1 November 2008

a quick break from "the world is our classroom" format~

We have been very focused for the past couple of weeks on preparing for our All Hallow's Eve party; I am powering up my dead camera battery now so that I can post pics in the very near future.

Also, there have many political conversations. Interesting and insightful. Redistribution of wealth, foreign policy, etc, but NOT abortion.

I've been sneaking in as many "real-life" math applications for Firstborn and he thrives on this approach.

Oh, and Sunshine looked up and identified the rat that was trapped in the chicken coop wire screen today--Norway, she says. Good for her.

16 October 2008

The world is our classroom...this week our classroom was


...on the couch

Firstborn is studying a bit of chemistry here as he read Clean House Clean Planet from cover to cover in one day. We are planning to start phasing out the traditional house cleaning products we use in favor of mixing up the recipes provided in the book. Of course, as long as the book was condemning the combining of baking soda and vinegar in a closed bottle, Firstborn was compelled to go do some experimenting with said combination in the backyard.


...in the kitchen

Today the two elder girls baked up a lunch of macaroni & cheese (so good and plentiful, in fact, that we ate it for dinner, too). They worked pretty independently with just a bit of help pouring out the steaming hot pasta from the pot, a bit of encouragement to "keep on whisking that roux," and, of course, assistance putting the heavy casserole into the oven and removing it in the end.

...at the craft table

The girls and I learned to blanket stitch! We're still working on mastery, but we've got the basic skill at least.

...'round the kitchen table

Here my little Sunshine learns to multi-task; a very important lesson when there are babies about. And perhaps, just maybe, Baby O picked up a bit of arithmetic while he sat there upon his big sis' lap. Doesn't he look intent on understanding the concepts?

And here is Big Sis' Rosebud tutoring her younger sister on handwriting techniques, just for fun, of course.

...outdoors

Firstborn assembled a couple of traps for the backyard. I'll keep you posted.

He also did some much needed chicken coop repair work.

...and in the garden

We've talked about Victory Gardens with the children, though I am unofficially calling this one the Prosperity Garden. The Prof and the children began work on the Prosperity Garden this week. Here is to prospering from one's own sweat!

catching up 6-12 October 2008

The world is our classroom...lately our classroom has been

...around the kitchen table

Little Queen learns to identify butterlies.

...snuggled on the couch

Rosebud is buzzing through her reader
with growing confidence.

...reclined on the hearth

Sunshine takes in the newest issue of Cricket magazine.

...outdoors on pleasant autumnal evenings

Tonight we had success viewing the
"moon surrounded by a halo" with a telescope.

2 October 2008

The world is our classroom...these days have been spent making-at the sewing machine and in the music room.

I have been a bit neglectful here, but thankfully that does not mean that learning has been neglected, too. Sunshine was quite pleased to assist me in making her a new skirt. The edgestitching was a bit tricky, but sewed the seam, did a lot of pinning, helped feed the elastic through the waist band and, of course, selected the fabric and ribbon before we began it all. (I'll have photos up at the family blog soon.)

Inspired by Sunshine's sewing time, Rosebud and Firstborn both took turns at the sewing machine, whipping up pillows and secret code flags. Our neighbor is also helping them all to make a patchwork baby blanket. Love the sound of the sewing machine tapping along.

Sunshine and Rosebud have been busily preparing for their performances in an upcoming broadway/tv/movie music themed piano recital, so we've all been happily humming Fiddler on the Roof and the little Merrrily We Roll Along melody from the Looney Tunes Theme. Fun! Also, Rosebud has already had three lessons on her beloved birthday present: a lever harp. What a delight for all of us. This was just a quick shot during an evening practice session, but I hope to get her all dressed up and do a really nice photo session.

In addition to all of this creative energy, there have been a lot of discussion of how investments work, what a mortgage is, how to determine the right size mortgage for one's income, the perils of over-borrowing, the sin and consequences of greed, rationing during wars and depression and Victory gardens. All of this robust conversation, naturally, is tied to Firstborn's growing awareness of current events. Fascinating! I absolutely revel in this kind of conversation with the children and amazed to see their level of interest.

25 September 2008

The world is our classroom...today we were in the pool.

