Sixth grade literacy, so important!

I was just reading about www.sixthgradeonlinecurriculum.com and I think it's important to appreciate how critical literacy is to the whole educatinal process. Prior to 6th grade, we were learning to read.

Starting in 6th grade, we are reading to learn.  SIxth graders who are not reading on level will have lots of trouble in almost every subject except PE and maybe math and comp sci, if they have those subjects.

Even in sixth, the level of vocabulary and spelling skills need to be improving.  To practice and build skills, I'd recommend looking at the sixth grade spelling word lists provided by SpellingCity. They teach vocab and spelling and do it in an effective way that builds long term retention, not just short term cramming.  Here's some info on what they thing sixth grade literacy word learning should include.

Sixth grade vocabulary lists encompass all literary genres. The sixth grade vocabulary word lists include poetry, like Lewis Carroll’s “Jabberwocky” and Longfellow’s “Paul Revere’s Ride.” Vocabulary word lists for ELA literature studies, such as The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain and Eleven by Sandra Cisneros, are available on VocabularySpellingCity. Teachers can use VocabularySpellingCity’s engaging, interactive games to help students develop literary vocabulary knowledge through independent practice.

VocabularySpellingCity also offers sixth grade content area vocabulary word lists. Word lists include subject areas like sixth grade math, sixth grade science, and sixth grade social studies. Teacher can use VocabularySpellingCity’s games and activities as a supplemental tool when teaching subject areas like math or science.

This was quoted from the SpellingCity website but without permission but since I cite them I think I'm using best practices for bibliographic citations but I'm not sure what the exact rules are for htis in this day and age.

Here's lists of animal figurative language

Women's History Month

March is Women’s History Month! There are so many famous women that have made great changes, which has made the world we live in today, so much better for the women of today. We will be devoting some time, during the month of March, to learn about all these great women throughout history. Thankfully, we also live in a technology advanced world, where we have access to the internet. Which makes the homeschooling moms of the day much happier. There are many sites, which have an endless amount of information, about the history of women. Besides just reading and learning about these women, you can take this topic a bit further, by having your child do some essay writing about their favorite women in time. You can even create tests, and play social studies women in history games too. So, which is my favorite woman in history? Marion Donovan, the inventor of the disposable diaper, for obvious reasons ;)

A Poem for Valentine's Day

~Roses are red, violets are blue, if you have heard this poem before, then you are part of this world too.~

A little poem humor to kick start today's blog posting, but seriously, poems are a wonderful way to express how one feels. They are a creative outlet that allows individuals, young and old, to share their innermost thoughts and feelings. With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, why not let your children discover their inner poet, by creating their own Valentine's Day Poem. This will also give your child an opportunity to practice their writing skills as well. You could even create or use a pre-made Valentine’s Day spelling list, as words for them to incorporate into their poem. Providing some poems for inspiration, for your child to read, is also another idea that you could do. Once you child has written their poem, you could let them have fun, by having them read their masterpiece in front of the family; as if they were in a coffee shop somewhere on stage :)

Free Writing Resources

Teaching your child writing may or may not come easy for every homeschool parent. Even the best “teacher”, sometimes need help in this subject. Of course, it isn’t always the parent or child, sometimes it is the curriculum that is being used. Ideally, the solution would be a new writing curriculum, but that may be out of budget, so out of the question; but what about free writing resources? Those are always affordable. So, whether you need some extra help, or even if you have a writing curriculum that you do love, you can never have too many resources.

Math Anxiety

Does your child suffer from math anxiety? This is more of a common problem then one might think. Whether you are in sixth grade or in college, math can cause quite a bit of stress for some people. There are a few ways that you can help your child with their anxiety. Teaching some relaxation techniques can help. What I have taught my child is to take a deep breath in and slowly exhale a couple of times, while thinking positively that you can do math!

Other ways to help with math anxiety, is just to prepare. Besides having your child complete their math lessons, you can have them practice their skills with practice tests. Math flash cards and math games are also very helpful. Being prepared and thinking positive can really help in overcoming anxiety.

Homeschooling, Your Way!

One of the great things about homeschooling, is that you can tailor your child’s educational needs, when ever needed. If a schedule isn’t working, you can change it. If your curriculum isn’t working, you can change it. If you want to add different educational tools, well, you get the idea. The reality is, that kids do better in school, when they feel better. So, by altering certain elements, in the way your kids receive their education, can make a huge difference in their ability to learn and retain information. For instance, if they are not “morning people”, you can always start your school day later in the day. If they like music or love to sing, then why not use educational songs as part of your homeschool. In the end, if it helps you to teach or your child to learn, then in my opinion, it should be part of your homeschool ;)

Homeschooling Halloween Top 10

     If you are looking for ways to “spook” up your Homeschool this month, then do I have some ideas for you!

    My Top 10 Homeschooling Halloween Add-ons:

1. Halloween crafts are always a fun idea
2. Halloween themed printable worksheets
3. Halloween spelling word list
4. Halloween themed educational games
5. Halloween themed paragraph writing
6. Create a Halloween Poem
7. Unit study on skeletal system
8. Paint a Halloween themed picture
9. Cook a Halloween themed food
10. Lastly, learn the history of Halloween

I hope these ideas, help you have a Fun "Halloween-themed" homeschool, for October ;)