Addition and Subtraction with Number Stickers

When someone gives you number stickers...

A box full of art goodies! It was Christmas. Not literally, but when you give a gaggle of girls a box of art supplies, it feels like Christmas. Smiles all around. Ideas shouted out. Just plain excitement.

At the bottom of the box I found some number stickers. I, too, had an idea! Math! That's right, math. I set the stickers aside until the excitement over the box waned. I knew my idea wouldn't fly until they had a chance to try their ideas.

Later in the afternoon, I pulled out the stickers and a piece of construction paper. Immediately I had several children asking, "What are you doing?"

"We're doing math!"

And, we did! Each child at their own level. Addition. Subtraction. Multiplication. Each child problem solving and thinking ahead to make use of the most numbers, while also carefully avoiding problems with numbers or solutions for which they had no stickers. Win. Win. For practicing math while problem solving and having a great time working with siblings to create problems. I love it when real life becomes math and math is involved in real life!

So, when life gives you number stickers (or you can purchase a pack with a 50% off JoAnns coupon), 

do math!

Side Note: As I write this blog, there is more learning happening in the kitchen! Our middle child found letter stickers in the bag and created a frog life cycle. She asked if we could find some print out or magazine pictures of tadpoles, froglets and frogs for the project she is creating. Who would have thought we could have this much learning fun with a bag of mismatched number and letter stickers?

More ideas with letter stickers, here!

Can Living Books Teach History?

I read this common question, or variations, in my inbox this time of year, every year. I usually answer something like:

Question: As I start the look into what we will do next year. I have been thinking about history. Next year I will have a 4th,2nd, and 1st grader. Someone mentioned Childhood of Famous Americans to me. I am looking for something to do maybe twice a week as the other days we have other activities. Could you comment on my thoughts.

Reading aloud returns great rewards. Auditory processing, the ability to process what is heard, develops as children listen to audio materials. Comprehension improves as participants ask questions and retell parts of the story. Vocabulary builds as the reader explains unknown words. Attention span increases as listeners sit eager to hear a story unfold. Relationships deepen as reader and listeners share emotions, thoughts and ideas. Reading aloud returns great rewards at any age. 

In response to the question raised by this mom (and many others like her now considering their curriculum choices for the coming year), she was specifically interested in Childhood of Famous Americans (the hardcovers if you can find them), for the ages posted. Older children may be interested in the Landmark books, biographies in the Signature series or We Were There books.

With the ages stated, these books can be read, comprehended and enjoyed together, as a family. Each child will gather details they find most intriguing. In our home we read in the afternoon before Dad comes home while toddler is still napping or later in the evening right before bed after jammies are on and teeth are brushed. Little eyes and bodies relaxed, transition to bed is easy. Family read-aloud time offers priceless memories of siblings and parents snuggled in the living room, reading.

Reading COFAs is a way to learn history and science. Children quickly become interested in COFA stories because the main characters are introduced as children. As to which title to choose, it is beneficial if the child chooses which title he would like to read first. Children are more likely to engage immediately and intently if their interest is piqued. Remember the content of COFAs lend themselves to history and science. Often as parents read, children begin to think how they can "study" the subject in more detail, maybe designing a lapbook, maybe helping to create a unit study, maybe acting out a historical event or dressing up as the main character, maybe simply checking out library books on the subject for deeper learning. 

If the listener is a reader, he or she may become so interested that independent reading may become a personal motivation. The result may be heading to the home library shelf to choose another independent read. COFAs make great independent reads, encouraging reading growth and fluency while learning history.

Younger readers, not quite ready to read a COFA independently, may enjoy choosing a similar title in the Step-Up book series. The reading level is lower than COFAs and make great reads for emerging readers. They are well-written and kids LOVE the content. 

Can history be studied reading "living books", books which allow the listener/reader to journey alongside characters? Absolutely! In fact, it is the stories our children have "lived" that are best remembered. 

Live History with Landmark Books Part II

A few days ago I posted the 122 titles of the American titles in the Landmark series. Today I am adding the 63 titles in the World series so families can round out their collection. The above picture includes one of each.

