Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Day #155/175 Days

Happy

  • Complete 19D in MUS
  • Practice piano
  • Lesson 23 in Handwriting
  • Complete pgs. 7-9 in Geography
Lego-Man
  • Finish 29E in MUS
  • Complete Lesson 61 in handwriting
  • Write out definitions of each word in Lesson 12 for Wordly Wise and complete pg. 101
  • Practice piano
  • Read book of choice for 20 minutes
  • Read two chapters in A Kid's Guide to Managing Money
  • Math drill using Mad Dog Math & Math Galaxy
Conductor
  • Math drill using Mad Dog Math & Math Galaxy
  • Correct errors on pg. 99 and finish pg. 100
  • Do pgs. 129-132 in Phonics
  • Write each word in spelling & complete pg. 47
  • Complete Lesson 33 in Handwriting
  • Practice piano
  • Word Qwerty (spelling/typing)
  • Read pgs. 16-20 "Lesson V" in Nature Reader #3 and draw a picture about what you read
  • Read two chapters in A Consumer's Guide for Kids

Friday, May 27, 2011

Day #154/175 Days

Conductor

  • Math Drill using Mad Dog Math & Math Galaxy
  • Finish pg. 99 & complete pg. 100 in Wordly Wise
  • Complete pages 127 & 128 in Phonics
  • Write each spelling word once and complete top of pg. 46
  • Complete Lesson 32 in handwriting
  • Practice piano
  • Word Qwerty
  • Read pgs. 13-16 "Lesson IV" in Christian Liberty Nature Reader Book #3 and draw a picture of what you read
  • Read two chapters in A Consumer's Guide for Kids
Lego-Man
  • Finish 29D in MUS
  • Complete Lesson 60 in handwriting
  • Complete 12D in Wordly Wise
  • Fix pgs. 36 & 37 in Spelling book
  • Practice piano
  • Read book of choice for 20 minutes
  • Read two chapters in A Kid's Guide to Managing Money
  • Math Drill using Mad Dog Math & Math Galaxy
Happy
  • Complete 19C in MUS
  • Practice piano
  • Lesson 22 in handwriting
  • pgs. 5 & 6 in Geography book
Together

Thursday, May 26, 2011

Day #153/175 Days

Lego-Man

  • Finish 29B & complete 29C in MUS
  • Complete Lesson 59 in handwriting
  • Complete 12D in Wordly Wise
  • Fix pgs. 36 & 37 in Spelling book
  • Practice piano
  • Read book of choice for 20 minutes
  • Math Drill using Mad Dog Math & Math Galaxy
Conductor
  • Math Drill using Mad Dog Math & Math Galaxy
  • Work on pg 99 - Wordly Wise review
  • Complete pgs. 125 & 126 Phonics 
  • Write each word once in spelling & complete pg. 45
  • Complete Lesson 31 in handwriting
  • Practice piano
  • Word Qwerty
  • Read pgs. 9-3 "Lesson III" in Christian Liberty Nature Reader Book 3 & draw a picture of what you read

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Day #152/175 Days

Typically each day I give the boys a checklist of things to do on their own. That frees me to up to do things with them together and work with Happy one-on-one. Today I decided to change things up a bit. They did most of their work together and it was things that aren't their regular schedule.

  • Watch Lecture one from "Before 1776: Life in the American Colonies" - These are Teaching Company videos lent to us by a friend. Very well done and while they are for high school to college level, I thought it was a nice tie-in to all of our American history we've done this year including our trip to Plimouth last month. 
  • Watch "Journey to the Stars" with express instructions to ignore references to "millions of years." NASA was giving away these DVDs last year and I managed to pick one up.
  • Lego-Man read two chapters in a book called A Kid's Guide to Managing Money.
  • Conductor read two chapters in a book called A Consumer's Guide for Kids.
  • Each boy played for 30 minutes on Wii Fit

Monday, May 23, 2011

Day #151/175 Days Fine Arts Co-Op


My sister again came up today to do our Fine Arts Co-Op (I'm heading there next month). Today our musical focus was on the tuba, drums, and composer Scott Joplin. Our art focus was on drawing heads correctly and Pablo Picasso.

