Recap of the past few weeks

Over the past few weeks, aside from our usual "readin', ritin', and rithmetic," we also....

...Studied about JAPAN

...Tried a new kind of beef noodle soup. (It was wayyy too salty!) 

...Tried our hand at making origami animals (That didn't turn out too well. Wayyy too complicated!)

...Learned more about the ocean and its different levels.

*The ocean has 3 levels to it:  sunlit zone, twilight zone, and midnight zone.

...Learned a bit about beaches and estuaries.

* An estuary is a point where the sea water and the fresh water come together.

...Attended a curriculum sale/swap.

...Attended a Creation seminar with Gary Bates from Creation Ministries International.

...And, went on a field trip to visit area businesses (Flower shop, Grocery Store, and Bank).

* The kids got to turn carnations into bunnies, tour a grocery store (bakery, freezer, produce, checkout, etc.), and cash in their change for dollar bills.

THIS week, we started on RUSSIA; and, we are also focusing some of our time on Easter (Resurrection Sunday). We are going through the "resurrection eggs," reading stories of Easter, drawing pictures, and watching music videos - all to help us focus on the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord. Here are a couple of the pictures the kids drew. (We have been discussing how the signs of Spring, bunnies, and eggs are all symbols of new life - just like the new life we have when we have faith in Jesus.)

Road Runner's Picture

Coyote's picture

HAPPY EASTER!!!

Two Weeks of China - Lots of Pictures!

For the past 2 weeks, we have learned about China in our History and Geography lessons.

It has been a fun two weeks. Here are a few pictures from only some of the activities we did...

We learned how to play Chinese Checkers.

We ate a Chinese meal of stir fry and fortune cookies. The noodles you see in the stir fry are called rice sticks. It was a nice change from the usual rice grains, or wheat noodles.

We used our Global Art book to learn how many Chinese artists will not sign their name to their artwork but, instead, will stamp their initials onto it. To explain this, we gouged out the kids initials on a small eraser, then used an ink pad to stamp the "signature" onto their artwork.

We learned about Tangram puzzles, where shapes are cut out and designs are made with the shapes. Here, the kids used their shapes to make a swan.

We also made paper Chinese lanterns and watched You Tube videos about the Chinese New Year, a time when a lantern festival takes place and hundreds of lanterns are released into the night sky.

I finished up our studies of China by pulling out some of the keepsakes given to me by my pen pals from Taiwan many years ago. My husband and I also received some things from two Korean college students who stayed with us for a weekend (before we had kids). The kids enjoyed looking at all the items, but especially the delicate art of papercutting. After we looked at all the paper animals, each of the kids chose one they wanted to draw and put into their school notebooks.



Road Runner took a look at the purple dog and decided she wanted to draw that. Not a surprise, since dogs are her favorite animals!

Coyote decided to draw a dragon.

We also listened to Chinese music, learned a little about Buddha, learned about the ancient practice of foot binding, and read about some missionaries who went to China. 

For Science, we mostly concentrated on oceans. We labeled the 5 oceans on a worksheet, learned about the different levels of the ocean, which animals live in the ocean, and got to see what the ocean tastes like when I mixed 1 tsp. of salt with 10 TB of water.  

Aside from our usual school studies, we also took a field trip to the local Bank and Post Office.

Here we are inside the bank vault where all the safe deposit boxes are kept.

Here we are in the Board Room.

At the post office, each of the kids took a turn at hand-stamping a letter.

And, since our Aggie Cat has been feeling much better, the kids have been enjoying spending some extra time with her.

Next week, we start learning about JAPAN!

India, Mountains, & Volcanoes

For the past 2 weeks, as part of our studies about Asia, we mostly concentrated on the country of India.

The kids colored the flag, and learned what the different colors represent:

Orange = Courage & Sacrifice
White = Purity & Truth
Green = Faith & Fertility
The wheel = Ancient symbol called Dharma Chakra (Wheel of Law)

We learned about the Taj Mahal, one of the world's most magnificent buildings, and did a crossword puzzle containing different facts about India. 

We also tried a popular unleavened bread recipe that is eaten in India, called Chapattis. I mixed 4 cups of flour with 2 TB of canola oil and 1 tsp. of salt. Then, gradually mixed in 1-2 cups of water to make a thick dough. Then, the dough was divided into 12 equal balls and flattened with a rolling pin into a 5-inch circle.