The 63 titles in the World Landmark series

1      The First Men In the World by Anne Terry White

2      Alexander the Great by John Gunther

3      Adventures and Discoveries of Marco Polo by Richard Walsh

4      Joan of Arc by Nancy Wilson Ross

5      King Arthur and His Knights by Mabel Louise Robinson

6      Mary, Queen of Scots by Emily Hahn

7      Napoleon and the Battle of Waterloo by Frances Winwar

8      Royal Canadian Mounted Police by Richard L Neuberger

9      The Man Who Changed China: The Story of Sun Yat-sen by Pearl S. Buck

10    The Battle of Britain by Quentin Reynolds

11    The Crusades by Anthony West

12    Genghis Khan and the Mongol Horde by Harold Lamb

13    Queen Elizabeth and the Spanish Armada by Francis Winwar

14    Simon Bolivar, the Great Liberator by Arnold Whitridge

15    The Slave Who Freed Haiti: The Story of Toussaint Louverture by Katerine Scherman

16    The Story of Scotland Yard by Laurence Thompson

17    The Life of Saint Patrick by Quentin Reynolds

18    The Exploits of Xenophon by Geoffrey Household

19    Captain Cook Explores the South Seas by Armstrong Sperry

20    Marie Antoinette by Bernadine Kielty

21    Will Shakespeare and the Globe Theater by Anne Terry White

22    The French Foreign Legion by Wyatt Blassingame

23    Martin Luther by Harry Emerson Fosdick

24    The Hudson’s Bay Company by Richard Morenus

25    Balboa: Swordsman Conquistador by Felix Riesenberg

26    The Magna Charta by James Daugherty

27    Leonardo da Vinci by Emily Hahn

28    General Brock and Niagara Falls by Samuel Hopkins Adams

29    Catherine the Great by Katherine Scherman

30    The Fall of Constantinople by Bernadine Kielty

31    Ferdinand Magellan: Master Mariner by Seymour Gates Pond

32    Garibaldi: Father of Modern Italy by Marcia Davenport

33    The Story of Albert Schweitzer by Anita Daniel

34    The Marquis de Lafayette: Bright Sword of Freedom by Hodding Carter

35    Famous Pirates of the New World by A. B. C. Whipple

36    Exploring the Himalaya by William O. Douglas

37    Queen Victoria by Noel Streatfeild

38    The Flight and Adventures of Charles II by Charles Norman

39    Chief of the Cossacks by Harold Lamb

40    Adventures of Ulysses by Gerald Gottlieb

41    William the Conqueror by Thomas B. Costain

42    Jesus of Nazareth by Harry Emerson Fosdick

43    Julius Caesar by John Gunther

44    The Story of Australia by A. Grove Day

45    Captain Cortes Conquers Mexico by William Johnson

46    Florence Nightingale by Ruth Fox Hume

47    The Rise and Fall of Adolf Hitler by William L. Shirer

48    The Story of Atomic Energy by Laura Fermi

49    Great Men of Medicine by Ruth Fox Hume

50    Cleopatra of Egypt by Leonora Hornblow

51    The Sinking of the Bismarck by William L. Shirer

52    Lawrence of Arabia by Alistair MacLean

53    The Life of Saint Paul by Harry Emerson Fosdick

54    The Voyages of Henry Hudson by Eugene Rachlis

55    Hero of Trafalgar by A. B. C. Whipple

56    Winston Churchill by Quentin Reynolds

57    The War of Korea: 1950 - 1953 by Robert Leckie

58    Walter Raleigh by Henrietta Buckmaster

59    Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt by Elizabeth Payne

60    Flying Aces of World War I by Gene Gurney

61    Commandos of World War II by Hodding Carter

62    Ben Gurion and the Birth of Israel by Joan Comay

63    The United Nations in War and Peace by T. R. Fehrenback

Creative Minds at Play

"Mom, look! We created our own well!"

Obviously I had trod into a new colonization. I could tell by the busy settlers and the fishing poles (sticks that is). Popped right up in my backyard! A few hours of hard work later, the "leaders" had designed a well (which one settler was using to fill up a bucket to carry to the vegetable garden) right in the middle of the colony. One person was in charge of caring for the pigs and the chickens, another the vegetable garden. Felt like I was in Plymouth.

