TRAVEL SCHOOL

Traveling Resource Library

How To Assemble Your Resource Library

The thought of homeschooling intimidates almost everyone ... you are not alone. The good news is, there are established networks of homeschoolers which provide information about existing resource materials.  If you have access to the internet, do a search on "homeschooling" and you'll be amazed.  You can also call the Department of Education in your state and request curriculum information.  Ask a friendly teacher for their opinion about favorite materials. Larger towns usually have teacher supply stores and they can be a good source of materials.  In addition, there are huge, established publishing companies that school districts typically use to purchase their materials -- Houghton Mifflin, Addison-Wesley, Harcourt Brace -- these companies have catalogs and in most cases, you can order direct.

As we began our planning, here are some things we did:

     -  Located a basic curriculum that outlined the specific skills our children should master based on their grade level.

     -  Developed and prioritized a list of our family's values.  This included things like personal responsibility, honesty, community service, craftsmanship, empathy, etc.

     -  Researched correspondence schools that offer comprehensive learning programs by grade level.  Some offer grading and testing services as well as materials and teaching guides.  The Calvert School has been doing this for a very long time.    

     -  Rounded up educational supply catalogs from teachers and libraries.  

     -  Identified a friendly educator or two who helped us sort through the massive amount of materials that are available.  This can really be helpful.  Once we started the search we were overwhelmed by the amount of available materials.   We picked books that: a) gave us the kind of detail we needed as we taught each day and; b) a format that was appealing to our kids.

These are the materials we chose to take with us.  I have included a rating system:  *** materials that we use frequently or find invaluable.

  ** materials that are nice to have but are not vital.

   * materials we lug around and never use.

Language

Beeler, Duane.  Book of Roots: A Full Study of Our Families of Words.  Chicago: 1988.  ISBN 0-918515-00-9.

***  This book is a kind of dictionary that organizes words by their root.  It also gives the meanings of common prefixes and suffixes.  I use it as a basic component of the boy's language program to help them understand spelling and the relationships between words (not only in english, but in other romance languages as well).  It is a tool to help them learn to decode unfamiliar words, understand grammar, and assimilate foreign languages.

Kemper, Dave., Nathans, Ruth., and Sebranek, Patrick.  Writers Express: A Handbook for Young Writers, Thinkers, and Learners.  Burlington, WI: Write Source Educational Publishing House, 1994.

Grades 3-6

***  Great sourcebook for elementary school writers.  The graphics of Chris Krenzke are colorful, whimsical, and engaging. The format of the book is very clear, easy to use, and gives students lots of examples.  Includes basic grammar, proofreading tools, research basics, composition and more. Most frequently used book in our language library.

Rowland, Pleasant T.  The Dictopedia. Menlo Park: Addison-Wesley, 1987.

3-4th grade

**  This is a comprehensive, integrated, reading and writing program put together by Addison-Wesley.  Curricula exist for each grade level.  The series includes a reader and 2 workbooks: one on writing skills and one on reading skills.  Detailed teacher's guides are also available.  I found this to be an excellent program. I found this to be a good basic program...includes spelling, phonics, reading comprehension, writing and much more.

Sebranek, Patrick., Meyer, Verne., and  Kemper, Dave. Writers Inc: A Student Handbook for Writing and Learning. Wilmington, MA: Write Source-Great Source Education Group Houghton Mifflin Company, 1996.

Grades 6-12 and Parent Reference Guide

***  Writers Express for older children. Excellent handbook for writing, research, proofreading, grammar, and composition. The Write Source materials are very easy to use, well-organized, complete, and visually interesting.  They include examples and step-by-step breakdowns of basic writing and  thinking processes.

Perrine, Laurence., and Arp, Thomas.  Literature: Structure, Sound, and Sense. Sixth Edition. New York: Harcourt Brace College Publishers,1993.

7-12th grade

**  Challenging anthology of literature with selections grouped under the basic component parts of fiction and drama.  Each chapter includes several shorts works which exemplify the element of fiction or drama which is being presented (Plot, Theme, Characterization). Nice collection of poetry; includes plays of Shakespeare, Sophocles, Moliere, Chekov and others.  Not easy reading...I pick selections of this book to read aloud to the boys and discuss.  

