Spelling Power

I just wrote this up on a message board I visit often.  So, I thought I could share here as well.  I use Spelling Power with my older two.  I personally won't do spelling with a child that isn't reading chapter books regularly and write really well. I have boys and I think they may be a bit different than girls in that area.  It has different levels.  You start with the A level.  Each small test will tests under one of those spelling "rules".  When you get to B you start over again.  I'm not fancy about it. My kids get a spiral notebook.  They do one test per page. They do one list at a time at their level.  I write the rule at the top of the page. Then they correct any missed words in their own handwriting.  They used to copy it three times. But, they are doing well enough that I don't require that anymore.  I like that I won't have to purchase another spelling book every again.  I just buy a new notebook when this one fills up.  

Sale at A Little Garden Flower ends November 30!

I really enjoyed our Grade 1 year with them last year.  If you are waiting for a deal on their curriculum please stop by before the end of November.  The guides are awesome.  They give you something to do everyday.  You get all the stories and instructions you need in a very easy to use format.  I love their curriculum!  Their prices are amazing for all that you get.  With a few simple supplies you can be up and running or um...homeschooling for a new year in no time flat.  Plus, you will find more time in your day for reading library books, playing outside, crafting or homeschooling the older children.

The sale is 15% off everything in the store.

A Peek into...the kitchen table.

We have an eat-in kitchen.  Since, it has a washable floor, that is where I make Science happen. Well, I don't make it. But, I do allow science things to happen in there.



One kid had stuffed piled up that was non-messy.  Messy stuff was on the uncovered side.  Not sure if that would have helped in case of a spill.  If you click over to flickr you can see notes and stuff.

Peek into...the desks.

I thought I would share.  I'm not sure why.  But, I've spent a good part of this Saturday cleaning our main living areas.  In this house, it is all one great open space.  Kitchen, Dining Room, Living Room, and Homeschool Central.  I used to think open was nice. But, I really wish every room was smaller with a nice door I could close.



I admit to not cleaning my desk often.



The kids usually get a cleaning once a week.  I have been aiming for a once daily clean-up.  But, it did not happen this week.  And, honestly probably won't happen this next week either.

How our Year is going so far....October 2010.

I realize now that we have not participated in the weekly updates at The Well Trained Mind Forums.  I think we are just so busy this year.  We are doing pretty well and getting school work done.  But, organization in some areas is really lacking.  So, how about a nice what we did in October post...

The Warrior is in Grade 2 this year....

He is working through Oak Meadow 2 for most of his curriculum.  I am really happy I finally purchased this for one of my students.  I am thrilled with this curriculum and could really kick myself for not using it sooner.  It is flexible and yet concrete.  I don't think you need the extras I have included.  But, my student needs extra work in Phonics and Math.  We through in some Science Kits because I knew he would be jealous of his brothers kits.  We tried to do kits together last year and it wasn't as much fun.  He was really happy to get his own this year.  

He is using Hooked on Phonics to work on his reading skills.  He is still struggling, but there is some promise to learning to read on his own this year.  We just need to be consistent.  

He is working on Math U See Alpha because I just don't see OM math to be a good fit yet. 

He has finished up The Magic School Bus Human Body Kit.   

 

And, will be starting The Stepping into Science Kit soon.

The Peacemaker is in Grade 5 this year...

He is still in a more classical style.  I think I might move towards Oak Meadow for his for the next year, though.  I think it would fit better.  But, I just couldn't fit him into a grade for this year, plus he really wanted to finish up The Story of the World with is older brother.  

He is doing Teaching Textbooks 4 for Math.

First Language Lessons 3, Writing with Ease 2, and Italics Handwriting Book C for Language Arts.

He is studying Chemistry this year with The Elements by McHenry, plus a whole lot of kits we got from Home Science Tools.  

The Prophet is in Grade 8 this year...

We are a bit nervous about the upcoming start of High School.  I am trying not to push him to hard. I am trying to be a good homeschooling mom and realize I need to meet him where he is.  He isn't behind.  He is right where he needs to be and that is why we homeschool.  

