Below is a brief video explaining how to transfer data from one TI 83 Plus to another TI 83 Plus. Usually, TI 83 Plus will transfer to any TI 83 calculator. It’s the same with a TI 84 calculator; however the link is different. Here is the link for TI 83 and TI 83 Plus calculators. Here is the mini USB link cable for TI 84 calculators. Hope this helps!
Monday, August 31, 2020
Saturday, August 29, 2020
What should English include?
Math, Science, and History are pretty straightforward. Many textbooks have study guides to use. Your child completes a page each day. Planning done! English is not as clear. That’s why public schools call English Language Arts. What should be part of the English curriculum? Kids need a Reading book. They should read novels and write book reports, too! Here is a great list. Here are instructions for writing a book report. Aim for one novel and book report each quarter. You can always do more! What else? Handwriting is an essential skill. Go with the masters at Zaner-Bloser. Work on Vocabulary with Sadlier Workshop. They have Grammar and Writing, too. I’m betting you are uncomfortable with grammar. Try Easy Grammar and learn along with your child. Do you want a curriculum? Memoria Press has amazing materials. The Classical Composition is rigorous! Kids outline and analyze prose. Let’s summarize. A comprehensive English program should have reading, novels, vocabulary with spelling, grammar, and composition with handwriting.
How do you schedule? We do a little everyday. Remember you want about one hour of English subjects each day. Plan at least 20 minutes of daily reading. We read when we get back from a long walk or bike ride. Everything else varies. If you use a practice book or vocabulary workshop, do one page or exercise each day. We do a little grammar, a little composition, a bit of a novel, and a little Anthology daily, for about 45 minutes. We do tough assignments for Memoria Press’s Classic Composition twice a week and ease up on other English assignments those days. Remember, start with three hours each day, with one hour of English. You can do this!
Want to be successful home-schooling?
Do you want to be successful home-schooling? Who doesn’t? Set up a schedule and stick to it! Here’s the deal. First, start with the Core Four: Math, Science, History, and English—in that order! Do a minimum of three hours of instruction in the Core Four. Plan on one additional hour for other lessons. Our little household has reading, guitar practice, and computer programming every day after the Core Four. We have Art or science labs, too. PE is an hour outside on a walk, bike ride, or playing ball. Stick to the schedule and maintain a minimum of three hours for core subjects five days a week.
Tuesday, August 25, 2020
How to graph lines of regression in TI 84
Below is a video explaining how to enter data for a linear regression in a TI 84 graphing calculator. Take a look.
Saturday, August 22, 2020
Tech Tools
Now is the time to embrace tech. Start with Google’s G-Suite for Education. I use Docs, Slides, Sheets, YouTube, Blogger, Classroom, Drive, Gmail, and Calendar. Why? They are all integrated! Step one is getting a gmail account. Start with Classroom. I set up each subject as a separate classroom in addition to the Co-op classes. I post YouTube videos, links, docs, and slideshows for topics into Classroom. Additionally, I take pix to add with assignments. This way, I have an on-going digital portfolio. Get in the habit of saving to Drive. I just scanned (with my iPad) a hard copy of a lab I cannot locate on Google. I sent the scan to my Gmail account. Gmail converts it to a pdf file. Gmail also allows me to save pdf files to Drive. Once in Drive, I can add the pdf lab copy to assignments. Did you know you can scan with your iPhone or iPad? I didn’t until recently. I was scanning materials to a jump drive using the local library’s copier. The local library here is still closed from Covid-19. I had to get creative. You can, too! Start with Google. Below are screen shots demonstrating these tech tools.
Thursday, August 20, 2020
Start an Etsy Shop
I was talking with a friend who’s granddaughter loves to sew. One great family project is to start an Etsy shop. Think of all you will learn! Start by looking at successful bloggers with Etsy stores, such as Small Things. Here is Ginny’s shop. She posts shop updates on her blog. Another blogger, Six Figures Under has an Etsy Shop Series. Etsy has great information about setting up a shop.
I recommend deciding what to sell, creating some inventory, and then start a blog. How will you promote your new venture through social media? How often will you post to your blog, YouTube, or social media sites? What can you do to increase your shop’s profile?