The three eldest children just finished their first encounter with swim lessons. It was a most positive experience all the way around. Everyone now has a lot more confidence and
comfort around the water. We all look forward to returning later in the season
for another session.

16 September 2008

The world is our classroom...today was mostly spent outdoors.








We used the "outdoor chalkboard" (aka sidewalk chalk + driveway) for our math work.






The girls revisited an old friend called the microscope, now permanently set-out for anytime use rather than hidden up on a dusty out-of-reach shelf. They spent today exploring the pre-made slides that came with the scope and Sunshine sketched the allium root tip.


Firstborn and I began researching the flora we'd photographed yesterday; we began our 100 Species post (see below) which will be regularly updated.

Our 100 Species: Flora

1. Hesperaloe parviflora, "Red-flowered Yucca"
The only species in the yucca family with red
flowers. Detailed photos available here.

2. Lagerstroememia, "Crape or Crepe Myrtle"
Originates from China or Korea and was brought to the US in the late 18th century. Flowers in late summer and autumn and is seen in Central Texas in colors white, pink, and red. Occasionally, we even see more than one color on a single tree. The leaves are opposite and simple.

15 September 2008

The world is our classroom... today we were hiking at the park.




With the photographic assistance of the Firstborn, I embarked on the brilliant 100 Species Challenge today and am hoping, of course, to lure the girls in as additional research and photographic assitants. A morning hike offered plenty of opportunity to begin documenting a variety of species of flora within walking distance of our home. Next I need to begin identifying the plants and pulling up some information about them. A perfect companion excercise to some ongoing landscaping here at the Suburban Ranch incidentally.

Firstborn: 26 February

In a tent we made out of poles and blankets outside, I did part of my Latin, my math test and some handwriting. After we went inside, I worked on my typing and translated a story about Octavian versus Antony and Cleopatra from Latin. Next I went to Itunes to chant my Latin vocabulary words (review).

The next undertaking was to continue writing notes for a summary of the life of Christopher Columbus for our history notebook. Lastly, I recorded the sunrise/sunset times for my Journey North class.

Now I think I'll go out and fix the tent which has blown down in the wind.

~submitted by Firstborn

Firstborn 19 Februrary

Today I did my math test, Latin test, and handwriting. Then I worked on my typing and my mom read to me about Moore and the destruction of the missions in Florida & Georgia, the War of Jenkins' Ear, and George Washington's earliest battle. Now I am going to go outside to play in our fort with my sisters. The end.

~Firstborn

Sunshine: 11 Februrary

I started with handwriting. My next work was math--I did two pages of adding columns. Next, Mom and I studied my First Holy Communion catechism book and I glued some prayers I had copied into my FHC album. I did my lenten meditation from "My Path to Heaven." I worked on polishing up my memory work on Psalm 42. Lastly, Firstborn and I worked on our new Mass album...mostly Firstborn.

Oh yes, and then I wrote a loong thank you card to my Grandmama and Papa.

~submitted by Sunshine

Firstborn: 11 Februrary

Today math was the first thing I did; practicing more with the rule of four and its uses with addition and subtraction of fractions. Tomorrow I will take the test.

Second item was handwriting...a single page was enough for today. Latin was next. I worked in the Libera Historia on sentence translation. (Mom says someday I'll thank her for this. We'll see.) After that, I drilled my typing exercises; I even got up to 48wpm on one game!

Last, Sunshine and I started working on our Mass Album. Sunshine has memorized Psalm 42 and I copied it into our album. Tomorrow I will go over my pencil draft with ink and we'll add a border.

Update on the crystal growing experiment: Mom thought the experiment was a total bust, so she didn't say much about it. But, just now I told her what a huge success it has been. A deliciously sweet success. Success that I have been eating before she sees it. I just showed her a huge crystal that had grown overnight. I didn't know she wanted to take a picture of it; the picture will have to wait until tomorrow or the next day.

~submitted by Firstborn

Firstborn, 6 February

Today I did handwriting work; I wrote little reminder sayings such as "Spring forward, Fall back." In history, Sushine and I worked on another page of our North American Explorers book. Today we focused on Madoc who was a 15th century explorer who came to America.

