Game Day Sunday

In trying to fulfill my son's needs for competition, challenge, strategy, sportsmanship and all those other more "fatherly" tasks, I found a really great solution: GAMES. Variety of styles, variety of content, NO technology (this is counter-productive in the attention and attitude areas), lots of strategy, lots of togetherness, lots of fun, lots of learning how to HAVE fun when the game is going strongly against you).

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[caption id="attachment_650" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Games played this past week"][/caption]

We have been playing a LOT of games lately. In fact, I've been counting a lot of it as school: logic and mathematics being the main two subjects. But also strategy, planning, fair play, agreement to new rules (see our post on Monopoly Deal - it's mildly better now).

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I've tried to make time every day for at least one game of his choice as well as Sequential Shake-a-WFF (I get too impatient with his style of Competition Shake-A-WFF).

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One of the Great-Grandmas sent us a Christmas check and said, "Spend it on something you want." I called her to say that I wanted the bills paid, and she said, "You *know* what I mean young lady!" (hehe - I'm still a "young lady" - hehe)

So with it, we went to Once Upon a Child and bought a really cool set of pjs for the boy - yeah, he looks spiffy (and he actually *wears* pajamas now!) --- and we browsed the game selection.

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OH! My! The game selection was HUGE, but mostly for littler ones (given the nature of the store, that's understandable). We picked up

• Zooreka (bit of a disappointment - says 8-adult; I say 4-7; it's no longer listed on their website and has bad reviews - probably because everyone expected a higher level game. It's a *great* game.... for 4-7 year olds).


• Clue - the only disappointment here is that he learned the strategy so quick, there's little to learn --- so we'll pull this out when we have visitors - that's a different strategy set!


• (we still had money left so he bought 10 pounds of clay at Hobby Lobby - a post for another day! On HIS blog!)

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So today (Sunday), we were iced-in (my car is encased, it is supposed to warm up tonight and Monday, so I wasn't going to spend an hour scraping ice -- besides the apartment management never salted the parking lot and people were sliding all over - and one of the management employees even "visited" this afternoon - and still nothing was done. Ah well.) SO. We had a game day. Almost nothing but games.

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He was in Seventh Heaven! He's been hoping for this for a long time! He set up all the games and we have been rotating around through them. But despite my Facebook status, we have not yet made it to checkers (we still might).

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Instead, we started making soft pretzels:

[caption id="attachment_649" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Mixing up the pretzels"][/caption]

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I smell them rising as I type this..... MMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!

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UPDATE:

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Liberal Arts - and Montessori

It used to be that the trivium was taught before all else:

• grammar


• logic


• rhetoric

These three (the Trivium) taught the children how to think, preparing their minds to be open to all further learning. These pieces were *foundational*.

Now, unless you are fortunate to attend a truly decent school (whether public or private) or utilize a top-notch homeschool curriculum, these things are just not taught or experienced.

The Trivium paved the way for the remaining foundational studies in the Quadrivium:

• Arithmetic (number in itself)


• Geometry (number in space)


• Music (number in time)


• Astronomy (number in space and time)

I cannot speak for other curricula, since there is nothing I use so fully and completely as the AMI version of Montessori education for primary and elementary. A Montessori education allows me, as mother and teacher, as well as the student, to utilize whatever needed components from SO many other sources. Montessori provides the foundation and the framework, the child's interests and local educational requirements fill in the rest.

I can say that Montessori albums, when followed in laying the educational foundation, both academically and spiritually, CAN and DO provide the liberal arts in their entirety.

So why do we care about the liberal arts? The most concise answer can be found in the article "On the Purpose of  Liberal Arts Education" by Robert Harris (click on the title for the full, long but fascinating article).

