Lost Persons Homeschool

Slave Story Quilt

2012-01-13T09:15:00.000-08:00

Wow - it has been months since I posted! The combination of me being in school and working two part-time jobs, plus the holidays just made for a huge delay. One of my new goals is to post at least once a week - posting to this homeschool blog allows me to see our year in snapshot form. I enjoy seeing the things we've done, and I enjoy going back and reading about my thoughts at certain points in time. So despite my busy schedule, I will endeavor to post once a week. :)

This week, my oldest daughter embarked on a unit about the Civil War and Slavery. Today she made a paper slave story quilt. Each of the nine squares is illustrated with an image or scene that depicts something she found important to share about slavery. She read several slave accounts, two history books on slavery, and a collection of primary resources to come up with her ideas. Her quilt looks beautiful. Unfortunately for the photo, she did the illustrations in colored pencil so they are very hard to see (she has a light touch). She enjoyed binding the images together with yarn. Initially she wanted to write a journal entry from a slave perspective and skip this project. I encouraged her to try the quilt - it is my belief that sometimes kids need a gentle, encouraging push out of their comfort zone. She told me later that she is delighted with the finished product and is glad she did the quilt. She's also decided to write the journal entries anyway as she loves writing so much. :)

Dynamite Dioramas

2011-11-18T06:37:00.000-08:00

My two middle daughters have had a busy week full of projects. On Wednesday they each made a diorama of an ecosystem - they chose Under the Sea and an Alaskan Ecosystem. The older daughter (Under the Sea) is creative, but impatient. Her diorama has the different elements, but she lost interest when it came to the details - hence, the animals aren't colored, nothing is labeled, etc. The younger middle daughter (Alaskan Ecosystem), however, is a kid that really follows through. She colored everything, created multiple levels, labeled the different roles in the ecosystem, added elements like a forest that she crafted out of leftover materials, and really did a knock-out job. I think both are cute, but the Alaskan Ecosystem really shines.

Terrific Tees

2011-11-15T08:58:00.000-08:00

My middle girls and I discussed the "3 R's" (reduce, reuse, recycle) as part of their unit on interdependence in science. They designed t-shirts to spread the message of the 3 R's. They came up with unique ideas for the pictures on the back - one daughter drew a new purse, which would cost money, and then drew an old pair of jeans being turned into a purse to display the idea of reusing. The other drew examples of appropriate ways to recycle or reuse various items.

While all of this was happening, my youngest decided she, too, wanted to create a t-shirt. She has been enjoying several silly poems out of My Dog Does My Homework, so I suggested she choose one of her favorites and make a poem shirt. She was thrilled. She copied the poem (A Vegetarian Poem) on the back and then drew the different items listed in the poem on the front. They are all very excited to wear their shirts tomorrow.

Old-Fashioned Poster

2011-11-09T07:47:00.000-08:00

Here is how my 8-year-old decided to convey the same information in an old-fashioned paper and maker poster that her sister presented yesterday in a Power Point presentation. I find it interesting to compare the results. I suppose, however, that the younger daughter still used the computer to find pictures of the different types of applied technology, so it's not completely old-fashioned! I admit, I am still biased towards paper and poster board. However, I am coming around to PP. I see how it can be very useful for sharing information with wider audiences. In addition, you don't have to worry about what you'll do with it when you've finished the unit. That being said, you can't hang a PP presentation on the kitchen wall! ;)

Learning with Power Point

2011-11-08T10:15:00.000-08:00

I know - I haven't posted in forever. Things have been extremely busy! Plus we were out of town for a good chunk of October... But I'm back.

Today, my 9-year-old (well, she'll be 10 next week), wanted to create a poster to demonstrate things she has learned about renewable energy. We're big on posters over here - there's something satisfactory about seeing information on a poster that really works. But today, I encouraged her to try making a "poster" using the computer. I am very Power Point illiterate, so she did this by trial-and-error with a few tips from her 11-year-old sister. I have tried to convert it from Power Point to the Google docs version so some of the elements have changed, but here is (basically) what she came up with (I think it's pretty good for a first try!):

Renewable Energy Presentation

My 8-year-old is currently working on an old-fashioned poster on the same topic. It will be interesting to compare how they turn out.

Homeschool Photography

2011-09-29T14:56:00.000-07:00

My oldest daughter is very into photography right now. She wanted me to share some of her latest photos:

View from the Back

Sisters

Homeschool Music

2011-09-21T08:44:00.000-07:00

by DD 8

Homeschool music... sigh. I remember years ago hearing people question what to do for "Music" and thinking, "Are they nuts? How is it you need to actually do anything for music?" I have always felt that music is an important part of life - not just "school" or homeschool. So I think my reaction from so long ago was more a reflection of my shock at needing to have a program in order to include music in your life. But I've actually changed my thinking about music, and I've realized that I was completely misunderstanding the question and concern expressed by the more veteran homeschoolers (in much the same way that I've been humbled as a parent over and over).

by DD 7

I started out simply living our life without adding in any extra music "stuff" - and I recorded our music "program" to turn in to the state review. I was shocked the first year. Yes, we listened to tons of music. Yes, I pointed out rhythm and tempo, beats, dynamics, etc. Yes, the girls were exposed to symphonies and orchestras... but I felt disappointed in myself. All in all, when I went back and looked at what I thought was a rich and diverse musical life, I realized that wasn't the case. I was like a totally out-of-shape middle-age woman that has tricked herself into thinking she's actually in great shape because 20 years ago in high school she ran cross-country, or was on dance team, or whatever. In other words - I had been somewhat delusional.

by DD 11

Now, of course this wasn't the end of the world. I didn't sit and cry, shaking my head at how I'd wronged my children. Instead, I just thought about what it is about music that I want my children to take away with them. And I realized that some of my favorite memories from my school days were centered around music. I remember learning about the orchestra and all the instruments. I remember learning about music around the world, the different sounds and instruments that evolved in far-away continents. I remember being able to try out different instruments, singing in rounds and in groups. And I remember learning about many, many different composers and musicians, what influenced them, and the timeline of music. And I want my girls to experience some of the same joy and wonder of music that I did.

by DD 9

Most of all, I recognized that if I didn't plan at least some of this, we probably wouldn't ever get to it. So for the past two years I've introduced a famous composer or musician every month. For the entire month we focused heavily on that person and his or her works. We read a biography together, listened to the music over and over, did emotional reflections, wrote about the composer, etc., etc., etc. This year, I'm turning the focus onto the orchestra. We are dedicating our entire year to learning about the history, the instruments, and the importance of the orchestra. So far, it has been wonderful. I am using two books as my spine: The Story of the Incredible Orchestra and The Story of the Orchestra (very similar titles, but different enough in information that I'm happy I have both). We are utilizing the free game by Carnegie Hall. And we are constructing lap books to help us remember what we've learned - we are adding a little to the books each week (I'm using the free templates as a base and adding things to it as I see fit). Oh - and of course I have several trips to the orchestra planned!

Great Buy

2011-09-13T13:52:00.000-07:00

So... I have yet to use Intellego Unit Studies, but have looked at them seriously over the past year. They are secular and seem to have great activities. In fact, a week or so ago I asked around to see how people that use them are liking the product and found the general response to be very positive. Still, I didn't buy. Then today, I found out that they are 45% off at Homeschool Buyer's Co-op. Perfect! Now I can try a few without breaking the bank.

I am specifically interested in how they work for the younger crowd as I'm trying some new things with my youngest daughter this year. If you've used Intellego please write a comment about your thoughts and which units you've found to be the best. Thanks!

Great Games!

2011-09-08T10:44:00.000-07:00

At the start of every academic year, I give the girls little gifts to celebrate. Normally I buy new supplies, a few new accessories, etc. This year I purchased four new games (to be shared). You never know how much fun a game will be until you play, so I felt like I was taking a bit of a gamble. But it turns out, these games are all absolutely wonderful! Each one is very different from the others, and fun in a very different way. I really scored (pardon the pun) with these gifts! It probably helps that it's been raining and dreary outside, plus swim team was canceled for the week ... so we've had a lot of indoor free time this week - perfect for games! I thought I would share them with my fellow homeschoolers as the fall and winter months approach us...

The first game is called Gobblet and is a game of strategy. You try to get four of your pieces in row, and you can "gobble" or "be gobbled" by larger pieces. The pieces are all made of wood, as is the case. One of the best things about this came is that it is highly portable - we're taking it along to music lessons this afternoon. This 2-player game is recommended for ages 7+, and like chess or checkers, the better matched the opponents, the better the game.

The second game I gave the girls is called Anti-Virus. This is a one-player game, and the point is to get the "virus" (red piece) out of the "system" (game board). This game goes from super simple to insanely difficult. The player follows the starting set-up in the booklet and then using only diagonal moves tries to get the virus piece out. We've all had a lot of fun with this, and again it is a highly portable game. I've found that my 7-year-old, especially, likes this game. She plays by the rules about half the time - and the other half just has fun setting up the board and moving the pieces around. Again, ages 7+.

I also gave the girls Drawing Conclusions: SHIPWRECKED!. The premise of this game is that each player is stranded on the same island. You move your piece around the board, the goal being to collect four cards, one from each category - Math, Geography, Health and Biology. The player who collects all four first wins. Each card has a brief paragraph with a question that follows (basically, the card tests the player's reading comprehension). The game comes in three levels - I purchased the middle level (grades 3-5). I will say that the questions seem very easy, but the reading itself is not. I think I may also purchase the cards for the next level up to see how different they are. My gut feeling is that my younger girls would have a hard time - meaning the game will no longer be fun - if the reading level is significantly more difficult. Right now, they can read the cards, they are challenged by the words on the cards, but not so much so that they get frustrated, but the questions are very, very easy to answer. My oldest daughter finds everything very easy, which is why I'm considering buying the new cards. However, she still really enjoys the game. We've added our own rules to the game to make it longer (e.g., landing on a message in a bottle means you have to give one card back). Overall, I'm very satisfied with this game.

And lastly, my personal favorite of the bunch: Snap Trap! I love this game! We all love this game! One person can play or fifteen. The game pieces are worth different points depending on color. You simply take turns taking pieces out of the board while trying not to let the spring snap. If it moves more than a certain distance (good practice reading a ruler), you owe 3 points. The player with the most points at the end of the game wins (great addition practice for little ones). The game is recommended for ages 6+. It is also somewhat portable, though I'd worry about losing pieces. We played a family round last night and everyone had fun. The game seems simple enough, but choosing the right piece (to either stop the spring, or to ensure it snaps on the next player) is trickier than it appears at first glance. This game is super affordable, too, so you get a lot of "bang for your buck." This would make a great birthday or holiday present.

Please share any of your favorite games with me - I'm always on the lookout for something new!

Not-Back-to-School 2011

2011-09-07T11:54:00.000-07:00

Not-Back-to-School 2011

Last Year! 9/2010

Yesterday was our first day back! It was a great day, and the only downside was that the weather was gray and rainy. We usually take our picture in front of the front garden, but the weather did not cooperate so our photo is in the kitchen. Comparing this year to last year, I can really see how much everyone has changed! Despite the rain, we did try to take our morning walk (I thought there was a clearing in the clouds) but we were drenched just walking to the end our driveway. The neighbors must have thought we were crazy - we got all geared up (boots, slickers, etc.) to walk to the end of the driveway and around the cul-de-sac before heading back into the house. This morning was overcast but we managed to sneak in a quick walk during our usual snack time. I'm glad to be back into a routine and so are the kids. They've been looking forward to this all summer long!

Neck and Neck! (younger on left)

We also decided to chronicle my third daughter's climb to overtake her older sister in height. My second is the tiny one in our family in terms of height. The tallest she's ever measured was in the 50th percentile, and it's been below that for the past the few years. My third daughter is tall for her age and is gaining on her sister. As of yesterday, I believe the older sister is ahead by about one hair. The girls wanted a photo journal of the little sister's progress. :)

The Calm Before the Storm

2011-09-03T09:56:00.000-07:00

Before the endless hours of practice and performance,
before the rush of getting in and out of the car,
before being early, being late, trying to be on-time

Before the planning, scheduling and the projects,
before the library programs and bowling days,
before the meetings and events, groups and get togethers

Before the storm of life, before the excitement of chaos
there is a calm, a relaxed tranquility of peace

This weekend is the last of the calm before the storm of our normal lives kicks back in. We will soon be back to our swim practices, music lessons, drama classes, various clubs and meetings, exercise programs, library book clubs, and weekends full of religious eduction at our fellowship, swim meets, nature programs, etc. There is a beauty in the busyness, in the sharing of experiences and expanding of boundaries that leads to incredible growth. And I find time within all of this for quiet moments at home, unhurried days of leisure... but the reality is that life is very busy and I've enjoyed the lack of structure these past few weeks have offered. So I'm soaking it up this weekend as we get ready to head back into the eye of the storm on Tuesday. :)

New Beginnings

2011-08-22T09:01:00.000-07:00

Today is the first day of school - not for my children, but for me. I recently decided to go back to school, a decision that was not made lightly. I am already very busy - I am married, I have a home, I have four children who are active and involved in sports and extracurricular programs, I homeschool (a full-time job in itself), I work as a project manager (20-30 hours/week), I need to exercise to stay sane, and I enjoy having enough down time that I feel rested and refreshed. To add going back to school to the list seemed no only impossible, but downright crazy. But impossible or not, crazy or not, I've decided that it's time.

I was in law school when I found out that I was pregnant with my first daughter. I was lucky that the school allowed me to switch to part-time status after she was born and I kept going. But hopping on the Metro or driving down Connecticut Avenue to meet my husband and exchange the baby for a backpack was difficult for me. I remember pumping breastmilk in the student bathroom, wanting to die of simultaneous embarrassment and exhaustion. I remember falling asleep trying to finish my Contract Law reading with my baby sleeping in my arms. Looking back, I can see that I had many big changes all at once and on the inside I was overwhelmed - I'd graduated college in the spring, married in the summer, moved across country, started law school, and was still trying to figure out how to manage all of the above when I found out I was pregnant. When my first was 6 months old, I realized I was pregnant with my second daughter (which helped explain the exhaustion) and reality set in - I didn't want to juggle children with law school. I wanted to be fully present at home. So I put my law degree on hold and decided to go back after a year or two.

Flash forward two years, and I had three babies and one more on the way. I also had no interest in becoming a lawyer. So I officially withdrew from the University (it was not easy to do - this particular school values their near-perfect matriculation rate and they worked hard to keep me going). But even looking past the actually schooling, I knew that 80-hour work weeks were not something I wanted. So I left that behind. However, I didn't leave behind the desire to eventually pursue a higher degree. I figured that once my girls were in school I would have more time to devote to myself and my interests.

I didn't count on becoming a homeschool parent. Homeschooling has been wonderful and I wouldn't change it. I don't have plans to stop homeschooling, though you never know what is around the corner. But certainly homeschooling for me meant that my idea of going back to school went on the back burner. Especially since my girls are very close in age - having very young children all together means lots of parent time. Over the years I've toyed with various schemes and plans for going back to school, but for one reason or another (all valid reasons I think) I didn't follow through.

