Cana
Brent and Callie began their paper mache solar system today. We did lots of research and both Callie and Brent want to include Pluto in the solar system. In fact, Callie wants to get a T-shirt that says "When I was your age Pluto was a planet". The other T-shirt, "Size doesn't matter ~Pluto".
There are 10 bodies in all that we will make, plus I am making a young earth colliding with her twin, Theia, and forming the moon (one theory). The kids chose their planets like kids pick a team. Brent is creating the Sun, Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars. Yes they are in order, Brent is an orderly little guy. This suited Callie fine, she wanted the Gas Giants and Pluto. She is doing Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune & Pluto.
Cana
This morning we found ourselves once again at one of our favorite local parks. There were an assortment of games played, badminton first. Both Callie and Brent are really new at this, so it is quite entertaining to watch.
The kids don't usually play on the equipment, but today was an exception. I found them using their imagination, they were sailing a ship, and arguing about which end of the ship the wheel would be at. I laughed and teased them, and they quickly came to a compromise. Callie informed me they weren't arguing, they were reasoning. Nice.
Then, of course, there was wrestling. Brent is getting smart and going after her knees, but Callie still has the upper hand.
Callie and Brent were both able to catch a grasshopper this morning. They were very excited. I actually don't know if these are grasshoppers or crickets. Either way, we let them go after they were photographed. We will be adding them to our Nature Journals.
Cana
Brent made Pangaea 225 million years ago (blue background). JT created the one 65 million years ago (brown background).
Cana
Today we were looking at the similarities between oranges and the earth's structure. We subbed a lemon, hope that's OK?
Cana
How is an apple like the earth? That is what Brent and I looked at today and they are remarkably similar. Especially considering that one is edible and fits into the palm of your hand.
Brent then drew a diagram of the layers using the outline of the apple.
Tomorrow, the orange!
Carabella
We are doing astronomy right now. I just learned about Jupiter and how it protects our planet.
Do you know why stars twinkle? It's because the atmosphere churns, making the stars look as if they are twinkling!
Cana
I went to
Coas Book Store yesterday and traded in some books for some Earth Science books for Callie. We already owned the Children's Night Sky Atlas, published by DK. I picked up "The Visual Dictionary of the Universe", "Discovering the Universe" & "Understanding Earth". I was pleasantly surprised to find the CD's still with the used textbooks. Nice.
Cana
So how does doing school at home differ in what Callie and I are doing? Well most importantly I am not telling Callie she has to do anything, she doesn't. She wants to do what she is doing, everything that she is doing. She has even decided there are a few things she would rather skip, but the benefits for working through the tough things for her is worth it. I asked myself if I would be OK if she decided to do something else tomorrow and when I said yes and meant it, I knew this was more about her than me; as it should be.
We have decided to not use lesson plans. First of all, I spent about 6 hours at the computer looking for the right lesson to fit what we wanted to learn and still couldn't find it, plus I wasted 6 hours. I know that I don't have that kind of time. Who does? We are using a more individual approach. We are starting off with the Big Bang. What better place to start than the beginning! We have found some hand-on activities that we want to do. A interesting video from netflix staring our favorite Astrophysicist (yes we have one), and plan on looking for used textbooks at the used book store. Callie plans on summarizing what she has learned and putting it on this blog.
Here is a
link to the outline page on our website
Cana
Brent's book on Earthquakes and Volcanoes arrived. He was very excited to get his hands on it and check out the projects and activities inside. We used these books last year quite successfully; he did rocks and soil and early US history. Brent likes to really get into a subject and do it for a long time, but struggles picking what he wants to do. He likes using these books as a reference and source of ideas. These books contain a collection of activities & ideas all related to the one subject and he picks and chooses what he wants to do. The activities become a spring board for lots of related things. I'm not sure the writers intended these books to be used for months at a time, but that is how it works for us. Who knows how long this current love will last, but we haven't "finished" one of these books before, so we probably won't this time either.
I'm not a lover of curriculum especially when you lose site of the learning of a child because you are so rigidly following your to do list, but the way he uses these never feels forced or overly structured. Despite the use of a workbook, we consider ourselves mostly unschoolers; though I am not a fan of the name; I prefer Natural Learners. Brent is free to pick and choose whatever he wants to do. He likes projects and learning as much as he can about whatever strikes an interest. He chose this and could easily never do one thing in the book and that would be fine with me. I don't believe unschooling/natural learning is about restricting what my kids want to pursue; this includes educational resources if that is what they want. I like the freedom of allowing him to structure his own days the way that makes him happy while at the same time his sister chooses something completely different. Homeschooling is such a wonderful way to live. I wish I had been allowed to pursue my own interests when I was young. Sometimes I have trouble remembering what they were!
Cana
Brent finished his house yesterday. I gave him no instructions other than he had to make a house and put in it what he needed. He could use any craft/art supplies he wanted.
Being male he immediately turned to duck tape. Our tape was fluorescent purple and orange. He decided to use pieces of cardboard, rather than a box.
He made the house, painted it, then decided to model the interior after his Animal Crossing house, which has a giant stereo in it. So his home provides shelter and music.
Cana
Brent couldn't find a box to make a house today, so he used duct tape and cardboard. This project is for his Earth Science unit on Habitats that he started yesterday.
Cana
Our holidays were extra long this year. Our family visited after the break, so we didn't get back to school until today. It was a long day. Of course the kids watched the inauguration as well. It was nice to get back to work. Brent is making a Batik. Instead of hot wax, we are using a flour and water mixture. He is making a map of India.
We began new units today. In Earth Science Callie began Plate Tectonics and Brent began Habitats. In Life Science Callie started a unit on plants and Brent is learning about insects. Callie is beginning her unit on plants with vascular plants. We set up a simple experiment with carnations, celery and jars of colored water.
In US History Brent is making his own textbook and Callie is learning US geography. In Physical Science. Callie is studying energy and rockets and Brent is doing simple machines. Here is a shot of the white board during Physical Science lessons.
