Lego Creations During Catch-Up Week

Organizing the Lego collection is paying off as the one level, reload-by-hand marble-mover is improved to a continuous marble-mover. Rested minds create and share Lego ideas :-)

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Week Nine of Logic Stage Third Year Homeschooling by Us

Science in a Charlotte Mason fashion lead us to:

READ and SKETCHaRESPONSE

Tiner, Exploring the World of Chemistry Ch 3: The Search for Gold elements and atoms    18
Kindle:  Wonder Book of Chemistry, Chap 15 (Air and Combustion) and Chap 16 (Rust)
Hands of a Child Notebook with questions, Read Type of Metals and Metal Ages
·         Define:  Pure Metals, Alloys, Hemoglobin, Anemia, Rust, Extracted, Annealing, Corrode, Tarnish
·         Activity 4 – Types of Metals: An investigation into the Alkali Metal Group was conducted.
·         Activity 5 – Table of Metals:  We are collecting data about metals from the periodic table.
·         Activity 6 – Pure Metals:  This is basically an experiment testing the magnetic properties of coinage.  We put the Daddy's collection of pre-Euro European coinage to the magnet and determined that three-quarters of these coins were non-magnetic (and a surprising number were).  And everyone cheered that no one was injured in the process of actually learning. (green mega magnet and coin collection)
DK Chemistry pages 20-21

Our Classical Approach to History continued as follows:

Chapter SOTW3	start page	topics	subtopic	KHE	UILE	Synge AoE, SfSP & GoBE	Haaren	LHW	date	event	Guerber: Story of the 13 Colonies & Story of the Great Republic
Chapter 8	81	The Middle of the East	The Persian Puzzle						1629	Shah Abbas I of Persia dies	Pilgrims, Ch. XXX, The First American Thanksgiving, Thru 1629
			The Ottoman Turks	Pgs. 266-267; The Ottoman Empire 1602-1783	Pgs. 298-299; The Ottoman Empire				1623	Sultan Murad IV comes to the throne of the Ottoman Empire	Pilgrims, Salem, 1628, Ch. XXXI, The Snake Skin and the Bullets, 1623-1683
Chapter 18	175	East and West Collide	The Ottomans Look West Twice	Pgs. 175 – 178; The Ottomans Look West – Twice		The Siege of Vienna by the Turks	Sobieski, Louis XIV	Ch32 Meanwhile, looking Eastwards	1683	Turks at Vienna

LHW = Little History of the World by Gombrich (which we tend not to use that much, but this chapter was very helpful.)

To those of you who are familiar with The Story of the World by Dr. Bauer, these sources will be on your shelf. Otherwise, this may tell you that we are discussing Things Ottoman this week, and that makes me very comfy based on my crazy familiarity with Turkish and Middle Eastern Studies. 

The IEW Experiment is Begun

I've been on the bandwagon developed by the Institute of Excellence in Writing for over three years now, but failed to actually IMPLEMENT their products out of F-E-A-R.  I am not a writer.  I've completed two graduate programs of coursework, but never written the thesis thereby making me still not a Master of anything. 

But, I've placed the Student Writing Intensive version B in front of G1 this week, and he zoomed through the first TWO weeks of work.  He loves the check-list for grading and expectations.  He enjoys the animated DVD presentation from Mr. Andrew. 
 
I didn't receive any part of TWSS or SWI-B for free in order to write about it.  I paid exactly what most people pay when they order from the IEW website, but I didn't buy it until the Logic Stage of our Classical education schedule.  You see, I was not buying teacher materials for history or science, so was able to afford the HUGE investment for WRITING. IT'S THAT IMPORTANT.

Two Gs are eager writers and never take short cuts when writing. Often they write too much, and I learn more about writing while editing their contributions.  All three Gs have our old Palm Centro phones, and these two affore mentioned Gs write their own stories about all kinds of things.  Many times G1 is writing about youtube stop action pieces he wants to do with legos.  G2 writes about drama and fiction (go figure - tween girl, remember?). 