The bread was then fried on a hot griddle and served warm with butter and honey. It was edible, but not our favorite. Too bland, and too heavy. Maybe it would be better with a little sugar mixed in and/or some cornmeal instead of all flour.

For Science, we learned about mountains and volcanoes. The kids made models of a mountain by, first, taping a plastic cup to a paper plate with masking tape.

Then, covering the cup with newspaper and taping it down onto the plate.

Then, painting it brown....

After it dried, they added cotton for the snow, green tissue paper for the trees and bushes, and dried beans for rocks.

And, here was the final product....

A few days later, we used a Volcanoes Kid Kit (from Usborne) to learn more about volcanoes and watch one “erupt” on our kitchen table. I believe this kit is currently out of stock with Usborne but, if you do an online search for it, similar items will pop up for purchase elsewhere. Or, you can follow the instructions in the My Father's World manual for ECC and make a volcano out of clay. (We would have done that if we didn't already own the volcano kit.)

First, we gathered all of the ingredients we needed: dish soap, baking soda, vinegar, tissue, empty bottle, and our volcano model. We added a food coloring tablet to ½ cup vinegar and let it dissolve.

Then, Coyote poured it into an empty BBQ sauce bottle (hidden under the volcano), and Road Runner added a squirt of dish soap.

After that, I added baking soda rolled up in a piece of tissue. Then, we waited a couple of minutes for the reaction to occur. It was a neat site to watch as the “lava” flowed from the top of the volcano.

On Friday, we heard about the devastating earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan, so spent some time learning about tsunamis, as well as praying for the people who have been affected by it.

We also had a Dr. Seuss day at the library on Friday, with several other homeschoolers, and shared what some of our favorite books are. From what I could tell, we don't even own a Dr. Seuss book anymore because I think we gave them away before we moved a couple years ago. But, the kids do enjoy watching "Horton Hears a Who" on DVD, which we still have.

So, that's it for now.... Next week, we start learning about China!
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Stylish Blogger Award

Prince Andrew and the Queen Mum, over at GROWING FRUIT, gave me this "Stylish Blogger Award" to add to my blog. Thankyou! So, now, its my turn to pass it on to a few others.

First of all, the rules for the award are as follows:

• Thank and link back the person who awarded you
• Share 7 things about yourself 
• Award 15 recently discovered great bloggers 
• Contact these bloggers and tell them about the award.

Now, on to the 7 things about me....

1. Summer is my favorite season, but I am soooo ready for Spring to be here!
2. I have a huge sweet tooth for candy - just about anything as long as it doesn't have coconut in it.
3. My favorite candy bar is York Peppermint Patties.
4. I enjoy going on walks and nature hikes with my family.
5. We have 2 cats that are like our "babies." They will be 14 years old in April.
6. My favorite color is purple.
7. I am not athletic and do not like to play sports.

And, here are the other bloggers I am sending this award to. Feel free to check them out, as they are ALL great blogs. (Some of them - you know who you are - just need a little nudge to get busy and write something new! Hopefully, this little award will help with that. LOL)...

Vanderhoof House
SnowDEN With the Fam
Snips, Snails, & Puppy Dog Tails
Kelly's Ramblings
John 15:5 Academy
Frugal and (mostly) Fake Food Free
Abernethy Airmail
Cooking Up Faith
Duckett Duckett Goose 
For One Another
McIntosh 7
A Stranger in the House of God
Living, Loving and Learning with the Lord
Lives & Times of the Larsons
Pitcher Perfect Moments

Saudi Arabia, Vet visits, Hummus, etc...

We've had an interesting week taking numerous "field trips" to the Veterinarian's office. Our cat, Aggie, got really sick with pancreatitis and needed to be injected with fluids several times, due to her being dehydrated. She seems to be getting better now, thankfully. The kids and I sure would miss our Aggie Cat. She is always near us during the day while we are doing school. We love her very much.

In between the trips to the Vet, we finished learning about Saudi Arabia this past week. One thing the kids learned is what the Arabic words mean on their flag.

"There is no god but Allah and Mohammed is his prophet."

The kids colored a worksheet that had this flag on it and, underneath, they wrote in big letters:  NOT TRUE! 