I. A liberal arts education teaches you how to think

II. A liberal arts education teaches you how to learn.

III. A liberal arts education allows you to see things whole

IV. A liberal arts education enhances wisdom and faith

V. A liberal arts education makes you a better teacher

VI. A liberal arts education will contribute to your happiness

From The Idea of a University by John Henry Newman

"[The purpose of a liberal arts education is to] open the mind, to correct it, to refine it, to enable it to know, and to digest, master, rule, and use its knowledge, to give it power over its own faculties, application, flexibility, method, critical exactness, sagacity, resource, address, [and] eloquent expression. . . ."

So don't leave out these subjects because there isn't time to fit them in (like astronomy...). These things are the fuel for all other learning. Said another way, other learning isn't worth it without the foundation.

Modern Logic - WFF 'N Proof style!

What is a WFF?????

A Well-Formed Formula of course ;)

Huh? You're asking?

Well here is a Wikipedia article on it, but if you're like me and still saying, "Huh!?" here is a short answer:

In mathematical logic, a well-formed formula, shortly wff, often simply formula, is a word (i.e. a finite sequence of symbols from a given alphabet) which is part of a formal language.

A formal language can be considered to be identical to the set containing all and only its formulas.

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And the better answer is: it's a statement that follows a set of rules. Think of A=B, B=C, therefore A=C. If certain things are true, then other things are true based on sets of given information. Both our language of words and our language of numbers (mathematics) are based on these principles.

We love this game from WFF 'N Proof: Games for Thinkers:

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="254" caption="WFF: The Beginners Game of Modern Logic"][/caption]

Details from their website:

WFF includes the first two games from the complete WFF ?N PROOF series. Two engaging speed games allow players to learn to recognize WFF's (Well Formed Formulas) in symbolic logic. Both Shake-a-WFF and Count-a-WFF are fast-paced, exciting games dealing with a unique symbolic system. They are an appealing exercise for all ages.

There are two games within this one (actually a few more if you count the other variations): Shake-a-Wff which is a competition - both players play at the same time and grab a coin in the middle when they have a WFF first. And there is Sequential WFF where the players take turns, so there is no "race."

My 7 year old really, really, really wants to play competition WFF, but he's so into the time-racing component he makes a LOT of mistakes and neither does he proceed nor does anyone else have the opportunity to proceed forward.
So we do a lot of Sequential WFF (players take turns, using as much time as they need to create a Well-Formed-Formula).

If you're looking for a really good LOGIC program or curriculum, this is the way to go. The basic game is $3.50. The next step up is only $35, can be played by a 6 year old and still be challenging for a 60 year old math genius: WFF 'N PROOF: The Game of Modern Logic.

Equations - Mathematics from WFF N Proof

Here is a game we've been playing:

[caption id="attachment_631" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="EQUATIONS: The Game of Creative Mathematics - From WFF 'N PROOF"][/caption]

You roll the dice, create a "goal" (the answer to the equation); then take turns moving the cubes into either forbidden, possible, and required categories, all the while keeping your equation to reach the goal secret.

When you see someone else make a mistake, you call a flub (there are several types of flubs). Then you have to prove yourself right or the opponent wrong.

It's math, it's strategy... it's logic! Who needs a formal logic curriculum or logic program, when you have games like these from WFF 'n Proof?



From their website:

At home, EQUATIONS lets the whole family share a quality learning experience and have fun too. People of all ages become fascinated by this game. It creates a rich problem-solving interaction filled with complex strategy, bluffing and intrigue. The basic game can be taught to eight-year olds using simple arithmetic. As players develop skill, the game becomes more sophisticated. It ultimately expands to concepts that will challenge any intelligent adult.

EQUATIONS explores a broad range of math topics including elementary arithmetic operations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, exponentiation and root operation as well as logarithms, fractions, decimals, percents, variables, algebra, functions and more.

It sounds complicated - but it is addictive fun!

REQUIRED:  get the DVD to learn how to play - well worth the $5!

Got a Montessori child? They could be ready at late 6 - but only if they've been playing WFF: The Beginner's Game of Modern Logic. I strongly recommend this game for all children, but Montessori children will be especially intrigued by it. It can then be followed up by WFF 'N PROOF: The Game of Modern Logic. More on these in another post ;)

Monopoly ADHD

We've been playing a LOT of games lately. Some we got for Christmas, others we pulled out because we're in game-mode - some new, some old...

