Question for homeschoolers

[willowcol]

This is my first year homeschooling my kids. We hatched our first batch of eggs from a incubator we made, to test if it worked. We had a 90% hatch 9 of 10 eggs yeah! My question now we are gathering more recycled wood to build another coop, plus have more eggs in the bator. My 2 children are designing the coop and with help will build it mostly by themselves, they also track the temps of the eggs, turn them 4 times a day ex. I was wondering I was giving them science credit for part of this, then a friend said they should get math credit also for designing coop, measuring and cutting board ect., so heres the question. Is she right, and are there other subjects I should be giving them some credit/grade for doing this, and do they get daily credit or just like a science project grade. I just am trying to keep good record incase the state wants to see what they did this year (they are using switched on schoolhouse so we do have a regular curr.). Thanks in advance.

 

[tabsmonsters]

I don't know, but I wanted to bump this up for you so it will get seen.

 

[Robin'sBrood]

I homeschool but I don't give grades (we're not 'unschoolers' either, we do use curriculum books/computer programs.) Designing and working on the coop would definitely count as school work here. Best wishes, sounds fun!

 

[willowcol]

Thanks glad to know another homeschooler would consider it school work, I am so new to this I just don't know to much yet. My kids are the ones who want the grades, they are still in public school mode.

 

[chickens4jojo]

Yes, I would definitely give credit for math as well. I have homeschooled for many years & it sounds like a "Unit Study" that encompasses many aspects from different disciplines (math, design/art, thinking skills, even English if they write any essays on the subject, etc.)

Public schools consistently give "extra credit" in their classes for their students all the time. You can, too.

Have fun~~what a great project & 90% hatch on your first try?! You are a already an expert hatcher for sure.

 

[CountryMom]

You could go one step further and make a lap book. We did this way way back when we started on the guinea pigs. We researched our subject - guinea pigs, and drew pictures of the ones we liked the most, and even interviewed a long time breeder on her beliefs and operation. Then we took big construction paper and folded it in half and each half in half. We wrote our facts out here and there, some sentences about health and showing, and then pasted pictures (their drawings and other photocopied pics of pigs or our personal pics) into each section of the folded construction paper. Each kid decorated their covers and wrote a title. When we got done each of my kids had a nifty little guinea pig book. We incorporated reading, writing and art into that. Just a simple idea. My kids ages were from 3, 5, and 7. Would work great for chickens. My oldest also did a book on her first horse and his bloodlines. It was much more involved and we ended up putting it into a binder since there were many pages of show facts and history as well.

 

[Trollkiller]

We homeschool and have done so from the start. We don't use a set curriculum but we still give out grades. I should really say my wife gives out the grades as she is teacher. My job is Principle.

The great thing about homeschooling is the fact you can fit a project into every lesson.
In your project I see math, science, art, shop and English. Grade each portion separately.

Math, you have fractions, measurements, finding area, etc.

Science, you have the biology. (You did not say ages so I am not sure if you went into reproduction, development.. etc)

Art, you have the drawings, blueprints etc. And if they paint the coop they can get creative.

Shop, the actual construction.

And English because we all know a job is not done until the paperwork is complete.

 

[Robin'sBrood]

Oh, good idea CountryMom! We've done a couple of science lapbooks this year, with more to come, and I have some lapbook sites bookmarked. Here are some for ideas, if you want to try it willowcol...
http://simplest.lapbook.ever.com/
http://www.squidoo.com/lapbooking#module2304225
http://lapbooklessons.ning.com/

 

[willowcol]

Oh my Daughter (11) would love that idea, she is very crafty and really doesn't like doing long research papers ect. I will tell her tomorrow about that. She might like the idea so much her brother (13) might want to do something like that also. I am trying different styles of learning with her because she just wasn't doing well in the read this answer this style. Thanks

 

[CountryMom]

The fun of homeschooling is finding what inspires your kid. And each are different. I have one that absolutely hates to write period. So we use Story Starters to get her going. Then I have another one who writes all the time. I have heard of many home schoolers doing lap books for all types of subjects at all different grade levels. Great for book reports and even field trips. In fact, we just got home today from a trip to Houston and the Museum of Health. Maybe time to do a fun project day and make a lap book about a part of the body. So many ways you could go with that.

Most of all have fun and let the kids have fun with it. Don't limit their creativity and how they want to put one together. My 3 year olds was a mess, but he was super proud of it. LOL Nothing better than seeing one inspired. Gosh he is turning 7 tomorrow. Ugh how time flies..........