Until now. Currently, my youngest daughter is seven, and while there is no denying that she is a handful and requires more of me than my other girls did at age seven, she is no longer a toddler clinging to me at all times. And the girls are gaining independence every day. Clearly they are my priority and they still need me, but I am able to grab an hour here and there. And my plan is very simple - take one class at a time. And keep doing this until I'm done. I'm certain that at some point, I'll be able to take several classes at a time, but I don't want to have to think about that time. I'm focusing on the first class.

And that class starts today... wish me luck!

Outside the Box

2011-08-18T10:19:00.000-07:00

Well, or maybe inside the box if I'm being literal....
My youngest (who is most definitely an outside the box thinker who marches to her own drumbeat - and any other cliche you can throw in there) is addicted to re-purposing boxes. It doesn't matter the size (she has used teeny, tiny boxes that came in a kit to build furniture and held the nails), the color, the shape. You name it, she can find something to make out of it. Today, I found her in the recycle bin. She had already pulled a big box that came from Swim Outlet (new suits for the new swim year - and I kid you now, this box arrived looking as though it had been run over by the delivery truck), several raisin boxes, a black box that came from what? I don't know (must be something my husband had), and a box that some dried beans arrived in when I ordered them in bulk. She turned these items into a cool little car with a steering wheel, side mirrors, a center console and a radio. It also has a handy pull made of hemp twine in case you feel like pulling it instead of riding in it (or if your American Girl doll wishes for a ride).

I wish I could find our camera snap a photo of her sitting inside her box. Too cute. I hope it lasts until tomorrow as I suspect the camera is in my husband's truck...

New Link - Free Audio Books

2011-08-13T06:00:00.000-07:00

I've added a new link to my left sidebar (Homeschool Stuff at Your Fingertips) and it is definitely worth checking out if you're an audiobook lover like I am. It's called Books Should Be Free and the website houses free downloads (to be played in either MP3 or iTunes format). All of the available titles are from books in the public domain, which means that there are many, many classics to choose from. The iTunes files download in podcast format (which is great - no making specialty playlists) and only take a short while to download. And so much better than the scratched CDs we've been getting from the library. We now have many hours of happy listening ahead as we drive to and from our activities, programs and clubs.

Happy listening!

Activities, Programs and Clubs... Oh My!

2011-08-12T06:12:00.000-07:00

I remember when my firstborn was a tiny little baby, I sat nursing her while watching Dr. Phil on Oprah. I remember clearly the topic had to do with over-scheduled children. And I know that I sat there, agreeing with Dr. Phil and shaking my head at the mom whose children had activities every day of the week (sometimes two or three in the same day). I thought, what is her problem? Can't she see that it's too much for her children? I will never be like that! Sheesh!

Ah, the good old days when I knew everything and was so sure of myself.

Flash forward eleven years... I have four girls very close in age, and as I'm looking at the activities for the upcoming year I feel myself reddening. I'm still no where near the level of the mom back from the 2000 Oprah show, but I see that we're also not relaxing at home every evening listening to the crickets and drinking lemonade. Sigh.

So what do we have going on this year? Well, some of it remains to be ironed out. One major factor (issue?) for our schedule is swim team. Swim teams can be a big commitment - but in our case, I've scaled down the number of practices we attend to the bare minimum required at each level. However, I still have four kids on the team, many at different levels, so the practice times do not necessarily overlap. This leads to me being at the pool at least four times a week. No good solution there. But I digress.

One thing that has seriously helped me retain my sanity is keeping all activities to "after school" hours. By this, I simply mean afternoons and evenings. I used to try to take advantage of homeschool classes that met in the mornings, or swim practices that meet in the middle of the day ... and I found that we were unable to accomplish anything after we got back home. I typically avoid anything that begins before 2pm, although I make an exception for rollerskating and bowling (both begin at 1pm) as they are on Fridays, and Fridays are usually our light days.

Even if we're not doing school that week, I don't enjoy breaking up my days in the middle. I find it makes the days feel rushed and we "lose" time. For example, last year I took the girls to homeschool swim practice a few times. We had to leave our house at 10:30am and we didn't get home until almost 2pm. By the time everyone showered and had a snack, it was almost 3pm. I have to start on dinner around 4pm, so to me, almost the entire day was shot at swim practice. Not worth the effort.

Here is the very, very tentative* plan for the upcoming year (still very subject to change):

Mondays

Swim Practice (evenings)

Tuesdays

Drama Class - Sept. - Nov. (early afternoon - only 3 girls)
Zumba* - this is a free class at the Y; the kids love it, but I'm on the fence about trying to fit this in (afternoons)
Book Discussion at Library - this in only once a month for my oldest
Junior Leaders - evenings (only 2 girls)

Wednesday

Book Discussions and Library Programs - typically 2 -3 times per month (afternoons)
Swim Practice (evenings)

Thursdays

Music Lessons - all four girls (this is an all afternoon affair)
Swim Practice (evenings)

Fridays

Family Bowling League* - my husband and I are considering this as our family would be a team and it seems like a fun program - it meets Oct. - April (evenings)
First Friday - American Girl Club (afternoons)
Second Friday - *Book Club (I'm still working on getting this together - afternoons)
Third Friday - Homeschool Rollerskating (afternoons)
Fourth Friday - Homeschool Bowling (afternoons)

Saturdays

Swim Practice (very, very early morning - 6am)
Swim Meets (typically once or twice per month)
Volunteer at the Food Bank (whole family, twice per month)

Sundays:

Fellowship and Religious Education Classes (we'll be going at least twice a month as my husband and I are team teaching the Grade 3-4 class)

What's Not on the List?

One of my daughters has wanted to do football since she was about 3 - this year the Y is offering a co-ed flag football program. If we agree to sign her up, this would mean practice once a week and a game on Saturdays.
Cheerleading at the Y - several of the girls have asked to do this every year, and every year I say no. I will probably say no again this year, but we'll see. The problem is timing - it's Tuesday and Thursday evenings, which conflicts with many other things. On the upside, it's only for 4 weeks.
Various programs that come up throughout the year - we take the girls to many symphony and orchestra performance, plays and musicals; we attend programs at our state and local parks; we attend programs offered through the YMCA; and we usually go on several homeschool field trips with other families
Everything my husband and I do that doesn't involve the kids!

I think that covers everything I can think of for now!

What's in Your Mouth?

2011-08-08T15:22:00.000-07:00

As all children do, my girls have been losing their baby teeth for a while now. Very recently, the girls became more excited by their teeth than they have before. Losing teeth is interesting in that there is no set schedule - kids lose teeth when the teeth are ready to fall out (or, as in the case of one of my daughters, her adult tooth comes up and the little one still refuses to budge so it is pulled). But there is no timetable, and as such all four of my girls have lost the exact same teeth. Yes, my 11-year-old and my 7-year-old are apparently on the same tooth trajectory - four down, sixteen to go.

This weekend, my oldest noticed another tooth is (finally) loose. This spurred the girls to discuss what they remembered about their teeth (which was actually a rather impressive amount compared to what I know about teeth), re-read some books we have (like Why Do My Teeth Fall Out?), and led my oldest to find a diagram of the mouth (complete with the names of all the teeth), print out a copy for each girl, and then have them black out which teeth they've lost.

I thought that was pretty smart. In fact, I wish I had thought of it earlier.

But I'm glad she did. Now they can keep track of which teeth they've lost, who has lost what, and where they stand with the tooth fairy (at $1 a pop, the tooth fairy is so far only out $16 - not bad). I'm thinking this would be a fun way for a parent to start off a unit about dental hygiene... especially if a loose tooth is involved.

WANTED: Motivation

2011-08-01T16:22:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year again! Time to look at what I've got, figure out what I still need to get, and get organized. I know what works for me - breaking everything into weekly "chunks" and organizing by the week. I know what I have to do. I even have the house to myself for a few hours each day (Grandpa generously paid for sailing camp for the four girls so they will be there four days a week for the next two weeks).

But I'm lacking motivation.

This happens to me every summer, so I'm not surprised. Today I allowed myself to take a much need break. I watched a movie (highly recommend it: Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead), went to a book club discussion, and ate my favorite snack (carrots and hummus). It was lovely. I'm even skipping my regular exercise class tonight in an effort to totally soak up the laziness of the day.

So what does this mean?

Tomorrow: reality check! I need to get moving and find some motivation. I keep hearing the Marine Corps running chant in my head. It goes, "Get motivated; be dedicated!" Maybe if I keep that phrase running in my head over and over tonight, I'll wake up raring to go tomorrow!

Review: College Fast Track

2011-07-31T06:01:00.000-07:00

I don't often write product reviews, but with my oldest daughter entering the middle school years, making sure my children are prepared for college has been weighing on my mind. While I have been aware of what needs to be covered, I'm not worried so much about the courses and subjects the girls choose to study in the years leading up to college, as much as I want to be sure they are prepared to succeed once they are actually enrolled in college. I attended a college prep high school, took the honors classes, and felt I was well-prepared for life at a university. School always came easy to me, and although I worked hard on research papers and essays, always trying my best, I rarely felt overwhelmed by the workload and relied on the deadlines and check-ins provided to me by my teachers. But college is a different story, as there is often very little instruction on how and when to actually get the work done, and the chunk of your grade often rests on two scores - midterm and final. In that first quarter, I felt overwhelmed, nervous, and confused as to how to proceed.

I was lucky - my type-A personality got me organized quick, and a book I read in middle school (all about study skills and the all-mighty outlining process) ensured that I studied the right way and as such did well enough to go on to a great law school. But I often wonder how it will be for my daughters. One of the benefits of homeschooling is that there isn't the same pressure to complete assignments, there aren't grades, and there aren't even graduation requirements. In my state, once my children reach age 16 (when compulsory schooling ends) there is no legal requirement to do anything. So it's up to me to ensure that my children are prepared to do well in college.

I received a copy of Derrick Hibbard's College Fast Track: Essential Habits for Less Stress and More Success in College and was intrigued. I haven't read a school success book since the one back in middle school. And after reading it, I believe this book would be extremely beneficial for students getting ready to enter the college years. In fact, I believe most of the advice in the book can be successfully applied to any stage of life! Hibbard focuses on larger concepts and fundamental principles which are essential for success in any endeavor. And the book serves as a good reminder to those of us out of college about what it takes to realize our goals. In terms of specifically doing well in college, College Fast Track offers a good overview of important habits that will help students succeed in their college career.

College Fast Track is broken down into 16 habits, and while Hibbard does provide some practical advice on how to implement each habit, it is not written as a how-to manual but rather as a guide. I feel that this distinction is the real strength of the book. It allows the reader to see the big picture and to absorb which habits to form rather than how to form them. For example, one of the habits is getting organized. Hibbard provides examples and ideas, but he does not exhaust the reader with hundreds of pages on how to get organized. This provides an opportunity to focus on the topic (habits for college success), come up with a game plan, and still have the ability to move on if one already possesses that habit. If one needs further instruction, there are thousands of "how-to" books on each topic. Implementing the habits will not necessarily be easy, but College Fast Track provides you with an outline of what to work on.

Additionally, Hibbard has, as it states in the title, provided the essential habits. There are many other helpful habits one could use to be successful in school, but this book is about those that are essential to success - the ones that should be focused on and mastered first. As such, the book is kept to a length that guarantees a new college student can actually read it and begin to use the information, rather than get bogged down in 500 pages of tips and tricks, lose interest, and leave it to collect dust on the shelf. I believe this book is worth reading for anyone focusing on completely a goal be it college, grad school, a business project, a homeschooling plan, etc. And it would make a great high school graduation gift for any student!

Kid-Friendly Snack

2011-07-27T10:04:00.000-07:00

I posted a great, kid-friendly snack over on my other blog! The kids can enjoy making and eating them. I call them Peanut Butter Bliss Balls. Enjoy!

Back in School

2011-07-26T09:53:00.000-07:00

So I'm back in school. Well, kind of. I have to take my boater's licensing exam, and that requires that I enroll in a Boating Safety course and pass the licensing exam (similar to getting a driver's license but there are no required "practice" hours and you don't need a permit - you go straight from nothing to fully licensed to operate - pretty scary, actually). We have had a boat for... I think 4 or 5 years. I am the one that bought the boat for my husband (I bought it used off of eBay - sight unseen, much to my husband's very justifiable horror - for a truly great price; it has worked perfectly so I was forgiven). It has been a wonderful purchase and we use it almost every weekend during the warm months (late April through October). My husband immediately enrolled in the course at the local community college and received his license. The course takes place over 3 days and I each class session is 3.5 hours long. And boring as all get out from what I hear.

I don't do boring. I can't take it. My husband told me that the instructor literally read from the safety manual, then re-explained the safety manual, then told everyone to read it himself... you get the idea. My blood pressure rises and the mere thought of having to sit through 3+ hours of this. I literally cannot do it. I would be in physical pain. So I put it off.

Finally, this summer I realized that I need to get my license. One, I would like to be able to take the boat out without my husband as his work schedule is terrible. The girls and I would love to go out on the water during the week when it's quiet and peaceful, but I need my license to make this happen. Two, my father bought a sailboat this year and in order for me to sail with him, I need my license. Three, if anything ever happened and my husband was unable to get us back to the marina, I need to be able to do so, and I need my license.

So I'm taking the class. Fortunately, at some point in the past five years they realized that people would pay good money to take the course online. So I'm enrolled in virtual Boater Safety. Unfortunately, the class remains one of the most boring things I've ever had to sit through in my life. I would actually prefer a system similar to the car licensing with practical, hands-on experience. Instead, I have to read information on a screen, watch a computer animation of the same information, watch a video of the same information, and possibly (if I'm lucky) do a fill-in-the-blank on the same information. By the way, every screen is timed - let's say it's a 2 minute screen, but I read fast (I do) so I'm done in 30 seconds... I have to wait until the 2 minutes is up before moving on. This has led me to become distracted and start doing other things to fill in the wait time (e.g., watch a documentary on Netflix on a different browser). But if I DON'T do something else, I want to cry and scream at how boring the class is. I want to cheat and ask my husband to do it b/c he handles boring far better than I do. I want to stop taking the class and throw in the towel. I'm starting to think that the real test isn't the final exam, but merely being able to sit through one of the most tedious lesson sets I've ever seen.

This has given me fresh perspective on our children and their fate in education if what they are learning is presented in a boring way. Of course, I already "know" this, but it's different when you are experiencing hour after hour of it. It's not the the boater safety material is boring in and of itself - it's the presentation. I'm pretty sure I do a good job of not being boring, but it never hurts to remind oneself of this very important aspect of life.

Note to self: Take steps to ensure that you do not subject your children to boring and repetitive instruction under justifiable penalty of death!

Impromtu Art Studio

2011-07-21T14:45:00.000-07:00

The girls were up and creating this morning before breakfast... great activity when it's over 100 degrees out!

