ABOUT ELEMENTS OF FUN LEARNING CURRICULUM FOR HOMESCHOOLING WITH DISNEY MOVIES
Elements of Fun is the property of Patty Moliterno and A Mother’s Random Thoughts. You are free to use this curriculum within your home. No permission is granted to use this curriculum in a classroom setting. Copyright 2018
Introduction To Elements of Fun Homeschool Curriculum:
I am a homeschool mom of 25 years with five children ages 30, 28, 25, 15 and 13. I started with the “full set of preboxed curriculum” and after a few months chucked it and started piecing things together. That worked until my last child. Jack-Jack (his online name) is autistic, and I found little that would get through to him. Finally, I decided to write a curriculum for him. However, it had to work for both him and my 15-year-old. Keep Reading to find out More About Elements of Fun Learning and How it Came to Be.
About Elements of Fun Learning
I found that Jack-Jack was only learning from videos, and I decided to foster his love of videos with my need for him to learn more.
After homeschooling for 25 years, I have found that for most curriculum to work it needs to incorporate the following:
Flexibility
Hands-On Activities
Engaging content
Involvement of an adult
Conversation
Where are the Worksheets?
I have found that “busy work” in the form of endless worksheets is counterproductive. Learning might occur, but children soon learn shortcuts and just complete the worksheet without real learning. Think back to your school days – What do you remember most? How many worksheets do you remember?
The year that I found out that I truly loved history was my junior year in high school. The cover of the book is so vivid in my mind almost 40 years later. I remember taking notes in class; I remember being riveted as my teacher talked about the people in history. This teacher gave me a reason to love history after being in school for 10 years.
The people that make-up history had real stories. This was not about 2 sides fighting a war. It was about the people. My teacher asked questions about how we would have felt in that situation. He engaged us, he was involved in our learning, and we had great conversations about the subject matter. In addition, he told us that he was more concerned that we learned time periods and not dates. If we knew that George Washington was the first president sometime after the Revolutionary War that was more important than knowing the exact dates. His way of teaching worked. It sparked a love of learning in me that has lasted decades.
My Favorite Homeschool Books
This is what I hope for you and your children. I want to help instill a love of learning that lasts decades. If you are new to homeschooling, I would suggest you read some of the homeschooling books on my recommended book list. If you are only going to read one book, my absolute favorite is The Successful Homeschool Family by Dr. Raymond Moore. My second choice is Educating the Wholehearted Child by Clay and Sally Clarkson. Check out my list of recommended resources here!
More About Elements of Fun Learning and How to Use the Curriculum
For each unit make sure to read over the entire week before beginning. All curriculum is merely a guide. Feel free to modify as needed. Some students will need more, some less. Do what works for you!
For more information, visit our Facebook Page or Group. There you will find other people using this curriculum. This curriculum is divided into ability levels. There are Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced Levels. As you homeschool, you will find that one child may be a Beginner Level in reading, but Intermediate Level in History. There is some crossover between levels and unlike textbooks, living books can be used by a wide age range.
Book recommendations are based on age or grade level. Beginner is generally K-3rd or 4th grade, Intermediate is 4th-9th grades, and Advanced is 7th-12th. I have not included math, handwriting, or phonics/grammar in this curriculum. Furthermore, I recommend supplementing with a Science and History curriculum for high school.
The Notes for Elements of Fun Learning are divided into the following five sections:
THE INTRODUCTION:
The introduction to each section will explain the movie and the books (if there is a corresponding book) that it was based on. The notes will also tell you the main differences between the book and movie. This is just the original work. For example: In Snow White, the original story is by the Brothers Grimm. I outline the Brothers Grimm story and the Disney movie.
THE SCHEDULE FOR EACH DAY OF THE WEEK:
Each Day has specific instructions for each category (Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced).
SUPPLIES LIST:
The supply list for each unit will detail the supplies you need to perform experiments, art lessons, and more.
RECOMMENDED BOOKLIST:
The Booklist is by Quarter. Each Booklist will have 12 weeks worth of recommended books. If you cannot find a recommended book, there will be a substitute book in Appendix A.
APPENDIX:
The Appendix is broken down into the following: NOTE: Not all units will have every category in the Appendix.
Appendix A:
This lists out additional books that can be used. My oldest son was an avid reader and needed more books. If you have a slower reader, do not be afraid to eliminate books. I have tried to make this a full curriculum, but it may be too overloaded for your lifestyle. Don’t work for the curriculum. Make the curriculum work for you.
Appendix B:
Questions to use with reading books – I have limited questions, but I have tried to find you online resources for the books I have selected. In addition, the very best way to read a book is together and discuss as you read. Obviously, the older a child is, the more they will read on their own, but it is still helpful to read aloud together.
Appendix C:
Preschool Activities – many of the beginner activities can be used for Preschoolers
Appendix D:
Rides/Attractions and Sightings of Characters within Walt Disney World and Disneyland, California
Appendix E:
Recipes and additional food suggestions to correspond with the study.
Appendix F:
Toys, Games, and activities that are popular within the country we are studying.
Appendix G:
Field Trip Suggestions
Appendix H:
Field Trip Suggestions