One settler offered to give me a tour. I obliged. And what a tour I had! Smiling faces. Happy colonists. Each doing a job, working together. On the last leg of the tour I was encouraged to visit the duck pond complete with blue water lilies (thanks to the faded print on an old bath towel). This is where ducks could be hunted for dinner. They had thought of everything!

I walked back to the front of the house, smiling inside. What ingenuity! Reminded me of my childhood days. Wonder what their next adventure will be?

Motivation Sparks Learning

A day of discovery and interest-led learning. Better than anything I had planned. Better yet, it will be remembered.

The current interests were ignited by our friends' recent return visit from their work in Kenya. My children heard their stories, viewed their safari pictures and remembered personal discussions with their children, their friends. Intrinsic motivation? You bet!

One child took her interest to the library. She checked out informational books on African animals and started (because of her desire to remember the information) to copy the book. Copywork initiated by her interests (yes, we talked about plagiarism  too!). Her efforts helped her remember the animal facts she read but also helped her practice spelling and mechanics. Much accomplished through self-motivation and interest.

Her interest sparked the idea of designing her own lapbook (glad we kept those old file folders) using the copywork she had written and adding some pictures from old National Geographic and wildlife magazines. Thank you, Dad, for digging out the magazines from the laundry room cabinet!

Another child became interested in the geography and wanted to know the locations of the countries in Africa. Her interest ignited another child's curiosity and within minutes all three girls were asking for my help to find a printable outline map to label. We talked about reliable sources and how political boundaries change. Together we searched for the most recent political map of Africa. Great discussions.

Each proudly placed their finished "book" on my "desk" and talked about what their next learning adventure would be. Can't wait.

Live History with Landmark Books Part I

Has your child wondered how it might feel to find gold in California in 1848? How about walking the streets of Philadelphia with Ben Franklin? With Landmark books, children can authentically journey through America’s (and the world- but that is another post) past with our country’s heroes. The are packed with rich history and adventure, each written with eloquent and inviting language, drawing children into the setting, meeting people they might have only heard about and never had the chance to “know”.

“The early morning sun gleamed like a bright golden coin above the California foothills. It was January 24, 1848. In all the green wilderness world there was no sight of life except a wisp of smoke from a breakfast fire, and the figure of a man walking beside a ditch that led from a nearly finished sawmill to a river. Suddenly he stopped and stared intently down.”

                                    - The California Gold Rush, May McNeer

Landmark books make these curiosities possible by taking children along on the journey, whether signing the Constitution or laying rails on the transcontinental railroad. Along the way they meet people who changed or shaped our country.

Now considered vintage (because of their age), these books were the first among historical, non-fiction books written for the middle grade reader. They were originally published by Random House in the 1940s, 50s and 60s in two categories: American and World. There are 122 titles in the American series and 63 titles in the World series all penned by award-winning authors (for example C. S. Forester, Margaret Cousins, James Daugherty and Sterling North) individually contracted to write for the series. The hardcovers are now out of print, though some titles have been edited and reprinted in paperback form.

Landmarks make wonderful additions to home libraries as they can be enjoyed by readers of all ages (I have been known to stay up late into the night eagerly turning pages). They can be found at used bookstores, garage sales, library sales or through online book sources.

“But for a boy, there were trees to climb, fish to catch, boars to sail, and canoes to paddle. There were the Commons, where Bostonians drove their cows to pasture, the marshes, the ponds, the river, and the sea. Boys built forts and stockades and played Indian, put together homemade boats and sailed the ponds as pirates, explored the woods and swam in the blue water.”

                                    - Ben Franklin of Old Philadelphia, Margaret Cousins

Some our favorite physical features of the hardcovers include large font and inviting two-tone line drawings. Several of our books have that “old book smell” adding to their authentic feel.

Landmarks have been a part of our almost 20 year home education journey. My oldest son devoured Old Ironsides, his first introduction to a full-length, independently read chapter book. He was hooked, not only on the series, but also on history. (Imagine the excitement when we had the opportunity to walk aboard the U.S.S. Constitution!) Since that time, each of our children has come to better understand history from these vintage gems.