So, when we spend lots of time reading/listening to materials for history and science, the narration exercises we commence with help organize what we learned from the materials and how we can use it in the future.  IEW encourages me to use this material too as we continue the never-ending mission to WRITE and learn to Write better (even in a formulaic manner - it's better than hitting the "I can't do it" wall).  Someday, these 3Gs will look back on it and be grateful for the foundation.  Right now, G1 enjoys exercising the writing muscles.  G1 above with first draft (chicken scratched) and final draft typed. 

Catch-Up, Week 8 and Staycation

 As requested by G3 and condoned by the remaining students, teacher and administrator of Paisley Classical Academy, we proclaim this catch-up week complete.


Life and Lego collection more organized and at peace :-)

Next week: SOTW3 Chapters 8 and 18 while pre-reading something about the Thirty Years' War or London Burning.

Week Seven of Logic Stage Homeschool Schedule

Ok, week 7 is over! Grammar, Maths, spelling and the whole lot is wrapped up. We need a break... but we can't leave town during the coming week (eight) because of commitments to volunteering, band and Bible study.  So, we're doing a reduced load of maths and grammar to keep those muscles engaged, but leaving off of science and history.  I'll post about the events as they come off - because even I don't know what might happen ;-)

This is what we worked on during week seven: 

how soap cures

READ and SKETCHaRESPONSE or Narrate

Tiner, Exploring the World of Chemistry Chapter 2: The Money Metals     12
Kindle:  Wonder Book of Chemistry, Ch13 (A Talk on Tools) and Ch14 (Oxygen)
Hands of a Child Notebook with questions
Review about common properties of metals.  (list 8 things)
Test aluminum foil to determine if it is an electrical conductor
DK Chemistry pages 18 and 19

SOTW3CHChapter 7, begins on page 71
The Spread of Slavery
Tobacco-and Unwilling Colonists
Kindle:
Amos Fortune, Free Man by Elizabeth Yates, and watch "Amazing Grace" movie.
Guerber Story of the Thirteen Colonies:  Virginia, Ch. XLI, The Old Dominion, Rolfe, Virginia, Slavery. 1624-1673,
I.  Queen Nzinga of Angola
Kindle:
Marshall – This Country of Ours:  20. Bacon's Rebellion 1676
Guerber Story of the Thirteen Colonies:  Virginia, Ch. XLII, Bacon’s Rebellion, 1583-1663, 1675-1676, Virginia, Ch. XLIII, A Journey Inland, 1676-1688, Carolina, Pirates, Georgia, Ch. XLIV, The Carolina Pirates, 1663-1752,
PAST FACT:  1663, Queen Nzinga of Angola dies

Habitat Study otherwise known as Physical Geography

My theme for teaching PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY was all about field trips and short-to-the-point pieces from Hands of a Child through the vendor CurrClick.com.  Truly, my focus was on ecosystems, but so much from my teaching assistant position in the Geography/Geology University Department came through these discussions of ecosystems into landforms and weathering factors. 

Over the past six years we've covered ocean, desert, polar, forest, mountain, rainforest and grassland.  We began with the Apologia book about oceans and swimming things.  I enjoyed it, but the book tended to drag on and on even though I brought in the compelling H.C. Holling book, Seabird to read.  So, we moved on to polar topics with a lapbook product that coincided with the winter Olympics in Canada.  Desert ecosystems were next when we got to visit the high desert in Utah several times.  Then the mountain topic because, while in the high desert, there was skiing down a mountain, and it all related so well together.  Deciduous and evergreen forests were discussed while we enjoyed H.C. Holling's book called, Paddle-to-the-Sea.  We studied the rainforest after visiting Hawaii.  I really LOVE field trips!  Lastly, we are now finishing the grassland materials.  Truthfully, I never considered the various grassland habitats on each continent and how those differ. 



We don't do these products as lapbooks anymore.  Even though I have one tactile learner, the others get so bogged down by cutting and coloring, and that wasn't why I wanted this study in the first place.  These studies allowed my 3Gs to read, think and write about each bit of information presented by the HOAC authors as well as other story book materials.  Nature studies were best organized through these topics for us over this period.  Now that we're concluding these habitat studies, Nature Study will take a different direction.  (Including a hummingbird moth in front yard.)

