Hey, Homeschooling and Summer School Heroes!
I know it’s summer, and I don’t have any kids of my own at home, but I was looking around for resources for the fall and came upon a goldmine! Life of Fred!! I wasn’t excited by the covers – they seem a little strange, but … nearly constant 5 STAR REVIEWS?? I had to investigate…..
Life of Fred is a series of educational books created by Dr. Stanley F. Schmidt. Unlike traditional textbooks, each book follows the adventures of a quirky little character named Fred Gauss, a math genius. Through Fred’s eyes, students encounter mathematical concepts and real-life lessons in a way that feels more like reading a novel than studying a textbook.
Each book in the Life of Fred series is written as a narrative, with Fred encountering everyday situations that require math and critical thinking to solve. This approach makes learning feel natural and engaging. The books are filled with are filled with humor and quirky characters and integrate math with all other subjects like science, history, and LA!
Fred’s adventures often present challenges that require logical thinking and creativity to overcome, and Fred’s books are available for all grade levels. They are primarily math, and I seriously could have used the math at home for reteaching.
Elementary Series: These books introduce fundamental math concepts through engaging stories.
Life of Fred Complete Elementary Collection by Dr. Stanley F. Schmidt includes the following titles that can be purchased independently: Life of Fred: Goldfish, Life of Fred: Farming, Life of Fred: Jelly Bean, Life of Fred: Honey, Life of Fred: Ice Cream, Life of Fred: Butterflies, Life of Fred: Cats, Life of Fred: Dogs, Life of Fred: Edgewood, and Life of Fred: Apples (Apples seems to be only available in smaller sets – not independently.).
Middle-School Series: The middle school series is a continuation of the elementary series, but it delves deeper into mathematical concepts appropriate for students in grades 5 through 8.
The middle-school books can be purchased independently or in small packs. The books include: Life of Fred: Fractions, Life of Fred: Decimals and Percents, Life of Fred: Pre-Algebra 0 with Physics, Life of Fred: Pre-Algebra 1 with Biology, and Life of Fred: Pre-Algebra 2 with Economics.
High-School Series: The Life of Fred series for high school covers various mathematical topics typically encountered in high school and early college-level math courses.
The titles include: Life of Fred: Beginning Algebra, Life of Fred: Advanced Algebra, Life of Fred: Geometry, Life of Fred: Trigonometry, Life of Fred: Calculus, Life of Fred: Real Analysis, and Life of Fred: Financial Choices, Life of Fred: Language Arts Series: Dreams, and Life of Fred: Language Arts Series: Begin Teaching These titles can also be purchased in packs.
It’s hard to believe, but there are even more intermediate practice books filled with fun! I’ve read so many reviews that made me wish that my kids were young enough for Life of Fred. I think the Life of Fred books would have done wonders for my daughter. Math was NOT her thing, but taught creatively, she might have just found that it does indeed make sense! I hope my discovery might help all the homeschoolers and parents who are just wanting to bridge your child’s knowledge over the summer. Don’t forget, the summer doesn’t have to be a lost 3 months of learning!
School’s Out for Summer!
Makes you remember why we spend 9 months every year exhausted and why we need 3 months to recuperate … But then we do it all over again!
Trevor Muir Teaching is Tiring https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSjIzi0SkjU
Looking for a Quick Vocabulary Activity?
I definitely cannot take credit for this one, but I did a little tweaking and my students LOVE this popcorn version. Take a look. A lot of fun for ALL ages. I have 6th grade, and they even like it better than Gimkit … now that’s saying something!
Comfort Food!
For some reason, even though I’ve been teaching for over half my lifetime, I still get hit by all the germs that walk through the classroom door! I’m sure I’m not alone. In his infinite wisdom, my brother always says, “Eat chicken soup!” Well …. there’s only so much chicken soup I can take.
BUT, I found a site that has 10 ways to elevate chicken noodle soup!! Take a look. There are a few great ideas. And … check out #6 for nights when the grading gets just too overwhelming. Thanks to Happily Ever Creative for the ideas!
The Wildest Way to Spice up Indoor Recess (or Any Other Time You Want Some Fun!)
As the weather’s changing, are you finding your kids inside more at recess time? Or do you need a little something to do as a break that will benefit classroom culture? Then you have to play Spoons! I’ve always known the game, and as a family we played Spoons and had a blast. BUT, try playing it with a group of middle-school students and you reach a new level of excitement! I have two lunch periods that are each comprised of about 10 students. We are now obsessed with Spoons. We don’t have actual spoons, so we use Jenga bricks. Anyway, everyone is included and students that used to feel outside the group are no longer outsiders because they are part of the excitement where everyone is having a blast! I’ve never laughed so much. We’re quite competitive — but middle-schoolers love that. Some of them learned how to play in elementary school, so it’s definitely appropriate for younger students, and it is fun for adults. So give it a try! I’m linking instructions in case you’ve never had the chance to play Spoons. It’s quick, easy to learn, and once you learn, you’re hooked!!
Ready, Set, Go!
I was preparing for my first days of school, and I came across a blog that included video templates to use to get ready for your class! Very fun ideas!! 5 Must-Have Videos for the Start of the School Year by ELIZA TALVOLA is a definite must visit for a fun way to start your year.
Back to School!
I don’t know about you, but I’ll be heading back to school in a week! Where did the summer go? Although I’ve been teaching for over half of my lifetime, my son is starting his first year as a teacher. I was looking for some ideas to help get him ready for his adventure ahead and came across this Ted Talk! Maybe it will come in handy for some of the veteran and new teachers out there.