Life of Fred

{ Yesterday we finished Apples. }

{ Today we started Butterflies. }

Looking forward to learning all the little tid bits in this episode ( oh and the maths too. )

Thanks for visiting.

Grade 1 LA Anchor Chart Update

When we first started using Christian Light Educations Grade 1 Language Arts curriculum for Phebe { 6 }, I made it a point to collect the introduction to new material after I'd taken out the quizzes and test.

I just cut them out and stuck them on some blue paper for me to laminate.

We now have nine A4 back to back pages of topics that we've covered, and we haven't even finished the course yet.  

When school resumes on Monday { we've just had two weeks off } Phebe will be taking a little detour with her LA course so that we can review what's already been covered.  That's when these little Anchor Charts will come in handy.

Then after we've done that for a couple of weeks or so we'll continue on with the remainder of the course.

I'll also be spending some time with her to focus on spelling rules and copy work as well. 

Thanks for visiting.

 

Math Rider Review

This past month we had the wonderful opportunity to try out an online maths game called Math Rider.

{ About the product }

     Math Rider is "an intelligent maths facts game" designed to help your child increase the speed at which they can recall their basic math facts for addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.

     Imagine - from a child's perspective - playing a computer game to practice learning your addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division - much more appealing to a child than a worksheet.  

     When we received our copy of Math Rider I initially set up a log in for both Chloe { 8 } and Phebe { 6 }.   Since then I also made one for Hannah { 4 } and myself.  Hannah would watch the girls play their games and really wanted to try it out for herself.  The girls love horses so the game was very appealing.

     Once the program is installed it is simply a click and play.  Have each child log in with their individual user name and password.  When logged in the screen will show you how many rides have been done, and how many quests have been completed.  It even shows you percentages for the strands that have been practiced as well.  On the right hand side there are clickable icon links to view "my statistics", or to go to a "practice run", or to start a "new quest", and if you look down below there is an icon link to "continue current quest".  For additional motivation they also provide a quest map to show the child a visual representation of their journey.   It has audio and music in addition to the visual representation of the game.

     Basically the game centers around mini quests where you ride your horse called, "Shadow".  As you ride you must answer all the math questions provided.  It is timed with a set amount of questions for each section of the quest.  The program keeps track of what the child knows and needs to practice, thus enabling the child to practice what really needs to be practiced and passing over already mastered questions.

     There are 4 different areas in which to do the quests.  Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, and Division.  So depending on what you want your child to practice you could just select any area.  To choose what strand and level of difficulty just start a new quest.  The program will also keep track of the play count, the rides count, and the master level in percentages.

     One of the great things about the program is that it allows the parent to see immediately what areas the child has mastered and what is still needed for practice.  No worksheets, or marking, or parental work / teaching needed.  The program does everything and keeps track of everything.  This is the type of product that you could easily replace mental math drill workbooks with.  

     MathRider uses Adobe AIR runtime.  So both Windows and Mac users can use it.  Your computer will also need about 80MB of disk space, and your monitor and graphics card will need to be at least 1024 by 768 pixels.  To see their full requirements just click the little MathRider box below.

{ What we thought }

     Both Chloe and Phebe quite enjoyed using the program.  They still ask to play it.  Hannah, my little just turned 4 year old decided that she needed to try it out too, but yeah, it was a little out of her reach academically, but I can see her using it later on.

     It made doing mental maths work much more appealing and enjoyable, this was clearly seen by witnessing the girls reaction to it.  I also think that it increased response times for their basic math facts as well - especially the addition because that is what they mostly worked on.  The girls are quite keen on continuing with this product - so when you are talking about maths, that means something in our home.  

     It does weave the basic concepts of a fantasy land with magical  elements within the story, but one can easily skip the story component with a click of a button.  We aren't big on fantasy at my home, and we didn't have any problem skipping this area.  It didn't affect the game play at all.  I think they just put it in to make it more appealing to children.    

Check out this short presentation to really get an idea of what MathRider is all about.

   Interested?  Then try their 7 day free trial.  Just sign up with your email - no need for anything else.  Download the full program and try it out fully featured.

