Epi Kardia Literature-based Unit Study Home School Curricula
 
Volume 1, Issue 4
October 22, 2008
 
 

Epi Kardia Insights

 
To Equip Parents to Disciple and Teach Their Children
 
Good Morning! 
     As we praise God for this beautiful and welcoming cooler weather, we want to thank Him for the opportunities He has given us to stand for Him during these uncertain times.  Although we don't know how our lives might change politically and economically in these next few months, we know Who does, and there is bountiful comfort in the knowing. 
      Our goal is to approach the holiday season with gratefulness, in spite of the difficulties that so many face.  We are reminded of our blessings and are encouraged to pray for and comfort those who currently mourn: Just within our circles we have a dear friend and her children who have lost a godly husband and father, those who are struggling with cancer, heart attacks and alzheimers, moms who are caring for seriously ill parents and/or children, and those dealing with the loss of children.  Please pray for and reach out to those the Lord puts in your path, while remembering that we have a Sovereign God who is still on the throne.  Amen!
 
In Him,
 
Dana

How Do We Know What They Know?

Using Non-traditional Evaluation Methods

 

          It’s not uncommon for moms examining Epi Kardia curriculum for possible purchase to ask “How will I know what my child has learned if there aren’t any tests?” Unit studies lend to this thinking and we completely understand why this is a concern. We had the same concerns for our children as we developed Epi Kardia curriculum.  

          So, how do we know what they know? For Epi Kardia  and other parents using unit studies, non-traditional evaluation methods provide the answers. In reality, these methods should be used to some extent no matter what subject or what curriculum we’re using. Why? Well, test banks offered with textbook programs often fail to truly evaluate what children are actually learning. They may evaluate if a child knows the material on the test, but they can’t even guarantee that result. Due to various learning styles, some children will never succeed with traditional testing methods. By using a wide variety of evaluation methods, we can more thoroughly determine if our children are learning what we deem to be important.  

          One excellent benefit of non-traditional evaluation is that these methods may be adapted for students from Kindergarten to high school, allowing us, as parents, to select methods that promote our students’ gifts and provide positive, challenging learning experiences at the same time. Just as a unit study moves students to think out of the box, parents have to do the same in order to evaluate such achievement.   

When evaluating our children, we want to determine whether we are seeking factual or processing responses. Factual responses, such as when we ask our child a question like “What are some achievements of the Ancient Egyptians?” demonstrate a child’s knowledge of the important points. Processing responses, as with a question like “What do you think it was like for children during the Middle Ages?” require our children to think and apply what they’ve learned, then respond appropriately. Strong communication is a key to non-traditional assessment as we always want to clearly articulate to our children what is expected of them.   Tools such as rubrics and checklists combined with other evaluation methods not only provide assessment for us as parents and teachers, but they also allow our children to know ahead of time what we expect of them. This not only provides a greater opportunity for success, but also promotes confidence as our children more readily understand our goals for them.  

          Some non-traditional assessment ideas to consider as you plan for your children include:  

  • Narration/oral presentations
    • What did you learn? (factual)  
    • Book reports  
    • What do you think? (processing)  
    • Oral quizzes (factual and processing)  
  • Written presentations and materials
    • Essays  
    • Journalistic reports  
    • Advertising  
    • Reports  
    • Reviews  
    • Poetry  
    • Song lyrics  
    • Children’s materials  
  • Visual and Graphic organizers
    • Lap books, mini books
    • Maps, overlays
    • Outlines, thinking maps
    • Scrapbooking
    • Tri-fold board presentations (similar to science fair, but with different subject matter)
  • Artistic expression
    • Drawing, painting, sculpture
    • Architecture, building, design
    • Models
  • Dramatic expression
    • Theatrical presentation
    • Playwriting
  • Evaluative assignments and projects
    • Creating puzzles, comprehension questions, activity ideas
    • Co-op style activities (working on a small part of a larger project)

 

The Epi Kardia Teacher’s Manual salso provide additional discussion and ideas related to non-traditional assessment. The Epi Kardia Tools CD, available as part of an Epi Kardia Complete Program,  provides templates for checklists and rubrics, as well as other organizational charts for parents and students alike. If you have any questions about non-traditional evaluation methods and how to use them, feel free to contact us or visit our blog as we respond to other parents’ questions.

 Many Blessings,

Beth



New High School Courses Available on our Website!

 Three new high school courses are now available for sale on our website:

  Essay Styles for High School - We recommend this foundational high school essay course as a first course in high school writing. Rounded out with the addition of  literature and vocabulary study, this course is superb preparation for high school writing and beyond.  Designed with step by step, detailed instructions for both the student and the teacher, even parents who do not view themselves as strong writers can teach this course because the evaluation section describes exactly what you need to look for in your student’s writing and explains how to determine a fair grade, as well.


A Study in American Writers - Treat yourself and your student to some of the finest writing to originate in America. Combining poetry, a play, short stories and novels, this one full year/credit American literature course will provide your student with a wide variety of reading and writing experiences including literary components, vocabulary, essay writing and creative projects. This curriculum also includes options for an honors credit.  (We recommend Essay Styles as a prerequisite for this course, and they can also be taught concurrently.) 

The Steps to Writing a Research Paper - Whether covering the effects of World War II or analyzing the sounds produced by an electric guitar, we recommend  that at least two research papers be written by every high school student.  From choosing an appropriate topic to note taking and research to understanding MLA and APA formatting, this course provides meaningful training that will benefit your student not only in high school, but throughout college. Examples and non-examples of how to create an excellent research paper allow students to avoid common pitfalls. The evaluation section gives parents and teachers the tools and information necessary for accurately grading each of the steps and the final paper.


Financial Tips on the Horizon
 
Although homeschoolers in general are a pretty frugal bunch already, we have put together some practical ideas and expert tips from various sources that we hope will be of help to you--look for this series of posts on our blog soon!

What a delightful surprise we had recently!  People report finding us on the Web by searching under various terms, but we found that if one googles  'literature-based unit study'  -- Epi Kardia appears as the first listing on the first page!!  Wow! 
Table of Contents
 
1.  How Do We Know What They Know? Using Non-traditional Evaluation Methods
 
2.  New High School Courses Available on our Website!
 
3.  15% off Coupon for Current Subscribers!
 
4. Upcoming Blog Series
 
5. A Delightful Surprise
© 2008 Epi Kardia Home Education, LLC All Rights Reserved.


"I'm still using Epi Kardia and LOVING it! I added one more student this year to the mix, A.! She and I do a more traditional Epi Kardia approach, whereas J. and G. know the drill and are on something like auto pilot with the program. Thank you for your dedication to writing such a fine curriculum.  My family have enjoyed it and been blessed by it time after time.  I still share it with everyone who will listen!"

-Jennifer, mom of 5, CT

"E. is in 4th grade right now and C. is in 1st grade.  I love being able to use Epi Kardia with both of them!  (And we'll be adding L. in kindergarten next year.)  What a blessing this curriculum has been and continues to be for us!  Thanks Dana and Beth!"

--Julie, mom of 5, SC

"I have 4 children and we are using all 4 levels of the program. Just another reason why I love this program! It is flexible enought for me to do just what want with it! :-) "

 --Pam, mom of 4, SC

"The kids and I just finished playing a '20th Century Trivia' board game that A. made after I saw it in the [Preparatory Complete Program] Epi Kardia curriculum. What a great idea! He had to come up with the idea, use history & geography to come up with the categories and then the questions, make the board, paint the board and then make up the rules. It was a great 2-week project!" 

--Vicki, mom of 2, SC