We stopped at Kroger the day after Christmas - going to tae-kwon-do class near there anyway and hoped to get some Christmas candy on discount. Well, I was disappointed in the candy selection :( (it's ok, I found my candy selection at a different Kroger a week later - $4 bags of candy for $1!!!!) --- but we did pick up a Monopoloy card game for $2. I thought, "This could be good! We like Monopoly!"

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="168" caption="Here it is"][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="240" caption="Image by 铁蛋骑士 via Flickr"][/caption]

Hm. Well. It is described as addictive. I guess if you're deprived of anything of interest.

Not to sound unduly harsh, but really? If you're going to have a game that plays THIS fast (it can be over in less than 5 minutes), let's have some strategy at least.

I don't know even know where to begin.

So I'll devolve for a moment: I like Monopoly - I like the length. If you're going to PLAY, then PLAY.  I like encouraging long attention spans in children. If you're going to have something with short hands (Mille Bornes can be fast! and it's far cooler), then do something where you're adding up points per hand - this builds some more strategy into it. And long-term patience with ups and downs - there are so many virtues learned and practiced.

Monopoly Deal is not like that. There are no points; the money counts for nothing in the end; there is no net value; I could go on....

You draw cards that are properties, money, action cards, houses and hotels.

You only need one house to place a hotel (and you leave the house - full sets required before placing houses). Ok, it's a fast-paced card game, things are going to change.

You draw two extra cards for passing Go (an action card).

How do you win?

You only need 3 complete property sets (and there are so many wild cards, it's unbelievable how fast you can put together sets of cards). That's it.

• You don't need any particular properties - just 3 sets. Park Place and Boardwalk are barely harder to get than the Baltic set (especially with all the wilds).


• Money on hand doesn't matter.


• Net worth doesn't matter.


• Debt doesn't matter.


• Just three complete sets of properties.

Yeah. We changed the rules. You now need FOUR sets; with a HOUSE; and 20M cash on hand. It makes the game MUCH more interesting ---- and almost long enough to tolerate. Almost.

But here's the kicker: the ATTITUDE.

• You don't just have a birthday and are blessed with money from other players. You *demand* birthday money on your birthday. Now, the card itself is worded fine -- it's the instructions that screw it up here.


• Sly deal cards allow you to *steal* a property from another player. Cannot break up a full set.


• You don't request/pay rent - it is forced. There's no landing on properties, so someone can "force" rent with the proper card played, at any time they like (as long as it is their turn).


• There are debt collectors - it doesn't matter how well you play to assure you stay out of debt, you can get hit by a debt collector, again with the "force" to pay up (given that the original Monopoly did not allow debt at all - you were out of the game if you couldn't pay - society has changed). But then get this: if you have no cards to pay the debt with, you just don't pay, but you KEEP PLAYING. WHAT!? You can avoid debt like that!?!?!?!? I want to live in *that* society! (ok, I actually don't... think of the ramifications... things are bad enough in this one with the debt...)


• Then there are "Just Say No" cards - you can play them on any of the action cards to stop an action against you (now the other player could have a "Just Say No" to stop the first "Just Say No" card. This tells me that when we tell our children to "Just Say No" to inappropriate offers of any kind, it can be over-ridden by the one making the demand. I think our society has become SO insensitive to not even realize how much these little things teach our sensitive young children.


• Deal Breakers "steal" a complete set from another player - houses, hotels and all. Again, not "You inherited property!" or "Pay another player half the property value to purchase the entire set!" - this would still force the situation, but are not encouraging the wrong attitude.


• At least "Forced Deal" is a swap with another player - the other player doesn't get to pick what they swap though. It just can't break up a full set.

Other action cards are harsh but at least not offensive to good morals.

