When I was teaching (did you know I used to teach high school art?), we were always encouraged to utilize graphic organizers with our students. Graphic organizers are simply a visual or graphic used to organize one’s thoughts or ideas. You can learn more about them here. I used them to help my students analyze art, categorize facts from art history, and even brainstorm for a creative project. Here is a great resource for tons of printable graphic organizers you can use with your kids.
Now I find MYSELF using concept mapping to brainstorm and organize homeschooling activities for my youngsters. Above is a peek at how I plan. I by no means use every idea or claim every idea for my own. It just helps me to organize ideas and make decisions for our current alphabet fun units. If you wanna get technical about it, you can always try this online bubble mapping site!
Happily linking up to Helpful Homeschool Hints and The Homeschool Village.
How do you plan your kids’ homeschooling?
Angie @ Many Little Blessings says
That picture just makes me want to make one for no reason. Is that your own graphic organizer? Love it!
Krissy @ B.Inspired says
@Julie: Thanks so much for visiting!
@April: Mama bragging is ALWAYS welcome here! Honestly, besides following a few blogs here and there, I have not researched the many different homeschool choices well. I just choose a letter for the week and begin brainstorming fun and educational activities based on that. I don't strive to include certain subjects or lessons. Just whatever sounds fun and do-able for us. It's actually not very structured (even though you see all of that “planning”). I just sprinkle in some of those activities throughout our week in between TONS of free play time and everyday experiences. Charlotte Mason does sound great. I will definitely have to look into it. Thanks a bunch for visiting and sharing!!!
@Monkeying Around: I hope this method helps you out. BTW, (as a newby/casual homeschooler), what is “child minding?”
Monkeying Around says
We are hoping to be using this method soon as i start child minding and i think it will also be good to use it to extend my daughters topics covered at school
April says
Sorry! It's me again! I also wanted to tell you, your button is stinkin' adorable!
April says
Ahh! I remember these! I will have to start using them. They really are a good way to oragnize your ideas as you are thinking of them. I use the Charlotte Mason method. I love it Warning: Mommy Brag ahead! We haven't even officially started doing lessons…Charlotte recommends putting things before abstract ideas and allowing the child to form relationships with things so that it will stick with them and peak there curiostity official lessons don't begin until 6 yrs of age. I don't know if you have heard of the method but just so you know, this is NOT unschooling, it's actually quite structured, just not until they are six. It's a lot to explain in a comment section, but any how back to my little brag, my 4 & 3 year old can add and subtract already…They don't know that it's adding and subtracting yet. They just know that if you have seven and give someone two you now have five…things before ideas… yeah, I am a proud mama! lol! What method do you use? Do you do unit study or were you just saying unit as in a unit in a book? We did it for a while using Before Five in a Row, but I am just too much of an OCD person for unit study. I started out intending to use CM then found BFIAR and really liked it but I just kept feeling overwhelmed so I started looking back into CM and I am so happy I did…it's a much better fit for us. Although, I still use BFIAR ideas just for fun to go along with some of the books we read…Okay, I'll end on that note…Sorry for writing a novel in your comment section…I just love talking about homeschooling! It is such a thrill to get to see those beautiful moments when something just clicks in their heads that they didn't get before. Okay seriously shutting up now…lol. Oh thanks for the shout out about my tute is actually what I dropped by to say…Imna go now…lol
Julie says
Excellent hint, I've never used graphic organizers before. Thanks, too for the links.