Your family will be writing, making, doing research, and learning about entrepreneurship—all at relatively low risk. Ideally, your family will promote your kid’s passion.
Tuesday, August 18, 2020
Let’s get organized!
I am getting everything ready for my classes—one of which is Chemistry. Here are screenshots and photos with a glimpse of how I get organized.
Monday, August 17, 2020
Unplugged
Our little household is NOT unplugged or unschooled. But The Unplugged Family post on Small Things is promoting the Unplugged Family Activity Book. What a great idea! We use laptops, Kindles, and iPads daily. We do limit screen time watching TV or playing video games. Make a list of regular unplugged activities: Scout badges, art projects, Christmas presents, whittling, leather crafts, card games, board games, puzzles, sketch books, water color sets, Legos, K’nex, Hot Wheels, Nerf Wars, cooking lessons, fiber crafts, etc. We keep ideas written on crafts sticks. Pull out an idea on demand.
Saturday, August 15, 2020
Family Projects
Our little household does many science projects. What type of projects does your family enjoy? A friend’s family devised a timeline of music which spanned the perimeter of their home classroom. Have you considered Teaching about Famous Artists? (Here is a book!). Several home-school families raise chickens as a project: exotic breeds, organic practices, or as part of 4H projects. Dick Blick has Fiber Art Project Ideas. What about learning how to knit? Make your first family project Team Scarves. Brainstorm ideas as a family: gardens, sheds, woodworking, leather crafts, 4H, Scouts, even an Etsy Business. Here is how I brainstorm. Ask your family, “If money were no object, what would you like to do?” Now, when the kids answer, “Go to Disney World!,” ask them how to pay for the trip. I had a young friend who built and sold Adirondack chairs. He was ten! What projects could your family do?
Word of the Day
Our little household uses Vocabulary Workshop. These booklets are packed with vocabulary enrichment. Additionally, novels and textbooks bolster vocabulary. You can also use Word of the Day. I taught at two private schools which used WODs from the elementary grades. Another good source of WODs is Script’s Spelling Bee’s Words of Champions. BTW many home-schoolers compete nationally. Want to include a bit more rigor? Take a word, spell it, use it in a sentence, and specify synonyms. Do one a day. Learn a word’s etymology, such as cardiovascular, using an etymology dictionary. See why we also learn Latin?
Thursday, August 13, 2020
Teach your child how to learn!
I teach a teen and a ten year old. My goal is for them to learn how to teach themselves. The teen sets her goals based on a curriculum. With a year under her belt, she is evaluating assignments, estimating time to finish, and allotting time each day to achieve her,goals.
How do we get there? With younger kids, start with a schedule. Get the child in the habit of taking out materials and working on the next assignment. Here’s an example. Paul, ten, is memorizing about 50 elements on the Periodic Table. This week, he is learning 1-36. He writes out the names and studies. We have a system. I add a few more elements each week. Paul studies the Table in the book, closes it, and takes out the blank copy for the test.
Each day, sit down and give your kids the list of tasks for the day. Start with the hardest or least liked subject. We have materials in bins to make it easier to pull out materials. If you assign one page or short assignment for each book, your child should be able to move from task to task independently. Try it! Below is a photo of our bin system. I bought felt bins from Five Below.
Sunday, August 9, 2020
Set up your space!
One important task is to set up your school space! Below is a tour of the basement classroom. I teach Co-op science classes in addition to other home-school classes. But look below. Basics include a white board, table and chairs, caddies for supplies (calculators, pens, rulers, and markers), shelves, bins, and a copier. Practical supplies include a clock, trash can, extra tables, and book cases for all of the textbooks and binders. Since I teach science, there are loads of supplies. I mark boxes in large letters. Stock up on paper, sharpies, etc. Your needs will differ. I have taught science a long time and have acquired tons of supplies. But, I think you will get a few ideas.
Friday, August 7, 2020
Math Manipulatives
Good Will online has a new listing for Math Modeling Sets—basically math manipulatives. These are usually expensive. Take a look!