Today, we finished reading The Journey to the Blue Moon, by Rebecca Rupp. It took about two weeks to finish reading it, and I didn't read it everyday. I had started our read-aloud session, and chose that book. After a while, they seem to enjoy listening to me reading it aloud. I never actually fully utilized his technique when they were younger, unfortunately. I should have. Their comprehension, vocabulary and writing skills might have been better had I done so back then. Well, better late than never, eh?
In my experimental venture into the Unit Study method, I used this read aloud session to assess their comprehension. It probably didn't feel like they were being schooled, which is the point. Language Arts activities usually include getting the students to produce a play, retelling the story they had just read, to see how far they comprehend the reading.
Today I told them to make a character map. Each kid had to choose one character, and make a character map. S had to write a paragraph providing evidence for the traits she extracted for her character. She wasn't very happy when I told her to write that paragraph though.
I also had them complete their travel brochure for the Solar System Unit. I had told them to choose one planet, and make a travel brochure for it. They chose Uranus. They finished one today. It was pretty creative too. Together they had brainstormed made-up attractions they would have on Uranus. They came up with Windy World (an amusement park), Collapse Cavern, and several other attractions. They did the brochure for Windy World today. They also listed hotels, motels, inns, grocery stores. It was amusing to see that they had thought up UFC, which stands for Uranus Fried Chicken as an eaterie close to Windy World.
S wrote out descriptions and catchy paragraphs for the cover. N did the illustrations and descriptions of the rides inside Windy World. H drew maps of Windy World, and a map showing Windy World, and nearby motels and grocery stores. He also made a chart for the hotel's amenities. All in all, they produced a pretty amazing travel brochure, which unfortunately I am not able to upload since it's on paper, and I'd have to scan it.
Yesterday, we read from Stories of the Prophets by Ibn Kathir about Prophet Idris alaihis salam. Next, inshaallah we're going to use the Seerah timeline we had bought them from the Islamicbookstore, and from there I intend to spark off an in depth study of a certain period from the timeline inshaallah.
Nowadays, after fajr, they do their OHVA school work, and then we begin our 'fun' homeschooling. So far so good, alhamdulillah.
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4 comments:
Assalamualaykum, We have used those very same timelines, they are on display on the boy's bedroom wall.
waalaikumsalam ummrashid,
Do you like them?
Yes, they were good in their way, something different to do and then, being on the wall, always a reminder. I tend to find brief historical outlines a bit confusing, I need the detail to fill it out and help the facts make sense, so I used the timelines in conjunction with reading a book of seerah aloud to my sons. So, I agree that the timeline should be used to complement further study.
We use Ibn Kathir for the basis of our study of the Prophets too.
I really like your work, sister, maashAllah.
we put ours up last week...mashaallah I really like it too. The kids had fun figuring out which one goes where.
I plan to start reading aloud from the seerah book too inshaallah..we used to listen to anwar awlaki's audio and that helps too bec when I read raheeq makhtum a lot of what he said is also in there...and i just bought abook also atlas of the prophet's bio..amazing! they have maps and photos..I like reading history when they provide maps..makes it more visual...
jazakillah khair for sharing :)
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