We found out that Hummus is actually a Saudi Arabian recipe. We didn't make it, because no one in my family likes bean dip except me. I might eventually give it a try, just for myself. Here's the recipe:

HUMMUS

15 oz. can garbanzo beans (save the liquid)

1/2 cup sesame seeds

1 clove garlic, cut into halves

3 TB lemon juice

1 tsp. salt

pita bread, cut into wedges

Put the saved liquid, sesame seeds, and garlic in a blender. Blend on high until well mixed. Add beans, lemon juice and salt. Blend until smooth. Serve as a dip with pita bread.

We also learned about camel's feet, and how they are specifically made to walk on sand without sinking too much. We did an experiment with a pencil and a quarter to show how the pencil eraser sinks into salt (i.e. sand). But, if you tape a quarter to the end of the pencil, it is much harder for it to sink in. Here you see a picture of Road Runner doing the experiment.

Other Science topics included: Pollution, Acid Rain, and Global Warming. Here, Coyote was drawing pictures of some of the things that cause pollution.

On Thursday night our family attended a Blue & Gold banquet for the Cub Scouts. We enjoyed a nice meal, and Coyote received his Wolf Badge and several other awards. This isn't really related to our school work, but I guess it could be considered "community involvement," or an extra-curricular activity. In any case, we are proud of the work Coyote did in order to earn his awards.

On a closing note, just wanted to mention that I recently made a couple small changes to this blog. One is the addition of TABS near the top of the blog page. One tab says HOME, the other MEET THE CLASS. What you are reading right now is considered the HOME page. Click on the other tab to read more about our family.

Also, if you would like to receive an automatic e-mail whenever new content has been added to this blog, please be sure to enter your e-mail address in the box towards the upper right.

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Thankful for Our Family, and Thankful for Our Freedom

Valentine's Day was this past Monday. In the past, our family has not really done anything to celebrate this holiday - except for the kids maybe making a card for me and their Daddy. However, this year, I wanted to do something different. So, for "Home Economics" class, the kids helped me make a large cookie in the shape of a heart.

After we made the heart, I realized my husband could not eat it, due to the chocolate chips in it. I didn't want him to be left out, so I made him a separate batch of heart cookies without the chips. When it came time for supper, I set the table nicely for us all, including lit candles. We had Tortellini Soup and bowls of fruit - and, of course, cookies for dessert!

My husband also surprised me with a bouquet of flowers that night, so those also went well with our nicely decorated table. :-)

After supper, we had a family game night and played a couple rounds of Wii Bowling. We really enjoyed spending time together, and I think I can foresee these types of activities becoming a favorite family tradition for future Valentine's Days. 

As for our studies with ECC, we began studying about Asia this week, and are currently focusing on Saudi Arabia. Another mother who is also using My Father's World for her homeschool, gave this neat idea to help us supplement our studies. She said to get onto the site for Voice of the Martyrs and use their children's site called "Kids of Courage". There, you can find an activity book download about Saudi Arabia. We used part of that activity book this week and it was interesting for the kids to learn about the types of clothes they wear in that country. It was surprising for them to learn about all the rules the Muslims have and how badly they are treated if they go against those rules, especially the women. It was also saddening to learn about how its against the law for Christians to talk to others about Jesus.   

We are thankful for our family, and thankful for the freedoms we have here in America!

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Studies of Africa & Opportunities to Serve

Over these past few weeks, our Geography & Science lessons “sent” us to Africa (ECC weeks 18, 19 & 20). While there, we learned about an African safari and the animals that roam there, and learned about the different types of grasslands and how plants and animals survive on them. We also learned how to make and play a new game that is popular in Africa, called Mancala. It is a simple game that anyone can make with the use of an empty egg carton and some dried beans. The kids and I enjoyed learning this new game.

 

We also decided to try a recipe made with yams (sweet potatotes), since many people in Africa grow them. Road Runner and I liked the new dish, but Coyote and Daddy did not care for it. At least they gave it a try, and that’s all I ask. Here’s the recipe I used:

Easy Mashed Sweet Potatoes

1 can (29 oz) sweet potatoes

1/4 cup melted butter

1/4 cup milk

Brown sugar

Mash the potatoes with the butter and milk. Spread into a microwaveable dish. Sprinkle brown sugar all over the top. Cover and cook on high in the microwave for 5 minutes. 

 As we studied Africa, we also learned about various people who served as missionaries there, such as Samuel Morris, David Livingstone, and Mary Slessor. It was interesting to read their stories and how they all stepped out of their comfortable lives to minister to others. 

