Tranquil Thursday: Michigan UP

Hurricane River at Lake Superior

image by Don McGowen via: http://singhray.blogspot.com/2010/11/don-mcgowan-enjoys-promoting-colorful.html

Taciturn Tuesday: Lego Graffiti

image via: 

http://planetoddity.com/painful-wall-cracks-filled-up-with-lego-joy/

Fun Math Apps for Summer

Since we are home summer schooling I am looking at some math games to make math more fun for the slightly math phobic Random Guy. All prices are the usual .99 to 4.99 unless otherwise noted. Here is what I found:

image via: http://ipad.appfinders.com/motion-math-zoom/

Motion Math Zoom: Free, uses concrete objects to teach abstract objects. This app teaches the number line and fractions in a fun way. Encourages flexible mental computation
.http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/motion-math-zoom

image via: http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/math-evolve/id482475948?mt=8

Math Evolve:  Highly rated, fun game style play while learning your math facts. Customizable to your child's level and tracks their progress.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/math-evolve

image via: http://www.downloadcheapapp.com/rocket-math-iphone-app-36774.html

Rocket Math: Complete any of 56 math missions to earn money to build a rocket based on physics simulator. Covers basic numbers to square roots.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/rocket-math

image via:  http://www.mikeweisermusic.com/credits/games/operation-math/

Operation Math: Select missions to stop Dr. Odd from eliminating  the world's even numbers. Unlock spy gear as you complete your missions. Play different levels from Addition through division, or a combination.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/operation-math

image via: http://a2.mzstatic.com/us/r1000/099/Purple/e1/06/33/mzl.twviajdg.480x480-75.jpg

Numbers League: Super heroes must combine the sum of their powers to find the answer to defeat villains. A fun super hero comic book style way of practicing math facts.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/numbers-league

image via: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/marble-math-junior/id528617628?mt=8

Marble Math: Tilt the iPad to move the marble to the correct combination to get the right answer. Multi-level play. This app covers addition through division, fractions, decimals, money, and more.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/marble-math

image via: http://www.famigo.com/app/move-the-turtle-programming-for-kids/

Move the Turtle: Teaches basic computer programming using graphic commands. This app uses geometry, angles and measurement for coding complex activities by using simple graphic commands. This one looks really fun!
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/move-turtle.-programming-for

image via: http://schoogle.wordpress.com/author/mendhamt/

Khan Academy app: The complete Khan library of over 2,700 videos, learn almost anything. One of my favorites for homework help.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/khan-academy


We are excited to get started with Rocket Math and Move the Turtle. If you know of any cool math or programming apps, let me know. Have fun with these.

resources:
http://www.applesandapps.blogspot.com/
http://imaginationsoup.net/2012/05/40-stem-ipad-apps-for-kids-science-technology-engineering-math/
http://www.mathsinsider.com/16-cool-ipad-math-apps-that-your-child-might-actually-love/

Tranquil Thursday: Cascade Creek

image via: http://mypicturesofmontana.com/images/waterfalls/cascade-creek.jpg

Homeschooling?

image from: Beery's Horse Training Books, via http://www.ebookretreat.com/images/beery3.jpg

My Random Guy hasn't qualified for ESY since he was in preschool. He has been mainstreamed into regular education classes since he was in Kindergarten. He decided the first day of summer school this year to refuse to go to summer school. No amount of cajoling or consequences was going to get him out the door.
I talked with the Atomic Punk about what to do, and we decided if he stays home he is going to have to work. I hurriedly pulled together some materials for him to study and cobbled together a working curriculum. He fought me at first, but I think he enjoyed some of the work he was doing. He was mostly doing math worksheets, map directions and computer literacy worksheets, keyboarding lessons on the computer and then reading time. I gave him free choice of books for his reading comprehension, and he chose Harry Potter. No TV, no computer, (aside from keyboarding tutorials and typing games) and a break for snack and lunch. He was busy all day until SensiGirl came home from her ESY(Extended School Year,) schooling in the afternoon.
I really wasn't prepared to home school Random Guy, once I started working at it,  I enjoyed it. I know if I had to, I could home school him. It was really a test for both of us and I must say we both passed that day. I don't know how well we would do over the long haul, but I guess we are going to find out. I think we both learned a lot that day. It is good to know if things ever get to the place where I have to pull him out of  public school for any reason, I can handle schooling him. I have known of  a few parents who have done that as their kids reached the middle school years.

