Today, I learn about:

Saturday, June 15, 2013

Online Science websites

Science News for kids
http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/

Kidsites
http://www.kidsites.com/sites-edu/science.htm

Animal and marine life videos
http://fivejs.com/excellent-resource-for-animal-and-marine-life-videos/

Friday, June 14, 2013

Online Geography and Science - Malaysia

Softschool - Geography quizzes
http://www.softschools.com/quizzes/geography/

Malaysia Factbook
http://malaysiafactbook.com/Geography_of_Malaysia

World Atlas
http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/asia/malaysia/mymaps.htm

KIDS NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC
http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/places/find/

Ducksters - Geography for kids
http://www.ducksters.com/geography/country.php?country=Malaysia

Lonely Planet
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/malaysia/history

Expatriate lifestyle - Malaysia
http://www.expatriatelifestyle.com/essentials

Malaysian Wildlife Photography
http://malaysianwildlifephotography.blogspot.com/

Malaysia Wildlife and Nature
http://www.malaysia-wildlife-and-nature.com/

Sabah Tourism
http://www.sabahtourism.com/sabah-malaysian-borneo/en/destination/type/5-wildlife/

Malaysia Flora
http://www.malaysiaflora.com/index.php?option=com_phocagallery&view=categories&Itemid=130

Books:
Encyclopedia malaysia
http://www.encyclopedia.com.my/volume1/geography.html

What is a "unit study"? Briefly, it's a thematic or topical approach to teaching as opposed to the traditional by-subject approach. Rather than teach each subject separately, a unit study attempts to integrate many or all subject areas into a unified study - usually centered around a particular subject or event. Obviously History (the study of events) and Science (the study of "things") are well-suited to unit studies, and usually form the "core" around which other subjects are integrated. Subjects like Bible, Geography, Government, English (writing), and Reading/Literature, Music, Home Economics, Life Skills, and Art, are usually easy to integrate around a core topics. Remaining subjects (Math, Phonics, Grammar, Spelling) can be integrated to some extent via related activities. Each, however, has its own "system" (progression of skills, mastery of "rules") which must be followed to some degree. Since one of the additional advantages of a unit study curriculum is the ability to use it with students of varying ages and skill levels, these subjects are generally taught apart from the core curriculum. This may be as simple as assigning pages in a grammar or spelling book, or using a separate "program" for Phonics and Math. Unit studies also tend to be more activity-oriented than the traditional approach, a real boon to kinesthetic learners. Advocates of the unit study approach site studies showing that children learn best when learning is unified rather than fragmented and when learning is more participatory than passive.

1. Intellego unit studies web linked

http://www.intellegounitstudies.com/

2. A world of adventure. american history from book 2 onwards

http://www.rainbowresource.com/product/A+World+of+Adventure+Book+1/041562/ffdd8c3a3abc6589d2775c21?subject=2&category=1041

" The day starts with Bible--even the Bible lessons correlate with the history. There are great read-alouds. Science is very thorough as well. It reminds me of some of the materials we've used from Apologia. Even language arts are covered--grammar and writing lessons are all pulled from the day's reading. Other than the read-alouds, no specific books are required--just what you have or can find at the library which is a big money saver. Oh, and Fine Arts are also included--wonderful projects that fit in with the study, not just something thrown in there to keep kids busy."

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

List of History/Geography curriculum

List of possible Science curriculum

1. Christian kids explore science.

http://brightideaspress.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/CKEES_TOC.htm
http://www.timberdoodle.com/Christian_Kids_Chemistry_p/088-917.htm

2. Apologia Elementary Science. Very good. Christian based and well written. Quite ex, USD 39 per book. 6 books. I think it's for 6 yrs of elementary. Love it!!!

Elementary Science Curriculum

Our Young Explorers Series combines our conversationally-written instruction, hands on activities, and interactive notebooking with an inquisitiveness into God's Creation to turn your young learner into a young explorer. From the tiniest microbe to greatest galaxy, all of creation declares His glory (Psalm 19:1), and if we study God’s creation with intent to glorify Him, then we will soon learn to be in awe of Him and the works of His hand. This awe is more easily instilled during the elementary years when a good old-fashioned bug hunt, leaf collection, or field trip to your local zoo can reveal all sorts of wonders.

http://www.apologia.com/index.asp?proc=pg&pg=4

3. R.E.A.L. Science Odyssey. Seems really fun, but cost about USD 50 per e- book and USD 68 for level 2. Will need other reference books.

http://www.pandiapress.com/?page_id=50

Level 1 - Grade 1-5

1. Life
2. Earth and Space
3. Chemistry

Level 2 - Grade 5-9
1. Biology level 2.

3. Task card approach

More for older students. They are given a task and do their own research and studies by doing the tasks given. Will require many reference books.

http://pebblekeeper.com/2012/03/07/chemistry-charlotte-mason-classical-style/

http://shop.creekedgepress.com/Chemistry-and-Great-Scientists-Task-Card-Set-CG.htm

4. Real Science for kids. Sean may like this since it has more variety

Has Biology, Chemistry and Physics. USD 195 for the whole set

http://www.hometrainingtools.com/real-science-4-kids-level-1-set/p/RS-REALSET/

5. 101 Days of Creation studies by Simply Charllote Mason

Below is a comprehensive list of Chinese measure words and what they are used to count.