He is working on Teaching Textbooks 6, Jump-In Writing Program, Italics Handwriting, The Elements by McHenry, Story of the World 4.

Autumn Favorites

Well, I know for most people it is already officially Autumn.  Our family tries to gradually allow Autumn to arrive.  We are Summer people!  But, this year we will try to embrace Washington Autumn.  We will try to patiently put up with her mood swings and warm teases.  We will laugh when we live the grocery store and get soaked to our bones.





Here is our nature table or rather shelf.  It gradually gathers things until we realize it is ready for a change.  I thought if we are going to say good bye to Summer we should clean it up a bit.  I spent some time on a chalkboard "drawing".  Well, rather it is just a poem. A drawing will wait.



The poem I am using was a direct inspiration from Magic Onions.  I loved her nature table.  I really should think a bit more about ours.

A very sweet rhyme for circle time from Seasons of Joy.

Gluten Free Mommy's Pumpkin Enchiladas which I always remember come Autumn. My youngest son loves these.  He requested them for his birthday last year.  They are wonderful with black beans for the vegetarians

.

I have been desperately praying and seeking new Rhythm.  Every-time I think I have it down something happens and blows it all up.  I was all prepared for this new school year and I found out I was pregnant.  I am not as sick as last time.  But, I am just so tired.  Smoosh that together with the crazy destruction of a one year old and well our year is not off to the start I had hoped for.  

Fizzy Foamy Science

Fizzy Foamy Science

Clash of the Powders

I took a plastic cup and filled it up halfway with water.  Then I put a teaspoon of citric acid.  Then I mixed it around till it dissolved.  Then I put a teaspoon of baking soda and it started foaming a whole bunch for about 30 seconds.  

 Fizz goes the Acid

I took milk, tabasco sauce, and apple cider.  Then I put baking soda in three jars.  Then I put milk in the first jar, it didn't fizz or foam at all.  Then I put Tabasco inside the second jar and it foamed and fizzed a whole bunch, it was red foam.  Then I put apple cider in the third jar and it foamed for about 5 seconds and it stopped.  

This year I vowed science would get done and we would have fun. Our box from Home Science Tools arrived today!  The first kit they chose was

 

We did the first two experiments.  They were really fun.  We did use a few things around the house, but our choices were pretty open ended.  We just need household liquids from the kitchen.  Since we were already in the kitchen it was not difficult.  We did not have vinegar.  But, we did have Tabasco which is vinegar based and it worked great.  

Our first day of 2010-2011 school year...

...it is 8:22 and the boys are still in bed. I have morning sickness to start the year off. Yes, we are expecting again. We finally got the are you Mormon comment. (We are not.) I feel like an official big family now. I have had some coffee. I'm off to wake them up and get them started on their chore packs. I got an iPad for my birthday, so I hope we will blog more often this year.

...9:43 children stayed up late talking. They are up. They have visited with grandparents. They are eating and getting chores started.

...3:37 Still working with child who was starving. Dad needs to go shopping. Mom wants to vomit at the thought. Oldest playing with youngest and supposedly multitasking.

Watercolor Painting

I recently went through all the photos. It looks like we have quite the back up of downloads =). What can I say? It was a fun school year.


These are the painting supplies we purchased. Paints are from Paper Scissors Stone. Paper and brushes from Dick Blick. We mixed the paint about half and half with water in baby food jars.


I used some ideas from A Little Garden Flower You Tube videos.


On my list for the upcoming year, is Painting with Children. I hope this might give me some help in actually planning some painting lessons. I'm not looking at being too formal. But, I do need a little help in that area.

Gearing up for High School

This post reminded that we are gearing up for High School.  This next year my oldest will be an official High Schooler.  I remember it being so far away.  But, this is it.  This is his last year of just enjoying home schooling.  Next year, things count.

So, I've started a file for next year.  I'm going to file away things that look interesting or things I think he might want to read.  I'm going to make a little place on the side of the blog to keep High School related links.  I'm going to try to stuff it all in there and not think about it too much this year.

