for the teacher.
- Four Uses of Prepositions
- Compound Prepositions
- Prepositional Phrases
- Printable List of Common Prepositions
Regards from Your Striving Moderator, mark@homeschoolpedia.com
[Filed under "Language Arts"]
Posted by Mark at 11:46 PM | Permalink| Comments (0)
May 19, 2005
Cell Biology
Cells Alive! -- The free homeschool science resource for today is a wonderful, interactive site. The instructions below focus on how to use the site effectively for middle-school age students.
I have linked to the table of contents page above. Bookmark that page as it is the best tool for navigating through the wealth of great content on this site.
The first stop, "How big is a...?" is a great tool for generating interest in the subject. For best effect, particularly for younger students, click on “Start the Animation” at the bottom of the animation window; then, use the little blue arrow icon just to the right of the word "magnification" at the bottom of the image and have the student step through each of the levels of magnification from 1x through 1,000,000x.
If your kids are like mine, they will be drawn into the process and the contents on the head of the pin saying, "wow" as the magnification increases.
The next stop is "Cell Models". These interactive models can be used in phases. First, select a cell type to study. Use the interactive models to explore the different components of the cell type being studied. Moving your cursor over the cell pictures reveals the names of the parts of the cell in the pane to the right of the picture. Clicking on the names of the cell parts leads you to a detailed explanation for the selected cell part.
After exploring the interactive cell picture, right click on the picture of the cell, select copy image, open up an empty document and paste the image into your document. Print this document and make 2 copies. Use one copy and have the student label the parts of the cell using the word list for that particular cell type. Use the second copy as a tracing tool until the student can draw a cell with the key features included.
This is only the beginning; I will publish an article next month geared to senior-high age students covering the more advanced features and content of this free learning resource.
Your Striving Moderator, mark@homeschoolpedia.com
[Filed under "Science"]
Posted by Mark at 05:18 PM | Permalink| Comments (0)
May 18, 2005
The American Revolution -- A Supplement
George Washington, The American Revolution: This free homeschool resource is a month-long series of lessons on George Washington and the American Revolution and is a supplement to the May 6, 2005 article on the American Revolution.
Each of the 30 daily lessons brings history to life with a brief article detailing a dramatic incident from the life of George Washington. Each article is followed by a series of questions, "Points to Ponder", designed to challenge and encourage critical thinking and interpretation.
The questions below, taken from the American Revolution "Points to Ponder" for lesson 1, are representative of questions included in each lesson.
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How did George Washington initially reflect his loyalty to the British Empire? What caused Washington to shift his allegiance from Britain to the American colonies?
As Washington reflected on the conflict between America and Britain, what American disadvantages were clear to him?
Reflect on a difficult situation or challenge that you have recently faced. Are you more of a realist who sees things honestly as they are or as an idealist who gets caught up in hopes and feelings? Write briefly on how you see yourself.
While designed for use by students in junior and senior high school, homeschoolers will find these lessons useful for the entire family.
Regards from Your Striving Moderator, mark@homeschoolpedia.com
[Filed under "History"]
Posted by Mark at 06:30 PM | Permalink| Comments (1)
May 17, 2005
Run-on Sentences, Comma Splices
The free homeschool resource for today is a lesson on run-on sentences. Because this is another one of those areas where we seem to spend a lot of time correcting student work, bonus practice resources are provided.
Run-on Sentences, Comma Splices: This is the primary learning resource and is brought to us by the Capital Community College Foundation. The site included definitions, explanations and examples. Included are 4 self-scoring quizzes that should provide enough material for most students. The bonus material below is provided for those students needing some extra practice.
Bonus Material:
Practice Exercise 1: Ten multiple choice questions
Practice Exercise 2: Ten more multiple choice questions
Run-on/Comma Splice/Fragment Quiz: 30 multiple choice questions
Your Striving Moderator, mark@homeschoolpedia.com
[Filed under "Language Arts"]
Posted by Mark at 11:47 PM | Permalink| Comments (0)
May 16, 2005
Order of Operations -- "Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally"
Operations on Real Numbers: "Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally" is a mnemonic for "Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication, Division, Addition and Subtraction", the order in which the operations in algebraic expressions are to be evaluated.
This free homeschool resource is broader in scope than the article title suggests because any good lesson on the order of operations requires that the student understand each of the operations that are being ordered.
The following topics are covered:
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Addition and subtraction of real numbers
Multiplication and Division of Real Numbers
Evaluation of Exponents
Evaluation of Radicals
Order of Operations
The lesson ends with a brief quiz that requires the use of pencil and paper. Answers to the quiz questions and detailed explanations are provided.
Students with a good grasp of the material presented in this lesson will be well prepared to confidently tackle an introductory Algebra course. In addition, this lesson meets the order of operations prerequisite for future lessons on evaluating and solving quadratic equations.
Regards from Your Striving Moderator, mark@homeschoolpedia.com
[Filed under "Mathematics"]
Posted by Mark at 10:53 AM | Permalink| Comments (2)
May 12, 2005
The Well Trained Ear
Ear Training: This wonderful and free homeschool resource is something that every music student needs.
Imagine hearing a great song for the first time and having the ability to play it on your instrument without having to learn to read the music first. Ear training is the missing piece of the puzzle for most musicians who do not play by ear.
A music student with a trained ear will find that sight reading comes much more easily. In addition, the trained musical ear helps you to learn to improvise on your instrument, straight from your mind.
This free resource has 48 ear training lessons covering intervals, chords, scales, cadences, jazz chords, pitch, and more using the notes of the piano, the guitar or the violin.
Start by clicking on the "Beginner" link on the left side of the page and selecting the instrument on the right. Keep the "fixed root" box checked on the right hand side at first and uncheck the box for more advanced training.
Spending a little time each day by making this site part of your daily practice routine will certainly be a rewarding investment.
Bonus: Music to Jog Your Memory - A table of well-known songs with the first notes corresponding to different musical intervals.
Regards from Your Striving Moderator, mark@homeschoolpedia.com
[Filed under "Performing Arts"]
Posted by Mark at 05:14 PM | Permalink| Comments (1)
