Favorite KONOS Memories from First and Second Grade

INTRODUCTION
I usually put the same introduction paragraph in each of my Homeschool Series posts about KONOS curriculum to explain exactly what it is, but this time, I am going to shorten it and leave you with a few links to help you if this is your first time here. See the links at the bottom of this post for more helpful information and back-issues of this topic for previous years of homeschooling.

WHAT IS KONOS?
KONOS is a character based unit-study curriculum that teaches Christian values and all subjects as related to God. It is full of history, science, practical living, writing, vocabulary, dramatizing, reading lists and hands-on assignments. It is taught in a “unit study” method – one general topic at a time (all of them illustrating a particular character trait that you are wanting to instill in your child such as Honesty, Obedience, Attentiveness, Honor, and Responsibility). More about KONOS can be found by clicking the link above.

ACTIVITIES AND TIMEFRAMES
The ideas below aren’t ALL we did for 2004-5 with KONOS, but they are some of our favorites for you to browse through! We tend to only be able to get around 40-60% of the activities for a unit done because there are literally hundreds of activities to pick from. KONOS is very creative and chocked full of things to do, learn, and read. There’s no way you can get a FULL unit done in the suggested time if you do EVERY activity. We also were supplementing other curriculums with KONOS during the year and attending an active weekly co-op which had it’s own academic classes, so our load of units was weaker than most families who use solely KONOS. Not to mention that we tend to follow rabbit trails and make our units last longer than the required amount of time if we are enjoying the topic.

FAVORITE UNIT FOR ’04-05
Our favorite unit in 2004-5 was surprisingly the shortest. Photos from this unit, the ‘Election Unit’, will be up by the end of the week, hopefully! Come back later and see them!

BENEFITS
Benefits that we enjoyed that span across KONOS Units, regardless of topic:

• You can participate in a co-op with other children (so fun!)
• Learn Vocabulary Words – words take on more meaning when relating to your studies
• Bible Memory and Character Building lessons woven into every topic
• Geography, History and Science comes alive in ways no textbook could dream of!
• Researching and planning was as much fun and informative to me as for the kids!
• Topic related field trip suggestions in every unit (I love field trips)
• Wrap-Ups (parties at the end of larger units where you dramatize, dress up, cook, etc.)

ACTIVITY LIST FOR ’04-05
Things we had fun doing… and the unit they were associated with:

HORSE UNIT ~ Obedience

• Paint by Number (Horse)
• Color Horses in Dover Stained Glass Coloring Book
• Look up and learn about horse racing online
• Dramatize being a horse
• Learn about Equestrian sports (see animations and videos online/movies)
• Locate Mongolia on a map after seeing a movie about horses there
• Listen to Mongolian people talk and learn about their culture from movie
• Find Nevada on a map after seeing movie about horses there
• Learn that Polo Races are held in Florida (locate Florida on map & discuss recent hurricanes)
• Draw∙Write∙Now! (Book 1) – Draw a Horse
• Write a journal entry about horses and draw them
• Horse Breeds Poster Book – Story Kids (read, discuss, and pick our favorites)

ELECTION UNIT ~ Wisdom

• Learn about Statue of Liberty
• Watch funny elections spoofs online
• Discuss presidential debates (and watch some)
• Early Voting with Mom
• Watch movies about Presidents, Constitution & Statue of Liberty
• Draw and color a picture of the Statue of Liberty
• Trace the Statue of Liberty
• Make Star Spangled Luminarias (idea from Family Fun Magazine)
• Go through President Flashcards and learn about presidents, Air Force 1, First Ladies and their kids and pets
• Find Washington DC on a map
• Look at Presidents Placemat and discover how many presidents we have had and what number the current president is
• Play computer games online: “Fishing for Votes” and “Election Weekly Reader Match Up”
• Send Election Party Invitations out
• Watch movie about Washington DC
• Review a government flash chart and do pop quizzes on what we’ve learned
• Do copy-work out of a book about the Statue of Liberty
• Paint Flag T-Shirts (Idea from Family Fun Magazine)
• Make a Ribbon Door Flag (Idea from Family Fun Magazine)
• Make Star Spangled Wavers (Idea from Family Fun Magazine)
• Learn about the Electoral College (divide your toys into electoral college in shape of USA on living room floor)
• Stage a Mock Election (dramatize campaign, convention, fund raising, elections and inauguration speech)
• Dress up like Uncle Sam and Statue of Liberty and give oral report on characters and sing Star Spangled Banner
• Have Election Party on Voting Night (invite family and friends)
• Make Election foods (voting map Jell-O mold and liberty torch cupcakes)
• Watch some of election results (until 11pm or so)
• Write quotes from presidents (copy work)
• Keep score on election night along with media
• Watch president’s victory speech and opponent’s concession speech
• Send thank you cards for those who came to your election party
• Color a final political map of US 2004 Presidential Elections

ECOLOGY/CONSERVATION UNIT ~ Stewardship

• Do Erosion experiments with sand, water and plants
• Learn about Smokey the Bear and forest fires
• Learn about Oil Spills and pollution
• Look up extinct and endangered animals online (do report on favorite)
• Draw and journal about the Ocelot
• Start a “Conservations Savings Jar” (money for lights out, recycling, healthy foods, eating at home)
• Create an Art Masterpiece for the “Treasures of the Texas Coast 2005 Children’s Art Contest” (watercolor, crayon, pencil)
• Look at other children’s conservation art online
• Learn about corruptible and incorruptible (brainstorm and make lists of resources)
• Water plants, discuss conserving water
• Learn about icebergs (see photo online)
• Do activities at National Parks Service website (become Jr. WebRanger)

TIME UNIT ~ Stewardship

• Learn about Stewardship of time
• Make an assignment star chart (list)
• Make a binder for weekly work
• Make clock cookies
• Journal about a time machine
• Create personal calendars with dates of interest & decorate
• Play clock with cards
• Have hour glass relays
• Time yourself with a digital timer to see how you spend your day
• Use a kitchen timer to take turns playing computer games
• Learn the meaning of “Carpe Diem”
• Listen to Time songs
• Make a life timeline (in journal)
• Do a clock hunt and find all the clocks in the house (digital, analog, sand)
• Review measurement of time (second, minute, hour, day, week, month, decade, century, millennium, past, present, future)
• Discuss measuring time (sun, moon, fire, sand, water, mechanics, electricity)
• Discuss disadvantages of sun dials (snow, seconds, rain, outdoors, heavy, geography)
• Experiment with burning a candle to measure time
• Write a story about “The Day the Clocks Stopped”
• Learn Time Vocabulary Words
• Copy work: Poem by Christina Rosetti, “Who Has Seen the Wind?”
• Read story of “The Stone Cutter” and take a comprehension quiz online
• Act out “The Stone Cutter” (dramatize)
• Illustrate the story of “The Stone Cutter”
• Write quotes about time (copy work)
• Write list of priorities (stewardship)

Other Quick Links:
Sprittibee’s Homeschool Series (Links for field trip lists, book lists, other years…)
Favorite KONOS Memories from First Grade and Kindergarten
Favorite KONOS Memories from Kindergarten and Preschool Year

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