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Thursday, June 25

Roadschool Trip to New York City

New York, New York, a wonderful town;  The Bronx is up, but the Battery's down.
The people ride in a hole in the groun';  New York, New York, it's a wonderful town!
-On the Town (1944)
We drove to New Rochelle, NY and (after driving around in a circle for 45 minutes) took the Metro into New York City for an unplanned day of fun and adventure!  (Note the word "unplanned," as it will lead to a very important lesson...)  We had exactly half a day to see as much of NYC as possible!

The Metro pulled into Grand Central Station, and suddenly the boys understood what I mean when I occasionally answer the phone "Grand Central."  The ceiling, painted with constellations, is very beautiful, and the architecture so lavish and meticulously detailed, that I dare you NOT to take pictures.  We researched the history of Grand Central on the train ride in.

Our first stop in the city was probably not the most traditional.  Being NASA Passport members, we wanted to make sure to hit the Sea, Air, and Space Museum, so we snagged a taxi driven by the one of the least friendly people I've ever met.  I'm not sure he spoke English, as we had to give him instructions three or four different ways.  And the music was some sort of eastern-European vibe...possibly Ukranian?  But we got there...alive.
At the museum, we found Skipper , from the movie Planes , as well as many other aircraft from our various military branches.  My son's favorites were the Blue Angels and the Coast Guard helicopter.
Looking for cooler temperatures, we left the flight deck of the USS Intrepid and went inside the exhibit gallery to see the space shuttle Enterprise.  We had a chance to speak with some former astronauts and compare all of the space shuttles we had visited in the past year.  The last section of the museum was the Growler submarine, but there was a promotion happening and we were unable to get into the tour.
We decided to go see that great American landmark, the Statue of Liberty!  Unfortunately, again, we were unable to get tickets to see her.  The next available tickets were for late September!!  Luckily, a local overheard our quandary and made an alternative, and free, suggestion.  So we hopped aboard the Staten Island Ferry and got to at least ride by and wave hello to Lady Liberty.
On the return ride, we found a little corner of the boat that wasn't cramped with people who have a very different understanding of "personal space."  This was the most relaxing, enjoyable part of our trip to the city.  For half an hour, we drank in the sights and sounds of the city, without feeling walked upon and overwhelmed.
We might joke that us on our first trip to New York City was a bit like the Clampetts going to town, but it was a little much trying to wing it for a day trip to the city.  We weren't able to get into the Empire State Building tour, or many of the other places we wanted to see, mostly because we didn't plan ahead.  Spontaneous trips have their place and time, but this wasn't it.

This photo, taken on the subway, pretty much sums up how we were all feeling as we left the big city.  Hot, tired, and generally irritated - it's what we encountered all day; it must be contagious.  Our lesson learned - national landmarks require considerable planning ahead.

New York City resources:

Videos of some of the places we were unable to get into....let's take the virtual tour together!



USS Intrepid - Growler Submarine

Ellis Island

Empire State Building
A few years back, my baby sister won a contest and had the privilege of being married at the top of the Empire State Building.  It was on such short notice, that none of our family was able to attend, but it still makes a good story!  We all had a great time at their 'second wedding' a few months later.
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Wednesday, June 24

Schoolhouse Teachers VS Khan Academy

 I was confident in my ability to homeschool through middle school. After all, most adults should have a good working knowledge of the information addressed up through eighth grade. However, the more specialized subjects that come with high school gave me pause for concern. 
  • Did I remember enough biology and chemistry to do it justice when teaching?
  • Would I be able to dissect an algebraic equation enough to adequately teach it?
  • And what about Latin...which I have no knowledge of, but he still wants to learn?
It was at this phase that I began to consider outsourcing parts of the school day. We looked around at various curricula, and there are some fantastic options out there! But online options seemed like a good fit for (a) the future of our tech-driven world and (b) portability as we traveled. More B than A.

After looking around a great deal, the two best options for us were SchoolhouseTeachers and Khan Academy. One is free; one is not. That seemed like it'd be end of story, but there's so much more underneath the surface here...

For starters, only certain subjects are available at Khan, and many of the ones we were seeking were not on that list. Secondly, I'm not a huge fan of Common Core, and it does follow those standards. After taking four classes through Khan, we eventually gave it up entirely because of the sheer number of errors found in the courses. We found errors in a history course (more of a re-written history than what you'd find in textbooks that are thirty years old). We also came across a math course that counted all correct answers wrong on the quiz. (Mom went back, took the quiz using a calculator, and it still counted everything wrong.) This was what led us toward using a different option for online schooling, in spite of it not being free.