Update: Rethinking my Thinking

2011-07-18T08:21:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, I posted (see Rethinking my Thinking) about my youngest daughter. After much deliberation and discussion, I decided to take her to a psychotherapist for an evaluation. I wanted to see what this professional's opinion would be. After all, when you homeschool it can be hard to tell what is "normal" (even if it seems different ) and what needs attention. I went in with an open mind, and also no sense that anything would be resolved whatsoever. This series of meeting was for evaluation purposes only and wanted to get an outside opinion. I've had many opinions given to me for free - from my parents, my siblings, my in-laws, other homeschoolers, wonderful and supportive folks over at Secular Homeschool, the pediatrician.... but not someone from the mental health and wellness world. So I decided to give it a fair try.

The therapist is a young, pretty woman (which only matters because my daughter responds better to young, pretty women than to "scary" older men) who was very nice, but all business. Which suited me fine because, after all, I'm paying her by the hour. I asked her her opinion on medicating children, and she told me that in most cases it is, in her opinion, a last resort. Over the course of the meetings, it became clear that she is a huge supporter of homeschooling, which makes things easier in general. The evaluation took place over several meetings, involving oral interview with me, thousands of forms and questionnaires, meeting with my daughter and asking questions while playing games, observations, and a perusal of medical records. In the end, she met with me one last time to go over the results and come up with a game plan. That meeting was on Friday.

The results were not all-together shocking, but I felt somewhat surprised nonetheless. The bottom line is that she believes my daughter has the combined type of AD/HD. She also indicated that there may be some sensory processing issues at play, but that because the AD/HD is so strong, and because both AD/HD and sensory processing involve the same part of the brain and brain function, the treatment remains the same. She told me that in her opinion, behavioral therapy would be extremely beneficial to a child like my daughter, but that she doesn't feel it would be helpful to her at all unless she is on medication because the AD/HD is so severe. Basically, she told me that if you were to line up 100 seven-year girls with AD/HD in order from most severe to least severe, my daughter would be second in line. Therefore, she told me that she really isn't willing to start behavioral therapy until my daughter is on a stimulant AD/HD medication and the dosage is worked out because it would be like pouring water through a sieve.

She also added that she does not always feel that medication should be the first line of attack, but that with my daughter it would be virtually impossible for her to learn to modify her behavior because her brain is not developed in that area to allow her filter through her actions, impulses and emotions. She is not making a choice, she simply is. In the therapist's opinion, a stimulant medication would allow my daughter to have that filter in place so that she can learn to make choices and think about consequences.

I asked a lot of questions, we talked for an hour, and I left feeling exhausted. I'm probably leaving out a lot of the meeting, but the key thing that stuck with me is that (1) this therapist believes that my daughter's behavior is in fact quite severe; and (2) she is recommending stimulant medication.

My husband and I decided that, as we almost always do, it's worth getting a second opinion. And I'm definitely not inclined to go forward with medication at this point. Beyond that, I have to accept that her behavior really is that "wild" and I'm going to have to figure out how to deal with it one way or the other.....

How... no, WHEN ... did this happen?

2011-07-12T08:48:00.000-07:00

How is that four small-ish people can make a great mess in five minutes flat? I went down to the playroom - which was clean and vacuumed yesterday - to find a room one would only expect to see after a natural disaster or a police search. They only went down briefly this morning to "get something."

Unbelievable. I hope that they at least found whatever it was they were looking for...

Junior Rangers!

2011-07-11T14:31:00.000-07:00

Summer is here and if you can't get to the beach, get to a state park! This week all four girls are going to a week-long Junior Rangers day program. The program varies from session to session, and the attendees can learn about the parks system, natural habitats, conservation, animal life, and the planet earth. Three of my girls are working on their Expert ranking, while the youngest is attending for the first time and will earn her Basic ranking.

Today, the girls played nature bingo, went on an orienteering hike, and took a canoe trip with the rangers. They are looking forward to the rest of the week and are excited about Friday's ceremony where they will receive their badges. My husband and I are working on a night or two of camping mid-week to make the experience even more memorable.

My Other Blog

2011-07-08T09:06:00.000-07:00

I've decided to finally bit the bullet, and start a food blog. I love to create meals, snack, desserts and drinks, and for a long time my husband has been encouraging me to keep a record of my creations. As my spiral notebook isn't particularly inspiring, I decided a blog would be a better fit, hence Real Family - Real Food was born. Check it out if you're interested! :)

Here's a bit about my blog from the first post:

"I am not a trained culinary artist, nor do I play one on TV. I am simply a lover of real food - fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, grown, cultivated, and harvested in harmony with Mother Nature. I became a vegetarian at the age of twelve, was diagnosed with Celiac disease after the birth of my fourth child, and two years ago became truly aware of the raw food movement (though I did have an encounter with a raw food "nazi" after the birth of my first child that turned me off for years). I don't enjoy labels, so I don't call myself and the way I eat by any one name, though high-raw vegan would be a close fit. Although it changes from week to week, at the moment my favorite foods are kale, mango, almonds and hemp. I am starting this blog to record real recipes (or recipe look-alikes as I'm not a strict measure-and-weigh kinda gal), made with real food, for my very real family of six. I plan to give each recipe our "real review" with a rating of 1/6 to 6/6 (one for each person that enjoyed the food), plus a comment from each taster."

The End!

2011-07-08T08:48:00.000-07:00

We've reached the end of our academic year!

Sort of.

My two oldest daughters are a few lessons away from finishing their Teaching Textbooks for the year, and my oldest wants to investigate more about the human body (inspired by her last unit from Moving Beyond the Page). There are still several art projects that I am excited to do with the kids, and of course, science experiments go on non-stop at our house it seems. And then there's the reading, the games, the imaginative play, the music - both listened to and played. So naturally, the end of the academic year does not mean the end of learning; as many, many homeschoolers love to say, the world is our classroom - we are learning all the time!

Too Hot?!?!

2011-07-05T09:20:00.000-07:00

If you live where the weather can sometimes be too hot to play outdoors, try letting the kids go around the world on a cyber quest to learn about other cultures. But, I hear you say, I'm too busy to pull up website from around the world that are kid-friendly and learning appropriate (i.e., sites that provide information on Mexican culture instead of simply a list of happening bars in Cabo). How will this happen? Enter Culture Quest World Tour! The premise is funny (a penguin isolated in Antarctica wants to learn about the world) and the kids will be engaged. An easy way to beat the summer heat!

What Do You Do All Day?

2011-07-02T06:21:00.000-07:00

Every homeschooler, no matter style or philosophy, will be on the receiving end of this question more than one time. It is a question that can be asked out of genuine interest. It's also a question that can be asked with a tinge of disgust, in which case it becomes the most annoying question in the world. In this instance, I try to smile and be pleasant, give a short and succinct answer, and move about my business. It never helps to be sarcastic (though I have been at times) and it's typically better to be brief (the exception being with a new or potential homeschool parent).

As a person who has received this question and understand how annoying it can be, I admit to wondering it about other homeschoolers at times. I almost always intend the silent question to come from a place of genuine interest (though there are situations where it is thought, I admit, with a "tinge of disgust," - yes, I'm human and have negative thoughts from time to time). Despite the good intentions behind my wondering, however, I generally refrain from asking the forbidden query. I have asked the more acceptable questions such as, "Do you do fill-in-the-blank activities? and "What do you do for fill-in-the-blank?" And while I know it's unfair to act based on a half-dozen experiences, I refrain from asking many questions to unschoolers as in the past the defensiveness that accompanied the answer was too much to take. It felt like they thought I was challenging their philosophy instead of genuinely want to hear about what unschooling looks like (which is probably exactly how I've sounded when I do my sarcastic or defensive bit with non-homeschoolers). Naturally this is just my experience and in no way do I think all unschoolers would answer a question defensively, but it did make me realize that what people "do all day" is absolutely none of my business, whether I wonder it out of a curiosity aimed at improving and expanding my horizons, or plain and simple nosiness. And it also made me realize that many times, we hear things based on our intentions, not necessarily those of the person asking. I many interpret something as being asked with a "tinge of disgust," but that may not necessarily be the case. I know I never asked an unschooler about their day out of a sense of judgment, but maybe that has been their experience and they were geared up for it (much like I'm geared up to answer the "what about socialization" question).

And in reality, the question is impossible for anyone to answer - not just homeschoolers. What one does from day to day changes in small ways, large ways, based on emotions, physical healthy, extended family and friends, etc. And lastly, what one does all day isn't really anyone's business unless you make it their business. It's kind of like asking a couple that doesn't have children when they will start their family. I'm a proponent of openness and sharing, but there is a time and place for everything, and some things are better left unsaid. I personally don't enjoy hearing mothers of babies discuss diaper changing and bowel movements, napping schedules and breastfeeding - even if that's what they are "doing all day." I'm sure I did at one time, but that time has passed! So for me, unless I'm in a setting where questions are clearly welcome, I think I'll let the answers present themselves in a more organic way. If I genuinely want to expand my horizons, experiential answers are usually better for me anyhow.

Food for Thought

2011-06-29T15:41:00.001-07:00

"For uncommonly excellent results, one must have uncommonly excellent habits."
~ Dr. Douglas N. Graham

From the Bookshelves

2011-06-28T11:40:00.000-07:00

Here's a glimpse at a few of the books the girls, my husband, and I are reading this week....

Family Book - We are all listening to Little Women on audiobook, and the three older girls are reading along with their paperback copies. I had my doubts when we started the book, as we are listening to the unabridged version and thought maybe the language, subject matter, references, etc., might be too confusing and detract from the storyline. Boy was I wrong - the girls love the story, and at any confusing points we stop and discuss their questions. I still believe this book to be best for middle school age children, but it can certainly be enjoyed by a wider age group.

Dad - My husband is reading several books at the moment. The first, I passed on to him a few weeks ago and I highly recommend it to everyone: Organic Manifesto: How Organic Food Can Heal Our Planet, Feed the World, and Keep Us Safe. If you live on planet earth, you need to read this book. He is also reading an old Stephen King classic, Firestarter. As a young adult, I read the book several times and I know I've seen the movie though I don't remember it. We might make a date night out of the movie at some point this month.

Mom - I always have a stack of books on my desk, and this month is no exception. Instead of overwhelming the blog with my list of reading, I will choose the three on top of the pile. First, I just finished reading The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri. I love Lahiri's descriptive and eloquent writing style. She has a way of conveying the emotions and thought of her characters in a succinct manner, yet with enough figurative language and beauty that I am transported to their world. Next on the pile is The Constant Princess by Philippa Gregory. I am actually listening to the audiobook while I work in the mornings. While I enjoyed The Other Boleyn Girl, I'm having a harder time getting into this book. It could be the fact that I'm not reading it, that I'm distracted by my work as I'm listening. I'm not sure. At this point, I like the book but am not in love. And the last book I'll mention this week is Soak Your Nuts by Karyn Calabrese (I cannot believe this woman is in her 60s - she looks amazing!). This is health and well-being book and I've literally just cracked it open. I'm interested in reading the book as I heard a radio interview with Ms. Calabrese and found her fascinating.

DD 10 - My oldest, like me, has a stack on her nightstand. She reads several books at a time and can usually be found with her nose in at least one of them. Currently, she is working through The Adventures of Tom Sawyer , which she got into slowly but now claims is one of her all-time favorites. I am planning to bring the book to life with some websites and projects. She is also reading Laurie Halse Anderson's Chains. When she is finished, I plan to read it as well. I thoroughly enjoyed Anderson's book Fever 1793when I read it for a book discussion and I hope that Chains is as good. My daughter says she likes it but finds it sad and a bit scary. And lastly, she just finished reading Heist Society by Ally Carter. I read this book first and gave it my stamp of approval. My daughter enjoyed it, but wasn't blown away by the book. I think it's a cute beach read for teens and mature pre-teens.

DD 9 - My social butterfly is devouring several books this week. First, she could not put down The Frog Princess by E.D. Baker. She even set her alarm for 6am to finish reading it this morning, promptly picked up the second book in the series, Dragon's Breath, and started reading it during breakfast. My oldest was the same way when she read them a few years ago. She is also reading Henry Huggins by Beverly Cleary as well as Henry and Ribsy. She loves anything Beverly Cleary, and she may well have read these before. I had to pry one out of her hands the other day to get her in the shower.

DD 8 - My quiet child has been re-reading Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Book 2) by J.K. Rowling for what I believe to be the third time. She simply loves the books and all things Harry Potter. I've noticed that she sticks to the first three books in the series, and I think it's because as the books progress the themes are meant for an older, more mature audience. She is also reading Stuart Little by E. B. White, which oddly (after reading Harry Potter) she finds to be scary. I thought she would love the tale - as I did at her age - especially because she loves animals, animal stories, and tales of adventure. She may decide she likes it better as she read on.

DD 7 - My youngest is reading Really Truly Ruthieby Valerie Tripp as Ruthie is her favorite American Girl and she hopes to one day own the doll. She is also reading Polar Bears Past Bedtime , one of the Magic Tree House books by Mary Pope Osborne. She is just now getting into the Magic Tree House novels despite her great reading skills. I'm glad as I think we own almost every book ever published! During quiet reading time every night, she also reads stories from one of her favorite books, The Random House Book of Easy-to-Read Stories. She and my 8-year-old will sometimes each read a page aloud to each other (a la You Read to Me, I'll Read to You ).

Happy Reading!

Balancing Act

2011-06-27T14:04:00.000-07:00

My busy bee 7-year-old had a blast today using her balances (we have several). She also created a fort out of her table and used it to hide all manner of interesting items to be tested on the balance. I give the makers of the big balance (I believe it is Learning Resources) credit, as the thing is still working after a year of love and abuse by the girls.

Note to self: Do a better job hiding the candy purchased for art and science projects (we don't do candy for consumption other than special holidays as it makes my children insane ... and causes cavities) - Miss Busy Bee has apparently been chowing down on the candy and hiding the evidence under her bed. I found over EIGHTY Smarties wrappers between the dust ruffle and the wooden slats of the mattress frame.

Rethinking my Thinking

2011-06-24T16:46:00.000-07:00

I usually like to post art projects on Fridays, but as our week was a whirlwind involving my mom and sister taking the girls to the beach for 2 1/2 days, we didn't get one in this week. However, all the time to myself got me thinking - or rather rethinking - my situation with my youngest daughter. My youngest just turned seven last weekend, and from the minute she was conceived the child has been, for lack of a better word, different. She is different in many brilliant and wondrous ways. She is extremely gifted, very witty, undeniably creative and original. She sees things differently than most and is not afraid to explore. She doesn't worry about doing things "the right way" and she certainly is not afraid of failure and trying again and again.

All of this "differentness" (which I know will serve her well in life and makes her so unique) can be hard on mom. It's not that I want her to conform to some random notion of how a child should be. And it's not that my other three are without their moments. It's that with my youngest, the moments are unending and usually very complicated with a probable side of destruction. She requires near-constant supervision, which is simply not realistic. I need to be able to throw in a load of laundry. Or take a shower. Or go out to the garden to water for five minutes and not worry that when I come back in the project my oldest has been working on for five days will but cut into a million different pieces and stuffed under a bookcase. Or that a glue stick has been used to decorate the couch. Or that the piano keys have been covered with permanent marker. (All real-life example and all happened on the same day.) Obviously being negative doesn't work. But NOT getting negative can be hard when you're at the end of your rope.