{ How much does it cost? }

     For a life time use of the product it's pricing of $47 is an awesome deal - especially since you can use it with all your children in the family { or keep up to 8 of them with an account }.  Oh and it also includes free software updates for LIFE too.

   Thanks for visiting, and don't forget to tour Math Rider for additional information about their product; oh and check out some other awesome reviews on Math Rider as well.

"The Intelligent Math Facts Game"

Life of Fred

     I've just worked out how the Life of Fred Elementary series can be divided up and spaced out for Graded years.  That way they can be used as one lesson per week as a treat { if you want to use them that way }.

Two books for Kindergarten:  Apples / Butterflies
Each book covers 1 semester { 18 weeks / 19 weeks }
That gives a total of 37 chapters for Kindergarten.


Two books for Grade 1:  Cats / Dogs
Each book covers 1 semester { 19 weeks }
That gives a total of 38 chapters for Grade 1.


Two books for Grade 2:  Edgewood / Farming
Each book covers 1 semester { 19 weeks }
That gives a total of 38 chapters for Grade 2.

Two books for Grade 3:  Goldfish / Honey
Each book covers 1 semester { 19 weeks }
That gives a total of 38 chapters for Grade 3.


Two books for Grade 4:  Ice-cream / Jelly Beans
Each book covers 1 semester { 19 weeks }
That gives a total of 38 chapters for Grade 4.


     Not that they go by grade by any means - one simply starts at the beginning and continues on through.   I've simply divided them up like this so as to show at what pace they would be acceptable for planning purposes.

     I like that it works out to be a single chapter per week.  Now that is very doable when using other math curriculums.

     Also, if you're a little behind when you first start like us { I have a child in Grade 3 just starting out } it doesn't matter.  We are all starting with Apples and will just read on through at a faster pace.

     Thanks for visiting.

NT Commands 1-20

Remember a couple of days ago I mentioned about writing out the 1050 NT commands for copywork?  well, I've started listing them on my facebook wall but then I thought, you know what?  They'd be a handy little reference on my blog too.

1. Abstain from Idols 

Acts 15:20
But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.

2. Abstain from Fornication

Acts 15:29
That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.

3. Abstain from strangled meats

Acts 15:20
But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.

4. Abstain from blood

Acts 15:20
But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.

5. Abstain from meats offered to idols

Acts 15:29
That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.

6. Abstain from all appearance of evil

1 Thessalonians 5:22
Abstain from all appearance of evil.

7. Abstain from fleshly lusts

1 Peter 2:11
Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;

8. Ask and ye shall receive

Matthew 7:7
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

9. Ask no return of Goods

Luke 6:30
Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again.

10. Ask life for backsliders

1 John 5:16
If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.

11. Avoid troublemakers

Romans 16:17
17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.

12. Avoid profane and vain babblings

1 Timothy 6:20
O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called:

13. Avoid false science

1 Timothy 6:20
O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called:

14. Avoid unlearned questions

2 Timothy 2:23
But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes.

15. Avoid foolish questions

Titus 3:9
But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.

16. Avoid geneologies

Titus 3:9
But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.

17. Avoid arguments about the law

Titus 3:9
But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.

18. Awake to righteousness

1 Corinthians 15:34
Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.

19. Awake to life

Ephesians 5:14
Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.

20. Be exceeding glad

Matthew 5:12
Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

Copywork

Here's something new that we've just recently started for copywork.  It's copying the 1050 commands found in the New Testament.  I figure that it will give us a very thorough and succinct view of what is required of us.

For the little girls they need only write the command.

{ Sample by Chloe }

For the older boys and myself we are writing out the commands and the verses that go with them.

{ Sample by Caleb }

Thanks for visiting.

Rolling Bookcase

While we were interstate a few days ago the family and I managed a day trip out to a second hand auction, and while there I picked up a  Preschool Rolling Bookcase for the pretty good price of $22.00.

It just closes up with a latch when not in use.

So, I'm going to use it for its intended purpose.  Books.  :o)  Something novel for the now.

Thanks for visiting.