Boy vs Food

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Originally uploaded by OakBlossoms

One of his favorite shows this summer is Man vs Food. He has taken to asking us for challenges. We all need a hero right? For a number of years, he has been set on owning his own pizzeria when he is an adult. So, I shouldn't be surprised.

Final Check-in for the 2009-2010 School Year

 Well here is our final check-in for the year.  We are on a break with our VA for the rest of the summer.  We will probably do some fun things around here.  We need to enjoy the son while it's here!

E-Grade 1

Building my cloud mobile was the funest thing I did.  I read books with Mom.  I liked reading with mom.  My favorite book is Little House in Prairie.  I hate Math but I do it anyway.  I'm in a different class for PE.  My swimming class is a different class, too.  I like Miss Lindsay.  She is really nice.  She doesn't yell and stuff.  Matt yells a lot, but he is kind of fun.  He lets us kids yell all time.  He is loud.  He gets in trouble from the other children cause he's so loud.  I learned about the Mississippi River.  It's long.  It's in the United States.

P-Grade 4

My favorite book was James and the Giant Peach.   I didn't really like my math this year.  I want to do Teaching Textbooks for next year.  I didn't really like my math this year because it was hard and boring.  I liked History this year.  It was really interesting and fun.  I liked learning about World History.  I liked all the map pages and notebook pages.  I liked listening to the Story of the World.  George Washington was interesting because he was the first president.  He didn't want to be president but he had to.  He was a very good president.  I like Science.  I liked when we dissected the owl pellets.  Next year, I want to use the Science in a Nutshell kits.  I like them because they have all the stuff with them.  They are fun and easy.  I want to build little machines and gears.  PE was really fun.  It was really nice joining the gym.  History and reading were my favorite subjects.  

G-Grade 7

My favorite book this year was the hobbit it was amazing in fact I,m thinking about reading it again.

My math was good this year it wasn't to hard and it wasn't to easy and I learned a lot about fractions.

I learned about photosynthesis in science like how most plants rely on it to get food.

In writing I did a ton of italics handwriting and almost got past the book and I finished the first two sections of jump in.

In spelling I did about 20 or 15 lessons.

In grammar I did 16 lessons of winston grammar and started on my new 1st language lessons for the secondary child book.

I finished the story of the world book 3 early modern times.

Week 34

Grade 1

I did reading lesson.  I used a little book.  I read Pig Wig and Cat.  I figured out what a question mark is.  You put a three on a six.  Then put another three on it.  Then you write a three on the line.  Then a two, then a 6, and a 1.  I watched Bill Nye the Science Guy.  He says everybody needs water.  He make a cloud from water and matches.  Then put the little pump on it for a lid.  Then it pumping a little bit and he count to three.  Then he take lid off and it make a giant cloud.  I have a new PE class.  I have a new teacher.  His name is Matt.  I miss my other teacher, kind of.  I have the same teacher as Porter.  I play crab soccer just like Porter did.  

Grade 4

We are studying Ecosystems, Habitats, Cycles and whatever else we encounter in this lesson.  He played a food chain vocabularly game.  He read about Food cycles.  

...and in his own words

I read James and the Giant Peach.  James crawled into the Giant Peach and found a whole bunch of giant bugs.  Then they slept inside the peach.  The bugs started gnawing on the stem of the peach tree that was holding the peach.  Then they went rolling.  In Math, I'm still regrouping and multiplying.  It's getting easier.  I did three pages of Italics and they are all cursive writing.  They were just letters.  We watched Bill Nye the Science Guy, The Water Cycle.  He made a cloud with a jar. He put water in it.  He put a pressurizer tube on the jar.  Then he pressurized it.  And, it didn't work. So, he lit matches and put them in there for dust.  Then he tried it again.  He counted to three and it made a cloud.  In PE class, I did a whole bunch of warm-ups and then we played crab soccer.  My dad and me looked out at the rotting log.  We lifted part of it up and found a snake skin.  We found this little duck fuzz at the pond.  We, also, are hatching chickens with our Grandma.  We put chicken eggs in an incubator.  