image via: http://www.amazon.com/Math-Youll-Ever-Need-Self-Teaching/dp/0471317519

It helps that summer school is elective and I don't have to follow state standards. Today I ordered our materials from Amazon. We have a review workbook for 4th grade coming as well as the book "All the Math You Will Ever Need" along with "Comprehensive Curriculum of Basic Skills for 5th Grade."  The daily schedule starts with handwriting or typing drills and then typing games. After that is a block for math, one for reading comprehension, and a block every day of what I call general skills: these are grammar and dictionary use, geography, history, and learning how to create plans on Lego Designer or Google Sketch Up.  My Fancy Friend suggested as Random Guy gets more proficient with his typing/keyboarding skills we can chat online about the books he is reading for his reading comprehension. He really liked that idea.  He and I discussed what kind of plans to try on Lego designer this afternoon. I didn't think I could pull something like this together so quickly, but I guess you learn what you can do when faced with the challenge. I think a lot of parenting neurodiverse kids is like that. You don't know what you can do until you have to. We will see how it goes this summer.

image via: http://www.amazon.com/Comprehensive-Curriculum-Basic-Skills-Grade/dp/1561893722

Taciturn Tuesday: Vertical North Shore

image by paul chesley
via: http://www.allposters.com/-sp/A-Shirtless-Rock-Climber-Scales-an-Almost-Vertical-Cliff-Face-on-the-North-Shore-of-Lake-Superior-Posters_i3918378_.htm

My Special Needs Board on Pinterest

image via: http://pinterest.com/about/goodies/

I have noticed since my last post about Pinterest that the Special Needs community has embraced the online pin board. I may be because it is easy to monitor your kids and walk away from a computer when you are needed, rather than attend a resource group or a parent training in the evening.
I've discovered great resources like Apps for Children with Special Needs, Siva Techined, and the Friendship Circle Blog. Teachers are active on Pinterest, and there are some very creative special ed. teachers, and speech and OT therapists active on the site. Another one of my favorites is TxTerriSweeps, she has a child with Sensory Processing Disorder and has been a source of new ideas for me.
I have found it is a great place to store links and to share information. Be wary if you tend to be obsessive, it can be a time suck, but no more than Twitter or any other social networking site. I have gained access to many experts I may have missed if I was just doing a blind Google search.

image via: http://www.madisonaditude.com/tag/pinterest/

 The images help in guiding you and then you can form links to other Special Needs parents because you  and others may not search special needs, but look for toilet training or IEP, these are pinned on my Special Needs board with many other subjects that I find along the way. This is my catch all board, I sort things out  into discreet categories later by repinning. Its nice since others may find a gem while looking for something else on the board. You may not realize that your toilet training struggle with your autistic kid may be due to interoception, which you would find if looking for Sensory Processing Disorder, but not autism. Special needs kids have many similar struggles along the way, as do their parents. Using a pin board to connect is a way to form a community when it is hard even get out of the house for an evening. It sometimes takes up the slack when it is to hard find an understanding neighbor or friend to ask for advice or information.
                                                       

• Special Needs

  207 pins

   

  

  Edit

• Savvy Advocate Mom and More

  60 pins

   

  

  Edit

That being said, I had to split my Special Needs board into other boards, since it grows bigger every day. I have tried to keep most of the pins and repinned others onto SPD/Sensory and some other things go onto the "for the kids" board.  So for now my Special Needs Board is the landing pad for the pins and sorting them comes later. If you are not on Pinterest, and would like to be, contact me and I will send you an invite or you can ask for an invite and they will send you one in a week or so. Happy Pinning!

Auditory Processing Apps and More

Here are the latest apps I found in my quest for auditory processing apps for SensiGirl. All apps are the usual .99 to 4.99 unless otherwise noted.

image via:http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ear-sharpener/id383672887?mt=8

Ear Sharpener: A relative pitch game.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ear-sharpener

image via: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/melody-match-lite/id302930348?mt=8

image via: http://a1.mzstatic.com/us/r1000/010/Purple/ab/1b/59/mzl.jbljldhi.320x480-75.jpg

Melody Match Lite and Sound Match :  Both iphone apps, Free, like the classic Memory game only with sounds.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/melody-match-lite
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sound-match

image via: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/aba-receptive-identification/id346469566?mt=8

ABA Receptive Identification by Class: Fit the object into the catigory
http://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/aba-receptive-identification/id346469566?mt=8

image via: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/aba-problem-solving-game-which/id357097338?mt=8