It is fast; furious considering the attitude it promotes; and downright immoral. And to think that some people don't play the original Monopoly because of the capitalism it promotes. This game could be downright evil in that regard.

Yep. Monopoly ADHD. With an attitude.

To leave this on an up-beat: At least you can choose HOW to pay someone. While change is never given (if all you can pay is too much, you don't get change), you can choose to pay your debts with a combination of money and properties -- bartering of a sort!

I still think we're scrapping this one. Unless I decide to re-write the offensive cards - they're not BAD, it's just the WORDS that incite the ATTITUDE.  How about: It's your birthday! All players gift you to 2M! (not demanding it).

We've already re-written the rules. Why not re=write the cards?

Because it's a $2 game that never should have been bought. I should have known better to read the entire box first. Therefore I want to make up for my mistake.

:)

Montessori Nuggets

A new Montessori blog! Now most Montessori posts will be over there and this blog can focus back on our own homeschooling and life happenings :)

Montessori Nuggets: Daily Montessori Treasures

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Image via Wikipedia"][/caption]

You can sign up for an e-mail feed and receive a Montessori Nugget in your e-mail each day.

Most posts will be relatively short and to the point. More information can be found via various theory papers, in the albums I'll be soon offering for sale (yay!), other locations on the internet, in Maria Montessori's books, or in the elementary Montessori online training at Keys of the Universe.

Astronomy - for children

Astronomy can be quite abstract, but what child doesn't have some fascination with stars and planets and moons?

There are some really neat books and activities written for the youngest children. I've wondered for a long time, though, "Are these too abstract? Is it appropriate to teach preschool children about astronomy? Shouldn't we wait until they are in elementary to really get into studying these things?"

Well, I sort of still agree with myself - and I sort of don't.

My primary Montessori training did not include much on anything beyond the world. The focus was giving the child "keys to the world". But I've seen other Montessori albums for the same age group that include basic presentations on not only stars, but the planets in our solar system, discussions on galaxies, and more. While I do not see these things as "keys", I can confidently say that if a child has an interest, Follow the Child! If there is an interest, there is more likely to be an ability to grasp some abstract concepts, though I still say, "Focus on the keys even within the interest."

But what about the rest of the under-6 children? Those without an intense interest? Well, we should definitely give them sensorial experiences - let them see the stars, watch the sun rise and set, note the phases of the moon, perhaps even mention that some of the brighter objects in the sky are actually planets, worlds that also go around the sun like our own - these things can all be seen from the world on which we live and can fit in the same category as cloud-watching (look for patterns in the stars as you would look for patterns in the clouds). If there is interest in moon-phases, get a really neat book on it, such as Moonfinder, which can also be used by older children and just follow their interests. There is no need to give them more than they are asking.

As these young children pass into the second plane of development, starting between 5 and 6, they will want to use their imaginations, and we can work  with their reasoning mind. Now our Montessori geography presentations include presentations on the sun and earth in relationship to one another; God with No Hands (the creation story) is followed up by many branches of science and one direction is also discussing the remaining planets in our solar system.
There is a great Magic School Bus Secrets of Space science kit on the planets for 4-8 year olds (there are places to pick up 6 MSB kits for less about $90 if you're interested in all of them); I would not go much above age 7 or 8 with this kit, unless the child is at a lower academic level. And many excellent kits and tools for older children.

Hint: if you're going to invest in a telescope, get a good one. You do NOT want to make this a frustrating experience, so invest in something good. If that means waiting a bit longer, just get a *really* good pair of binoculars in the meantime - it's amazing what can be seen with something so simple.

There are so many good websites for children and parents to explore together.You may want to install something like AdBlock before visiting ad-intensive sites.

Start with NASA.gov -- then visit any of the following (and please share your own discoveries in comments)

ClassicalAstronomy - Christian-based website featuring a free newsletter, inexpensive monthly Almanack, Signs and Seasons Curriculum, Moonfinder book and more. This site really focuses on what a child can actually experience and discover.

