Project and Theme Study
Text books! A prepackaged curriculum! The fun has already been done. Look around you with wonder at the world with your child. Find what interests you. Parents can inspire children with their interest as well as be surprised by interests their children come up with.
In this section I will list a biography of resources: books, DVD’s, websites. Many of the books are for parents to explore or older teens.I will try to make note of the appropriate use of each book I recommend.
I found I learned as much if not more than my children as we explored our variety of topics. Seeing your interest in learning is an important aspect of your relationship with your children.
For several years my son, Daniel, lived and breathed archeology. Egypt, King Tut, mummies, tombs and pyramids were all he could think about. There were always National Geographic Magazines and piles of library books as this is a popular topic with young people. As the interest continued over the years we wondered if we could bring the topic closer to home searching for archeological digs in the US or even New Hampshire. Soon we were visiting Strawbery Banke in Portsmouth to see the history of this port city revealed in artifacts dug from around the grounds of the museum area.
Find your own questions. Search for your own answers. There is so much information in the world today that it is impossible to say what every first, third or seventh grader should know or learn. The most important ability to give your child is the know how to find the resources to answer their questions whether it be books, the internet or an expert. Learning is alive, living!