Grade 7

Well in reading I read to chapter 19 in Oliver Twist where Fagin and Bill Sikes were planning on how to break into a house and Bill Sikes needed a small boy and Fagin suggested Oliver.

In math I used the multiplicative inverse to solve for the unknown and I guess its sorta like algebra or pre-algebra and I also am going to try out teaching textbooks but since I have to do this report I will tell you about it next week.

In jump in I did skill 5 which was about the introduction of my opinion paper and I did 2 pages of italics.

In science I watched bill nye which porter pretty much did my report on it for me:D

In P.E. we did a TON of warm ups then we played crab soccer which left my wrists pretty sore(if you want to know what crab soccer is you have to crab walk and play soccer).

Week 32

Escher

I did some reading.  I read cat and rat.  

I take a really long tube.  A tube you can see through and it's kind of skinny and it bends.  I take the ends and put funnels on.  Then one person whispers in it and the other puts it over their ear.  It makes them loud.  

I make sculptures out of beeswax and soap.

Porter

I read James and the Giant Peach.  James' parents died and then he went to his Aunts.  In PE, we played Dodge Disc.  It was a really fun game. It's like Dodge Ball but with soft frisbees.  I molded modeling soap together today.  It smells good.  It was fun to sculpt.  We watched a movie about Sacajawea and Lewis and Clark.  They went on their journey to discover more land.  They needed to go across to the Pacific Ocean.

Gibran

In math i finished lesson 23.

In history i read about lewis and clark in chapter 32 of story of the world and i did a map of it for a notebook page.

In writing i did some prepositions and some pages of jump in.

In reading i read about 5 chapters of oliver twist.

At the YMCA i played dodge disc it was pretty fun.

Week 31

Escher

We got some paintbrushes and some paint and some jars for paint.  We put paint in jars and put water in there and then we put lid on all ways and shake it back and forth.  I make a dot, car, and waves.  I paint a cactus.  And a sun thing.  

I took a slinky and pulled it back.  I take five pieces of it.  I pulled it back and let go.  It bounced to the other person and back to me.  I take the tuning fork.  Then mom take shoe and hit the tuning fork on shoe.  Then mom put it in water and it make weird waves that go in every direction.

Muffin Match has letters on it.  Then I need to match the right letters.  Little a and big A.  Little o and big O.

Porter

I read Fantastic Mr. Fox.  He is a fox, of course.  He steals chicken and geese and apple cider.  He eats them with his family.  In Math, I'm multiplying and regrouping.  I tried a Teaching Textbooks sample. I liked it.  I want to change to that next year.  In Pe, we payed ultimate frisbee outside.  It was fun.  I'm studying prepositions.  Its hard to pronounce prepositions.  I'm memorizing aboard, about, above, and across.  

Gibran

In writing I did my new writing book jump in and finished the introduction i really like the book its easy and I learn alot of things about writing.

In reading fantastic mr fox and im reading oliver twist I really liked fantastic mr fox and im really into oliver twist I got to the sixth chapter.

In math I started a new lesson about reciprocols.

In handwriting I did 2 pages.

At the ymca we played ultimate frisbee but I didn't like it to much.

Week 30

G-Grade 7 aka The Prophet

This week in math I did lesson 22.

In hand writing I did 2 pages.
I read a retelling of oliver twist by eyewitness in reading.

In writing I got a new writing book called jump in writing and I did most of the intro part.

In grammar I memorized prepositions.

E-Grade 1 aka The Warrior

(Swimming Lessons) There's a girl in my class called Tabitha.  She mostly goes first.  My teacher put us down in deep water.  We climbed on the side of the wall to the deep water.  She put a pole in water.  Then I grabbed it and climbed all the way down and sit on bottom.  

(Science) First I got a box.  Then I got two rubber band.  Put it on box.  Take pencil and stick it under the rubber bands.  I make low pitch and high pitch.