So in my time alone, I was rethinking everything. I haven't come up with anything too major yet. But I'm tackling the issue from another angle - starting backwards, if you will. This usually works for me when I have a problem or situation and I find myself doing the same thing over and over and getting no where. One thing I'm in the process of deciding is her education path for next year. I feel like there will be a big change coming for her and I, and that it will be a good thing. I have no interest in sending her to school, but I'm rethinking what her days will look like at home. The hard part there is explaining this difference to the other kids. I also have already decided that I need to make a wish board/inspiration board so that when I feel like I'm at the end of my rope I can find the energy to tie a knot and hang on!

Sort and Release

2011-06-21T08:47:00.000-07:00

As I sort through countless books, I wonder at the weightlessness that accompanies a good purging of material things. I am a certifiable, verifiable bibliophile, yet even I enjoy gaining shelf space and losing the weight of books that will no longer be needed or used in our home. I'm not ready to rid our home of all books - or even, in reality, all that high of a percentage of books. However, the books we have released from captivity set my soul free. There are 6 large boxes full of books going to new homes. I feel like I can breathe when I look in the schoolroom, now.

Year-Round School

2011-06-16T09:23:00.000-07:00

So now that we're nearing the end of the year-round school year, I remember why I stopped doing it two years ago: At this point in the year, it sucks.

All the kids around us are out of school
It's sunny (for the most part) out
We've been at it since September, and even with the extra breaks we've had it feels like quittin' time
Most of our extracurricular activities have ended...

... I could go on and on, but I'll stop.

We are finishing up the year and should be done by early July, but I'm feeling done now. Part of it, I know, is that my work schedule is busy and balancing work plus everything else is difficult. But part of it is the weather, the added options (like the outdoor pool), more free time for the kids now that activities are winding down, etc., etc., etc. I know that we could stop at any time - we've certainly covered enough to qualify for the school district. But I've looked through what we have left and I truly want to finish it. So I'm ignoring my truant self for the time being. And I've already cut down on what we're doing to lighten the load, so it is quite manageable.

That being said - we're done for the day and heading off to the pool!

Deforestation and Endangered Animals

2011-06-09T15:29:00.000-07:00

My middle girls finished their studies on the rain forest, deforestation and endangered animals this week by creating message t-shirts. We have talked many times about the environmental impact of damaging rain forests. We have talked about how this affects animals living in the rain forest, and how because we are all connected their lives affect our lives. I like to think that my kids have a good understanding of the web of life, are compassionate to all living things, and that in our family we have meaningful discussions on important topics. But MBtP did something I didn't think to do: each girl chose one animal and made it "her mascot" for stopping deforestation and helping endangered animals. This simple step - making it personal - has gone a long way. And the culmination is a hand-painted shirt (artwork by each respective kid). They are proud of the shirts, and I believe feel more connected to their cause because of their work on the topic for the past few weeks.

Memory Loss

2011-06-06T06:51:00.000-07:00

It's happened - I've lost memory. Not my personal memory... but almost. My main work computer has seriously crashed and everything on it may be - well, in all likelihood as we've been told - is lost. It could be worse. It could be the main HOUSE computer with all our family photos, financial documents, etc., but of course, we have an external hard drive on that. I never got around to getting one for the main school computer, and now all of the things I've purchased over the years - lapbooks, eBooks, clip art, technology programs, games, etc., etc., etc.,; the Teaching Textbooks grades and work for the entire year; all saved photos of school work, art work, science projects; all of my "real" work invoices and client contracts; all of the kids' essays and stories; all of our made-up games and forays into graphic arts ... in short, a huge chunk of the product of our lives, is lost.

And although life goes on an no actual lives are lost, I feel grieved at the loss.

This Week (warning: may contain words and/or phrases that sound like self-pity)

2011-06-02T18:31:00.000-07:00

This has been a tough week on so many levels. From small things (internet service going in and out - hence lack of posting to/reading blogs) to bigger things (my Grandmother is in the hospital) it seems like this week has conspired against me. Today especially was "not good." I woke up feeling off, had a bad morning with my work and things not going right, my husband didn't get up to give the kids breakfast while I was working so I was constantly interrupted (I forgive him - he got home in the wee hours of the morning as it's Month-End), found, when I came to make breakfast, that my youngest (though not so young that she doesn't know better) had dumped salt - purposefully - on the kitchen floor (why? we don't know), and blah blah blah... the day went on to go get worse from there, with things like: the same daughter taking a permanent marker to my piano, being stood-up and thereby made late to our (expensive) music lessons, and being stuck in construction traffic so bad that a 10 minute ride took 40 minutes, and generally failing to be a good parent today as I felt tired, cranky, and overextended ...

I should stop. I clearly need to vent my annoyance and I'm sure this is not the place as my problems are not about homeschooling. And naturally there is, as there typically is, much more going on than the small grievance of spilled salt and missed piano lessons. I guess it's just "one of those weeks." I sort of feel like Alexander except that it's been a horrible, no good, very bad week.

"Live" Science

2011-05-31T10:08:00.000-07:00

Teeny tiny froggie!

One of our tadpoles completed his (her?) transformation today - I've never witnessed the metamorphosis from tadpole to frog happen so quickly! It seemed like this frog was on fast forward. We released him to our herb garden instead of the pond behind our house as several white heron

were gathering nearby. At least in our herb garden he has a fighting chance!

Bringing the Wild Home

2011-05-25T07:19:00.000-07:00

On one of our quests last week, the rangers did a program on tadpoles and frogs and gave each participant a tadpole to take home. We brought home two different tadpoles. My girls have been fascinated with the little creatures, and today, on their own, they researched enough to identify what type of frog each tadpole will grow to be and are in the process of writing up little reports to detail each frog (or toad, as the case may be). It turns out that Slacker, the larger tadpole, is a Wood Frog and MicroMan, the aptly-named small tadpole, is a Common Toad. We'll post more pictures as they change into adults - Slacker already sprouted legs yesterday. And naturally we'll release them once they are adults. We live in front of a large pond (teeming with both common toads and wood frogs) or we would not have agreed to take them.

We're Back!

2011-05-23T11:56:00.000-07:00

View of the girls along the water at sunset - taken from our campsite

At a trail head (by the copperhead)

Pirate Treasure Hunt

What a week!! We are back after our journey all around the state. My husband and I were reflecting last night on what an amazing week we had... We visited the State Capitol, hiked along a Native American trail and tried our hand at a Native American childrens' game, built our own miniature raft, visited the wild ponies at Assateague Island, kayaked the waterways of the Chesapeake Bay, visited an old tobacco plantation, enjoyed letter-boxing all over a State Forest, tried our hand (fairly successfully!) at Trail Orienteering, enjoyed a family game of disc golf, hiked a few miles on the Appalachian Trail to a natural spring and thru-hiker rest spot, learned so much at an aviary and reptile house, spotted a copperhead snake, and visited a living history village where we talked to reenactors about life in our state at the time of the Revolution. Phew - what a week! We are incredibly thankful to live a state that puts on such a great Parks program - we had a wonderful trip, and while it's good to be, we wouldn't trade the time away for the world.

Road Trip!

2011-05-16T16:08:00.000-07:00

We're taking off for a week - heading out to go camping and enjoy the late spring weather. May is the kick-off month for Park Quest, a family program run by the Maryland DNR, and we are taking full advantage of the cooler weather to visit the parks this month (not to mention that my husband's upcoming work schedule makes a June or July trip impossible). We've already visited 8 state parks via day trips and are looking forward to the upcoming week of adventure!

Fine Art Friday

2011-05-13T14:32:00.000-07:00

This week we talked about Jackson Pollock - the famous 20th-century abstract expressionist. The very cool thing about Pollock is that unlike other artists, he didn't paint "things" or "people" - he tried to capture "action." We discussed a bit about Pollock's biography and his art. The size of his work alone is impressive, and although sometimes this type of art can seem like "anyone can do it," we discussed what it means to be a pioneer in a field and how that fact can make the art important.

If you have kids that are easily frustrated by drawing and painting (and not having the drawings and paintings turn out on paper as they appeared first in the mind!), a Pollock-inspired Action Painting will be right up your alley! I set out only a few colors to keep the focus on the action. We did this project outside as it is a messy one! The kids had fun trying different splattering techniques - quick whipping, slashing, banging, etc., all provide a different effect. There is no "wrong" with this type of art, and my girls found it very freeing to just have at it! I would love to do this with them again with canvas and acrylics instead of cardstock and tempera paint. I could have four Originals hanging on the walls - quick and beautiful way to decorate the house. =D

Break Over!

2011-05-11T05:30:00.000-07:00

Before we left for the orthopedist yesterday, I told my husband that I was still holding out hope that the new x-ray would show that my arm wasn't broken.... And my dream came true! Basically, the first x-ray taken at urgent care apparently wasn't clear because of the swelling. The urgent care doctor did tell me they would most likely take another x-ray and I'm so glad they did!! It turns out I seriously thwacked my arm, bruised the bone (causing the major bump sticking out of my arm) and injured the connective tissue between the bones (spraining my forearm - I did not even know you could do that). So yes, it's quite painful; yes, I'm supposed to wear a sling/brace; but NO - it's not broken. And I'll be better much faster. He thinks a week if I take it easy on the arm (boo - no yoga).

I'm so relieved! =D

Taking a Break

2011-05-10T06:36:00.000-07:00

Ahhh, I wish this meant I was going on vacation! No - I broke my arm yesterday & as such, typing is seriously slow and a pain! So I will be much less wordy and my posts may be fewer and further between! I don't even have a good story... I tripped wearing old, stretched out flip-flops in the garage and hit the open edge of the trunk of my minivan. On top of the break I have a pretty slash on my forearm. I'll be totally fine, but this is a serious pain in my, er... eh-hem... "arm."

Fine Art Friday

2011-05-06T09:06:00.000-07:00

Our artist for this week is Charles Demuth, an early 20th-century Precisionist. Precisionism is a further development of the cubist movement, and is often described as Cubist Realism. Demuth is somewhat of a local artist for us as he is from Lancaster, Pennsylvania (about an hour from where we live). I have a field trip planned to the Demuth Museum later this month.

Demuth: The Figure 5 in Gold

Our Demuth-inspired projects are based on his famous piece "The Figure 5 in Gold" (left). For our project, we each chose a number (everyone chose her age, except my 9-year-old who chose 4 and 5, the sum of which is her age - I love that) and used it as the centerpiece. We then added intersecting lines and used oil pastels to add color. The idea was to use varying tones of the same hue to indicate changes in lighting, but of course creative license is encouraged and this effect was achieved to varying degrees by everyone.

As always, it is interesting for me to see the variety that results with each piece. The girls all use the same tools, but end up with such different finished products. In particular, it is apparent which girl has a "heavy hand" when it comes to using oil pastels and which use a lighter touch. There is no "right" way to create art, and I enjoy seeing how they all view the same artist and artwork in a different light.

Discussing Bin Laden

2011-05-05T06:16:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, on the way to swim practice, we passed a sign that read something to the effect of "Bin Laden is Dead, Praise Jesus, God Bless America!" My oldest daughter (age 10) knew that Bin Laden was dead, but she pointed to the sign and started asking questions:

"Why would we praise Jesus for someone's death?"
"What does God blessing America have to do with someone being killed?"

... and so on. Good questions, really. I don't typically have many moments where I hesitate to answer, but with a car full of young children I was a bit tongue-tied. I've read many stories and watched the footage of people celebrating Bin Laden's death. It made me feel awkward, because while I didn't know how I felt about the matter, I knew I didn't feel like jumping up and down. "Why not?!?!" is the incredulous response I've received from several people with whom I've discussed this issue in person. Why, indeed? I know I am not sad in the least to see Bin Laden go - that's for certain. But nor do I feel like setting off fireworks and having a parade. I explained to the girls that there are groups of people all over the world that do terrible things, causing many innocent people to die - as in the 9/11 attacks. And that Bin Laden was the famous leader of one of those groups, so people are glad to that he is gone. And I told them that because of the 9/11 (and other) attacks, many Americans feel that Bin Laden's death is a victory for America and are celebrating with signs, etc. I also had to touch on the fact that many people feel their god is on their side - we talked about the myriad of wars, conflicts, etc., from history and how in each instance the parties involved (be they Ancient Greeks praising Zeus or modern-day Americans praising the Christian God) feel that their deity is on their side, so they pray asking for help in bringing them victory or a positive resolution. But I tried to make clear that for me, personally, while I felt a sense of what can only be described as a type of relief (?), I did not experience elation, probably because when it comes down to it, I support nonviolence. It would be hard for me to jump up and down over any violent solution.

As I told them this, a part of me whispered, "You're sounding very un-American..." But that's only the part that is surrounded by signs like the one we passed. Part of being American is having the freedom to choose your beliefs and life philosophies. So I explained that to the girls as well. I told them that my view is probably not the popular choice (especially given where we live) but that it is my right nonetheless to have it. I explained that I don't have a solution to the problems Bin Laden and his group pose, but I do have questions and asking questions is an important first step.

We ended up having a very interesting discussion and in the end I think that is the best I could have done. They probably walked away with more questions than answers, but I felt I could sleep at night because I ignored my first instinct to gloss over the difficulty of the situation. Initially, I felt they couldn't possibly understand so complex an issue - I mean, I can barely wrap my head around it sometimes. But keeping it relatively simple and focused allowed them to think, process, and ask questions. It felt like the beginning of a new level of discussion (with my oldest specifically) as the questions coming at me were quite mature, and I'm looking forward to the next phase.

"The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing. One cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvelous structure of reality. "

~Albert Einstein

Backyard Friends

2011-05-04T06:47:00.000-07:00

Friendly little guy!

Daddy returning it to the pond...

Making sure it had a safe re-entry

This weekend we had another backyard visitor - a painted turtle! My youngest daughter spotted it first, and ran to get us. It was next to the picnic table and on its way to the driveway - very bad decision for the turtle! We followed it around for a while before deciding to set it back nearer to the pond.

Sew Much Fun!

2011-05-03T16:15:00.000-07:00

Okay, that's a really cheesy title, but it's fitting - we had a lot of fun sewing skirts today. Each girl made herself a skirt (with varying degrees of help). The girls each used the same basic fabric, but individualized the skirts by changing up the length, fit, and notions. Sewing is a good lesson in patience, which, by the fourth skirt, I have to admit mine was waning a bit - hence, these are "fly by the seat of skirt" skirts - which is code for "pattern free." We simply measured, cut, ironed and sewed. The waists are simple elastic. And the girls couldn't be happier. And at this age, they are so small that they can easily get multiple skirts out of a yard of fabric, so they are all now looking forward to hitting the remnant bin again! They proudly wore them to the Post Office and loved all the attention the ladies there gave the skirts. They were even given ideas for their next projects. My youngest told everyone her next project would be making socks! We'll have to see about that... =D

Food for Thought

2011-04-30T16:17:00.000-07:00

"How can a society that exists on instant mashed potatoes, packaged cake mixes, frozen dinners, and instant cameras teach patience to its young"
~Paul Sweeney

The Case for Cursive?