I enjoy sharing our favorites, what they have taught us and how they have influenced our children's understanding of the people and events which have shaped history, through conference workshops and local presentations. Many have never heard of these books are eager to incorporate titles into their studies and learn how they can begin collecting these treasures for their home library. Wanting to know more about how to use Landmarks in your home education program? Contact me. I'd love to share how these books have brought history to life for our family in workshop format.

Note: These non-fiction books do not neuter history. There tell of the scenes of real history, real people and real details. Some of the books include first-hand accounts which may be desired reserved for older readers. For example Thirty Seconds over Tokyo, a moving account, brilliantly written by Captain Ted W. Lawson, contains details of the injuries sustained by the crew which crashed into the China Sea during the Doolittle Raid. As with any book, parents must decide what books and materials are suitable for their children.

The 122 titles in the American category:

1      The Voyages of Christopher Columbus by Armstrong Sperry

2      The Landing of the Pilgrims by James Daugherty

3      Pocahontas and Captain John Smith by Marie Lawson

4      Paul Revere and the Minute Men by Dorothy Canfield Fisher

5      Our Independence and the Constitution by Dorothy Canfield Fisher

6      The California Gold Rush by May McNeer

7      The Pony Express by Samuel Hopkins Adams

8      Lee and Grant at Appomattox by MacKinlay Kantor

9      The Building of the First Transcontinental Railroad by Adele Gutman Nathan

10    The Wright Brothers by Quentin Reynolds

11    Prehistoric America by Anne Terry White

12    The Vikings by Elizabeth Janeway

13    The Santa Fe Trail by Samuel Hopkins Adams

14    The Story of the U. S. Marines by George Hunt

15    The Lewis and Clark Expedition by Richard L. Neuberger

16    The Monitor and the Merrimac by Fletcher Pratt

17    The Explorations of Pere Marquette by Jim Kjelgaard

18    The Panama Canal by Bob Considine

19    The Pirate Lafitte and The Battle of New Orleans by Robert Tallant

20    Custer’s Last Stand by Quentin Reynolds

21    Daniel Boone by John Mason Brown

22    Clipper Ship Days by John Jennings

23    Gettysburg by MacKinlay Kantor

24    The Louisiana Purchase by Robert Tallant

25    Wild Bill Hickok Tames the Wild West by Stewart H. Holbrook

26    Betsy Ross and the Flag by Jane Mayer

27    The Conquest of the North and South Poles by Russell Owen

28    Ben Franklin and Old Philadelphia by Margaret Cousin

29    Trapper and Traders of the Far West by James Daugherty

30    Mr. Bell Invents the Telephone by Katherine B. Shippen

31    The Barbary Pirates by C. S. Forester

32    Sam Houston, the Tallest Texan by William Johnson

33    The Winter at Valley Forge by Van Wyck Mason

34    The Erie Canal by  Samuel Hopkins Adams

35    Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo by Captain Ted Lawson