Hanzi	Pinyin	Use
把	bă	chair, knife, umbrella, toothbrush; objects with handles
包	bāo	pack of cigarettes; packets of objects
杯	bēi	tea, coffee, cup
本	bĕn	book, magazine
部	bù	film
串	chuàn	for items that come in bunches or clusters, e.g.: grapes or bananas
床	chuáng	blankets
顶	dĭng	hats
堵	dǔ	walls
对	duì	for items that are paired (but not necessarily so)
份	fèn	newspaper; share; portion; copies
封	fēng	letter (written document)
副	fù	sunglasses
个	gè	general measure word; people
根	gēn	bananas; other long, slender objects
罐	guàn	can (of soda or food); jar; tin
户	hù	homes; households
家	jiā	companies; buildings; households
架	jià	bridge; airplane
间	jiān	room
件	jiàn	clothes; luggage
届	jiè	events; used for events like the Olympics, World Cup, and such that occur frequently
斤	jīn	pound (actually 0.5 kilograms)
句	jù	phrase; remark
卷	juăn	reel; spool; toilet paper; camera film
棵	kē	tree
课	kè	text; lesson
口	kŏu	family members; household
块	kuài	soap; piece of land; Olympic medals; other things that come in hunks, chunks, or lumps; a measure of currency
辆	liàng	car; bicycle; wheeled vehicles
轮	lún	round (of talks, sports)
匹	pĭ	horses; bolt of cloth
瓶	píng	bottles
起	qĭ	cases (used for criminal case); batch, group (e.g.: visitors)
群	qún	crowd; group (of people); flock (of birds, sheep); swarm (bees); herd (animals)
首	shŏu	poems
双	shuāng	chopsticks; items that necessarily come in pairs
艘	sōu	boats; ships
台	tái	computers; televisions; radios; other machines
套	tào	set (of furniture, stamps)
条	tiáo	streets; rivers; fish; snakes; other long, winding objects
头	tóu	domestic animals; head of cattle; mules; other larger animals
位	wèi	person (polite usage)
张	zhāng	map; bed; table; other flat, rectangular objects
只	zhī	animal; one of a pair of body parts (hands, feet, ears); earrings; rings
枝	zhī	pencil, cigarette, pen; other long, thin objects
支	zhī	pencil, cigarette, pen; other long, thin objects
坐	zuò	mountains; bridges; buildings

Learning Bahasa Malaysia — Yew Lee Kim

SEPTEMBER 02, 2011

SEPT 2 — “Bahasa Malaysia is one of the easiest languages to learn in this world.”

That was how my headmaster and Bahasa Malaysia teacher in primary school used to encourage his students to pick up the language.

To this day, our hearts are still filled with gratitude whenever we mention about the headmaster in gatherings. “Had he not improved our Bahasa Malaysia level, I’m afraid our chances of furthering studies and our lives would have turned out quite differently,” a peer quipped.

As the official language of Malaysia, Bahasa Malaysia has a special position in this country. However, how many students from Chinese schools can actually master the language? Taking our former class as an example, the Bahasa Malaysia teachers assigned to teach us before Standard Three were all Malays with no Mandarin proficiency, which subsequently resulted in our failure to understand their lessons.

From Standard Four to Standard Six, everything changed for the better when a new headmaster was entrusted to teach us Bahasa Malaysia.

The language is neither difficult nor easy to learn. The affix words (imbuhan) alone have multiple usages.

Besides emphasising on learning and applying the acquired knowledge with full vigour, the headmaster also adopted diversified teaching methods and created various formulas that facilitate correct grammar usage.

He stressed that students must be further exposed to the language by listening to it and practising it by writing. Every day, students were also required to take turns to tell stories in front of the class while debates were sometimes held so that students could be trained to become eloquent and brave.

The headmaster himself had a very good command of the language. He had collected all kinds of Bahasa Malaysia proverbs, pantun, poems and riddles so that everyone could appreciate and recite them. He set a regulation prohibiting students from speaking other languages while attending his classes.

By taking advantage of the hostility existing at that time among boys and girls toward each other, he had the students monitoring their peers and reporting on any wrongdoing. At the same time, students were divided into groups according to their command of the language so that they could help and complement each other.

During that period, we also read a number of extracurricular books, such as the Bahasa Malaysia version of the Sherlock Holmes series. Apart from that, the headmaster encouraged us to watch classic Malay films on a weekly basis in order to enhance our listening skill.

For him, the most important teaching tool was the dictionary. He taught us the unique approaches to use dictionary and take notes, making it possible to achieve maximum results with little effort. I have been using his methods in other learning processes ever since and believe that they are going to benefit me for life.

It was especially commendable that he did not overlook the use of other languages while he was teaching Bahasa Malaysia. At times when we got it wrong when taking down our notes in Chinese language, he would still rectify the mistakes.

Under his distinctive tutelage, students were able to improve their Bahasa Malaysia by leaps and bounds and subsequently enabled us to achieve brilliant results and unprecedented success in the language.

Most importantly, the headmaster made us realise that every language has its own beauty. Each proverb, expression for everyday use and poem reflects the wisdom of every ethnic group. Being proficient in an additional language can also further broaden our view.

Therefore, we should never develop a disdain for any language or adopt utilitarian approach when learning it. Only when we learn it with all our heart and passion can we attain a higher goal. That was the message delivered to us by the headmaster.

Lastly, we must persevere if we were to master a language. Due to my working environment where Bahasa Malaysia is rarely used, my command of the language has deteriorated and I feel that I’ve let down my headmaster who had been teaching wholeheartedly! — mysinchew.com