American Pioneers and Patriots Q???

[holyhart]

Hi all! I know I've been absent for quite a while around here, but I do pop on every once in a while to read. Things have been busy (here at home and here on the board as well....lots of new "faces"! ). We are still moving very nicely through LHFHG and LHTH and having a blast! I'm just not finding as much computer time as I would like with the two programs and the baby. But I have a question for all you wonderful ladies and I'm sure that y'all will have some wonderful input to help me out!

I was asked to do a class at our co-op for next year. It would be for the K-2 grade ages (I can change it if K is too young???) and I can choose what type of class to offer. I would really like to do early American history (up to 1900) and thought that since I will be using American Pioneers and Patriots nest year anyway with Evelyn in BLHFHG that maybe I could use that as the base of the class. Since I haven't read it yet or even seen it in person, I was wondering if any of you who have read it/used it could tell me if you think that this would be a good fit??? The class would be a once a week class for an hour. I also was wondering if it includes famous people/dates throughout history as well since it is written in story form? Do we meet people such as Columbus, Betsy Ross, George Washington etc.? Or is it more of a what life was like through history? Would I need another book to supplement?

Sorry for so many questions. But I'm hoping you wonderful ladies can help me out!

Thanks!!!

[Patience]

I just noticed that you have had no replies on this one. Pioneers and Patriots is a fun book. My kids really enjoy it, but my immediate reaction is that I think it's more of a "sit on the couch and snuggle" book rather than a co-op book. But I have never taught a co-op and don't consider myself a great teacher. So, I am sure someone with some ingenuity could certainly make it work. With the book, you get the learning a bit more indirectly...you learn about a time in history, by hearing a story about some children who may have lived during that time. For example, when you are learning about the french pioneers in America, you read a story about a little french girl and her french doll and how her family meets the indians. In a way, the story is more about the girl and the doll. This is how each story is done...The book includes several nice and helpful maps, and also some pages that detail the steps for how things like canoes and butter were made. My kids enjoy these pages. Hope this helps a wee bit.

[MamaMary]

Kelly,

You could take this book and use it to teach from. I agree with Patience that I think of it as a snuggle bug kinda book, but if you took the number of weeks you'll be teaching and broke it down along with a hands on project you could make it happen. My thought though is that I could do it much better now that we're well into Beyond. If I had just picked up the book on my own I don't know that I would have been able to come up with as many idea's on my own. I would see if you could find the book to look through and see if you can break it down into the weeks you'll be teaching at co-op? (big Smile)

[kiloyd]

I think it would be good to go along with your teaching. If you're teaching an hour class you'll need more.

My son loves the stories. We're only half way through it and so far it's been Indians and Pilgrims and now the French settling in Detroit.

[holyhart]

Thanks Patience, Mary and Kiloyd!

I think that I will use it sort of as a "base" to the class....although I guess I'll know better when I actually have the book infront of me. I went on line and was able to read the table of contents and the first chapter...it looks great! I do plan on doing lots of hands on stuff as well as doing some lapbooks and reading some picture books as applicable to the time period. I've never taught at a co-op or a larger group of kids than my own so I am a bit nervous!!! I was thinking that I would also use some of Carrie's ideas that are in BLHFHG for history???? (Is that ok Carrie? If not I won't do it....not sure how that works since I'm primarily purchasing it for individual use????)
The class is an hour so I hope that with the craft, the book(s), lapbooking and stuff that we will fill the time and have fun. Here is my class description.

Early American History will follow the story of America, starting with the earliest settlers and end traveling west with the pioneers. We will eat like the Pilgrims, make bees wax candles like the colonists, write with quill pens like at the signing of the Declaration of Independence, make butter like the pioneers and much more.

Child will need to bring to class: pencil, colored pencils, crayons, glue stick and scissors, all in a zippered pouch or bag along with a binder to hold lap books and handouts.

While there will be no homework, some projects may need to be finished up at home if not finished in class, especially for younger students. Some fun work may also be sent home to be done optionally.

My hope for this class is that through hands-on learning, the reading of some great literature and the interaction of lapbooks that I can help foster a love for history in your child.

One thing that I wasn't sure of from reading the table of contents, does it introduce famous people and dates, etc. or just go over the time period? That would be very helpful to know in planning, although I don't want to make memorizing those kind of facts to "heavy" for such young children (K-2). Sorry for another question!!!