Astronomy.com

UniverseToday.com

SkyAndTelescope.com

BadAstronomy.com - Dedicated to quelling myths and rumors

I'll add more sites and links to Montessori materials soon!

Elementary Montessori Geometry Nomenclature Contents

Geometry is a popular topic of late on several groups of which I am part - both Montessori and non-Montessori.

At primary, we give the children the names of the shapes (plane and solid), and we give some basic parts such as parts of a triangle, so they become familiar with angles and such.

In elementary, we go much deeper with it because the child has had a lot of experience, has the vocabulary, and now wants to know definitions and origins - and connections between all things.

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I thought I would share the "table of contents", if you will, for the elementary nomenclature material as I have them in my Montessori albums. Different sets are available, which are also great for use; this is just what I have :)

Each letter/number is a booklet, with a packet of 4-part cards (name, definition, picture (use the booklet as control))

The title is listed follow by (the contents in parentheses)

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A1: Point to a Solid (point, line, solid, surface)

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B - Lines

B1: Types of Lines (straight, curved)

B2: Parts of a straight line (origin, line segment, ray, end points, line)

B3:  Positions of a straight line (horizontal straight line, vertical straight line, oblique straight line)

B4: Position of 2 straight lines (convergent straight lines, perpendicular straight lines, parallel straight lines, divergent straight lines)

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C -Angles

C1: Angle and its parts (angle, size, sides, vertex)

C2: Types of Angles (obtuse, right, straight, acute, whole)

C3: Relationship between 2 angles (adjacent, vertically opposite, linear pair)

C4: 2 Particular Combination of angles (complementary, supplementary)

C5: Angles formed by 2 straight lines cut by a transversal (exterior, interior, alternate interior, alternate exterior, corresponding)

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D - Plane Figures

D1: Types of Plane Figures (polygon, simple, closed, curved)

D2: Plane figures bounded by line segments (triangle, polygon, quadrilateral)

D3: Plane figures bounded by curved lines (ellipse, oval, circle)

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E - Triangles

E1: Types of triangles according to sides (isosceles, scalene, equilateral)

E2: Types of triangles according to angles (acute-angle, obtuse-angle, right-angle)

E3: Parts of triangles (surface, sides, base, perimeter, vertex, altitude, angle)

E4: Sides of right angled triangles (hypotenuse, legs)

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F - Quadrilaterals

F1: Types of Quadrilaterals (parallelogram, rectangle, trapezoid, rhombus, square, common quadrilateral)

F2: Parts of the basic parallelogram (surface, sides, base, perimeter, vertices, altitude, angle, diagonal)

F3: Parts of the rectangle (base, diagonal, sides, vertices, surface, altitude, angle, perimeter)

F4: Parts of the rhombus (diagonal, angle, altitude, vertices, perimeter, base, sides, surface)

F5: Parts of the square (diagonal, angle, altitude, vertices, perimeter, base, sides, surface)

F6: Parts of the trapezoid (vertices, perimeter, angle, oblique sides, surface, bases, major base, minor base, altitude, diagonal)

F7: Types of trapezoids (scalene trapezoid, right-angled trapezoid, isosceles trapezoid)

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G - Polygons

G1: Types of polygons (irregular, regular)

G2: Types of regular polygons (equilateral, square, pentagon, hexagon, heptagon, octagon, nonagon, decagon)

G3: Parts of the polygon (surface, sides, perimeter, vertices, angle, diagonal, center, radius, apothem)

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H - Circles

H1a: Parts of a circle I (radius, diameter, chord, surface, center, circumference)

H1b: Parts of a circle II (semi-circle, semi-circumference, arc segment, sector)

H2: Relative positions between circumference and a straight line (external, secant, tangent)

H3: Relative positions between 2 circles (external, internal, externally tangent, internally tangent, secant, concentric)

(I have also seen annulus included here - but question if it belongs here - it is more likely to belong in a booklet discussing the parts of two circles in position with one another)