Next I did my Lenten retreat from My Path to Heaven, studying the first picture and then reading about it and discussing it with Mom. Following that, I made math corrections from yesterday's work. I couldn't find my test book, so I will have to take that test another day. Lastly, I took my Latin test on the imperfect form and got it perfect!

~submitted by Firstborn
Ash Wednesday

Sunshine, 4 February

Back from a week of sickness...

Today I started with handwriting (two pages of it). I wrote numbers from 1 to 9 and the names of colors. And then I did two pages of math. I am learning to add dollars. This was a challenge for me; but I did it! More numbers in Latin...I learned to say one through five (unus, duo, tres, quattuor, and quinque). We also reviewed the whole vocabulary.

Lastly I worked again on my memory work of Psalm 42.

~submitted by Sunshine

Firstborn: 4 February

After an entire week off for sickness, I returned, reluctantly, to work today. The weather is burning up at 80* with sunny skies. Anyway, I began with Journey North reports. I recorded the sunrise and sunset times for our city and for Mystery classes #1 and #2. I learned how to figure out the photoperiod and made a photoperiod graph for my city.

Next I worked on handwriting. And then, onto math. In math today, I continued to make equivalent fractions and added fractions with common denominators. We also practiced speed work on addition flash cards.

Lastly I worked on my Latin endings. I am learning imperfect tense endings: -bam, -bas, -bat, -bamus, -batis, and -bant. Then we reviewed for tomorrow's quiz.

~submitted by Firstborn

this week

fevers and sore throats have us out of commission...

For the record

Almamater reporting here...

Last Friday, Firstborn, Sunshine and Rosebud attended a Mozart piano concert and we did no additional school work. Actually it was a bit of a crazy-chase around sort of day. But I think they enjoyed the concert in the morning and the change of pace.

Today (Monday 28 Jan), we really didn't do much work either. Sunshine is really under the weather. But we did put our pens to paper and get a whole lot of Christmas thank you cards written up. Hoping to finish tomorrow or Thursday so that these are sure to be out before Lent begins next week.

We are trying to finish up our latest "Caroline" book, too, so that we can concentrate on more spiritual reading during Lent. I am also hoping to use "My Path to Heaven" to guide the children on a bit of a retreat during the forty days. (That link, crazily enough, takes you to Target online, where apparently you can purchase this book) For our read alouds, we'll concentrate on saints and the like. Yikes! It's all just around the corner...

Firstborn 24 January

Latin was at the top of my day. I completed two Latin mazes and began Chapter 16 in my LFC workbook. We began learning the Imperfect (Past) Tense endings. They are: ~bam, ~bas, ~bat, ~bamus, ~batis, ~bant.

Next I did a review page of italics handwriting. And then, completed three pages of math. Tomorrow I will take the Lesson 4 Test. I also worked on my keyboarding, mostly review.

In history, I listened with Sunshine to the story of Pocahonas and Jamestown while drawing. And we had a short meteorology lesson about light and refraction. Refraction is when light waves bend because the light is going through different densities.

My candy experiment looks the same as yesterday afternoon: yellow-ish water with a string in it. This morning I was doing a electrical experiment and tried to build a dimmer with my sisters. We made stinky smoke. Rosebud ran away. Oh, and the resistor is very hot to the touch, by the way.

~submitted by Firstborn

Sunshine 24 January

The first work I did today was handwriting. My pages today were practicing the uppercase Y and lower case z in italics print. I completed 2 pages of work.

In math (Beta), I continued on to the next two pages. I am working on rounding to the nearest 100 with addition and subtraction.

I continued to prepare for my First Holy Communion by copying my Prayer after Confession into my album. The prayer is:

My Jesus, I thank you for washing

away my sins

in Your precious blood.

Help me to accept my cross each day

and not to hurt You.

I love You with my

whole heart and soul.

I have also memorized Psalm 42 (Douay-Rheims) and will recite it on Sunday night for my family:

Judge me, O God, and distinguish my cause from the

nation that is not holy: deliver me from the unjust and deceitful man.

For thou art God my strength: why has thou cast me off?

and why do I go sorrowful whilst the enemy afflicteth me?

