In Glitter's world things come in three sizes: as big as a truck, as big as the whole world, and as big as the house. Her most popular size is "as big as the house".
If we're discussing something large, be it a piece of furniture or nuclear bomb, she wants to know if it is "as big as the house?" We could be talking about a ball at the playground or a book that Wander had to use at work, something you could clearly hold in your hands, and Glitter will think that it is as big as a house.
Even more amusing, I recently questioned her and discovered that in her mind, "the house" is bigger than "the whole world."
Oh, and in Glitter's mind, the largest number is six, even though she can count much higher. When offered either ten chocolate chips or six, she chose six, because she thought that six was more. I think that she got the idea because Sparkle is six years old.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Thursday, October 1, 2009
riding a bike
I don't know how she does it, but one of Sparkle's more unusual features is her ability to fall off a bike, even with training wheels. Years ago, long before I started homeschooling, one of my goals for Sparkle was for her to learn to ride a bike by kindergarten. Well, here she is in first grade and still can't ride a bike.
Tuesday afternoon I took the girls out on their bikes in the cul-de-sac across the street. Sparkle managed to fall down maybe dozen times. She's gotten quite good at leaping off the bike at the first sign of trouble and got trapped under the bike several times.
Wednesday morning I took the girls out on their bikes in the morning before doing any school. Sparkle did a bit better and fell off slightly fewer times. I also tried to convince her that she could just put her feet down.
This morning, after dropping Glitter off at preschool, I took Sparkle to a deserted corner of the parking lot, and had her practice again. The parking lot was larger and flatter than the cul-de-sac, so it was a bit easier. I also was able to run alongside her better, as I didn't have Glitter getting into trouble on her trike and needing me. This time Sparkle did not fall at all! Not once. She almost fell a few times, but I was able to catch her. At the end of the session, I even convinced her to try turning the corner without me holding her or the bike! Yay!
Tuesday afternoon I took the girls out on their bikes in the cul-de-sac across the street. Sparkle managed to fall down maybe dozen times. She's gotten quite good at leaping off the bike at the first sign of trouble and got trapped under the bike several times.
Wednesday morning I took the girls out on their bikes in the morning before doing any school. Sparkle did a bit better and fell off slightly fewer times. I also tried to convince her that she could just put her feet down.
This morning, after dropping Glitter off at preschool, I took Sparkle to a deserted corner of the parking lot, and had her practice again. The parking lot was larger and flatter than the cul-de-sac, so it was a bit easier. I also was able to run alongside her better, as I didn't have Glitter getting into trouble on her trike and needing me. This time Sparkle did not fall at all! Not once. She almost fell a few times, but I was able to catch her. At the end of the session, I even convinced her to try turning the corner without me holding her or the bike! Yay!
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
tires and math
Several times in the past month the low tire pressure indicator light has come on just as I pull out of the garage. I'd pull back into the garage and pump up the tire. It was always the same tire. Finally I got around to taking the car into the tire store today.
Turns out that God was really looking out for me. Although the tire with the slow leak was otherwise okay, the other three tires on the car were almost bald. Given the rainy weather we've been having I could have gotten into some serious trouble.
Anyway, what to do with a homeschooled child when stuck at the tire store for a couple of hours? The few pages of work that I stuck on a clipboard wouldn't last long. Instead, I decided to show Sparkle a real-life application of the math she finds so baffling. The salesperson had given me quotes on four different types of replacement tires. Two of the brands were offering rebates of differing amounts. Which set of tires was the best buy?
I explained the problem to Sparkle, and then had her pick out which tires would be cheapest, not including the rebates. Then we figured out how much the tires cost after the rebates. Finally we compared the final costs to determine which was the cheapest set overall.
It was a long process, and I had to guide Sparkle in baby-steps all along the way. (Hey, multi-digit subtraction with borrowing isn't typical first grade math.) However, the math program we use had introduced enough concepts that I was able to break the problem down into manageable chunks.
We didn't bother the other customers in the waiting room too much. The lady sitting next to us was kind enough to ignore our conversation while reading a book. Two other people had nice comments about homeschooling. Texas is great.
Oh, and when we walked out to the car when it was done, Sparkle was thrilled to see that the car sported the brand of tires she had calculated as the cheapest.
Turns out that God was really looking out for me. Although the tire with the slow leak was otherwise okay, the other three tires on the car were almost bald. Given the rainy weather we've been having I could have gotten into some serious trouble.
Anyway, what to do with a homeschooled child when stuck at the tire store for a couple of hours? The few pages of work that I stuck on a clipboard wouldn't last long. Instead, I decided to show Sparkle a real-life application of the math she finds so baffling. The salesperson had given me quotes on four different types of replacement tires. Two of the brands were offering rebates of differing amounts. Which set of tires was the best buy?
