Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Getting Ready to Start the Homeschool Year!

First off, I got a laptop :D MUCH easier to post now!

Here's the plan for school this year:

Language - Picture Me Reading http://picturemereading.com/

Handwriting - Continue practicing printing. I will be making writing worksheets for him of the words he's learning with PMR. Super easy to make in my word processor with software from http://www.fonts4teachers.com/!

Math - Saxon K (manipulative-based). You can get a K-3 sample here http://saxonhomeschool.hmhco.com/HA/correlations/pdf/s/Saxon_Math_K-3_Sampler.pdf

Other supplementals:
Very basic earth science book I got on clearance
Motor and sensory activities (see other post from today)
Lapbooks
Schoolhouse Rock DVDs
YouTube/Google/Google Images
Educational TV and DVDs
Life ;)

I have everything but the Math which I ordered this week (30% off and free store pickup!). I don't know when we'll start though. I have a lot of prep to do before we're ready! Ethan has been asking for a couple weeks to do school. He's more ready than I am ;)


Motor and Sensory Activities To Do At Home


From the occupational therapists we've worked with:


TYING SHOES
Criss cross
Tuck under
Pull tight
One bunny ear - small bunny ear with long tail
Bunny goes around the tree
Through the burrow
Pull tight

WARM-UP (Brain Gym)
Hand on chest, hand on stomach
Eyes look right, look left
Hand to opposite lifted knee
Thumbs up
Thumbs down
Down hands together
Cross hands
Pretzel
Cross legs
Uncross
Fingertips together
Deep breaths
Affirmations

EYES
30 seconds each eye, each direction, following finger puppet in circles
Both eyes uncovered, left to right, circles both directions

EYES - BEADS ON ROPE
Hold one end of rope on nose
Red - few inches
Green - ~6 inches
Blue - ~12 inches
Look from one to another, in and out of sequence
Follow red along rope from near to far and back

Hold one thing in each hand.
Approx 13-16" away.
Better if one is eg small flower drawn on a piece of card stock on a popsicle stick
"Look at x" "Look at y" "Look at me" Random
Raise, lower
Move eyes only, not head
Nose pointing to my nose
Advanced - While he focuses on one, raise/lower the other to draw eyes to it from peripheral vision

OTHER
Short (broken) crayon pieces to encourage tripod grasp
Encourage him to move fingers back and forth vs hand
Glue, glitter glue, or puff paint to outline pics from him to draw
Card stock to cut - stays stiff, doesn't fold as he cuts
Stack wood blocks - towers in semi-circle - use party blower to blow down top one at a time of each tower - left to right

BRAND ACTIVITIES
Pop Bead People/Critters

SENSORY
Spandex or knit tied around legs and waist at mealtime
10% body weight for weighted blankets, etc

OT at home activities
1. Take pics of items starting with A to Z
Print
Have him cut out
Make photo book
2. Turkey basters in the bathtub
3. Water gun with resistance
4. Animal hand bubble blower
5. Grab extender - carry objects
6. Shoe tying with different colored laces
7. Colored water - dropper - from big cup on right side to little cup on left side
8. Small appetizer tongs – use to get pom poms, marbles, small balls, small plastic figures from one container to another
9. Scrapbook punches with regular paper or card stock


From books and websites


Water and paintbrush to “paint” outside
Rice box (like sandbox) with shovels, pails, scoops, etc
Draw
Glue
Paint
Board games – Chutes and Ladders, Candyland
String beads to make necklaces, decorations, etc
Head, shoulders, knees and toes song
Make flags
Glue ribbon to dowels to make streamers
Dance around to music with streamers
Paper snowflakes
Beanbag toss
Bowling
Lacing cards
Paper bag puppets
Make a mobile
Cheap hats to decorate
All About Me book
Christmas ornaments
Roll balls into bucket laying on its side
String bells
Dance around to music with bells
Hula hoop
Get on all fours, blow balls etc with straws – can use as race
Metronome set to 60 beats per minute – do these in time to the beat:
            Level 1:
            Tap knees
            Tap opposite knees
            Jump
            Jump while open and close legs
            Jump while crossing and uncrossing feet
            Level 2 – Add while doing L1:
            Count
            Recite alphabet
            Recite math facts
Dress Mom up using clothespins to attach scarves, gloves, socks, ties, etc to her clothes
Squeeze empty condiment bottle to move objects across the floor
Copycat movements

Also check my Pinterest Sensory and Motor Activities for more ideas! http://pinterest.com/cmlanclos/sensory-and-motor-skills-activities/