Music
  • Read about tubas in Story of the Orchestra and listen to the CD track
  • We watched this video first on YouTube about how tubas are made and then this one of a tuba solo.

  • The boys then each gave us one thing they learned about tubas and created a mini-book
  • We then moved on to the drums reading about them in Story of the Orchestra.
  • We watched this video on YouTube about how drum shells are made. 

  • Then we watched this video of a 16-year-old boy play a really cool drum solo. Yes, I know drum kits aren't used in the orchestra but it's still fun to watch. 

  • The boys then listed four things they learned about drums and created a mini-book.
  • The boys colored a picture of Scott Joplin while my sister read to them about his life from Lives of the Musicians and the Young Composers book. 

  • The boys each gave us one thing they learned about Scott Joplin.
  • We then created a notebook page. We used one that I found for free online here. It's page #11 in this set. I had the boys add a photo of Scott Joplin (I found one online, copied it to MS Word, and made it small enough to fit), born/death dates, place of birth, names of 1-2 famous pieces, and they each had to give us one thing they learned. Then they picked three to add to their page.
  • Finished up our music portion by listening to "Maple Leaf Rag" by Joplin. This was one my sister's Meet the Masters CD but it can be heard on YouTube as well. 

Art
  • Watched Lesson 12 in "God & the History of Art" about "Other Periods & Artists" (This is our last one. I'm going to miss the art history although I'm tempted to have the boys go through it again.)
  • Continued with "Portraits & Anatomy" in "Beginning Drawing IV" by Barry Stebbing. He taught how to draw a head with correct proportions.
  • Read about Pablo Picasso in Art in Story
  • Watched this video on YouTube of Pablo Picasso actually painting. Fair warning...Picasso loved the female figure. We only watched the first 50 seconds to see him do the very first drawing. The next two are somewhat abstract but I have a teenage boy and they weren't abstract enough.
  • Listed four things on the board and created an Artist Biography page.
  • We then went to a really fun website and each boy created a "Picasso Head." In fact, I had to go and do my own once they were all done.

Friday, May 20, 2011

Day #150/175 Days Impromptu Field Trip

Lego-Man

  • Complete 29B in MUS
  • Complete Lesson 58 in Handwriting
  • Complete 12C in Wordly Wise
  • Complete pg. 37 in Spelling book
  • Practice piano
  • Read book of choice for 20 minutes
  • Math drills using Mad Dog Math & Math Galaxy
Conductor
  • Math drills using Mad Dog Math & Math Galaxy
  • Complete 12A, fix 12B & complete 12C & 12D in Wordly Wise
  • Complete pgs. 123 & 124 in Phonics
  • Write each spelling word once, fix pg 43
  • Complete Lesson 30 in handwriting
  • Practice piano
  • Word Qwerty (spelling/typing)
  • Read Christian Liberty Nature Reader Book #3 pgs. 4-8 "Lesson II" and draw a picture of what you read
Happy
  • Complete 19B in MUS
  • Practice piano
  • Complete Lesson 21 in handwriting

This afternoon I had to travel and hour south to drop off books I was selling at a large used book sale the next day. A friend and I decided to head over to the Maine State Museum after for an impromptu field trip. This is a favorite museum for us. I like it because it's free to all educators (including homeschoolers) and the two younger boys just like exploring it.

Conductor's favorite exhibit - the train as you walk in.

Sad to say - this makes me VERY happy.
In case you can't read it, it mentions that timber rattlesnakes no longer
live in Maine. 

I love the exhibits here.

Yes, he really did plop himself down on the floor
and cracked open a book to look at. It's a field guide.

They all spent quite a bit of time here playing. 