2011-04-29T15:29:00.000-07:00

I know homeschoolers are all over the place on cursive vs. printing, and the importance of handwriting in general (though most I know end up deciding that "legibility" is pretty important after trying to decipher notes and letters from out dear ones). This week, the NY Times weighs in with this article. After reading the article, I have to say that some things ring true for me - I have a daughter with dysgraphia, and cursive was a very good thing for her. All of my girls were desperate to learn cursive (probably because I write in a strange hybrid) so they are all learning it. My feelings are that if nothing else, they need to be able to read cursive. It's certainly a topic that isn't crucial, yet provides plenty of food for thought - for example, I wish I could write in the artful and elaborate style of the 19th century. Is the only value in that aesthetic? Even if it is, I value beauty and art. That being said, Handwriting Without Tears (arguably the least "beautiful" type of writing, though very legible) is what I've used with my kids when they expressed an interest in cursive. Why? It's easy and pain-free. I'm not sure that's a good answer, but it's the truth.

Near Miss

2011-04-28T09:09:00.000-07:00

Today the girls went with my husband to Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day. The morning started out great because I had an eye exam, work to do, and some errands to run. As I was nearing my house - approaching the final turn to our neighborhood - I was almost in a very bad car accident. The kind where your ears are ringing with blood and your heart actually stops before it starts beating again.... A truck loaded with pigs came so close to hitting me that I could not put my hand in the space between our vehicles. Needless to say, it was very scary. And very ironic - I'm a vegan. As I stood looking at the car, the pigs were literally screaming, ramming up against the side of the truck out of fear, stress, etc., and trying to shove their way out of 6 inch breathing holes. They were piled in so close that there was no room for them to move around, and I have to imagine that many suffered injuries from (1) the enormous weight of other pigs climbing on them and (2) the jarring caused by the sudden stop of the truck as it crossed the center line and nearly killed me - it must have smacked them against the metal sides of the truck breaking who knows what. If I didn't already eschew pig, I would after seeing them in that truck. It made me feel sick. Another driver said she felt sick for the pigs... since I was okay (I thought that was an interesting way to put it, but her heart was in the right place). Boy oh boy - that was a close one for me; sadly for the many pigs on that truck I think it's safe to say that their luck (not that they really had any to begin with) had already run out. I'm really glad that I was not added to the numerous deaths at the hands of the pig factory today! I can just see the headline: Vegan Mom Killed By Bacon-mobile.

Elementary Economics

2011-04-27T19:36:00.000-07:00

We are fortunate that despite living in a rural area, we are less than five minutes from our local library. It's small, no doubt, but it offers many programs and has become our second home. This month the library had a guest teacher from our college extension come and teach basic economics to elementary children. My children made up half the class. I had my doubts as to whether or not my girls would enjoy the program, but it turns out they more than enjoyed it - they loved it.

The program was designed to teach big concepts to little people: income and expenses, budgeting wants and needs (er, um, I mean "creating a spending plan," which is apparently the new term for budgeting), saving money, giving money, the concepts of taxation, building interest, long-term savings for various goals, and ways to stay on track with your monetary plan. The children received hands-on tools to help visualize their spending plans, and listened to picture books (e.g., Pigs Will Be Pigs) that brought the concepts to life.

My girls and I talk about money and budgeting frequently, and my middle two are even learning about the economic cycle in MBtP, but this class really added something new to the mix. The best thing the girls are taking away (aside from the very cool digital, money-counting piggy bank) is the concept of dividing all income into categories. This isn't something new to my children - we routinely have them save 20-30% of all money they receive as a gift. However, my husband and I simply take the money for them and put in in their savings accounts. They have been to the bank and know where the money is going, but 99% of the time they don't come with us. In the class, the instructor had them use a simple version of the envelope method (which brought me back to the early days of my marriage). She had them label and decorate three envelopes: 10% for giving, 20% for saving, 70% for spending. It's a great way for kids to visualize the breakdown of their money. And my girls are already more inspired to find ways to save for the things on their wish lists!

Family Fun

2011-04-26T07:34:00.000-07:00


BR - Hubbie, Me, SIL, Brother, My Dad, My Mom

We were so fortunate to have some time with my brother, his wife, and their daughters. The girls are all right around the same age as my girls and get along so well. My husband and I enjoy spending time with my brother and sister-in-law; we always have great visits together. My only complaint is that we don't live close enough! This Easter we went to Winterthur in northern Delaware. The kids had a great time exploring the Enchanted Garden, and the adults enjoyed the beauty of a perfect spring day made even better by great family time. I especially like walking the labyrinth barefoot. =) Here we all are - both families, plus Nana and Grandpa - under several magnolia trees.

Mon - day

2011-04-25T11:11:00.000-07:00

Today reminds of this quote...

"Cleaning your house while your kids are still growing is like shoveling the walk before it stops snowing." -Phyllis Diller

What a beautiful day it is outside. And what a nasty one it is inside. One of my little girls has been sick - throwing up from evening until the wee hours of the morning. And never once making it to the potty on time. In fact, I do believe she hit everything else between her room and potty, and the couch and the potty - but not the potty.

Sigh.

Poor girl. And poor mom.

Short and Sweet

2011-04-21T19:25:00.000-07:00

I was looking through my planner and despite the fact that I realized what week of school we're on, today it really sank in. Tomorrow we will complete Week 25 of our 36 planned weeks of homeschooling (naturally we keep right on learning all the time, but this year we're doing 36 weeks of planned school work)! We take breaks throughout the year so we won't finish until July, but in terms of work weeks, it's looking good. That's almost 70%, and I know for a fact that when I'm on the treadmill or stepper and the machine says "70 percent complete" I get a kick of energy for the homestretch. So bring it on, remaining 30%!

Wildlife Wednesday

2011-04-20T07:29:00.000-07:00

One of the best things about living where we do is the abundant wildlife behind our house (this can also be the worst thing when a vixen is screaming at 2 in the morning). Last night during dinner, my oldest daughter spotted two bald eagles behind the house and amazingly they didn't fly away in the time it took for me to locate my camera and get out onto the deck to get a picture. We've been watching the juvenile (the one with the brown head) dive for fish on the pond over the past few weeks, but this is the first time we've been able to capture two eagles resting in a tree! What a treat - I grew up in San Jose, CA and never saw a bald eagle in my backyard!

Observational Drawing

2011-04-19T12:05:00.000-07:00

For this week's art project, we discussed the difference between drawing from our imaginations and drawing based on observations. Then, using potted plants, the girls created an observational drawing in pencil on watercolor paper. After the sketch was complete, they outlined the drawings in white glue and let them dry over night. Today we finished the pieces with pastels. The walls are all based on imagination, however!

Brain Food for Monday

2011-04-18T12:53:00.000-07:00

"Art is lunging forward without certainty about where you are going or how to get there, being open to and dependent on what luck, the paint, the typo, the dissonance, give you. Without art you're stuck with yourself as you are and life as you think life is."
~ Mark Vonnegut

Streamlining

2011-04-14T17:26:00.000-07:00

As my work hours are picking up, and as our extra-curricular activities are increasing their demand on our time, I realized this week that I really need to find a way to streamline (versus the way that I usually just wish to streamline because I like the way it sounds). Streamline homeschooling, streamline housekeeping, streamline cooking.... you get the idea. My best friend, upon hearing the news of my ever-increasing schedule, immediately mentioned that I would need to drop things from my schedule. She is, of course, correct (naturally, as she is my best friend and therefore brilliant). I, too, recognized this with a sense of dread in the pit of my stomach because deciding what to get off the schedule is difficult. If it were MY schedule, it would be very easy. My personal schedule is not actually all that busy. There's work, which isn't going anywhere. I have few friends and I see my friends socially very, very infrequently. I already dropped out of my small circle at Fellowship (hard decision, but the timing was not working for me). I have monthly book club, but that's hardly going to be dropped as it's one of the few things I look forward to - no kids and it's not about homeschooling! Can I get an "Amen!" Okay, so what else is on my schedule? Well, I do workout almost every day - and that is not something that is negotiable.

So why am I so busy?

The four small people that co-reside in my home - they are my schedule. Aside from homeschooling (which takes up a good amount of time, but definitely not ALL my time) these people have interests and places they like to be. And I like for them to be there - I just wish someone else could take them there! Our swim schedule, for example: 4 kids + 3 different levels = insane practice times. I already put off having my 9-year-old advanced in swim for almost the entire year so that she could stay at the same time as the younger two. And I refuse to take my oldest to as many practices as she "should" do because I can't fit them in and still feel like a living person. I don't know how to cut down on swim except by cutting it out. These same people also require food at regular intervals (about 6 times a day), which I must prepare. And they create messes and dirty laundry and general untidiness that needs attention. They are also loquacious language experts that can distract a bee from honey with their various speeches and monologues, generally increasing the amount of time it takes to get anything done. You get the idea.

It's okay. I know that I will ponder this issue (preferably on a long run) and come up with some possible solutions. I wish I could "require" my husband to be more available for helping with various activities - both kids' activities and stuff around the house (like cooking, laundry, cleaning, etc.) - but the reality is that his job has LONG hours and he cannot simply leave whenever I would like him to. He wishes he could - he would rather be home. But as we need his income (which far, far exceeds my own) and rely on it so that I can spend the majority of my time with our four small people it's not realistic right now. I don't mean to criticize him - to his credit, he did step up helping out with swim team drop-off/pick-up even when things are crazy at the office and he does help out around the house in a big way. And he always shows up for the kids' events (something my father never did). But there is a limit to the magic he can perform with his schedule.

I'm actually excited - I find that I come up with the best ideas when I'm under pressure and actually get more done. Maybe this means I'll finally find time to make curtains for my living room! Okay, maybe not - that would be opposed to my new mantra - Streamline, streamline, streamline....

New Page

2011-04-13T06:38:00.000-07:00

I get so many requests regarding my Moving Beyond the Page review from last month, that I decided to make a separate page for it here so it will be easier to find. Hopefully this is helpful to some people - I know how hard it can be to narrow down curriculum choices!

As a side note - it was my ten-year-old daughter who showed me how to add pages to a blog. I feel older and less cool every day. =)

Field Trip - FOMC

2011-04-11T18:39:00.000-07:00

Nana, Grandpa & 3 of 4 girls :)

In front of the Fort

What is FOMC you wonder? Today I learned that FOMC is the US abbreviation for Fort McHenry in Baltimore (being a person who loves to shorten just about every name, I'm thrilled to learn this trivia). The birthplace of our national anthem, FOMC also shares the honor of being the destination of choice for our trip today. As an added bonus, both of my parents joined us. Instead of the standard approach, we decided to drive into Fells Point and take the water taxi over as it was 85 degrees and SUNNY today. What a great idea (thanks to my dad for suggesting it!). We had the funniest taxi driver - he told us stories about Michael Phelps and pointed out his condo, gave us tips on getting the taxi for free, and complained about the folks from PA and their "water condos" (i.e., huge yachts that cost too much to take out on the water, so the owners come down during the summer and spend the weekend hanging out in the marina).

Grandpa and the 6yo

Three of the girls in a cell

6yo with her favorite thing

At FOMC, the girls enjoyed the movie and museum (the movie is great - the lack of seating is problematic as there are many school groups and senior tours that come through) before heading up to the Fort. We've been there before, but it's been a long time and the kids didn't remember it. I think what really made the experience great was the Junior Ranger program - any time you go to a National Park, ask for the Jr. Ranger packet. This provided the girls with a scavenger hunt to do during our trip and as such they read and learned much more than they might have if left to roam on their own. I was pleased that the girls really took to heart the gravity of war and the pressure on the soldiers in the fort to protect their hometown. I don't know if their favorite part was walking around the top of the fort looking over the water or going down into the underground rooms (or dungeons, depending on your definition). My youngest was supremely interested in the size of the cannonballs. =)

10yo with cannon

9yo inspecting cannon

The best part of the trip for me, honestly, was lunch after visiting FOMC because I convinced my folks to join me at Liquid Earth (can you hear the angel choirs singing??). This place ROCKS. If I lived nearer to Baltimore I would be a regular. It was so funny to see my girls completely blown away by the menu - everything on it, they could order. Nothing was off-limits. They didn't know what to do. They've never been in a restaurant where absolutely everything was vegetarian. My 6- and 9-year-olds kept it simple: they had a fruit cup and a strawberry smoothie. My 7-year-old ordered a honey-ginger tea with a Tofu Salad salad. My 10-year-old was starving and ordered a ton: hummus (which was HUGE - giant pieces of vegan bread, cucumbers, tomatoes and enough hummus to serve at least 8 as an appetizer), guacamole and chips (if you ever go here, do yourself a favor and get the guac - so good), and a raw dish - Raw Pasta served with fresh raw marina and nutmeat balls (enough to serve 3 kids). My mom played it safe and went with a basic salad. But my dad completely blew me away - he ordered the vegan mushroom miso soup (not too amazing as he fell in love with miso after dining with me often enough) AND the Raw Sprouted Earthburger. I also enjoyed the Raw Earthburger and I wish I had ordered more (though I did get to eat almost an entire fruit cup after the little ones couldn't finish). The Earthburger is definitely big, but, baby, I can EAT when the food is stuff I enjoy. Plus, right now I'm doing an all raw diet so it's not everyday that I get to eat something in a restaurant that's not a wimpy green salad sans croutons. I am currently scheming on a way to justify another trip to Baltimore so that I can go back and eat there again. Soon. This place gets five stars from me! And my dad - not a vegetarian at all - ate every single item of food on his plate (plus a good amount from the plates of the kids) and stopped to tell the owner how much he enjoyed his meal. He couldn't believe how good it was. He was even interested in raw food and we had a great discussion. Awesome day all around!

Our Work in Pictures

2011-04-07T06:38:00.000-07:00

A few snapshots of a several things the girls have been working on this week...

In art, we created visually stimulating collages to help explore the fundamentals of color theory. Using the tips on Art Projects for Kids, we made collages of warm and cool colors. The edges of their posters are kept neat and clean by folding a "window" onto the collage surface.

My oldest daughter has been busy creating different machines - motorized tanks, pulleys, levers - you name it. Unfortunately, she took them apart before I could snap a photo (mostly due to the fact that my memory card was full and I wasn't immediately ready). Her work area is full of parts and pieces.

My 7- and 9-year-olds are reading Charlotte's Web. After reading the chapter on the fair, they each designed their own fair booth centered around a cycle found in either nature or the book. They then created a poster advertising and explaining their booth.

My youngest daughter has spent the last few weeks learning about cultures around the world. This week she focused on South America. She learned not only about the various cultures in South America, but the geography, climate, natural resources, and wildlife as well.

On the right is a photograph of a soccer ball she designed. In each space, she drew a pictures of something found in South America. She also researched a South American animal - she chose the toucan. She wrote a report and drew a picture of the animal.