36    Thomas Jefferson, Father of Democracy by Vincent Sheean

37    The Coming of the Mormons by Jim Kjelgaard

38    George Washington Carver, the Story of a Great American by Anne Terry White

39    John Paul Jones, Fighting Sailor by Armstrong Sperry

40    The First Overland Mail by Robert Pinkerton

41    Teddy Roosevelt and the Rough Riders by Henry Castor

42    The Pioneers Go West to California by Covered Wagon by  George R. Stewart

43    Peter Stuyvesant of Old New York by Anne Erskine

44    Lincoln and Douglas: The Years of Decision by Regina Z. Kelly

45    Robert Fulton and the Steamboat by Ralph Nading Hill

46    The F. B. I by Quentin Reynolds

47    Dolly Madison by Jane Mayer

48    John James Audubon by Margaret and John Kieran

49    Hawaii, Gem of the Pacific by Oscar Lewis

50    War Chief of the Seminoles by Mary McNeer

51    Old Ironsides, the Fighting Constitution by Harry Hansen

52    The Mississippi Bubble by Thomas B. Costain

53    Kit Carson and the Wild Frontier by Ralph Moody

54    Robert E. Lee and the Road to Honor by Hodding Carter

55    Guadalcanal Diary by Richard Tregaskis

56    Commodore Perry and the Opening of Japan by Ferdinanad Kuhn

57    Davy Crockett by Stewart H. Holbrook

58    Clara Barton, Founder of the American Red Cross by Helen Boylston

59    The Story of San Francisco by Charlotte Jackson

60    Up the Trail from Texas by J. Frank Dobie

61    Abe Lincoln: Log Cabin to White House by Sterling North

62    The Story of D-Day: June 6, 1944 by Bruce Bliven, Jr.

63    Rogers’ Rangers and the French and Indian War by Bradford Smith

64    The Greatest Showman: The Life of P.T. Barnum by Joe Bryan III

65    Sequoyah, Leader of the Cherokees by Alice Marriott

66    Ethan Allen and the Green Mountain Boys by Slater Brown

67    Wyatt Earp, U.S. Marshall by Stewart H Holbrook

68    The Early Days of the Automobiles by Elizabeth Janeway

69    The Witchcraft of Salem Village by Shirley Jackson

70    The West Point Story by Colonel Red Reeder

71    George Washington, Frontier Colonel Sterling North

72    The Texas Rangers by Will Henry

73    Buffalo Bill’s Great Wild West Show by Walter Havighurst

74    Evangeline and the Acadians by Robert Tallant

75    The Story of the Secret Service by Ferdinand Kuhn

76    Tippecanoe and Tyler, Too! By Stanley Young

77    America’s First World War: General Pershing and the Yanks by Henry Castor

78    The Doctors Who Conquered Yellow Fever by Ralph Nading Hill

79    Remember the Alamo! By Robert Penn Warren

80    Andrew Carnegie and the Age of Steel by Katherine B. Shippen

81    Geronimo: Wolf of the Warpath by Ralph Moody

82    The Story of the Paratroops by George Weller

83    The American Revolution by Bruce Bliven

84    The Story of the Naval Academy by Felix Riesenberg, Jr.

85    Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr by Anna Erskine

86    Stonewall Jackson by Jonathan Daniels

87    The Battle for the Atlantic by Jay Williams

88    The First Transatlantic Cable by Adele Gutman Nathan

89    The Story of the U.S. Air Force by Robert Loomis

90    The Swamp Fox of the Revolution by Stewart H. Holbrook

91    Heroines of the Early West by Nancy Wilson Ross

92    The Alaska Gold Rush by May McNeer

93    The Golden Age of Railroads by Stwart H. Holbrook

94    From Pearl Harbor to Okinawa by Bruce Bliven, Jr.

95    The Copper Kings of Montana by Marian T. Poole

96    Great American Fighter Pilots of World War II by Robert Loomis

97    The Story of the U. S. Coast Guard by Eugene Rachlis

98    William Penn: Quaker Hero by Hildegarde Dolson

99    John F. Kennedy and PT 109 by Richard Tregaskis

100  The Story of Oklahoma by Lon Tinkle

101  Americans into Orbit: The Story of Project Mercury by Gene Gurney

102  The Story of Submarines by George Weller

103   The Seabees of World War II by Edmund Castillo

104   The U. S. Border Patrol by Clement Hellyer

105   The Flying Tigers by John Toland

106   The U. S. Frogmen of World War II by Wyatt Blassingame

107   Women of Courage by Dorothy Nathan

108   Dwight D. Eisenhower by Malcom Moos

109   Disaster at Johnstown, the Great Flood by Hildegarde Dolson

110   The Story of Thomas Alva Edison by Margaret Cousins

111   Medal of Honor Heroes by Colonel Red Reeder

112   From Casablanca to Berlin by Bruce Blevin, Jr.

113   Young Mark Twain and the Mississippi by Harnett T. Kane

114   The Battle of the Bulge by John Toland

115   The Story of the Thirteen Colonies by Clifford Lindsey Alderman

116   Combat Nurses of World War II by Wyatt Blassingame

117   Walk in Space: The Story of Project Gemini by Gene Gurney

118   The Battle for Iwo Jima by Robert Leckie

119   Midway, Battle for the Pacific by Captain Edmund L. Castillo

120   Medical Corps Heroes of World War II by Wyatt Blassingame

121   Flat Tops: The Story of Aircraft Carriers by Edmund L. Castillo

122   The Mysterious Voyage of Captain Kidd by A. B. C.Whipple