SchoolhouseTeachers gives you an excellent bang for your buck.
  • There are over 450 courses taught by outstanding teachers. Courses vary in length from a few weeks to a full year or more, and there is something for every member of the family.
  • There are printable lesson plans for courses that help you keep track of lesson completion.
  • They also offer a handy checklist that shows which courses are appropriate for each grade level.
  • One membership covers every class on the site for your entire family, from preschool to high school, and beyond.
  • Classes are not live, so you can start ANY time!
  • There are no per-class or per-child fees and you can cancel anytime.
  • They provide you with multiple printable planners, a free membership to World Book Library (e-books), Right Start Media access (streamable movies, such as Drive Through History), and access to the Applecore recordkeeping system.
  • You get a print copy of The Old Schoolhouse magazine, and all back issues are online as well, so that you can access the information as it becomes relevant to your school.
  • Entire pages are dedicated to parenting special needs, preschoolers, high schoolers, and focused learning centers (new ideas for teaching struggling learners).
  • There are sections on homemaking, homeschool living, monthly menu plans, and discounts for a multitude of vendors–there’s even a section just for craft ideas for the kids!
  • The Monthly Menu page offers up an entire month of seasonally-appropriate recipes for each month of the year.
  • Schoolhouse Expo seminars, classes specifically for adults, family movie access (streaming), and extra member discounts make this great for parents, too!
  • For one flat rate, you have everything needed for the school year -- all grades, all classes -- at your fingertips. You choose whether to use printable or streaming classes. The only thing required is reliable internet!

  • So how exactly do they compare?
  • We've used both SchoolhouseTeachers and Khan Academy extensively, and found each to have their merits depending on what we needed at the time.  Here's a short breakdown on how they differ...

Schoolhouse Teachers
Khan Academy
Video, interactive, and printable courses - online and offline options
Strictly video-based courses – all online
Several course options for each subject (per grade)
One course for each subject (per grade)
Parent keeps track of student progress
Site keeps track of student progress with mastery points (not grades / percentages)
Some courses are for independent use, while others are designed for the parent to teach
All courses are taught by the site
Resources and classes designed for the entire family (eg, classes just for mom included)
Resources are only for the student
Classes for all subjects, all grades, and electives
Core subjects and a few elective classes
Features extra helps for special needs, gifted students, learning to read, and more
No extra features
One login for the entire family
One login for each student
Not Common Core
Follows Common Core standards
Online support group (Facebook)
No online support group
Receptive to questions and reports of errors
No known receptiveness for correcting errors
Faith-based or Neutral worldview courses
Secular courses
Annual or monthly membership covers every student in the family for ALL courses
Free to use for the courses available
See inside sample courses here
See inside a sample course here



Khan Academy is free to use.  SchoolhouseTeachers  usually has some amazing sales...with the option of month-to-month (to see if it's a good fit) or annual memberships.
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Monday, June 22

Teaching About the American Revolution

After completing The Good & the Beautiful History, we were inspired to take The Great Revolutionary War Road Trip!  In the span of two weeks, we managed to visit several Revolutionary War sites.  These are some of the fantastic resources we found along the way...

Novel Studies
Field Trips
Costumes & Re-enactments
  • The boys re-enact the Revolutionary War in costumes they made themselves.  See how easy it is to make your own!
  • Using the costumes they created, they got together with friends and made a student-created video about the American Revolution....it's pretty funny!  
    • Each kid is assigned a role, and the older kids research the history of their role, as you can see in the special features part.  This is a great way to reinforce what they are learning!
  • Lego-themed fun study of the American Revolution (one of ten modules)

Lapbooking & Notebooking

Interactive Studies

Children's Literature & Lit Studies

Arts & Hands-on Projects

History Comics & DVDs

If your favorite Revolutionary War resource isn't listed, please email me or leave a comment so that we can get it up here!



This SchoolhouseTeachers American Revolution course introduces elementary and middle school students to the key battles and players of the Revolutionary War and incorporates history, geography, reading, critical thinking and analysis, and cursive writing throughout.

From the discovery of the New World to the end of the American Revolution, let Dave Stotts take your family on a Drive Thru History. Join him as he takes you to the places where America was born, shares facts about history you have never heard, and has a great deal of fun along the way. Plus, enjoy a special set of worksheets only available here!  Find out more about Drive Thru History...



Creating those Costumes...
After spending a few weeks touring New England and studying the Revolutionary War, the boys were psyched to design their own costumes.  They began back at the hotel, meticulously drawing each piece of costume and musket on individual slips of the notepad.  We ended up with four notepads full of drawings.  Some of them were even viable exploded mechanical drawings!