Mathematical Musings

2011-04-05T18:48:00.000-07:00

Today my oldest daughter needed some help on a few math problems. While I had no problem solving the math (in my head, which, let me tell you, is not helpful to a confused 10-year-old), I did have a bit of a hard time explaining it to her. She was working on word problems, and I figured them using the "harder" (but to me easier) methods using decimals, percentages, etc. The question was how to explain without all that? It's been years. Eons! In addition, and I don't know the details because I was too young, my mother tells me that when I was in elementary school they Beta tested us with a "different approach to math" that later was thrown out. Let me tell you - this did a number on me. I'm sure many kids were able to bounce back from having their mathematical foundations toyed with, but it was a challenge for me. As such, my higher level math, like calculus, always came more easily than basic fractions. I definitely don't want to pass along this problem to my kids, so I've had a tendency to be paranoid about how math is taught.

Today made me realize that as the math work progresses, I may need to actually get a teacher's manual. Or maybe a book written to teachers - something like Math for Humans or what have you. Not because I can't figure the stuff out, but because sometimes I can't figure out how to tell my daughter how to figure it out without making it harder!! Up until now, it hasn't been much of a challenge. And practice makes perfect - my youngest two daughters are working well-ahead in math, whereas the oldest two... eh, not so much. They are both "on level" if you look at the grade levels on their books. Not that I care about grade level - I would actually prefer them to be "below" but truly understanding what they are doing than "ahead" any day.

It was bound to happen. I'm actually looking forward to when they can take some math classes at the local community college. I think hearing different approaches will be very helpful. I know many moms that sign up their children for homeschool writing, homeschool art, and so on. I distinctly remember a conversation with a mom explaining that because she felt she was a bad writer she didn't feel comfortable being the "sole provider" on the topic. I thought I got what she was saying... but now I really get it.

Sale - Moving Beyond the Page

2011-04-04T10:23:00.000-07:00

If anyone is interested in trying MBtP, today is the last day of their Spring Fling. Please note: I am not affiliated with them and am not trying to sell anything - just like to pass on potential savings to fellow homeschoolers! =)

Here are some details about the sale (from the folks at MBtP):

The Spring Fling sale ends at the stroke of midnight tonight*. Place your order today to get the best deal of the year.

Option 1: BUTTERFLY

Use the coupon code BUTTERFLY to get an additional 10% off the already discounted price of our full-year packages plus get free shipping on the whole order.

Option 2: LADYBUG
If you plan on using our payment plan, use the coupon code LADYBUG to remove all payment plan processing fees and get free shipping on your order.

Option 3: Free Shipping
Even if you are not planning on purchasing a full-year package or using our payment plan, you can still use either of these two coupon codes to receive free shipping on your order.

* The Spring Fling sale ends on April 4th at 11:59 PM EST.

From the Bookshelf

2011-03-29T08:06:00.000-07:00

Some of what we're all reading this week..

Together, we are listening (and reading along!) to The Hobbit. Wow! What a great narrator to listen to as we drive around to various activities. I highly recommend this as an audiobook, even if you've read the story. It's been great fun! The only downside is that the kids are definitely too young to listen to the Lord of the Rings trilogy - that will have to wait.

DD6

Frog and Toad Are Friends is one that she has read several times this week (after reading Grasshopper on the Road last week). And of course, she is still into anything and everything Junie B. Jones , which are not books that I particularly like but as we read many good books I feel like I can let it slide. ;) She is also reading Explore Asia from the Explore the Continents series.

DD7

Ramona and Her Mother from the Ramona series is DD7's favorite this week. She is also reading Ribsy , which she told me she likes almost as much. It's a Beverly Cleary kind of week for her! I remember being in love with these books when I was her age.

DD7 & DD9
Both girls are reading Charlotte's Web and A Drop Around the World. The latter is such a fun story and really exemplifies the "life" of water quite well while at the same time providing a great picture of the differences in geography around the world.

DD9

Miranda the Great is written by Eleanor Estes, one of my favorite authors of books for children, and is one of the books on DD9's nightstands. She is also reading The Apple and the Arrow by Conrad Buff, which tells the tale of William Tell and his son, Walter. She also has a stack of American Girl doll books on her nightstand - I believe she is making her way through the Felicity stories.

DD10
DD10 has a pile of books on her nightstand that she is working through, but I will post just a few. The Good Master is book one of two by Kate Seredy and takes place in Hungary just before WWI. It is a complex story with much to offer and much for the reader to think about even after putting the book down. She is also reading The Invention of Hugo Cabret, which I love. I love the combination of art and written word working together to tell the tale. DD9 will read this next week and the local library is leading a discussion group for kids and Hugo is the selection. And tying into Hugo, she is reading The Picture History of Great Inventors which provides great information in an engaging way - especially for visual learners.

Mom

I am almost finished reading The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and I see why this book gets such fabulous reviews and is recommended reading for everyone. The only downside I can see is that the people that probably need the book the most are probably the least likely to read it, but that's outside my circle (inside joke for those that have read the book). I am just getting started on Just Like Someone Without Mental Illness Only More So: A Memoirby Mark Vonnegut and it's too soon to say much about it - except that so far, so good. I'm reading this for a book group and I have to say that I believe it will make for a fascinating discussion!

Off-topic - Vegan Cuts

2011-03-27T15:58:00.000-07:00

A bit off-topic, but as homeschoolers enjoy saving money more than most people I know, I thought I'd pass along the information. So fellow VegHeads: Check out this free newsletter!

Butterflies!

2011-03-24T06:27:00.000-07:00

Our butterflies emerged from their chrysalises this week! The first one came out on the first day of spring (you've got to love that!), and the last butterfly came out yesterday. The girls really enjoyed watching the caterpillars grow at an amazing rate.

We all thought the coolest part was watching the caterpillars go into the chrysalises - I think the last time we had butterflies they must have gone through that stage when we weren't around because I've never seen it in action. And now, we have five Painted Ladies in the habitat! Nature is truly a wonder.

Special Commendation

2011-03-21T13:21:00.000-07:00

DD10 with DEMS personnel

I'm so proud to share that my oldest daughter (DD10) received a special commendation from our Department of Emergency Services today. Last summer I was driving home from a Junior Rangers award banquet when I was struck with incredible stomach pain - the absolute worst pain I've ever experienced. I managed to get the car off the road, but that was about as useful I as proved to be. My oldest daughter stayed as calm as she could and called 911. She was able to provide the information they needed to send an ambulance and officers to our location. Today they honored her with a special ceremony, certificate, and a tour of the facilities. She is nominated for a state-wide commendation ceremony that takes place in May. We are so proud of her!

Monday Musing

2011-03-21T07:17:00.000-07:00

This quote gave me food for thought this morning so I thought I'd pass it along...

Education is the ability to listen to almost anything without losing your temper or your self-confidence.
~Robert Frost

Klee II

2011-03-11T09:07:00.000-08:00

We are on our second week studying Klee and his expressionist/abstract art. These Klee-inspired pieces of art were created by using a sharpie and drawing anything the girls wanted to without lifting the pen. After they were done creating the image, they colored in the pictures using crayons. Very simple, but challenging for the little ones to figure out how to make the image they want without lifting up the pen. And tough for some to accept imperfections in the pictures as a result. If I were to do this project again, I think instead of crayon I would use a variety of paints with different textures and instead of working on a small scale, I would use a larger canvas. I think the girls would have enjoyed the process of filling in the different parts of the pictures with different paints and textures. But on the plus side - this was simple and quick!

Toadally Cute

2011-03-08T08:47:00.000-08:00

Toad

by DD6

I am a Toad

As Gray as Dust

I like to eat

I like to hop

I can swim

I can Camouflage

I am a Toad

All in My Head

2011-03-04T14:50:00.000-08:00

By DD7

By DD9

By DD10

These art creations are inspired by Swiss-German artist Paul Klee's Head of a Man Going Senile and were perfect for the way my head is feeling this week! Specifically, I used the guidelines in Discovering Great Artists and the website Art Projects for Kids. We traced a small plate to create the circle for the head, drew lines with a ruler, and colored it in using oil pastels. We read a brief biography on Klee and discussed his connection to Kandinsky (who has served as previous inspiration). My youngest daughter has not completed her head yet as she went out with Nana today, but I know she is excited to do so. We will continue our study of the Expressionist artist next week with an abstract line drawing.

March is Women's History Month

2011-03-03T12:10:00.000-08:00

Yes, March is the month of St. Patrick's Day and all things Irish-American, the first day of spring, and National Nutrition Month... but it's also Women's History Month! If you're like me, you probably already try to incorporate women's history into history. But because of the long-standing disservice done to women (and especially women of color) in history I like taking this opportunity to honor women from our past (and present) who have struggled against the odds to make a difference for my daughters.

I found a great site that provides many, many resources to help add a bit of women's history into March: check out The Teacher's Guide for links and ideas galore. Along the same lines, Teacher Planet's Women of Color page also provides links and lessons. And don't forget to check out the National Women's History Project - this website includes a section about the theme for 2011, which is Our History is Our Strength. And for tweens and teens, the book Girls Think of Everything is fun and interesting (at least my tweens think so!).

Moving Beyond the Page

2011-03-02T14:21:00.000-08:00

We've passed the midway point in our academic year, so I figured it was time for a review of the product we've been using this year: Moving Beyond the Page. We are using this curriculum for social studies, science and literature. I still add in some of my own language arts (phonics, oral reading, Latin & Greek roots, and additional literature). I also add in music, art, health, and child-led interest projects.

What I Love:

It's secular - this speaks for itself.
Comprehensive and far-reaching - after using the program consistently (all four of my girls have been through two full concepts) I agree that this program reaches kids on a deeper level. If you just use it once or twice, I don't think it comes across, but I do see how well it encourages students to look at issues and apply what is learned in many different ways.

If you follow most of the activities (which I try very hard to do), your student will use many different learning tools from the different intelligences to cover the same concept
The lessons take the child from the big concept, have her apply to herself and her life, and then goes back out to the big idea again, making it easier for her to relate to and easier to apply to different situations which increases their critical thinking and their creative thinking. A+

In-depth literature studies - I feel my girls are getting more out of the books we read through MBtP than the books we've read in the past. The author does a good job of selecting interesting books that relate to the overall concept.
The connection between literature, social studies, and science - this is something I have always done (ala classical education) so perhaps I appreciate more than others might. I don't think it is "necessary" for learning, but I do think it helps create a richer learning experience and that things "stick" better when they apply to more than one area at a time. And this program does a great job with integrating across the different subjects.
Project-based - this is actually something I love and detest. ;) I have always tried very hard to be 'project-based' and have been successful, though I do not enjoy the amount of work involved. The same is true here. I love that there are so many fun projects and activities... the kids absolutely love them and will tell you that this is the best part of school. But it is very parent intensive - especially the younger the children.
Challenging - this is a challenging curriculum. If a person were to skip any activities which might challenge his child, it may not be. I don't recommend doing this as I feel that we often do the most growth when things are challenging. I would say that my children are definitely challenged and not bored with this program. Particularly with the writing. I also feel that one must choose the correct level for his/her child or it could easily be TOO challenging. Although the concepts may be purchased separately, I believe the program is designed to be used over the year and as such the concepts progress in difficulty, so don't be tricked into thinking it's too easy and jumping up an entire level.
The writing - the writing in MBtP is so strong that I wish we had started with this earlier (and my kids are good writers). As I have children in the levels starting with 6-8 and going up to 9-11, I can see the progression and development in the program and I think it is beautiful.
Science - I think that for elementary kids this science is just enough. You can always do more, more, more if your kids want more. Do it on things they are interested in (that's what we do). But in terms of tying it in to the curriculum - it's great. And it's fun stuff - very hands on! Some things are so-so (like keeping a weather chart for a month) but for the most part, I give it an "A."
Very easy to communicate with - if you call, someone answers. If you email, you get a reply. At least this has been my experience. And I appreciate this very much!

What I Don't Love:

There are many typos and errors. I read this in other reviews and thought, "Okay, I can live with that." And I can live with it, but it is extremely annoying. I didn't realize how annoyed I'd be by it. Maybe because there are more than I feel there should be? Content-wise, the program is great. But it is expensive, and I feel that this number of errors is unacceptable. I know they have hired editors and are trying to remedy this. Let's hope so!
Website: on their website, you can actually look at the summary of skills for each unit, but to find this is not easy! You have to go to "Purchase" then to "Individual Items" then you have to happen to notice that link... I think this should be front and center on the curriculum page, and I would have really liked to have found this earlier on in my search.
Format. I feel that this program would be so much better if they improved the format.

Lay-out: I would much rather have things laid out by 'days' rather than lessons. It creates more work for me to then go back and figure out how everything fits into our calendar because some lessons are 2, 3 or 4 days long. By "days" I mean labeling the lessons separately for separate days (e.g., Lesson 1 - Day 1; Lesson 1 - Day 2; Lesson 2 - Day 3; Lesson 3 - Day 4). A weekly format (similar to Sonlight) would also be okay.
The workbooks are spiral bound - ugh!! They should offer a three-hold punch format for those of us that cannot STAND spiral.
Parent guides - they do not provide answers consistently, and particularly in the upper levels they should really provide example answers for ALL questions and essays. The program is expensive and I expected more in this area.

Spelling - in the guides, the authors go over how to do spelling according to their program. This turns out to be virtually impossible to follow if you try to use the words they give you for spelling. This goes back to format - if they had a planning grid and laid things out by the week this would fit much more smoothly into the program. I don't find this topic to be a deal-breaker, but it's an annoyance and it could be integrated so wonderfully into this program. I have to wonder about why they don't improve this area.
In the 9-11 level, I think they schedule way too much into each lesson. It's supposed to be a 9-week program, and that means that unless it says 2-days or 3-days, each lesson is one day. And doing everything on their list will lead to a very long day. We've had to modify this level much, much more than the 7-9 and 6-8.
Expense - it is a very expensive curriculum considering it's not a complete curriculum. You still have to add in other subjects, for the younger kids phonics and reading, math, foreign language, art, music, health. There are ways around the expense (buy used, use library books, etc.), and certainly if you have multiple children in the younger years it isn't bad if you can re-use (my youngest will use the level her older sisters are using this year & I only have to buy new student pages and an owl pellet- not bad).

Overall, I am very pleased with MBtP. I think that if you use this program for at least several concepts, you will get a real feel for the progression of skills and development. Had I quit using it after just a few weeks (see this post) I would never had been able to see how my children are simply blossoming with it. I think there was an adjustment period for me. I have always designed my own program and haven't ever done "social studies" before so it was a bit different. (And I admit - I plan everything out to a "T" and do it all at once. Now, by which I mean "during the year," I have very little to do in terms of planning because I do all thirty-six weeks before the year begins, and this always leaves me feeling burned out at the start, no matter what program I use.) However, I really have grown to like MBtP very much. The things that bother me are not enough for me to stop using it.