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Day #149/175 Days

Conductor

  • Math drills using Mad Dog Math & Math Galaxy
  • Complete 12A & 12B in Wordly Wise
  • Complete pgs. 121 & 122 in Phonics
  • Write each spelling word once. Fix errors on pgs. 41 & 42 & complete p. 43
  • Complete Lesson 30 in handwriting book
  • Practice piano
  • Word Qwerty (spelling/typing)
  • Read Christian Liberty Nature Reader Book #3 pgs. 1-4 "Lesson 1" & draw a picture about what you read
Lego-Man
  • Watch Lesson 29 & complete 29A in MUS
  • Complete Lesson 57 in Handwriting
  • Complete 12A & 12B in Wordly Wise
  • Complete pg. 36 in Spelling book
  • Practice piano
  • Read book of choice for 20 minutes
  • Math drills using Mad Dog Math & Math Galaxy
Happy
  • Get Ready for the Code Book C pgs. 101-104 - finished book!
  • Watch Lesson 19 & complete 19A (skip counting by 10)
  • Practice piano
  • Complete Lesson 20 in handwriting

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Day #148/175 Days

Lego-Man

  • Complete 28F in MUS
  • Complete Lesson 56 in handwriting book
  • Complete 11C & 11D in Wordly Wise
  • Complete pg. 35 in Spelling book
  • Practice piano
  • Read book of choice for 20 minutes
  • Math drill using Mad Dog Math & Math Galaxy
Conductor
  • Wordly Wise - fix pgs. 85 & 86, complete 11C & 11D
  • Phonics - complete top of pg. 114, complete bottom of pg. 116, complete pgs 117-120
  • Write each spelling word and complete p. 41 & top of p. 42
  • Complete Lesson 29 in handwriting
  • Practice piano
  • Finished reading Christian Liberty Nature Reader pgs. 119-142

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Day #147/175 Days

Happy

  • Get Ready for the Code Book C - pgs. 95-100
  • MUS Lesson 18F
  • Handwriting Lesson 19
  • Practice piano
Lego-Man
  • Complete 28E in MUS
  • Complete Lesson 55 in Handwriting
  • Complete 11A & 11B in Wordly Wise
  • Complete p. 34 in Spelling Skills book
  • Practice piano
  • Read book of choice for 20 minutes
  • Math drill using Mad Dog Math & Math Galaxy
Conductor
  • Math drill using Mad Dog Math & Math Galaxy
  • Complete 11A & 11B in Wordly Wise
  • Complete pgs. 113-116 in Phonics pages
  • Write each word once in Spelling
  • Complete Lesson 26 in Handwriting
  • Practice piano
  • Word Qwerty (spelling/typing)
  • Read Christian Liberty Nature Reader pgs. 92-117
Together
  • Piano Lessons
  • Adventures in Odyssey CDs

Monday, May 16, 2011

Day #146/175 Days - Field Trip

Just a few days after heading out to the Maine Wildlife Park we went on yet another field trip. The snow is gone. Spring is here and it's "Field Trip Season." We really enjoy going on field trips but these two were a bit too close together. We had fun even though we were pretty tired from a string of long days.

Today we went to Old Fort Western located in our state's capital city. Old Fort Western is designed as a living history museum. We had signed up to do their program on Daily Life in the 18th Century. Our group was large enough to be broken in to three groups and rotate through three stations although at one station we were broken down into even smaller groups.

Our group started out in the kitchen. The children learned what it would have been like to cook and clean during the 18th century.

Conductor is trying out the broom. 
It was too small to be used with two hands 
so all sweeping would have been done with one.

Happy pouring the cream into a small butter churn.

Making butter - all the kids (and a lot of the
adults too) took turns with this. 

Conductor is "snipping" sugar. It would come in a 
large hard lump. In order to use it, you would have to snip
it off so it would be loose.

Gratuitous teenager shot

Showing the kids a "new invention" on making two slices
of toast at once! This was turned by kicking the side so 
both sides of the bread would be toasted.