(Math) I counted to 100 with Mom.  Mom count with Me.  

P-Grade 4 aka The Peacemaker

In PE class we played flag football.  

Our butterflies hatched out of their cocoons.  They are drinking sugar water and eating oranges.  

My math is getting hard.  

I'm reading James and the Giant Peach.  I like it.  

In Science, we made rubber band banjos.  We studied pitch.  We put rubber bands around a box.  We stuck a pencil underneath the rubber bands. 

I did First Language Lessons.  I'm studying prepositions and prepositional phrases.  I circled prepositions in sentences.  

Prepositions, Waldorf Chalkboard

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Originally uploaded by OakBlossoms

Here is the chalkboard we purchase from Paper, Scissors, Stone. I'm not sure how prepositions are introduced in the typical Waldorf school. But, this is how we are doing it in our school. It just so happens that both older boys are hitting prepositions at the same time in their curriculum. One is using Winston Grammar and the other is using First Language Lessons 3. We are doing just a few at a time until we learn them all. I'm not all that talented, so I'll do my best with the fancy chalkboard.

The chalkboard is nice. It's a good size and lightweight. I took this picture with a flash and I can really see the lines where we erased on it. I did have the boys go over with a piece of chalk first to prime it. But, maybe we should have went over it again.

I used the Mercurius chalk from Paper, Scissors, Stone. It's amazing and soft and vibrant.

week 29

This week was a bit laid back.  We had to get back into a new schedule.  After a few weeks off, we are back at the YMCA for a new session.  We are really enjoying our classes.  Our YMCA is wonderful.  Everyone is very kind and the environment is so nice. It's a nice place to hang out between classes.  The rest of our year should be a lot of fun. We got in new curriculum and supplies from Waldorfsupplies.com, Delta Education, and Rainbow Resource.  We are going to start having chalkboard drawings (I'm a bit nervous since I'm not very artistic), a new writing curriculum for the Prophet, Hooked on Phonics for our youngest boy, and three Science in a Nutshell kits from Delta.  I've been looking for science projects or kits that actually include everything.  The Nutshell kits look awesome.  They have enough stuff for three children and they include everything.  They even come in a great storage box.  They contain and activity guide and a journal for the kids.  I'll definitely do review posts about this.  

E-Grade 1

I did Explode the Code.  I write the letter i.  I colored matching words.  I write the letter a.  I read fan, mat, gas, cap, tag, and nap.  

On the Banks of Plum Creek.  Grasshoppers ate all the fruit, plums, corn, grass.  They ate all Pa's wheat.  

We read about Johnny Appleseed.  I did a map of where he went.  I made some cards.  I have to put them in order.  It's how an apple tree grows. First has a seed.  Then a sprout. Then a seedling.  Then a tree. Then blossoms.  Then Apples!

P-Grade 4

I'm in lesson 23 in math.  I'm still working on multiplying.  One of the chyrsislis looks like it's going to crack open soon. In PE, we played elimination.  Elimination is where there's four goals, four teams, and one soccer ball.  If the ball gets in a goal it looses a point.  It was really fun.  We went swimming last night as a family.   I did a spelling Test.  

G-Grade 7

In spelling last time i missed alot of words in group 32 so i had to redo it.
In History i read a book called johnny appleseed the story of a legend and did a outline on story of the world about the Maori people of new zealand.

In math i did 2 pages of lesson 22.

In italics i did 2 pages.

The Warrior Grade 1 Week 28

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Originally uploaded by OakBlossoms

I did Math. It was hard. I count by tens.

It was warm at the pool. I got my first swimming class. I needed to walk around the pool. Then I jump in the pool. We hold our breath and jump in water and stay in water for awhile. Then you breathe when you jump out. I front kick and back kick.

There are four cocoons. One is not a cocoon. It's trying to make a cocoon.

I take owl pellets apart. I take bones and pull them out. I liked it. Gibran not like it.