And let me say this: there are times when I think a project or activity seems silly or like something I want to skip.... then we do it and I can't believe the value in the work that the girls produce. It isn't "fluff" or "busy work" (which sometimes at first glance I may think it is). Let me give you an example: A few weeks ago I wanted to skip the activity where my 2nd and 3rd grader were supposed to write a biography page for a hero book. It sounded boring to me, and a bit like busy work. I felt like (a) they would complain about the writing and (b) it wasn't worth the hassle and (c) they already know their life story. Boy was I wrong - they got more out of this exercise than I could have imagined. They had to think about things in their past, they had to consider their future, they needed to integrate the characteristics of a hero and think about the lives of the heroes we'd been studying... all in all, they each wrote amazing papers on the subject and really grew as writers, thinkers and scholars. I could see that they truly learned how to think on different levels and apply it to a written paper. And they are 7 and 9. After they completed the assignment, I couldn't believe I had thought to skip it! I think in the past when I did my own thing, I would have shied away from such a project, and I'm glad MBtP has us doing things like this.

I think curriculum is like clothing - not everything looks good on everyone - so I wouldn't do a carte blanche recommendation to everyone, but in all I think this is a great program. There are things I don't like about it, but in general I am very happy with it. I have decided that I will absolutely, definitely use it again next year for my youngest three. For my oldest who will be starting the middle school years I'm not sure yet, but it's one of the top contenders. And if you have any specific questions about MBtP I am happy to answer. I'm sure I forget things that I wanted to add and am happy to touch on points I may have missed. You can leave a comment or send me an email.

Awaiting Mystery Diagnosis

2011-03-01T16:47:00.000-08:00

Since last week, I've been kept quite busy with my seven-year old (hence, no posts). Trips to the ER, the primary physician, blood work, x-rays, urine samples... and still we do not have an answer. My next step is to make an appointment with Dr. House, but unfortunately he only takes cases where the patients are actors.

My daughter suffers from chronic abdominal pain and her pediatrician and I have discussed it. I was planning to take her to a GI doctor but had yet to make the appointment for various reasons (I'm trying to keep this short, and I could write a page on that alone). In the last week, however, it has taken a definite turn for the worse. I was able to make her an appointment with a pediatric GI... on April 27th. Come on. Really??? I am KICKING myself for holding off on making that appointment! At least we might have already been 'on the books' or something when this struck. Our pediatrician told me that basically one of two things will happen: (1) this acute period will resolve and she will go back to 'normal' (normal for her being a person who gets serious stomach aches every day, sometimes 2-3 times a day) and she can go to her 4/27 appointment; or (2) she will get worse and will end up being admitted before 4/27.

Great.

Meanwhile, I'm calling the GI department every day to check on cancellations, and I'm calling two other nearby children's hospitals to see if we can get in there any sooner, though the closest one (with the 4/27 appointment) is certainly better if we end up needing to go back and forth for treatment, etc. And I've googled her symptoms a billion times and received a billion results. Go figure. The next step? Channeling Dr. House and his team. Or... maybe if I watch enough episodes there will be one with a character that matches her symptoms... Sigh.

Home Ec 101

2011-02-24T10:14:00.000-08:00

Before... drab, boring, yawn.

After... colorful, custom, pop!

My home ec project of the week: re-covering the dining room chairs. We have a very traditional dining room, and the fabric that came with the chairs (boring white) was killing me. I'm all about color and personality in my space. I switched it up to something that keeps the traditional feel, but has great pops of color and a richer texture. I changed out the trim from matchy-matchy to an accent color. Much better! And the girls have now learned what's involved in measuring the fabric and trim, deconstructing the chairs, using the industrial staple gun, and putting it all back together. It makes the room go from blah to bling. Plus I got the fabric on deep discount, and that makes me very happy. With a limitless budget, I could have found fabric that sang a bit louder to me, but I was able to change up these chairs for about $5 per chair. And I'm definitely in love with that because I still have money leftover to do the windows!

Unjournaling

2011-02-22T17:02:00.000-08:00

I just found this great resource - Unjournaling by Dawn DiPrince and am excited to share in case there are other writing-friendly families out there in need of some spice. I cannot wait to start using this with my kids! Last year, every Friday we did a fun journaling exercise. Sometimes based on the "history of the day," sometimes I drew topics from random trivia like "National Peanut Butter Week" and things like that, other times I just made up topics ... and we all had at it. I joined the kids in the process and everyone worked to her own ability. My girls turned out some really amazing and interesting entries! This year we haven't been doing a structured journal activity, and I find that I really miss it. When I saw this book, I knew it would be fun for everyone - including Mom. I'll share the blurb from the back, and I think you'll see why it's a great fit for our quirky family...

"The more than 200 impersonal but engaging writing prompts in this exercise book help students practice their writing skills without asking them to share personal thoughts they would rather keep to themselves. Quirky, challenging, and humorous, the ideas encourage lighthearted creativity with such topics as writing about a girl named Dot without using any letters with dots (such as i or j), describing a person named Chris by the reactions of others as he walks into a room, or creating three completely different sentences with the word crumpled."

By the Book

2011-02-21T20:53:00.000-08:00

Reading is huge in our house, as it is in the homes of many homeschoolers. Obviously, we read books for school and related to school. But we read many times more books simply for the pleasure of it. I distinctly remember being in school and being assigned books I had no interest in reading. However, some of those books ended up being among my favorites, or if not favorites, books from which I learned quite a bit or had to think very hard about topics on which I had not previously spent much time thinking. I enjoyed that facet of my education experience so much, in fact, that I actively seek out book discussions so that I am "forced" to read books outside my comfort zone. Many times the groups select books with topics on which I thought I had no interest, or by authors I believe I didn't like. For example, in one group we read The Road by Cormac McCarthy. Not a book that brings a smile to your face, and while I was reading I felt annoyed at wasting my time on such a depressing novel. However - the discussion from that book remains one of my favorite discussions, and it totally changed my perspective on the novel. The discussion brought a new dimension to the novel and completely changed the experience for me. I try to do this with my children - especially when they have a hard time getting into a book I know has value (Johnny Tremain comes to mind).

Recently, I've contemplated the benefit of discussion groups and wondered about starting a discussion group for my daughters. (My oldest daughter asked me specifically about starting a group, and I'm investigating whether this is a feasible option right now.) This got me thinking about starting (another) book group for me - one with fellow homeschoolers. I find homeschoolers to be an interesting and eclectic group, which makes for a great discussion group. I'm just not sure I know enough homeschoolers in a small enough geographic area to make it happen!

Oh well, something to think about!

Potential and Possibilities

2011-02-17T11:05:00.000-08:00

I'm working hard to think early about the next academic year. And I find it very exciting this time around. I always think through every possible option for our family and each child. From unschooling to boxed curriculum, I review each choice every year and "try it on" for size in my mind. Naturally, I also ask my children what they are enjoying, what their interests are, what they want to do, etc. I feel like their input is essential to a successful year. I'm no where near finished with this process, but am having fun looking at all the possibilities. After so many years of having the kids home, I realize that the approach itself isn't what matters - it's whether or not it works for us. A boxed curriculum would not work for us. Every year I look at Calvert, and every year I make the same decision not to buy. It's not that there is anything wrong with Calvert, it's just that I know myself and I couldn't follow it - I'm too much of a tweaker (that is a gross understatement - I'm more of a "let's completely re-do everything" type). Unschooling at this point would not work for us. I've talked to unschoolers with teens, and it seems that maybe when my kids are in high school this might be a good option, but not for now. It's not the approach itself, and goodness knows that by the nature of having children we end up doing many, many, many child-led projects, games, etc. It's part of what keeps us so busy. But dropping all structure? Not right now. It wouldn't work for me. Or my kids for that matter - they've told me time and again how much they love what we do. And in the end, I really don't think it matters so long as the homeschool parent is happy and functioning - if I'm stressed out and anxious, my kids will be, too.

So that leaves me back where I always fall - eclectic homeschooler. Which of course, means thousands of options and possibilities. Right now, I'm concentrating on my oldest. She has specifically asked to do some work "on the computer," so I think we'll use PowerSpeak for a foreign language. I am also planning to take my family to Costa Rica for a month for a living language program, but that may or may not happen next year. It will happen at some point - I'm determined!- but the timing is TBD right now. And I own Auralog, but I think I'll hold off on that until she has a firmer base. It seems like a very good program, but perhaps too unstructured for her right now as she doesn't speak Spanish at all.

As for the other subjects... sigh. Math, we will stay the course with Teaching Textbooks and Math Mammoth. She is absolutely improving with these two programs and while math isn't her strong area, she is making strides. Art and Music - right now, I think we (a) get lots of these just living life, visiting museums, going to performance, talking with artists and musicians, learning an instrument, etc.; and (b) I like my approach for the rest - we do monthly musician studies (this basically means reading a biography, watching a biographical movie, and listening to lots of his/her music, followed by creating a reflection (either by drawing or writing); in art we do a weekly project (we also do so many other art projects they choose I can't always keep up, so I know we're covered). But the "meaty" subjects of Language Arts, History and Science... I'm still researching options and getting her input. There's lots of potential for a wonderful year, and I'm looking forward to it!

Butterflies!

2011-02-16T10:51:00.000-08:00

Well, they aren't butterflies yet, so maybe I need to change that to "Larvae!" but somehow doesn't sound as nice...
Six tiny caterpillars arrived today (special delivery, complete with a warming pad and food). The girls are excited to watch them develop and grow. And I must admit, so am I. We have had butterflies before, but it's been long enough that the memories are fuzzy. It is amazing to watch them emerge from the chrysalis as beautiful butterflies when you saw them arrive as little black "worms." We love our tiny insect friends here. Last year we were overrun with tiny praying mantes - they escaped the habitat (or rather, were set free by One Curious Child) and were all over our house. Fortunately, we managed to gather them and put them in our garden. Of course, the best part about this is that it means spring must not be too far away and with it warmer weather. Much like the tiny caterpillars, we are slowly changing each day as the sun stays longer in the sky. We actually went on our morning walk again today - it's been over a month since our last "morning constitutional." It was cold and windy, but not as cold and windy as it has been. And it was sunny. And alive. We saw hundreds of birds take off from the pond and fly overhead, we could see the little changes happening to the trees and bushes, the grass, which we can actually see now, doesn't seem as dead... things still looks ugly and gray (like our caterpillars). So we just have to wait for the world to emerge from its chrysalis in a few weeks.

Is It Dark in Here?

2011-02-15T14:44:00.000-08:00

In honor of the fact that today I can find nothing to say, and feel that the lights in my head are off...

"I have nothing to say, I am saying it, and that is poetry."
~J. Cage

Weekend Reading

2011-02-13T17:43:00.000-08:00

If you're looking for a break from reading about approaches to homeschooling, parenting advice and/or curriculum catalogs, I recommend a diversion with The Sweetness at The Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley. This book is interesting and funny - perfect for homeschoolers who need a vacation from heavy thinking. I read it this weekend between swim meet starting guns, screaming parents, jabbering kids, and trips to the girls' locker room. It's an easy enough read that you can be in a loud setting, but captivating enough that you stick with the story instead of being distracted. The main character is a precocious 11-year-old girl with a penchant for poisons living in England in 1950. Naturally, a dead body is found on the estate where she lives with her father, two sisters, and collection of interesting household help and quirky villagers. And naturally, she works to solve the mystery before the police. Yes, it is hilarious (at least I found it hilarious - but I thoroughly enjoy dark, dry humor!). It's part of a series and I'm looking forward to picking up book two.

Secular Middle School Science

2011-02-11T13:44:00.000-08:00

I recently came across The JASON Project - a site offering science curricula to schools, homeschoolers and parents at no cost. It is funded in part by the National Geographic Society, and presents each unit as a mission or expedition to make it fun and engaging for the students, and offers many online tools (videos, activities, quizzes, etc.) to aid in the learning process.

From the website...
"The JASON Project was founded in 1989 by Dr. Robert D. Ballard, the oceanographer and explorer who discovered the shipwreck of RMS Titanic. Within months, he received thousands of letters from middle school students asking to join his next expedition. Dr. Ballard knew his discovery had tapped a wellspring of curiosity and excitement about science and was determined to feed it.

The result was The JASON Project, named for the mythological Greek explorer. Since then, JASON has connected more than 10 million students and teachers with real scientific exploration and discovery.

JASON's science curriculum units are designed to:

Light the spark of inspiration in students
Fit within school districts' core 5th-8th grade curricula
Adapt to higher and lower levels
Align to state and national standards
Cover at least five to nine weeks of material
Include numerous research articles, hands-on lab activities, videos, games, and multimedia resources
Include suggested lesson plans, extensions, interdisciplinary connections, and teacher resources for alignment, assessment, and classroom management."

We have not yet used JASON science, but I plan to in the next academic year. It is geared for middle school students, and my oldest will fit the bill in the fall. I spent several hours trying to navigate a unit and found it rather difficult from the perspective of planning out assignments, so I reached out to fellow homeschoolers over at Secular Homeschool (thank you!) for advice. It sounds like other parents also found the website a bit tricky and that the easiest way is to order a hard copy of the book (approx. $25).With the book, you can find the resources on the website and navigate the lessons more efficiently.

I'm excited to look through the website in more detail and pick the units we'll use next year. I have a feeling this will be a good fit for my daughter, who loves science and has been asking to do more. If you are a current or prospective user please let me know what your experience has been, and feel free to offer any thoughts, advice, tips, etc. - I can generally use all the help I can get!

American Heroes

2011-02-10T15:33:00.000-08:00

by DD9

by DD7

In honor of Black History Month, the girls have been reading biographies about important men and women in history. I am so excited that my children have read so many fabulous books - they have learned so much and we have had some great discussions. In order to honor these heroes, each of the girls made a poster (well, three of the four have made her poster - my oldest is reading a lengthy biography on the man she chose and hasn't finished yet).

by DD6

I thought I'd share their work. This seemingly simple project actually provoked deeper thinking as the girls had to ask themselves what to include on the poster. It was tough as they wanted to include much, much more than they had room for. The girls each had different thoughts on what made her hero important to her and what facts she wanted to share. As February rolls on, we may create more posters - I know we'll keep reading!

You know it's Monday when....

2011-02-07T17:26:00.000-08:00

1. The French instructional program prompts, "Try to say 'well.'" And you reply, "well."

2. While sitting in your car ready to back out, you can't find your keys. After pulling everything out of your purse and using some choice language, your daughter notices they are in the ignition.

3. You put your left contact in your right eye, and vice versa, and wear them that way all day.

Artistic Endeavor of the Week

2011-02-04T10:29:00.000-08:00

Today, as part of Black History Month, we learned about Afro-Caribbean artist Bernard Hoyes and the Caribbean Revival style of art. Our work is inspired by Hoyes, but we followed the directions found (once again) on the fabulous site Art Projects for Kids. We discussed the use of color in Hoyes' work as well as the themes and motifs found in his artwork. This was a challenging project for my kids - it looks simple, but looks can be deceiving. Once we finished our pieces they really appreciated Hoyes' artwork even more!