Math:

Manfre, Edward., Moser, James., Lobato, Joanne., and Morrow, Lorna.  Heath Mathematics Connections. D.C. Heath and Company, 1996. (4th Grade Level)

***  I happened to find this textbook in a used book store and liked it.  I was looking for a basic text with interesting graphics and lots of real-world applications.  I use it as a sourcebook of problems and a guide to the progression of mathematical concepts as they are typically taught.  At least half of the time, I make up my own problems which address the specific area of difficulty the boys are encountering.  I think any of the texts from the basic school providers will work...just find one with a format that you and your child enjoy.  I found that as I looked at the materials from different companies I liked the math and language books from Heath (Writers Express was also developed by them and then bought out by Houghton-Mifflin).

Dolciani, Mary., Sorgenfrey, Robert., Graham, John. Pre-Algebra: An Accelerated Course. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1988. (8th Grade Level)

***  It's not particularly interesting, or grounded in the real-world application of concepts but, it was given to us by a teacher friend and we are glad to have it as a guide.

Quest 2000: Exploring Mathematics.  Math-a-pedia. Menlo Park: Addison-Wesley, 1995.  Intermediate version.

3-7th grade

***  This book is filled with playful graphics that illustrate mathematical concepts.  As its' name implies, it is a wonderful child's encyclopedia.  Great for clarifying concepts.  I use this with both boys as it includes a bit of geometry and pre-algebra. There is also a beginning version that would be good for younger children.

Cuisenaire Rods manufactured by Cuisenaire Compay of America. New Rochelle, N.Y. 10805.

*** These rods are a basic learning tool for teaching elementary aged children their basic math facts.  We use them all the time to introduce and demonstrate mathematical operations in a concrete form. Cuisenaire rods use color to identify length.  Since they are based on the same metric unit, they can be used to build patterns. For example: the white rod is = 1 unit...the yellow rod is = 5 units...thus 5 white rods = 1 yellow rod (1+1+1+1+1=5 OR 5x1=5).

     There are a variety of workbooks that are designed to be used with Cuisenaire rods.  We used one for fractions and another for spatial problem-solving.  They should be readily available in a teacher supply store.  If not, Cuisenaire has a large catalog and you can purchase directly from the company. 

Music

Beall, Pamela Conn, and Susan Hagen Nipp.  Wee Sing Fun 'n' Folk.  Los Angeles: Price Stern Sloan, 1989.

***  We sing songs from this book all the time.  It also includes a tape which helped us learn the melodies.  It is a great source of campfire songs that people of all ages will recognize and be able to sing.  The songs have a simple structure, are easy to learn, and utilize simple chords which make them just right for someone learning to play the guitar.

Boni, Margaret.  Fireside Book of Folk Songs. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1947.

**  This anthology was particularly useful because it gave a brief description of the history of each song.  As we traveled, we were able to pick out songs which matched the historic time period and/or section of the country that we were visiting.

Reader's Digest.  Festival of Popular Songs.  Pleasantville: Reader's Digest Association, Inc., 1977.

***  If you like to sing around the campfire with older people this is a great all around sourcebook of songs.  It is organized by decades, folk songs, broadway musicals, country classics, ragtime, and blues.  Guitar chord diagrams are included  as well as the piano accompaniment.  It is filled with well-known, toe-tapping tunes.

Science

Kerrod, Robin.  The Simon & Schuster Young Readers' Book of Science. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1990.

***  This guide contains clear, concise descriptions of scientific principles.  It is visually interesting and its' pocket-sized format is less intimidating than normal texts.  

Maloney, Elbert S.  Chapman Piloting : Seamanship & Small Boat Handling.  New York:  Hearst Marine Books, 61st Edition, 1994.

***  This book is indispensable for any family considering boating experiences.  Not only is it a comprehensive handbook recommended by the U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Power Squadrons, it provides detailed information on waves, winds, weather, navigation, and electronic equipment.

The Audubon Society Field Guides. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.  