ABA Receptive Problem Solving - Which Go Together?: Figure out why the go together or why not.
http://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/aba-problem-solving-game

image via: http://education.appdownloadreview.com/online/splingos-language-universe

Splingo's Language Universe: For listening and language skills. Interact with the images on the screen.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/splingos-language-universe/id457526530?

image via: http://www.appolicious.com/education/apps/862523-language-lab-core-words-prentke-romich-company

Language Lab: Core Words: Free, find the word and fit right word into sentences.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/language-lab-core-words

image via: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/language-lab-directing-activities/id527182200?mt=8

Language Lab: Directing Activities: 1.99  Find the words in sentences and fill in the blanks.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/language-lab-directing-activities

More Story Telling Apps:

image via: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/youre-storyteller-surprise/id527236318?mt=8

You're the Storyteller:  Watch the wordless scene and record your own narration.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id527223436?mt=8

image via: http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/feature/educational-apps/

Scribble Press: Free, Book creation platform, really great for story creation.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/scribble-press/id487300076?mt=8

resources:
http://shinobijimbo.blogspot.com/2012/06/favorite-occupational-therapy-apps.html

http://www.oneplaceforspecialneeds.com/main/library_special_needs_apps.html

Tranquil Thursday: Serene Green

image via: http://yournestdesign.blogspot.com/2011_02_01_archive.html

SensiGirl's Word Volcano

image via: http://beyondpenguins.ehe.osu.edu/issue/earths-changing-surface/the-forces-that-change-the-face-of-earth

SensiGirl is hyperlexic. She has been able to read well since the age of two or so.  It has been quite handy when she wasn't able to talk or having a meltdown and then have the written word to show her to reassure her of what was going to happen next.  The verbal words are starting to flow a bit more easily now, and the print reassurance isn't always needed for backup.

Lately she has been talking more, and using words and phrases I didn't realize she picked up. These are not the canned phrases from watching TV or her iPad. These are conversational phrases that her brother, dad and I use. She uses words like concerned, drowsy, and whole phrases like "It's almost time for lunch." She is surprising me almost every day now.
I was shocked the other day when she announced to me while sitting on the sofa, "I'm bored." I was speechless. It only makes sense, really, Random Guy must tell me that about 5 times a day.

image via: http://volcano.oregonstate.edu/arenal

She gets to tell me and her teachers how she is feeling and why, not just "I'm angry!" but
                  " I'm angry..."
                  "About what?"
                   "Mr. Greg"
                   "That he's not here?"
                   "Yes"
See, a conversation! There is a bit a intuitiveness going on with all the adults in her life as to what will come next in the conversation, but she has that give and take going.  She is also learning about intuiting what comes next and how to respond to those expected exchanges. She is starting to use more word combinations and grammar.

image via: http://jasryn.blogspot.com/2010_07_01_archive.html

I told SensiGirl's Speech Language Pathologist about it and she said she's having a vocabulary volcano. It's her own term since she refrains from calling it a language burst. In typical development, a language burst happens any where from 24 to 36 months. It goes along with a whole host of other developmental milestones. Since SensiGirl has some "splinter skills," and has been anything buy typical in her development I am exited, not dismayed to hear that she has finally reached this milestone. Ms. Speech says that when she has used the term language burst, the parents would Google it and call her back upset that their child is just now reaching this stage of language development.  I look at it like she now is getting comfortable with putting words to her drawings and conversations to her thoughts. It is an exciting time.

Taciturn Tuesday: School's Out

image by Michal Cizek / AFP - Getty Images via 

http://animaltracks.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/07/27/7178900-new-baby-hippo-exhausted-by-day-out-at-the-prague-zoo?lite

Tranquil Thursday - Como Japanese Garden

image from http://www.stpaul.gov/images/pages/N2035/JG4.jpg

Conversations with My Girl

image from: http://images4.flipkey.com/img/photos/155707/hakunamatataitmeansnoworries/large_155707-hakunamatataitmeansnoworries-026-1322576625.jpg

We were talking about her end of year show at school at lunch one Saturday.  She was saying Hakuna Matata, in her sing songy voice.  I said to her Hakuna Matatta; you're going to be in the Lion King Show,
She said:  I'm concerned
Me:  About being on stage or knowing the words?
SensiGirl:  Knowing the words
It was great that she told me about her worries and it was amazing that she could tell me what they were. This is a far cry from preschool when we really didn't have much conversation at all.

image via: http://www.greeblemonkey.com/2009_06_01_archive.html

Two weeks later we are waiting for the bus. It was a particularly cloudy day. She says "C,D,E, clouds. I am looking at my front garden thinking of what I have to weed and prune next, I didn't look. I just said "Yes C is for clouds and d is for damp..." She says to me C,D,E CLOUDS, LOOK! and points to the clouds in the sky. I looked.

