Looking Back

I just revised my post on planning for 2010-2011 to include comments on what has worked this year and what has not, why we have chosen some things over others, and what we are considering doing the same or differently next year.  You can read it here.

Planning Ahead

We are in process of deciding what we want to study and use next year for 2nd and 3rd grades with our girls. Here is a partial list of what we are looking at so far:

Math - Singapore Math – Lessons and Math Sprints (levels 2 and 3)

History - Story of the World vol. 2 & activity book.  As I am looking at the time frame, Fall of Rome through the Rise of the Renaissance, I am thinking we can incorporate lots of music and art history.  Hmmm...where are my old music history CDs and books? 

Science - Apologia Exploring Creation with Botany and then probably Flying Creatures of the Fifth Day

Language Arts – All About Spelling (I am switching because one of my kids is having some writing/motor skill issues and I am hoping this program will address that a bit), weekly composition writing (on computer, use to reinforce spelling, grammar concepts), Writing With Ease vol. 2

Spanish – Rosetta Stone (if I can find a good deal on it!)

Latin - not decided on this yet (3rd grader only)

Geography – continue to use our geography songs CD and map them (this year, we've learned the continents and oceans and the countries of Africa, the Middle East, Southern Europe and the US and Canada so far!)

US & PA History – make up units in PA and US History as we are interested

For our preschooler, I am looking at the following:

Praise Factory Big Questions and Answers for Little People

Nature studies

Botany

We just began Apologia's Exploring Creation with Botany course and are really enjoying it! Our first big project was building a light hut so we could grow some seeds. Here is our light box building project (we had several sick kids, so school was done in pjs all week if at all).






We planted our seeds a week ago and kept peeking in at them. Here they are a week later!
Broccoli, lettuce, carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, zucchini and a green onion! Now to prepare the garden!

Rock Cycle Studies

We have been enjoying learning about rocks in anticipation of a field trip to Stone Mountain Park next week. The site I have found to be most helpful in our studies these past weeks is here.

Yesterday, we learned about the rock cycle using a fun website (that I think looks promising for other studies, too!) and then drew our own interpretations. Then, the girls were given an assignment when we went to the park later in the day. They had to plan and act out a rock cycle show for us. Here it is, for your viewing pleasure. :)

Notice that they even get weathering, erosion, deposition, compaction (into sedimentary rock), metamorphism, melting and crystallization (into granite) and extrusion (volcano)! I think they're ready for our file trip. :)

Fall Seed Walk

Even though it's been on my calendar every week, last week was the first one when we actually made it to the arboretum on a non-class visit. I revamped the school schedule to fit it in better, though we still didn't get there until almost 11:30 and got home around 2. Amazing how long it takes to get us out the door! The assignment was to find signs of fall, especially seeds. We also picked our "spot" that we drew in our journals and will visit and draw each season throughout the next year. Here is our visit:

Amazingly stunning ginko leaves - they're as bright and beautiful as many of the maples I have seen around and are such fun shapes!

D. did a great job of finding the first two seed examples!

An elven tree....

Our "spot" that we will chronicle throughout the year....

Cuneiform Seals

We attempted to make cuneiform seals with salt dough, since that is what I had on hand last week. The girls formed flat tablets and then let them dry. This afternoon, we attempted to use the seals in a print-making method. We painted them and then placed paper on top to see if it would make the image on the paper. They worked OK, not great, since it is hard to make the dough completely flat and then it also dries a bit warped. Still, how could it not be fun when paint is involved?!

What to Do With a Three-Year Old

My son just turned 3 years old, and one present he received was a subscription to Wild Animal Baby magazine, which is perfect for his age! We were reading it last week and he seemed to enjoy the porcupine finger play in it, so I thought we would just go with what we were reading and build some activities for him to do. We made salt dough and formed it into porcupine shapes and then he stuck toothpicks into them (we did something similar with the girls several years ago). Today, we finally got around to painting it,so here are his porcupines.