Send forth thy light and thy truth:

they have conducted me and brought me unto thy holy hill,

and into thy tabernacles.

And I will go in to the altar of God:

to Go who giveth joy to my youth.

To thee, O God my God, I will give praise upon the harp:

why art thou sad, O my soul? and why dost thou disquiet me?

Hope in God, for I will still give praise to him:

the salvation of my countenance, and my God.

Lastly, Mom read a history lesson to us. We learned about Pocahontas and Jamestown.

~submitted by Sunshine

Firstborn, 23 January

I started out my work today by completing a Latin translation word find. It was a great a challenge to do, but it was fun. Next I began Lesson 4 in my math book. In this lesson, I am working on converting fractions (2/3 = 4/6).

I made a map of Leif Ericsson's route from Greenland to North America, coloring the countries and labelling the route. In meteorlogical studies, we looked at the effect of light. I did an experiment shining a flashlight into a glass pitcher of milk and water. Looking in from opposite the light, the liquid ("sky') was bluish, but from the same side as the light, the liquid appeared yellow.

In the afternoon, I did an independent experiment where I boiled water and added sugar to dissolve. Later I put a thread in it and I am hoping delicious sugar crystals will form on the thread. We'll find out in about three days.

I also practiced my piano pieces, "Amarylis" and "Auld Lang Syne."

~submitted by Firstborn

Firstborn 22 January

It was a math test that started my study day today. I am reviewing Epsilon and had a test on adding fractions with same denominators.

After my test, I worked on a Latin word find. I had a list of English nouns and verbs that needed translation and then I found the Latin words in the word-find. I completed most of it.

I am studying meteorology now. Yesterday we learned about the layers of the atmosphere and I made and labelled an illustration of the atmosphere. The layers from the ground up are: Troposphere, Stratosphere, Mesosphere, Temposphere (where the temps reach 3500* F) and the Exosphere. Today we studied air compression. Compressed air is warmer than uncompressed.

I did a lengthy page of handwriting in which I had to copy a long list of "ology" words. Plus three "exaggerated" sentences (For example: "This book weighs a ton!" or "That handwriting assignment took me all day!")

Moving on to History, I copied my report about Eric the Red into my history book. He lived in the 10th century and explored Greenland.

This afternoon I will practice my piano assignment and hope to attempt an experiment in making sugar crystals. I will tell you about that later!

~submitted by Firstborn

Sunshine, 22 January

Today the first thing I did was work on my Communion album. I copied a prayer to be said before confession. First I copied it in pencil and then wrote over it in pen. Mommy read me a story from "First Communion Days" about Francoise.

I also did one page of math. I am working on rounding to the nearest 100. If the tens are above 50, I round up and if they are below, I round down. In Latin I translated my vocabulary words and wrote a deriviative next to each one. We also reviewed all of my vocabulary lists from the book.

In history we are reviewing the early American explorers. Firstborn and I are making a book about them. Today I dictated the story of Leif (the Lucky) Ericsson to Mom. Tomorrow I will copy it into the book.

Now I will go practice my piano lesson. I am working on two new songs: "Dinosaur Stomp" and "Alarm Clock."

~submitted by Sunshine
seven days from my 8th birthday

Firstborn 14 January 2008

Today I finished my lesson 1 math test and completed three pages of math in lesson 2. In lesson 2, I worked on identifying and building fractions. I wrote them out in number form and word form (i.e., 4/5 and four-fifths).

In Latin for Children, I began chapter 15 which discussed Sentence Patterns A and B. Sentence pattern A is SN-V (Vir intrat. The man enters.) Sentence pattern B is SN-LV-PrN (Julia est puella. Julia is a girl.) Pattern B always uses a linking verb whereas, Pattern A uses an actioncaverb. Predicate nominatives always follow a linking verb and rename the subject (Julia = girl).

I also worked on translation in my Latin reader. I translated two sentences about Hannibal and labelled the sentence patterns.

My sister, Sunshine, and I continued to work on our North American Explorers history book. Today we added Eric the Red. Sunshine labelled a map and I began a summary of his life.

Lastly, I worked on my typing program. I am working on capitals on the home row and e & u plus periods.