Just a look at how full the kitchen was with our group!
Our guide was great and all the kids were busy at a job. 
I love hands-on field trips.

Making toast. 
I'm very glad it was a cold & rainy day.
Otherwise this fire would have been too much.

Enjoying the fruit of their labor - 
homemade bread with homemade butter
with cinnamon and sugar sprinkled on top.

Our next stop in the house was upstairs to where the linen and clothing would be made. We started in the bedchamber and learned a bit about how beds were constructed and was used on them. 

Our Guide

Exploring the bed and bedding

After this we split in to two smaller groups. One group headed in to learn about spinning linen and the other went to check out the loom. We headed in to the loom room first. 


Again, this was a very hands-on activity.
Conductor trying his hand at a bit of weaving. 

Happy could barely reach the pedals. However, once a child
could reach the pedals, this would be added to the list of their
daily chores.

Even Lego-Man took a turn.

Actually there was time so the moms even had a go at it. Shortly after that occurred, we switched rooms. 

Here the boys are having explained to them what spinning was all about.

Happy is checking out some flax. This would eventually turn into linen. 

Unfortunately, we didn't get to spend a lot of time here and my boys didn't get a turn to try spinning as we had to move along to the next activity. Definitely sometimes a downfall when doing activities like this.

Our last stop of the day was outside. Well, it was suppose to be outside learning about how to make shingles, start a fire, and cut wood. However, due to the cold dreary weather, our guide moved us in to the block house. It was still cold, but at least most of the wind was blocked and we were dry. It was very dark though, so most of my photos didn't come out great as I was trying very hard not to use a flash.

Using a striker to make a spark.

This is the saw they would use to cut up firewood.

Happy & Conductor having a go at it. They did very well.

Overall this was a great field trip with lots of hands on activities. The last time we had done this trip Happy was about two years old. We had spent the morning at a local arboretum for a pond study (that we had missed due to miscommunication on meeting spots) and the afternoon at this very study. Happy was so tired from not having a nap that I ended up sitting in my truck with him the whole time so he could sleep. This this was really my first time doing the program as it was Happy's. The two older boys were so young that they barely remember going through it the first time. 

The cost was very reasonable and this is one we'll do again as the Fort offers many different programs.

Friday, May 13, 2011

Day #145/175 Days

Lego-Man

  • Complete 28D
  • Complete handwriting Lesson 54
  • Complete 10C & 10D in Wordly Wise
  • Complete p. 32 in Spelling book
  • Practice piano
  • Read book of choice for 20 minutes
  • Math drill using Mad Dog Math & Math Galaxy
Conductor
  • Math drill using Mad Dog Math & Math Galaxy
  • Fix 10B, 10C, & 10D in Wordly Wise (obedience issues cropping up on this assignment)
  • Phonics pages - fix pgs. 109 & 110, complete 111 & 112
  • Write spelling words once and complete p. 39
  • Complete Lesson 26 in Handwriting book
  • Practice piano
  • Word Qwerty
  • Read Christian Liberty Nature Reader Book 2 pgs. 70-90

Thursday, May 12, 2011

Day #144/175 Days - Field Trip

Today we headed to one of our very favorite places to visit - the Maine Wildlife Park. I had scheduled a local group to go down and participate in a class. Then we were free to explore the park. Our class was called "Meet a Live Bald Eagle."

Before we got to do that though, our educator gave the children a background in different birds of prey and eagles in particular. She focused on why they were endangered and how the population in Maine was brought back. Basically eggs were stolen from nests in Alaska and placed under birds here in Maine. This was all sanctioned and paid for by the US Government. It worked as we've occasionally sited eagles locally and more and more are making their way to our great state.

The cardboard shows how big the eagles wingspan is - that's big!

She's holding a film canister. An eagle can spot something this small from about 
five miles away.

Yeah - really only a face a mother could love.

And Lawrence is on his way!