Aside from our usual school work, it was neat to see how various opportunities of service come up for us this past week as well. Most of the things we did were not intentionally planned, but it was great to have opportunities arise that allowed us to bless others. It is so important for us to be teaching our kids how to serve while they are young. Here are just a few things that came up for us:

• Awhile back, I came across a genetic research study conducted by investigators at Massachusetts General Hospital, who are trying to learn more about Tourettes Syndrome and its causes. The study involved anonymous questionnaires, phone interviews, and they asked Coyote to agree to have a blood draw for use in the study. At first, he was totally against the idea. But, after he thought about it for awhile, he agreed that it would be a good thing to do. So, recently, he had two tubes of blood removed from his arm. He was so brave and we hope that his participation in this study will help bring some needed answers.

• This past Friday, as I was taking Road Runner to her speech class, I noticed a sign for a blood drive taking place that day. So, I followed Coyote’s lead and also gave blood for a good cause.
• With Valentine’s Day approaching, we joined a couple other homeschool families at a local nursing home to pass out valentines to the residents. The kids enjoyed passing them out and seeing how it made the elderly smile. It was a blessing to be involved in that. 
• We also attended a homeschooling event at a library this past week and made valentines to give to those who are being treated for cancer.  

• My husband and son even took some time to fill our bird feeder so the birds could have an easier time of finding something to eat after all the snow and ice we recently had.

Eph 2:10 For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (NIV)

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Some Ideas to Share

I’ve recently noticed that the kids and I seem to need something to help us transition from our morning routine into “school mode.” So, I thought I’d share an idea that has been helpful for us in making this transition... We really enjoy watching videos on You Tube and, some of our favorites are from the group GO FISH. Well, this group just happen to have a version of “This is My Father’s World,” which is the theme song for our My Father’s World curriculum. So, we have been using that song to begin our school day and help get us into gear.

Along with that song, we will choose one or two other songs from GO FISH. They have great songs that are so much fun, while teaching us about God's Word and of His love for us. Some of our favorites are:

The 10-Commandment Boogie

The Bible Book Bop

I’ve Got the Joy

Jesus Loves Me

After watching 2-3 favorite songs, we will then watch a video from CRAWFORD THE CAT. Your young ones (ages Pre-K through 1st grade) will really enjoy these short videos, but our 2nd grader and special needs 12-year-old also enjoy them. They are 5 minute cartoons that teach Health, Manners and Social Skills. You can find these videos on You Tube also, but here is the main website where you can watch the videos, as well as find out more info about Crawford: http://www.crawfordthecat.com/

Last week, we finished up week 17 of ECC (Exploring Countries & Cultures - through My Father's World)and finished learning about Germany. We took a moment on Wednesday night to talk with our friend, Rein, who was born in Germany and lived there until he was 9 years old. He said some words to us in German, and told us about some of his favorite German foods. I didn’t get a chance to make a German dish yet, although we do enjoy pork and sour krout on occasion. I also found a recipe for Spaetzle that I want to try soon. Here is the recipe, if anyone else is interested in giving it a try. It came from the book "Cooking the German Way" by Helga Parnell:

SPAETZLE

Especially popular in the Black Forest region of Germany. Usually served in place of potatoes or noodles, along with a roast.

1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 to 3/4 cup warm water
2 TB butter

Sift flour and 1/2 tsp. salt together in bowl. Add eggs and 1/4 cup warm water. Slowly stir to mix the flour and liquid. Stir in remaining water, little by little, until cookie dough consistency. Beat with wooden spoon until small bubbles form. Fill a larg saucepan half full of water and add 1/2 tsp. salt. Bring to a boil. Scoop up small pieces of dough with a wet teaspoon and drop into the water. Cook only enough at a time to fill the pan without them touching. Boil, uncovered, 6-8 minutes. Remove from water with slotted spoon. When all of spaetzle is done, rinse with cold water and drain well. Just before serving, place spaetzle in medium saucepan with the butter. Cook, stirring constantly, over low heat until butter is melted. Serves 4-6.

Review of the Past Couple of Weeks

In the past couple of weeks, our Geography lessons (ECC week #14) took us to France.

For Science, we  learned about how different animals defend themselves, how they adapt to their surroundings, and we used You Tube to tour a couple of different caves.

For Bible, we are still reading through the book of Matthew (using You Tube to watch the Visual Bible), and also learned about Menno Simons, a Roman Catholic priest who changed his views and became a leader of the anabaptist churches.

