Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Learning Environments Unit Studies for homeschool?

Here is a thread on Creation and Myth http://afterschoolers.yuku.com/topic/2488

I have the Hamilton book as well as the one by Lavitt. THe Lavitt book can be hard to find but is organized by country so it's easy to coordinate w/ country study. I have a couple others. One is the most important or central stories from the 7? major religions.

Yep that's the MG kid. He started programming at 6.5yrs old I think. He within a week, surpassed me and was helping me with my programs.

Dazey,

What's the Mars Mission Challenge?

The talk about Lego's reminded me of a summer class Miami University(Ohio) has for kids. You sign up and get the Lego's sent to your home, you log onto the computer and do the class at home. The recommended age is 8 and up, but I didn't see that as mandatory. Here's a link, Miami University

Since it's done at home it may be open to anyone in cyberworld. Other universities may offer similar things.

Very cool OHG!! Has your GS ever participated in one of these classes??

Not yet. The morning classes don't work well with my work schedule but this Lego class at home might work. Summers are really busy here, though. GS has been at camp since Sunday, he's got 4H & some Jr cattle shows to prepare for.

wow - reading about all these fun units and lego classes makes me want to start homeschooling now!

Squirt: Here's the link: http://www.marsbasecommand.com/


It's by the author of "The Mayan Adventure for the LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT" Jim Kelly. It's built around a similar theme. THere is a story with a problem to be solved. SOmething is wrong at our Base Command on Mars. If you buy the packet for $15, you can have the mat printed. You then build the buildings w/ LEGO REsource kit. You then construct and plan a robot to interact with those buildings according to the challenge. You can then submit photos or movies to the website to share your work.

Thanks, OHG! Cool stuff!

Kriston-

I have to admit, when I saw that you were asking about unit studies, I sort of did a mental shrug and thought, "That's not us". But you know, we do a tremendous amount of interest led and project based learning. I guess in my mind, "Unit studies" implies a boxed program designed for the average learner, or something Mom or Dad has planned out far in advance with little input from the kids. What you describe though, sounds like what we do much of the time, and how some of our best learning happens.

An example: We read about the British Tudors back when Artemis was four and half. She immediately became fascinated by everything Tudor. At her request, we got many library books on the time period, both fiction and non-fiction. She got into Shakespeare too, on a tangential learning binge. At age five, she designed a Tudor timeline and made illustrations of all Henry's various wives and children. She is eight now and still loves to read about this era. She knows all the wives intimately and can tell you their order and how they were "discharged". She can talk your ear off about Elizabethan fashion, food, etc.

My advice is to work with your son to design your own unit studies, be flexible in how you follow an idea, and don't be afraid to go in unexpected directions.

hth!