ABOVE: G2 USED THE ED EMBERLING THUMBPRINT ART BOOK TO SET THE WETLAND SCENE.  G1 ALSO PERFECTED HIS SPELLING OF HABITAT AFTER THE FRENCH VERB LESSON WHICH MADE HIM CONJUGATE "TO LIVE" VERB.

Logic Stage Week Six and a.little.about.Scheduling

My theme for teaching these homeschooled Logic Stage students is DIVIDE AND CONQUER. Now that doesn't mean anyone will meet their demise.  Of course not!  But, it means that each student has a different subject that they engage in during the days of the week. For example, Wednesday G1 does his history readings, narrations and writing while G2 researches her habitat, flag study and Illinois state study questions.  G3 reads and investigates science.  I patrol and guide from their elbows as needed.  Each must accomplish breakfast and Bible study first which takes some "herding" toward task accomplishment, but once they decide which topic or source to start with each day, the Logic Stage is for me to ask the "Why" questions as often as possible and encourage discerning thought.  G3 tends to get his maths done early because it works for him. G1 does his intermittently with other subjects, because he can sometimes hits a wall that needs a change of direction in order to clear the mind of vexation.  G2 gladly works independently in her room and gets her music practice time done along with her maths, because she's all about visiting with her friends when they get home. 

This is in contrast to the Grammar Stage in Classical Education when I taught all three students the same subjects at the same time.  However, I was divided and conquered most often.  I gladly gave up early each day back then because I was so very weary.  I'm grateful for independence seeking tweens during school time.

Week Six of Chemistry and Early Modern/USA History found us using new sources as well as our Kindles.  Did I tell you how much I appreciate the Heritage History resources that bring non-fiction, fiction and biographies from the public domain to the Kindle with images and maps that enhance our learning? Me included!

READ AND SKETCHaRESPONSE or Narrate

Tiner, Exploring the World of Chemistry Chapter 1: Ancient Metals  p. 4
Kindle:  Wonder Book of Chemistry, Chap 11 (Burning Metals) & Chap 12 (Salts)
Hands of a Child Notebook with questions
·         Read Sections:  METALS Intro, Properties of Metal and *The Periodic Table
·         Define:  Elements, Lustrous, Malleable, Ores, Ductile, Reactive, Electrical Conductor, Thermal Conductor, Atom, Periodic Table, Atomic Number
DK Chemistry pages 16-17

SOTW3CHChapter 6, begins on page 61

New Colonies in the New World
I.                    Strangers and Saints in Plymouth
·         Synge Awakening of Europe:  The Pilgrim Fathers
·         Marshall –Our (An) Island Story:  ch. 75 The Story of the Mayflower (1620)
·         Marshall – This Country of Ours:  15. How the Colony Was Saved 1610-14, 22. The Story of the Pilgrim Fathers 1606-1620, 23. The Founding of Massachusetts 1620-1692, 24. The Story of Harry Vane 1636, 25. The Story of Anne Hutchinson And the Founding of Rhode Island 1638, 26. The Founding of Harvard 1638, 27. How Quakers First Came To New England 1656
·         Guerber Story of the Thirteen Colonies:  Pilgrims 1620, Ch. XXVIII, The Mayflower (1620), 1620.  Pilgrims, Ch. XXVIX
PAST FACT:  1625, Charles I becomes king of England
II.                  The Dutch in the New World
·         Synge Awakening of Europe:  The Founder of Pennsylvania, The 'Pilgrim's Progress' (Read Pilgrim's Progress)
·         Marshall – This Country of Ours:  Part 3 Stories of New England, 33. How the Charter of Connecticut Was Saved 1687-89, 34. The Witches of Salem 1692, Part 4 Stories of the Middle and Southern Colonies, 35. The Founding of Maryland 1632-34, 36. How New Amsterdam Became New York 1626-1664, 37. How a German Ruled New York 1689-91
·         Peter of New Amsterdam.   by James Otis
·         Guerber Story of the Thirteen Colonies:  New York, Stuyvesant, Ch. XXXVIII, The Beginning of New York, 1620-1664. 1614-1702

ABOVE: G3 DRAWS A LIFE-LIKE  BIRD AS DIRECTED BY ARTISTIC PURSUITS FROM DIRECTIONS IN THE DRAW, WRITE NOW SOURCES. HE IS AN ARTIST.