Gung hay fat choy!

2011-02-03T10:48:00.000-08:00

Today is Chinese New Year, and I thought I'd pass along a neat site I found here. In addition to watching the videos on the site, I gave each kid a red Chinese envelope with a dollar in it and an orange. They also each have a "for fun" book downloaded from Enchanted Learning, and a book mark explaining the animal for the year each was born. Oh - and the big festival (the lantern festival) is celebrated on the full moon, so you have some time to add it in if you haven't already.

Sun nien fai lok!

Secular Thursday

2011-02-03T08:35:00.000-08:00

I am a secular homeschooler. That being said, religion is all over our homeschool - we discuss all different religions, non-religions, points of view, etc. This happens when we do history, literature, social studies, poetry, art, and so on. This week we've been reading myths the book An Illustrated Treasury of Read-Aloud Myths and Legends. I don't have a separate subject called "religion." But I still thought we covered it pretty well.

Until last night when my 6-year-old came to me with her bedtime reading and needed help with a few words. She is reading a biography of Sojourner Truth and came to the words "Methodist" and "religion." She could read Methodist, but had no idea what it meant. Not surprising. I told her it was a type of Christian. She raised and eyebrow and said, "Oh. Which gods do those Christians believe in again?"

Yikes. Okay, okay. She is six and we have been reading a LOT of mythology. No biggie. I reminded her they believe in one god. To which she replied, "Oooohhh! Okay - like the Jewish people." Good girl! She remembered.

Then she goes, "What is that word again?" (pointing to "religion"). "Religion," I answer. She then says, to my disbelief, "Hmmm. What is religion? What is that"

Silence.

Doesn't this come up in our house all the time? Oh boy. I feel like we talk about religion, religious views, religious beliefs and such every day. For Pete's sake we go to a UU fellowship and I know that R.E. covers many, many religions because I am one of the teachers! I felt a bit of relief that she didn't ask me this question in front of the moms at our next homeschool event (although it almost would have been worth it for the reactions).

Obviously I didn't say any of this to her. I answered her question and she went on her way. And then I thought about it: (A) she is six; (B) "religion" is a big concept and a strange word; (C) learning about religion doesn't mean learning the word religion; and (D) I know many adults that I'm pretty sure don't understand what religion is - they believe it means Christian.

Than again, maybe we're just more secular than I realized...

Groundhog Day - Now What?

2011-02-02T04:39:00.000-08:00

If you're like me, you may have a solid "base" curriculum, but when it comes to holidays and special days you find yourself scrambling at the last minute to find a great way to educate your children about these important and/or fun dates and people. Or maybe you're not like me, and you are savvy enough to plan ahead - and in that case, I am completely impressed with your stellar planning abilities! Either way, you might find a free resource, or two, helpful.

Today and is Groundhog Day, and I just watched the spectacle of Punxsutawney Phil and his (man)handlers (seriously, this is a **strange** tradition). At least he didn't see his shadow. Every year my kids are super-excited about Groundhog Day, and every year they ask me a ton of questions about it - and naturally I can't remember the answers from the year before. We do have two books about Groundhog's Day, and while the kids enjoy them, they always want to learn more.

The following resources are free and can be used for Groundhog Day (and other holidays if you navigate back to their home pages):

Learning Pathways (click here for Groundhog specific resources) *this site has so much to offer - I highly recommend checking it out!
The Teacher's Corner
Mr. Donn
Teacher Vision

Happy Groundhog Day, and go spring!

Black History, Black Heroes

2011-02-01T15:11:00.000-08:00

As part our learning during Black History month, we are reading a selection from Book of Black Heroes from A to Z by Wade Hudson and Valerie Wesley. It is by no means an exhaustive book, but it allows us to read a little about different heroes every day. The nice thing about this particular book is that the entries serve as introductions. They are short, but provide enough information to pique one's interest. I am going to then have each of the girls choose the person they are most interested in learning more about. We will then check out biographies from the library, and at the end of the month each girl will make a poster for her Black Hero. (Each poster will reflect the age and ability of the maker!)

Our Work Space

2011-01-31T08:27:00.000-08:00

A poster over at Secular Homeschool in this post asked to see pictures of fellow homeschoolers' work spaces. I love to see how other homeschoolers organize and create areas for education within the home. I always come away with ideas and inspiration. I know that for our family, we have a dedicated work area, but we often venture out of that area and into other parts of the home (namely the kitchen). That was especially true before I converted the playroom on our second level into a space dedicated to housing the things we use for homeschooling. One of the reasons we bought this home was this room and we know how lucky we are to have it! It was great as a playroom, but even better as our workspace. It's such a bright, sunny spot that we actually look forward to mornings spent in the room. But wandering still does occur - and is encouraged! At some point, I hope to get new furniture so that I can consolidate some things and have an area with some overstuffed chairs for reading. But it will have to wait... for now I'm really happy with the way things turned out!

I actually store some of our books in the hallway just outside the room

The first shelf houses novels, anthologies, ancient history and books on the middle ages.

The second shelf is home to (more) novels - especially books in a series, holiday books, picture books, & early modern history through today.


View from the doorway - we have an enormous timeline that goes along the top of the back wall

My middle two sit at the center table for the most part, but we often do our art projects, music, etc. at this table


This is my desk (messy!). The bookcase on the right holds more project supplies as well as some extra teaching resources that are not currently being used. The shelf on the left holds extra binders, books and manual that are currently being used, and behind the doors - extra paper and materials needed for projects throughout the year (it is not normally decorated for Chinese New Year - but it's a great spot to hang stuff like that!). Obviously, the bridging shelves hold even more of our books. And one of the best things in this corner... the photocopier/printer and stand. Talk about well-used!

View from back corner - I use the back of the doors to hold our word books, calendar and 100s chart (mainly used for my 6-year old), and a white board - I really need a bigger white board and am in the process of figuring out where it would go.

The windows are all flanked with bookcases. The low bookcases are organized by subject. The tall bookcases are for books and curriculum in use by the kids. Each daughter has one of the bottom shelves. This becomes her "locker" (though we don't use that word) where she keeps her black holder (this holds all workbooks, reading books, etc., that she needs on a daily basis), her current binders, and anything else she wants to keep there (we have purses, dolls, crayons, etc., on these shelves). The top shelves hold the upcoming curriculum & books for each girl, and on the right-hand shelf, the middle shelves hold their assigned reading books for the year. The bookcases are also used to hold the girls' reading chains (they add a link for each assigned book with the title, author, and their rating). My youngest daughter usually sits at the round table in the corner - she likes to spread waaaaay out and usually ends up working under the table instead of on it. =)

We have a fishing line across the room to hold art projects and other items that the girls want to display (it's a little bare right now as I just took everything down last week so we could start over). There is also an extra desk that is a computer "station" and comes in handy for spelling (I use Spell Quizzer) and internet research. The low shelf on the end holds science books and displays books we are using for any subject.

The math shelf (math + goldfish = fun). I added labels this year in an effort to help the kids remember where things go after they take them out - it has made a BIG difference! Things are being put away correctly for a change.


This shelf is home to poetry, geography and biography books/games.

Each daughter has her own bulletin board for displaying her work for the week. I added this feature in this year because the girls felt that they weren't able to share their work enough. At the end of the week, they show everything to Daddy (or Nana... or the neighbor...) and it's really worked out well. It's helped involve my husband more than he ever has been before. And the girls are really proud of what they do so it's nice for them to be able to showcase it a little. (This board belongs to DD9.)

DD10's board - her desk is right below it.

DD7's board - above the computer station

DD6's board - above the photocopier/printer

I added the round corner shelves in order to store our art and science gear out in the open. The low shelf next to it holds more science equipment, and the cart below it holds scrap paper.

I added an additional bookcase this year to hold our reading reference material (dictionaries, thesauruses, etc.) plus reading instruction books and leveled readers.

This has to be one of my favorite bookcases in the room because the drawers neatly hold so much! All the construction paper, tissue paper, wood craft sticks and dowels, buttons, beads, clay, pipe cleaners, etc., etc., etc., are hidden away but easily accessible. The top holds a few more supplies (scissors, tape and other things we grab every day) plus more of our picture books.

Thanks for visiting our work space!

Better than Book Reports

2011-01-30T18:52:00.000-08:00

This year, I'm doing literature a bit differently. In the past, I've followed an instructional system loosely based on Classical Education. I chose our history topics and tied literature (as much as possible) to the period/person/place we were studying. We also read many, many other books not related to history, but I didn't count those as "Literature" the subject, just literature worth reading. For the 2010 - 2011 year, I decided I needed a change and break from Classical, and am using Moving Beyond the Page for literature, social studies and science.

I have yet to decide whether I love this curriculum or not. After approaching education from a Classical standpoint for so many years, I feel somewhat like a sell-out using a more traditional approach. I recognize that this is not selling out as in theory I don't believe there is one right way to do anything. But emotionally, I feel like I'm cheating. It's illogical, I know. And there are things to like about the change. One of the great things about this curriculum is that it involves layers of thinking on one topic - which the Grammar Stage in Classical Education does not. Naturally, a parent can always encourage this, but traditionally the Grammar Stage is more about memorization of fact and procedure. We have always been a project-based family so MBtP fits in well as there are many projects in each unit. (This is also the challenge for me with this curriculum - four kids, four times the number of projects.)

My 10-year-old daughter recently completed A House of Tailors for her literature unit. The book ties into her social studies unit on immigration. Last year, I would have had her read the book within a week, discussed it with her, and had her do either a narration or a simple project (depending on the week). I can guarantee you that we would not have spent three weeks on the book. At first, spending so much time on one book was a tough change for her. And for me. But as the year has gone on, I've come to appreciate how much deeper we are delving into each book and how much more she is getting out of it. I believe she has a firmer grasp on literary elements and story structure. She still reads at least 2-3 other books each week (one assigned by me, the others of her choosing) on topics not necessarily related to our school.work so I'm not worried about "killing her love of reading" by any means. In fact, she told me this week how much she likes MBtP and wants to stick with it for next year. Shock! I don't think any curriculum is perfect, and I'm still undecided about continuing with it for next year, but I can say that sticking with it thus far has broadened my thinking on approaches to learning and I believe it is helping my children develop critical thinking skills. Above is a picture of the final project on A House of Tailors.

Art for Black History Month

2011-01-28T13:05:00.000-08:00

Or for any month, really. But as next month is Black History Month, today we began talking about what this means and why it is important. In art, we discussed that there are many different colors, and that each color can be beautiful. We also thought about how important it is to have variety in color. That in fact, it is the variety which makes each color so beautiful and unique itself. We read Priscilla and the Pink Planet to bring this point home. We then applied this discussion to skin color and created our art work - Many Colored Hands, which is (again) from Art Projects for Kids. The girls really enjoyed using the oil pastels, combining and layering them to create unique colors for the hands. Next month, we will cover much more for Black History Month but this project was a great start!

Chess? No Stress!

2011-01-27T10:34:00.000-08:00

For several years, my oldest daughters have asked to learn to play chess. While my husband knows how to play, he is rarely home at a decent hour so teaching them consistently was a problem. And unfortunately for the girls, I never learned how to play. Last week we acquired No Stress Chess. (I know, I know - I'm going to sound like a sales representative, and I'm not - though I did provide a link for anyone that feels like looking at it for themselves... I'm just so excited that my family can now play chess together!) No Stress Chess has to be one of the easiest ways to learn the basics of the game. You set up the board, draw a card, follow the directions on the card... and play! Once you've mastered the basic moves, playing with the cards provides interesting chess situations. And possibly most importantly for times when you are playing close to bedtime, if you use the cards it really keeps the game moving along. You can also flip the board over and play a standard chess game without the cards.

We also have Think Like a King, which is a software program designed to teach chess. I have to say that I love Think Like a King - however, it's a bit tough for my younger crowd. I would recommend it for middle school and up. It provides much more detail than No Stress Chess and gets into tactical moves, etc., but there's quite a bit of reading which tends to be hard on the 6-10 age group. They really just want to play! Between the two products, I'm determined that I will become a decent chess player. This hasn't happened in the last five days. I can play, but not all that well (hence the score between my husband and I: husband, 4; me, 0; ties, 1). However, ALL of my girls can play with us and with each other - and they enjoy doing it. I could not be happier with No Stress Chess for my gang.

Winter Art

2011-01-20T07:16:00.000-08:00

Our art project for the week (Winter Birch Trees) involved watercolor paper, watercolor paint, acrylic paint and painters tape. The girls were definitely challenged with thinking "in the negative" while creating this project. Great fun! This idea comes straight from one of my favorite art blogs, Art Projects for Kids.

Off the Bookshelf

2011-01-19T10:24:00.000-08:00

Here's a glimpse at what we're all reading this week...

My Reads Above (I'm revisiting some of the classics this year)

My Husband

Everyone (family read-aloud)

Fifth Grader

Third Grader

Second and Third Grader Together

Second Grader

(for the 2nd time)

First Grader

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday

2011-01-12T12:41:00.000-08:00

Cheery inside...

Bleak outside...

Hmmm...

2011-01-10T11:52:00.000-08:00

The challenge is knowing one from the other...

Perseverance:

Steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, etc., esp. in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement

Obstinacy:

Unreasonably, often perversely unyielding; bullheaded; pigheaded

School's Out ... Or Is It?

2011-01-07T04:23:00.000-08:00

My youngest daughter attended nursery school two years ago, and I remember that when it snowed I would wait for the decision to be made that school had either been delayed or canceled. It seemed to me that the decision would often come very late, too close to the wire. And sometimes the wrong decision seemed to be made - canceled when clearly nothing major in the atmosphere was going one, and not canceled when a virtual blizzard was brewing. But I have more sympathy with the decision-makers today as my friend and I anxiously try to decide whether or not our homeschool group should be canceled.

Either way, I'm happy to look out the window and see what looks powdered sugar everywhere.

Secular Thursday

2011-01-06T06:47:00.000-08:00

I spent some time this morning reading various articles, blogs, and book excerpts on a topic that seems, on the surface at least, not to relate to me in any way. And not only not to relate to me, but not to relate to homeschooling (least of all secular homeschooling) by any stretch of the imagination: infertility and religion.

But as I take a wide-lens view to education, and I consider this apropos.

You're probably wondering why. Or at least wondering what I hit my head on this morning. But hear me out... This is not a topic I know much about from personal experience. I have friends, I have acquaintances, but I have no experience myself and thus haven't thrown myself into the topic as I might if I were personally affected and involved. I decided this morning that while I have a rudimentary grasp on the topic, I didn't have enough knowledge to satiate my curiosity, my sympathy. Coming at it from outside the circle of involved participants allows me to react not with raw emotion (though certainly emotion is there), but with thoughtfulness and wonder. And I realized that this is a wish I have for my children: to want to pursue knowledge where knowledge is lacking, and to be able to entertain the beliefs of others with respect and wonder. And it's my job as educator and parent to ensure this happens. It is my choice to do so from a secular perspective, but we are all connected in this life and it is important to understand and respect the traditions and beliefs held by others, even if we do not share them.