Lawrence was feeling a bit feisty today and they had a hard time convincing him to come visit with us. He is a permanent resident of the Park and is used for educational purposes. When he was just a nestling he was blown from the nest during a storm. He was found a few days later on the ground by a Ranger. Due to damage sustained in the fall, he had half of one wing amputated. Needless to say he can't fly and is unable to survive in the wild. 

He gets free food though at the Park.

One of my favorite photos I snapped during the class.

After lunch we headed out to explore the Park. We had along with us this time a friend who hadn't been in a very long time so it was nice to share some of our favorite things with them. Of course, no trip to the Maine Wildlife Park would be complete without photos like these....




He's such a ham.

I love how the legs are sticking out. 

Humoring me with a group photo

This guy was there all day working on this statue. 
There were some baby bears already completed nearby.


Lego-Man has just been measured for height. 
We discovered he is about 5'9" tall! Yikes!

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Day #143/175 Days

Lego-Man

  • Complete 28C
  • Complete p. 72 in Reading Skills book
  • Complete Lesson 53 in Handwriting book
  • Complete 10A & 10B in Wordly Wise
  • Complete pg. 31 in Spelling book
  • Practice piano
  • Read book of choice for 20 minutes
  • Math drill using Mad Dog Math & Math Galaxy
Conductor
  • Math drill using Mad Dog Math & Math Galaxy
  • Phonics pages - fix pgs 107 & 108, complete pgs. 109 & 110
  • Write spelling words and complete 1/2 pg. 39
  • Complete Lesson 25 in handwriting
  • Practice piano
  • Word Qwerty
  • Read Christian Liberty Nature Reader pgs. 57-68

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Day #142/175 Days

Happy

  • Get Ready for the Code Book C pgs. 92-94
  • MUS - Lesson 18E
  • Practice piano
  • Lesson 18 in handwriting
Conductor
  • Math drills with Mad Dog Math & Math Galaxy
  • Fix 10B & complete 10C & 10D in Wordly Wise
  • Phonics pages - complete 104-107
  • Write spelling words once and complete p. 38
  • Complete Lesson 24 in handwriting book
  • Practice piano
  • Word Qwerty
  • Read pgs. 43-56 in Christian Liberty Nature Read Book 2
Lego-Man
  • Complete 28B in MUS
  • Complete pg. 47 in Reading Skills book
  • Complete Lesson 52 in Handwriting book
  • Finish fixing 9B & complete 9D in Wordly Wise
  • Fix & complete p 30 in Spelling book
  • Practice piano
  • Read book of choice for 20 minutes
  • Use Mad Dog Math & Math Galaxy for math drill
Together
  • Begin using Considering God's Creation -  complete pgs. 28-30

Monday, May 9, 2011

Day #141/175 Days Fine Arts Co-Op

Today my sister came to our house and we did our Fine Arts Co-Op together. Our focus today for music were the guitar and bugle for instruments and Debussy for a composer. In art we began instruction on how to draw portraits and learned about Winslow Homer.

*******************************
Music





  • We read an article about the history of guitars. 
  • Then we watched this video on YouTube.


  • The boys constructed a guitar shape book and wrote three facts about guitars inside.
  • We read an article about the history of bugles.
  • Then we watched this video on YouTube. 
  • After the boys dictated three facts that were written on the chalkboard, they created a mini-book
  • Read from Story of the Orchestra about Claude Debussy
  • Listened to some of Debussy's music on the Story of the Orchestra CD
  • Read from the Young Composers book as well
  • The boys created a notebook page about Debussy

Art
  • Watched Lesson 11 in "God & the History of Art" about "American Artists"
  • Began the "Portraits & Anatomy" section of "Beginning Drawing IV" with Barry Stebbing
  • The boys drew:
    • Charlie/Charlene Contrast
    • Hot Dog Man
    • Tin Man
    • Rectangle Man
    • "Sad"
  • Read about Winslow Homer in Art in Story
  • Watched this video on YouTube that showed some of Homer's work 
  • Listed four things learned about Homer and created an Artist Biography Page
  • Created a watercolor painting