FIAR questions/Summer ideas needed.

[MelissaM]

I am looking at FIAR for this summer for my 6yo. Is it pick up and go? If not, is it fairly easy and quick to make plans? Also, is it easy to do a few weeks and then stop for a few weeks? We have lots of activities this summer so I need to be able to put it down and pick it back up as needed.

Also, I could use some "social studies" ideas for the summer for the older two. They will be gone to several camps and VBS, only one of the weeks will they be gone at the same time. I would like something that can be dropped and picked up as needed. Any suggestions?

[Alice]

We've been using FIAR for about the past 3 months. I think it can be fairly pick up and go, as the manual has lesson suggestions (it actually has more than you need, the idea is you choose 5 you want from the ones given for each book). You could use just the book and the manual for teaching most of the time. It's designed so that's all you need.

You can also do more with it with not a lot of planning. I spend probably a few hours each week thinking about what topics I want to cover in the book and then looking up books at the library that go along with our FIAR book. Then I think a few other crafts or field trips or activities we can do to go along with the book/theme. But, I'm doing this for K for my 4 yr old and so I'm probably, ok make that definitely, spending more time than I need. It's all still new for me so the planning is fun and we're not really doing much else, school-wise. I could do it with much less planning.

You can absolutely do it for a few weeks and then stop. The books aren't in any kind of order and each can stand alone. I'm finding it fun to group them together into mini-units (we're about to start an ocean unit) but that isn't at all necessary or really the way the manuals are written.

You could also check out Homeschool Share. http://www.homeschoolshare.com. If you don't already have the manuals for FIAR, you might not want to buy them just for the summer. There are LOTS of FIAR-like free units on Homeschool Share.

[profmom]

Melissa, we used FIAR. It can be pick-up-and-go, or you can add a bunch to it (which would, of course, require more planning). Jane Claire Lambert suggests a subject schedule for the week, which goes something like Monday: geography/social studies, T: language arts, W: art lesson, Th: applied math, F: Science. All you really need is the suggested children's book, the FIAR manual, and some art supplies. You could pick up the manual a few minutes before starting the lesson, glance through and choose the geography/social studies suggestions (maybe 3-5, depending on the book), and sit down to read the book and do the chosen lesson with your dc.

If you read through the FIAR archives for the children's book for more ideas, try to plan coordinating field trips and crafts, add your own lapbooking, etc., you'll spend more time. It can be done either way. Sometimes the simple way is best, but the more extravagant way can be fun too. My point is that simple is effective too. Since each book (& week) is a separate unit, you could easily put it down and pick it up weeks later.

For your older dc, you could try one of the FIAR chapter book studies for older kids. I haven't tried one, but I've consider it. It might work to use the FIAR books for teaching and practicing some literature analysis. I've read lots of times that it's easier to teach plot, setting, etc. with children's picture books. Some of the notes in the FIAR manuals might give you a start.

Also, I especially like the FIAR geography. Maybe you could use the FIAR books as a springboard for a family study of the countries and cultures, adding extra geography (identifying countries, capitals, etc.) for your older dc. Along those lines, we've enjoyed the game "Where in the World?," which I bought from Rainbow Resources. The first level of this game is similar to Uno, with the continents replacing the colors. Every time you play a card, you say the name of the country and the continent.

Oh, and the FIAR art lessons could be done with older kids too. I used to do these with my dc and had fun drawing sunsets across the water and ripples (Ping) and trees (Own Moon), for examples. The art ideas aren't crafty but art lessons. The author has you looking at the children's book's illustrations, discussing some of the techniques used, and then trying your hand at them.

HTH! I don't think I would suggest that FIAR could be beefed up enough for school for your older dc, but I think they could join in and expand on some aspects for a lighter, fun, but still educational summer.

[chiguirre]

We're doing our 38th book now, so I've got planning down to about 20 minutes on the library website and about 5 minutes a day to skim the manual and get stuff together. I always get a science video/book and a geography video/book to go with our FIAR studies. I sometimes pick up a go-along picture book as well. Each week is independent so it's easy to take a break without losing your train of study. You could just use the FIAR manuals and skip the library but IMHO adding a Rick Steves video and a Let's Read and Find Out book (and doing the experiment) adds a lot to our studies.

Enjoy your summer!