I explained the problem to Sparkle, and then had her pick out which tires would be cheapest, not including the rebates. Then we figured out how much the tires cost after the rebates. Finally we compared the final costs to determine which was the cheapest set overall.
It was a long process, and I had to guide Sparkle in baby-steps all along the way. (Hey, multi-digit subtraction with borrowing isn't typical first grade math.) However, the math program we use had introduced enough concepts that I was able to break the problem down into manageable chunks.
We didn't bother the other customers in the waiting room too much. The lady sitting next to us was kind enough to ignore our conversation while reading a book. Two other people had nice comments about homeschooling. Texas is great.
Oh, and when we walked out to the car when it was done, Sparkle was thrilled to see that the car sported the brand of tires she had calculated as the cheapest.
Monday, September 28, 2009
corners game
The math program that I use with Sparkle really promotes playing "math games" to practice doing math. Up to now I've skipped the math games in favor of easier to administer worksheets. Until now I've found the math games boring and Sparkle is unable to play them independently.
Then, we got to the point in RightStart B where we do the Corners game. It's a game with special cards with a different number from 1-10 on each side. You match sides to form sums that are multiples of five (5, 10, 15, or 20). The resulting sum is the number of points you score. It took me a while to figure out the game, and then to teach it to Sparkle. However, we're both thrilled with the game, and I even find time to squeeze it when I'm striking other activities from my list because it's almost suppertime.
Here's some features that I really like about the game.
- It's simple enough for a young child who understands single digit addition to play.
- It provides good addition practice.
- The cards are all played face up, so it's easier to play cards that will either help or hinder your opponent, depending on how capable he or she is.
- Even when it's not your turn, you can examine the formation of cards for possible plays.
Then, we got to the point in RightStart B where we do the Corners game. It's a game with special cards with a different number from 1-10 on each side. You match sides to form sums that are multiples of five (5, 10, 15, or 20). The resulting sum is the number of points you score. It took me a while to figure out the game, and then to teach it to Sparkle. However, we're both thrilled with the game, and I even find time to squeeze it when I'm striking other activities from my list because it's almost suppertime.
Here's some features that I really like about the game.
- It's simple enough for a young child who understands single digit addition to play.
- It provides good addition practice.
- The cards are all played face up, so it's easier to play cards that will either help or hinder your opponent, depending on how capable he or she is.
- Even when it's not your turn, you can examine the formation of cards for possible plays.
library visit
There was a daycare visiting the library today on a field trip. All the kids had matching tee-shirts with the school logo and contact info. They marched through the library in a line with precision that our homeschool group could not duplicate. I felt horribly sorry for them.
Apparently the library was such an exotic place for them that it warranted a field trip. One of their teachers told them how they could borrow books from the library, but only if their parents took them. They sat in the children's area, and a teacher started to read a picture book to them, but had to stop in the middle because it was time to move on. To add insult to injury, the kids weren't even allowed to pick up and handle any books on their own.
Meanwhile, Glitter and Sparkle happily gathered books on their own. Glitter's meager limit of two board books seemed like a treasure trove in comparison to what the daycare kids got. While the teacher fed the daycare kids misinformation about the check-out process (the check-out machine doesn't take pictures of the books) and borrowing procedures (you don't have to be able to write your name to get a library card), Glitter got to actually scan her own books and hear the thump that indicated it was checked-out. She got to tear off the paper receipt listing all the books we were taking home. Sparkle got to use her very own library card, acquired long before she could read or write.
My girls don't have to half-heartedly listen to someone talk about borrowing books that they're not allowed to touch from a place that they may never visit again. My girls get to experience using the library first hand and in such depth that it is part of the fabric of their lives.
Apparently the library was such an exotic place for them that it warranted a field trip. One of their teachers told them how they could borrow books from the library, but only if their parents took them. They sat in the children's area, and a teacher started to read a picture book to them, but had to stop in the middle because it was time to move on. To add insult to injury, the kids weren't even allowed to pick up and handle any books on their own.
Meanwhile, Glitter and Sparkle happily gathered books on their own. Glitter's meager limit of two board books seemed like a treasure trove in comparison to what the daycare kids got. While the teacher fed the daycare kids misinformation about the check-out process (the check-out machine doesn't take pictures of the books) and borrowing procedures (you don't have to be able to write your name to get a library card), Glitter got to actually scan her own books and hear the thump that indicated it was checked-out. She got to tear off the paper receipt listing all the books we were taking home. Sparkle got to use her very own library card, acquired long before she could read or write.
My girls don't have to half-heartedly listen to someone talk about borrowing books that they're not allowed to touch from a place that they may never visit again. My girls get to experience using the library first hand and in such depth that it is part of the fabric of their lives.
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