They began with the muskets.  We raided Grandpa's shop for unused 2x4s and Dad helped them with the shop tools.  They learned wood shop safety, and used both mechanical and manual methods.
After getting everything cut and sanded, they stained the wood, then added the metal pieces.  Our older son came up with the idea of using old spoons for the trigger and other embellishments.  And while their original designs were for a real, working gun, we nixed that.
Muskets drying, we began on the costumes.  Mom's forte is with the sewing machine, and the boys have done simple sewing projects before, but this was going to take some doing!  We began by gathering as many pieces as possible from garage sales and thrift stores.  (Baseball & football pants make great breeches!)  This just left us to make the jackets.

We found two ladies jackets that looked similar to their vision, and they learned how to take tucks.  This fitted the jackets, with the added benefit of creating pleats in the back.  The 'patriot' jacket was also slit up the back to create triangular sides.  They added a multitude of buttons, which really "made" the designs, and found a set of US/UK patches that further emphasized their roles.

Paired with the tricorns from Boston and the powder horns from Fort Ticonderoga, these were some pretty snazzy costumes!
Taking the roles a bit further, they created parchment paper from scrap paper and some old tea bags. Then they transformed a simple nightstand into a colonial desk, with quill and ink, to write a treaty.

 On the Fourth of July, they dressed up, performed a flag ceremony, and headed to town to participate in the annual festival and costume contest.  I'm not sure what the criteria were, but the Brit placed 3rd in his age group, and the Patriot placed 2nd.  We were VERY proud of our boys for their efforts!!  I know that they learned quite a bit, about a great number of topics, through making these costumes.
 
Get the full tutorial for making these costumes, and many more, in Recycled History!

Pick up a printable copy of this unit in the Humanities Unit Study Bundle!

Includes seventeen unit studies covering history and language arts based topics. Each unit addresses a new topic, spanning ancient through modern history and various writing styles.
  • Each unit has introductory text, which will give the student basic background information about the topic at hand.
  • There are photographs and illustrations, and we have also included primary documents when available.
  • After this text, there are featured videos, which augment the background information and help make the topic more accessible for more visual students.
  • You will also find a short list of reading books.
  • There are vocabulary words, places, and people to identify.
  • Reading comprehension, critical thinking questions, and writing assignments are included.
  • We add fun with hands-on activities and extra videos to watch that will bring the era to life.
  • Some units also have cooking projects.
These studies are directed toward upper grades students, but some have resources for younger students so that the whole family can work together. Our family has used unit studies as curriculum for many years, and we hope that your family will enjoy these, too!
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Monday, June 15

Roadschool Field Trip to Virginia's Historic Triangle

Visit Williamsburg at this post!
The Historic Triangle includes three historic colonial communities located on the Virginia Peninsula and bounded by the York and James Rivers.  The points that form the triangle are Jamestown, Colonial Williamsburg, and Yorktown.

One of the best features of these three sites is the amount of hands-on opportunities that are presented for children.  We're firm believers in tactile learning, and the kids remember so much more from these trips!  For each trip, we read a related book aloud together.

Yorktown
We Were There When Washington Won at Yorktown novel study

Near the battlefield where allied American and French forces won the decisive battle of the American Revolution in 1781, the Yorktown Victory Center chronicles the Revolutionary period, from colonial unrest to the formation of the new nation.

Nearly two hundred years after Jamestown was settled, the Battle of Yorktown signaled the end of the Revolutionary War.  At Yorktown Victory Center, we:
  • Helped fire a cannon
  • Learned about medicinal herbs
  • Performed the daily chores (bringing in water, cleaning house, stacking firewood)
  • Chased chickens around the fort (and could not catch one!)
Jamestown

If you remember your history, mosquitoes were a huge problem for Jamestown residents!

Jamestown 
Jamestown Settlement, a museum of 17th-century Virginia, explores the world of America’s first permanent English colony.  The colonists spent several months on a boat, sailing to a world they knew nothing of....how wayward and weary they must have been upon arrival!

Wherever we turned, there was a new experience to be had!  Within the colonial village, we:
  • boarded a colonial sea ship
  • learned to navigate with sea charts
  • developed a plan of attack in the event of pirates
  • discovered how the garden was used medicinally
  • watched ironwork and gunsmithing
  • "shopped" in the storehouse
  • learned why they used mud and thatch for homes
In the Native American area, we:
  • helped carve a canoe
  • watched food being cooked at the communal fire
  • practiced sewing with bones & sinew
  • learned the architectural principles behind their homes

Separate from the tourist center, there is a site called Historic Jamestowne, which is the center for preservation, education, and the archaeological investigation of Historic Jamestowne.

Unit Resources

Jamestown resources :
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