(Pick ones that are meaningful to your studies)

     North American Fishes, Whales, and Dolphins

     North American Rocks and Minerals

     North American Seashore Creatures

     Field Guide to the North Sky

***  We haul these books (or some version of this type of reference book) around wherever we go.  We are always trying to identify the new things that we find around us.  They are good for general reference.  You will not always find the exact species but at least you'll find something close and a bit of information about habitat.

Geography

Cheyney, Arnold B., and Donald L. Capone.  The Map Corner.  Dallas: Scott, Foresman and Company, 1983.

4-8th grade

**  This book contains supplemental activities relating to maps.  It is a good source of reproducible maps and contains background information on many of the warly explorers and mapmakers.  

Computer Software

Encarta 97.  Computer software. Microsoft, 1997.  IBM PC-Windows 95, CD-ROM.

The American Heritage Talking Dictionary. Computer software. SoftKey, 1996.  IBM PC-Windows 95 and 3.1, CD-ROM.

WordPerfect Suite 7. Computer software.  Corel, 1997.  IBM PC-Windows 95, CD-ROM.

Corel Draw 6.0.  Computer software. Corel, 1996. IBM PC-Windows 95, CD-ROM.

Pagemaker 6.0. Computer software.  Aldus, 1996.  IBM PC-Windows 95, disks.

Microsoft Office. Vers. 7. Computer software. Microsoft, 1996. IBM PC-Windows 95, CD-ROM.

Jones In The Fast Lane. Computer software. Sierra, 1992.  IBM PC-Windows 3.1 or 95, CD-ROM.

4-10th grade

*** This program is out of print. Sometimes you can find it the clearance bins. The program can entertain up to four players, or one person can play the computer. The game is about life and you have to get a job and find a place to stay and do the day-to-day things required to live and grow. Also, you have to try to accumulate wealth, a job, and a good education. After three years of playing, we still enjoy and learn from this program.

SimCity 2000 Special Edition. Computer software. Maxis, 1996. IBM PC-Windows 95, CD-ROM.

4th grade-adult

***  This version includes SimCity 2000 and the SimCity 2000 Urban Renewal Kit.  The Urban Renewal kit gives you the capability to design, build, and customize any city.  It provides users with a wealth of creative opportunities and teaches computer drawing skills as you design your buildings.  This program teaches urban planning and design issues related to zoning, taxation, civic priorities, infrastructure, finance and more.  It is very engaging and open-ended.  Our boys have played it for years and learned a great deal.

Macaulay, David. The Way Things Work. Computer Software. Dorling-Kindersley, 1994. IBM PC-Windows 3.1, CD-ROM.

**  This is an entertaining, visual resource for mechanical machines and scientific principles.  If you have children who like to take things apart and understand how they operate they will enjoy this program.  It is adapted from David Macaulay's book of the same title.

The Incredible Machine 2.  Computer software. Sierra, 1994.  IBM PC-Windows, CD-ROM.

You have to think to play this game.  You have to pick from a group of available parts and assemble a machine which carries out a particular task.  The puzzles become increasingly more difficult and require that you understand the mechanical forces involved in the parts in order to make them work together effectively.  It is a good test of logical thinking skills.

Age of Empires. Computer software. Microsoft, 1997. IBM PC-Windows 95, CD-ROM.

4-10th grades

*** This is a battle-history game where you are building an empire. You have to conquer or be conquered. You make treaties with other nations, build up towns and, accumulate resources. The goal is to complete the object of the scenario. The scenarios are based on ancient cultures: Greek, Persian, Minoan, Yamamoto, etc. The manual contains background information about these cultures.  Age of Empires also provides you with the capacity to design your own scenarios. The player is pitted against artificial intelligence which is quite sophisticated.

The Oregon Trail. Computer software. MECC, 1993.  IBM PC-Windows, CD-ROM.

3-7th grade

** This game is helpful if you are studying the opening of the West and the Oregon, California, and Mormon trails.  It is about traveling the trails in a covered wagon. You must hunt or trade for food, buy items and survive the trail's hazards to get to your destination.

