The KONOS Cooperation Unit has an
activity of making a lighthouse which ac-tually;lights.;These;non-instruction/dis-covery learning activities are designed to
let the kids learn on their own. I gave my
kids limited parameters: The lighthouse
had to light; the kids had 15 minutes to
complete;it;;they;had;to;work;together,
and they could not use the electric saw!
Using;an;empty;baby;food;jar,;a;paper
towel;tube,;wire,;a;bulb;robbed;from;a
flashlight and battery from the alarm
clock,;they;met;their;15;minute;deadline
and;cooperated!;Even;if;it;had;not;lit,
think of all the resourcefulness they used
as they cooperated. Amazing!
Optional Activities and Costumes
Unit Myth #3: Units require activities
and costumes. While activities should be
the;backbone;of;units,;and;costumes;en-hance everything; there are varied ways
to do activities and different degrees of
making costumes. Understand that no
activity or costume appears on the SAT;
yet thinking while doing and making
costumes not only render learning memorable but also build brain neuron connections used to pass the SAT.
If;units;are;multi-level,;then;each;activi-ty is like a bus which every age child climbs
on to ride. Like a bus moves forward mak-ing;stops;for;people;to;get;off,;an;activity
moves forward as students exit the activity
because it has exceeded their interest or
learning level. Mothers are the best judges
of when each of their kids have exceeded
their learning level or lost interest. While
dissecting;a;cow’s;eyeball,;a;five-year-old
may;learn;the;“juice”;coming;out;as;it;is
sliced is aqueous humor and locate the iris
and lens and then exit the bus. A ten-year-old;stays;on;the;bus;with;his;older;brother,
until he has labeled all the parts of the dissected eyeball and taken apart an old cam-era,;comparing;how;it;works;to;how;the
eye works.. The thirteen-year-old stays on
the;bus;even;longer,;writing;a;comparison
paper on the eye and the camera. Each
student takes his level of knowledge away
from each activity.
Mothers are the gatekeepers of what
activities their children do and to what
degree costumes are made. A king’s
crown can be fast and simple using
construction paper with drawn jewels
or more elaborate using cardboard and
fabric with glued on jewels. No mother
should be curriculum driven. That is
why in the front of many KONOS;books,
there are Permission Coupons which
read,;“Free;pass;to;skip;any;activity;or
other assignment. (Feel free to reproduce
as;needed.)”
Fun in Lieu of Learning
Unit Myth #4: Units are merely fun,
not real learning. Ever notice that poli-
ticians and pastors always open their
talks with a joke or a laughter evoking
story? They are not only grabbing your
attention,;but;it;is;a;fact;that;laughter
is brain fertilizer for learning and re-
membering. Laughter releases endor-
phins into the brain which increase
retention of the words accompanying
laughter. Therefore, fun and laughter
are not a waste of time in lieu of learn-
ing but, rather, they are a necessary,
enhancing component of learning. In
addition,;fun;makes;kids;love;learning.
Isn’t that what it is all about . . . creating
a love of learning for a lifetime?
Jessica Hulcy, co-author of KONOS Curriculum, the first curriculum written for
homeschool, is an educator, author, and
formerly popular national homeschool
speaker prior to her near-fatal wreck in
2009. A graduate of the University of Texas,
mom to four grown sons, and “Grandear” to
grandchildren, Jessica lives with her husband
Wade on acreage in Texas. Recently Jessica
and Wade started the ultimate online help
for homeschooling moms called Homeschool
Mentor. Visit www.homeschoolmentor.com
and www.konos.com.
Great;teachers;understand;that;“telling-teaching”;is;the;worst;way;to;teach
children. The best teaching method allows children to figure things out on
their own much of the time.
