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