Thanks again!!!

[Kathy_in_OH]

Hi Kelly,

I've been trying to post all day and have been having technical difficulties. All seems cleared up now. Yay!
Anyway, I am new here and will be using BLHFHG in the fall(I'm making myself wait even though I'm chomping at the bit!). I have homeschooled for 17 years and been involved in many co-op classes.
Your ideas are good and should be doable, I just wanted to give you a couple more things to think about. First, how many K-2ers will you have? This will definitely affect the dynamic of your class (with 4 or 5 you could gather them around for reading time and still get that "snuggle" feel, but with more than that, probably not), and also will affect the amount of material you can get done. Second, are you planning to have some helpers? It has been my experience that with this age group you want to have a minimum of 1 adult per 5 dc to help with crafts and activities (not to mention potty trips!). Finally, I would recommend keeping the reading time to 10-15 minutes max and if you can break up the reading, even better. For example.....read, do activity, read more, do another activity....Keep 'em moving!
I have learned all this from experience. My first co-op class I showed up all prepared with lots of fun stuff and we didn't get through half of it. Which was fine, we still had fun. I also learned that teaching someone else's dc is a whole lot different than teaching my own.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that your hour will fly by faster than you think and with all the good ideas you were talking about you shouldn't have any trouble filling the time, but make sure you have helpers to facilitate all the activities.
I agree that you shouldn't focus on dates/names/places, but give them more of a "feel" for the time period. Children relate more to people and experiences at that age. Most libraries have some excellent craft/activity books that go along with Early American History. I do highly recommend that you let them make butter and then spread it on crackers or bread. That is always a big hit with the dc in our group.
Hope this has helped some!
Wishing you blessings on your endeavor. Looking forward to seeing how it goes. I may be doing something similar with my group this fall.
Kathy

[my3sons]

OH my, I want to come to your class! That sounds like tons of fun! I'm so glad the other ladies that have taught co-op have answered here. I was so hoping they would. I've taught numerous group situations with dc, but not a co-op class, so it's great to hear from those with experience and wisdom in that area. They make some great points! I agree that it's important to have help with those little ones, and an attitude that whatever gets done, gets done, and whatever doesn't, doesn't. I remember my heart palpitating when I was teaching Vacation Bible School - I could totally see halfway through we were NOT going to get done with half of what I'd planned. Same thing when I taught crafts... same deal when I taught music... I guess I'm either an overplanner, or an underachiever - whatever happened there, we didn't finish. It was entertaining though!!! I've said a prayer for you about this, and I hope it goes well! Now, this is the mother hen in me, don't overload yourself though, o.k.? You are a busy mom already, and well - I worry about this being a lot for you to take on with a new baby and all - BUT, I know that the Lord lays things on our hearts to do at times in our lives that sometimes seem impossible - but nothing is impossible with God! So, enjoy, but please don't overdo!!!

In Christ,
Mother Hen Julie

[holyhart]

Julie...I'm a natural clucker too!

I have put a max of 10 kids for the class and yes, I will have a helper. I have the feeling that I won't get as much done as I would like to either, and while I'll try to not let myself get dissapointed by that, I'm sure I will be...that would be the Betty in me I think! I haven't figured out yet how many weeks there are for the co-op year (I didn't pay attention this year since I didn't have to actually plan anything ya know?), so I havn't made any "lesson plans" yet. Honestly, even though I'm a bit nervous, I am really excited! Kinda the same way I felt about starting homeschool with my own dc.

Kathy, good idea about breaking up the reading/craft/reading/papers etc. times so that they don't get too antsy. A room full of antsy 5-7 year olds....

[my3sons]

Julie...I'm a natural clucker too!

I have put a max of 10 kids for the class and yes, I will have a helper. I have the feeling that I won't get as much done as I would like to either, and while I'll try to not let myself get dissapointed by that, I'm sure I will be...that would be the Betty in me I think! I haven't figured out yet how many weeks there are for the co-op year (I didn't pay attention this year since I didn't have to actually plan anything ya know?), so I havn't made any "lesson plans" yet. Honestly, even though I'm a bit nervous, I am really excited! Kinda the same way I felt about starting homeschool with my own dc...

O.k. - I'm putting my clucker away - that sounds manageable. And being excited about it is the half of it - a sign that God has probably laid this on your heart to do. Enjoy!

In Christ,
Julie