If you have a kid with autism, you know that one of the stumpers for communicating with them when they are young is lack of joint attention. Part of conversation is sharing, joint attention is sharing. She hasn't shared something so pointedly with me outdoors before. I am just amazed at all the progress she is making. I am so happy she shared the beauty of the dark and light puffy clouds with me. I tried to share that a year ago, and she would not look with me.

image via:  http://www.amazon.com/Saying-What-Mean-Wilt-Berry/dp/0849981220

This weekend the Atomic Punk bought some of Rory's Story Cubes. Random Guy and I took turns telling stories from the cues on the cubes. SensiGirl wouldn't join in so we let it go. Later when the guys went to run errands, SensiGirl told me some stories of her own. SensiGirl chose a page from her book "Saying What You Mean" she told me the names of the characters she made up for each figure and then described what instrument they were playing. She told me the story about the four band mates a few times. She also told me the names of all her plastic animals. 

image via: http://dailypicksandflicks.com/2012/01/23/daily-picdump-371/laughing-camel-and-little-girl/

On Saturday, she thought it was so funny when her Daddy burped letters. She was asking, "Daddy, burp an O!"  He did and she cracked up and then paused to say "That's so funny!" then laughed some more. I think she's starting to get the hang of this story telling and conversation thing. 

Taciturn Tuesday: Manatee

image via: http://www.gusbesticecream.com/whats-a-manatee/

The App Basket: Music and More

Here are some musical apps I have found. SensiGirl's thing along with drawing is music. Some of these music apps combine both of those skills. All prices are the usual .99 to 4.99 app price unless otherwise noted.

Music apps

image via:http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/doodle-dj-amazing-tone-pad/id509832245?mt=8

Doodle DJ: Free, color over the doodle boxes to make music.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/doodle-dj-amazing-tone-pad/id509832245?mt=8

image via:http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/soundbrush/id509970041?mt=8

Sound Brush:  Create music with your drawings.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/soundbrush/id509970041?mt=8

image via: http://www.bestkidsapps.com/ages-9-12/my-first-classical-music-app/

My First Classical Music App: Really an interactive book with info and music
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/my-first-classical-music-app/id470865535?mt=8

image via: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/meet-the-orchestra/id477481151?mt=8

Meet the Orchestra:  Learn about the instruments. Includes following directions and answering questions in the quiz portion
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/meet-the-orchestra

image via:  http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/dropophone/id376771022?mt=8

Dropophone:  Free,  touch the raindrops to create music
http://itunes.apple.com/ee/app/dropophone



Other apps

image via: http://forums.imore.com/app-game-announcement-forum/232155-games-collection-kids-playground-hd-playground-mini.html

Playground HD/ Spielplatz HD:  Multiple game platforms, supports 15 languages.
http://itunes.apple.com/app/spielplatz-hd

image via: http://www.specialeducationadvisor.com/set-your-imagination-free-monster-physics-building-app/

Monster Physics: Create your own monster, design your own inventions. Teaches basic physics and problem solving concepts.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/monster-physics

image via:  http://www.padgadget.com/ipad-app-details/498907757/17/1/5

Amazing Coin:  Money app for learning coin values more explanatory than previous coin apps.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/amazing-coin-usd-free-money/id495887877?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D4

image via: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/donut-doodle/id509842489?mt=8

Donut Doodle:  Yet another doodle game, favorites in our house. Lots of ways to decorate after following recipes, bacon and egg toppings included.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/donut-doodle

image via: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/max-the-magic-marker-hd/id444440701?mt=12

Max and the Magic Marker:  For elementary school kids and older. Use drawings to learn about physics and problem solving. Apparently the boats only float on waterspouts.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/max-magic-marker-for-ipad


I hope you have fun with my latest finds. Be sure to share if you find any good apps you want to spread the word about.

resources:
http://bestappsforkids.com/category/kids-apps-by-category/music-apps
http://www.commonsensemedia.org/app-reviews
iPad Apps & Resources for Autism
http://www.specialeducationadvisor.com