Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums General Discussion Getting over the hump

There are two areas that currently are the big road blocks for acceleration (such as above-grade GT class and science): writing (including spelling) and multiplication table facts.

Can someone recommend some good (and hopefully fun) resources we can work with DD over the summer, especially for writing?

And if you have tried Kumon or other learning centers, how are/was your experience? Is it worth the tuition?

For multiplication, I have a feeling that we might just have to drill it in with worksheets. Maybe one day DD will think the monster in Timez Attack is cute and not scary.

Thanks in advance,
Mag

Mag - what age? I don't have any experience with Kumon or similiar. I would avoid the worksheets. I think the kids get so much of that at school and it's fun to learn other ways. (I put in some prices but you should confirm these to be acurate.)


ideas for writing:

Online writing - http://www.ctd.northwestern.edu/gll/
with Northwestern University, 9 weeks, check this but I think tuition is about $400, they have some scholarships available. This was a good experience for my DS9 last summer.

Summer Journal - Here's my plan for this summer. I'm going to make a journal for my family and kids may write, draw or add stickers. In the begginning I will make a list of things I would like to do this summer and ideas of things to include. Things to put in the journal might be feelings about your day, what you did, nature sitings, or a poem. I won't correct any spelling or grammar unless asked. It will just be for the joy of doing it. My DD said she will make her own too.


Books to encourage writing: I just leave 1 or 2 at a time laying around and see what happen

You can write a story by Lisa Bullard

Art for kids cartooning by art Roche, he also has one with comic strips

http://www.loreenleedy.com/ "Look at my book" is good.

Library Mouse by Daniel Kirk, This can inspire writing.


Math ideas: Search the library for fun math books on multiplication.

Math potatoes : more mind-stretching brain food / by Greg Tang ; There are many of these

Mathstart series - The Best Vacation Ever by Murphy, Stuart J.; Bernard Westcott, Nadine (Illustrator)

http://www.aleks.com/ month free trail if you say you are homeschooler, $25 a month, for math facts and general math

http://www.mathletics.com/ $25 a month, they will give you a week free trial if you ask. This was very motivational for My DS9. When I let him played to long he got too intense because it can involve competing. There maybe ways to set restrictions.

http://epgy.stanford.edu/courses/ some people here are getting a nice group price.$135 for school year. I'm not sure what's up for the summer. You may want to search for threads. I think they have a LA and Math combo.

see mindware.com, WE love the workbooks! I think they have some multiplication game too.

This should keep your child busy this summer.

Hi onthegomom,

Thanks for these great suggestions!!! I love the journal idea-DD can write or draw, and maybe we can even get her little brother (4yo) to join in.

Sorry, totally forgot to mention the age: DD is 6 and in kindergarten.

Writing is her weakest area by far. Developmentally, her little tiny fingers are just not great at holding writing instruments. (She is still wearing toddler size gloves.) But thanks to Grinity and Dottie (I believe), they mentioned the "crawl" pencil grip and the "dangling than flip over" method on one of the recent posts. So, things are a bit better.

Multiplication: I will take a look at the books you mentioned. Any thing fun will be soooooo much better than the worksheet, I totally agree. She is doing EPGY (thanks to melmichigan for heading the group). Even though she understood the concepts, she was getting so frustrated (and took forever to add eight 7's etc.). So, we offered her a multiplication table so she can move on to new and more interesting topics. Is this bad? But in order to advance in the "real world," she will need to have these facts down cold.

Thanks again for making great suggestions!!! It will keep me busy for a while....

Mag

I still think Handwriting Without Tears is the best handwriting program, especially for GT kids, not a lot of boring needless copying but true focus on letter formation. Short but to the point works great here. Grotto grips also helped my DD's and are recommended by their OT.

[quote=Mag]Hi onthegomom,

Thanks for these great suggestions!!! I love the journal idea-DD can write or draw, and maybe we can even get her little brother (4yo) to join in.

Sorry, totally forgot to mention the age: DD is 6 and in kindergarten.

Writing is her weakest area by far [quote]

You could have them tell you what to write and then they add pictures. This will help with there writing thinking skills.

I taught my son multiplication using "Memorize in Minutes: the Times Tables" by Walker (Krimsten Publishing). The method is different from traditional table methods. Each multiplication fact has a fun story. For example, 3 is called tree and 7 is called surfin'. The story would be something like this...

A huge tree was tired of standing in the forest all day. He went down to the beach, rented a surfboard and went surfing. The tree was having fun surfing when suddenly it crashed into the sun. The tree was so tall, he had reached all the way to the sun. The tree hit the sun so hard it made dents in the sun. The sun became a denty sun (aka 21).

The book comes with cute story flashcards to illustrate the stories.

This method worked out great for us because my son is very verbal and loves the cute "pun" type nature of the stories (using rythming words for the numbers).

Before I introduced this memorization method, I taught him the foundations of multiplication, so he would understand what multiplication actually is. I think that is important if you use this method.

I recommend trying www.multiplication.com. There are all kinds of multiplication games geared toward both boys and girls. It's a nice, no-pressure way to practice the facts. The only downside that I see, and it's only a downside later when your child knows the facts, is that most games don't involve a time factor, so there is no need to answer quickly and automatically.

here are some things that my work for my DS6inMay:

#1 School House Rock. seriously. he could sing "3-6-9,12-15-18, 21-24-27,30" in his sleep. I think he has too.

He also get the concept (as permovingup6) so that is good

#2 I make up "word problems" and ask him. like:
"We have two cars. if we replace the tires on both cars how many new tires do we need? What if we replace the tires on your friend John's cars too?" This is way more effective for him than 1st asking, what is 2 times 4? what is 4X4? after a few word problems he is warmed up.

#3 using real life multiples. 4 quarters in a dollar, 7 days in a week, 5 digits on a hand, etc.

DD5 loves schoolhouse rock, and we also use daily life word problems. Need to make 3 sandwiches, how many slices of bread do we need? (3x2). How many eggs will we get from our 8 chickens if they each lay 5 a week? (8x5)

She also loves the Memorize in Minutes way. She looks for any opportunity to say "skate x skate = sticky floor". :-)

Oh wow! This is fantastic! One of these methods out to click with DD6's brain waves. Maybe I can even find one for DS4 since he likes to keep up with the big sis.

I took a quick look at Schoolhouse Rock--short and sweet. And the multiplication.com looks cool (the race car game) too. I will see (hopefully) if the library has the Memorize in Minute book. It sounds silly, but kiddies might get a kick out of it.

Thank you!!!
Mag