For Music, we learned some new songs from European countries, started a new chapter in our music workbooks from Christian Light Education, and watched some Christmas videos on You Tube. (If you haven't figured it out by now, we LOVE You Tube!)

Physical Education was done in various ways as the kids ran around outside, played in the snow, danced to music, and went bowling.

Art hasn't been anything especially fancy lately. They either colored a Christmas picture, added features to a paper snowman, or learned how to draw an animal (such as a tiger or reindeer).

For Math, we continue with Mastering Mathematics by Letz Farmer. Both kids are currently in the Attacking Addition workbook. They are learning how to carry, and also how to add dollars and cents. Road Runner is concentrating on memorizing her addition facts, while Coyote mainly counts in his head without memorizing.

Language Arts, Spelling, and Handwriting have continued on as usual.

Last Friday, we all went on a field trip to tour a local radio station, as well as a printing factory. See photos below....

For Home Economics, the kids helped me in the kitchen as we made some Christmas goodies to take around to our friends and neighbors. This is a yearly tradition that we all enjoy.

Today is Christmas Eve and we are taking a break from school for awhile. We look forward to the time off as we celebrate the birth of our Lord.

Merry Christmas to you all!

Our Week of Events

First of all, we had a really nice Thanksgiving week, as we took some time off of our regular studies and focused on some Thanksgiving activities. The following week, it was hard to get back into the routine of things, especially since I had come down with a pretty bad cold and didn't feel much like concentrating. So, we took it easy that week as well. Then, this past week, we were finally able to return to our regular studies, but kept getting side-tracked with one thing or another. Even so, I think we accomplished what needed to be accomplished, for the most part. But, anyway, here are a few photos of some of the activites we did together this past week....

Last Saturday, we all took a trip to Home Depot for the Kids Workshop. They hold these workshops on the first Saturday of each month, and they are totally FREE. The kids get to make something and take it home. At this workshop, the kids made a wooden picture frame. They still haven't been painted and decorated, but we DO have the paint, and will hopefully be doing that soon!

On Sunday afternoon, we decorated Christmas cookies to help celebrate a friend's birthday.

On Monday, we began our week with a "trip" to Norway (ECC Week #13). Then, in the afternoon, we made Cool Whip Cookies for a cookie swap. With the leftover dough, Coyote made a snowman, and he also helped Road Runner make a dog (Its kinda hard to tell what it is in the picture, but at least the kids know what it is. LOL.)

Tuesday was interesting, since we had NO HEAT! Our furnace went out on Monday night and the temperature dropped down to the lower 50's inside the house. We all slept in the same room on Monday night, with lots of blankets and a space heater. Then, in the morning, we called the furnace guy to come out and fix it, but he didn't arrive until Noon. So, for the morning, the kids and I huddled together in the family room, sitting next to the space heater. It was too cold to do any writing, but we did spend some time reading. Here you can see Coyote reading one of his Hooked On Phonics books to me and Road Runner.

We left for Road Runner's Speech class right after lunch and spent some time warming up there. Then, we were able to come back to a warmer house, as the furnace guy was just finishing up. Boy... times like that sure do make one appreciate heat!

The rest of the week went pretty much as planned. Then, on Friday afternoon, we went to a homeschool day at the library. The topic there was "Christmas Around the World." It tied in nicely to our studies with ECC, since we are learning about different countries and cultures this year. We learned about different Christmas customs and traditions, including some in Norway (which we studied this week). And, then we had crafts and the kids chose to make an ornament that is traditionally made in Sweden - a star made out of straw.

We also learned ways to say "Merry Christmas" in different languages around the world. Here are a few of them . . .

Brazilian - "Boas Festas"

Chinese (Cantonese) - "Saint Dan Fai Lok"

Dutch - "Vrolijk Kerstfeest"

Filipino - "Maligayang pasko"

French - "Joyeux Noel"

German - "Froehliche Weihnachten"

Greek - "Kala Christouyenna"

Hebrew - "Mo'adim Lesimkha"

Hawaiian - "Mele Kalikimaka"

Icelandic - "Gledileg Jol"

Irish - "Nollaig Shona Dhuit"

Lithuanian - "Linksmu Kaledu"

Norwegian & Swedish - "God Jul"

Romanian - "Craciun Fericit"

Spanish - "Feliz Navidad"

And, or course, in English - MERRY CHRISTMAS!