Flight Simulator. Computer software. Microsoft, 1996. IBM PC-Windows, CD-ROM.

4th grade-adult

**  This is an entertaining and realistic game. It is good for learning how to fly a real aircraft. It is fun to fly the four different aircraft provided by the program. There are lots of different scenarios to fly. The program is complete with flying instructions where you are taught different operations like taxing, taking off, landing, etc.

Piano Discovery System: The Complete Music Tutor. Computer software. Jump Music, 1995. IBM PC-Windows, CD-ROM.

***  This program includes step-by-step instruction using a mix of classical and contemporary songs as a base.  There is an arcade area where you can test your note-reading skills in three different game scenarios.  The Discovery Studio allows you to select keyboard sounds from a wide range of instrumental voices.  It gives you the capability of recording on multiple channels so you can record yourself playing the right-hand, the left-hand, the bass line, percussion, etc..  The Jam Stage lets you play along with pre-recorded songs.  The keyboard plugs into the computer through the midi/game port.  It's great.

Triple Play Plus! Spanish. Computer software. Living Language Multimedia (Random House/Syracuse Language Systems Program), 1995. IBM PC-Windows, CD-ROM.

***  This program contains lots of fun activities that teach basic vocabulary with three levels of difficulty.  The graphics are good and the variety holds your attention.  It does include a microphone/playback component...mine quit working shortly after I acquired the program but I like it just the same.

Literature

Bradbury, Ray.  Dandelion Wine.  New York: Bantam Books, 1968.

**  Bradbury's wonderful depiction of the world of a 12 year old boy.  It speaks with great imagination and sensitivity about a child's rite of passage in small town America.  The descriptions are vivid and the characters are endearing.  It starts off slowly and takes a bit of patience but it is well worth the effort.

Tolkien, J.R.R.  The Lord of the Rings Trilogy.  New York: Ballantine Books, 1965.

***  This is our family's all time favorite. When we traveled in Europe we read the trilogy aloud each evening, during rainy days, or anytime we could.    It took us about four months.  After three or four months, we just had to start reading it again.  When we started our trip around the U.S. this past year our older son, Alex, read the trilogy on his own.  Nate has begun it as well.

The story is filled with marvelous heroes and villains, the writing is rich, and the imagery is vivid. Hazzard has created an entire mythology including written and spoken languages.  It is the masterpiece of young adult fantasy literature.

Jacques, Brian.  Redwall. New York: Avon Books, 1986.

Jacques, Brian.  Mossflower.  New York: Avon Books, 1986.

Great Illustrated Classics Series. Edited and Abridged Versions. New York: Baronet Books, 1995.

   Baum, L. Frank. The Wizard of Oz.

   Crane, Stephen. The Red Badge of Courage.

   Doyle, Sir Arthur Conan. Sherlock Holmes.

   Irving, Washington. The Legend Of Sleepy Hollow and Rip Van Winkle.

   London, Jack. The Call of the Wild.

   Poe, Edgar Allan. Tales of Mystery and Terror.

   Pyle, Howard. Robin Hood. 

   Swift, Jonathan. Gulliver's Travels.

   Wells, H.G.. The Invisible Man.

***  These books are a great way to introduce the classics to elementary aged children.  The books have larger type and alternating pages of illustrations and text. Their easy-to-read format give children early confidence in reading chapter books. The average length of each book is 200+ pages (that's 100+ pages of text and 100+ illustrations).  Our boys read them over and over again. They are hardback versions and are usually available in discount book stores that sell remainders for $2-$3 each.

Verne, Jules. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. New York: Tom Doherty Associates, Inc., 1995.

Homer, retold by Barbara Leonie Picard. The Odyssey. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1996.

The Witch of Blackbird Pond.

Word Clusters

Cowcutta

civilized, savage, heathen, vulgar, barbarians,

windlass, capstan, mast, port, starboard, sloop, skiff, shallop, bark, brig, brigantine, frigate, pinnace caravelle

marsh, swamp, slough, puddle, bog, quagmire, morass, fen, mire

hamlet, village, borough, town, ward,