The Prophet Week 28 Grade 7

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Originally uploaded by OakBlossoms

For Science, I dissected owl pellets and pick out bones from it. It was disgusting. It was dirty and nasty and I had to wear gloves. I found a mole in there and a whole bunch of fur. We measured them. Mine was the smallest of them all.

I did lesson 21 in Math. It was about adding mixed numbers. It was easy for the main subject. Subtraction mixed numbers in Lesson 20 was easier than adding mixed numbers. I had problems in my systematic reviews.

In homeschool PE I got a new class. It wasn't as fun as my last class. There was a lot of little kids in the class. We played hockey.

I did six pages of Italics cursive. My handwriting is getting better.

I read a chapter of Story of the World. I read about the Industrial Revolution and the Luddites.

The Peacemaker Grade 4 Week 28

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Originally uploaded by OakBlossoms

In P.E., we played hockey outside.
Our caterpillars turned in to chrysalis. We got the caterpillars in a container. They ate this orangey brown stuff that was in the bottom of the container. Then they crawled to the top of the container. Then they hung upside down. Then they made chrysalis and their heads popped off. And then, red stuff oozed from the bottom of the chrysalis.
We dissected our owl pellets. Mine had a mole or a rat in it. I think it had two animals in it. Mine was the biggest. It smelled disgusting.

Week 27

This is week 27 for us.  Doing this weekly reports was a bit painful at the beginning of the year.  It's sometimes still painful for the youngest boy.  But, our oldest-The Prophet-pointed out that we had done a lot this year and it was nice to see how far we had come this year.

The Prophet-Grade 7

In history I outlined pages 340-341 which was about the factory workers of the industrial revolution and pages 350-351 which was about how the U.S.A. expanded In the 1800s and the pages were in the usborne internet linked encyclopedia of world history, I also colored the haiti flag, read chapter 30 which was about the haiti revolution and did map work in story of the world.

In math I did lesson 19 which was reducing mixed numbers.

In Italics I did pages 49,50,51.

In spelling I did spelling tests 32 and 35.

In science we read about the comparison between blood In living beings and sap in trees and plants In a book (I forgot its name) and I did picture of the comparison.

The Peacemaker-Grade 4

In Story of the World, I colored the Haitian Flag.  The African slaves rebelled.  The Africans called it Haiti.  

In Math, I did lessons 21 and 22.  

The owl babies are big and fluffy.  There is one more egg left.   

We got Painted Lady Butterfly larvae.  They are already growing.  They are making some silky stuff.  

I am on chapter four of Superfudge.  Fudge is Peter's little annoying brother.  

The Warrior-Grade 1

We learned about our eyes.  They can't move in different directions.  They can't move this way and that way.  Our pupil is dark and it turns bigger so you can see better in the dark.  Then it's in the sun.  It turns small.  

I added tens.  It's hard!

We got caterpillars.  They will turn into cocoons and then turn into butterflies.  

Art Spinning

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Originally uploaded by OakBlossoms

I just wanted to make sure to load this pictures up. This is the art spinner I was blogging about previously. It is a lot of fun. The little plastic guard that sits on top is not the sturdiest piece of equipment. Be careful not to toss it in the trash. It looks like packaging, but it's not. It keeps the paint from going everywhere. It's a great rainy day activity. If you don't have one, it would be great to purchase and put away for when the kids need something new and you don't want or can't get out to do something.




Here is a better pick of what it does.


Here is the actual toy. We purchased ours at a locally owned shop. I don't always get to do that. But, it always feels good to support a real person. The owner is often in the store and she helped us pick out some fun Christmas presents.

History Summary

G's History Summary
Originally uploaded by OakBlossoms

Here is the summary our oldest does for History each week (ala TWTM for Grammer Stage). I didn't do this when he was younger. He was never reading for this much handwriting till this year. But, he is doing so much better now. He used to fight writing so much. I admit I just gave up. I tried every few months. Now he is Grade 7 and has no problem getting it done. Happy Dance!!!!




No really he might actually enjoy History!