TEXAS!

We left home one month ago. I can't believe it's been a month! It's been hard to leave our sweet friends and family, but things are starting to feel comfortable here. We've been having so much fun exploring the area. There is so much to see and do I doubt we'll ever get to it all. Here a few pictures from our trip over and from some of things we've done.:

At a rest area in Mississippi you can take a tour of the Stennis Space Center. It's amazing! and Free!

There are many splash pads here we've played at.... especially with 107 degree weather. Ugh.

The Children's Museum

Is it a Solid or a Liquid

After learning about the basics of molecules and the properties of solids, liquids, and gases, the kids were dying to make goo and slime. I did have to relax a little over the mess, but the kids had a blast and actually played with the mixtures for over an hour.

*I am using The Usborne Science Encyclopedia as our chemistry reference. The quick links are amazing! See and example here.

Atom Pancakes

I read somwhere a while ago that you can make an atom model using sugar cookies and candies to represent the electrons, neutrons, and protons.... why not do it using pancakes... so that's what we did. The kids woke up on the first day of school to pancakes and fruit. I taught what an atom was and what it consisted of and they were able to decorate their "atoms" and enjoy. We'll probably do it again when we learn more about bonding.

We're Ready for SCHOOL!!!

This move to Texas is an ideal time for change... for the better. I have decided that now is the time for a refocus on our homeschool adventures. I've evaluated each child to determine where they may need a little more help and I've committed myself to work on those areas. We started school last week and so far, things are going pretty good. We're having to get rid of a few lazy habits, but I think we're getting there. This is the curriculum we're using this year:

Mollie: Learning Language Arts Through Literature (tan book), Easy Grammar is to supplement, Spelling Workout, Singapore Math, Texas and US History, Chemistry and Art

Benjamin: Learning Language Arts Through Literature (orange book), Easy Grammar, Spelling Workout B and C, Singapore Math, Texas and US History, Chemistry and Art.

Jonah: Explode the Code 1, 2,3 (he's flying through it already), Bob Books and Usborne beginners, Spelling Workout A, Singapore Math, Texas and US History, Chemistry and Art

Amie: She insists on school so she's in Explode the Code Primer, Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons, Family Math, Texas and US History, Chemistry and Art.

They do listen.

Today we were outside and Amie brought me a plant (a tulip bulb) and said, "Look mom, a vissus root" It took me a moment, but I remembered we had been learning about different types of roots and bulb plants have adventitious roots. Wow, at least one of them was listening.

Homeschool

I've had a lot of friends curious as to what I do for homeschooling. As a record for myself as well, I'm going to start blogging some highlights of our school days.

I've tried many different programs and don't always follow through whether to my children's disliking or to my own. I think I've finally come into a groove that works for all of us. I've been incorporating a little bit of the "Well Trained Mind", Unit Studies (love Amanda Bennett), the Charlotte Mason ideas and literature based classical education ideas (here's an LDS one I love). Oh, and I just read "A Thomas Jefferson Education" (which I don't completely agree with, but did take from it that I needed to read more classics and stop lecturing my children and start inspiring my children) So with that being said, I'll take you back a few weeks ago.....

We start out the day with eating breakfast, dressed, and picking up chores.

Then comes our unit study (usually science based, but sometimes literature) or our history (we've started American History). We started out our recent Unit Study on Botany. Incorporating Amanda Bennetts Unit Study "Gardening" and just by using Usborne's Internet linked Science Encyclopedia, we have been going through different parts of plants. For instance, at the beginning, we started out with the cell. Basic right? Well, my kids are not particularly interested in that, so we brought out the big guns..... candy! Actually a Snicker bar. Each one got the mini ones and we cut them open. Inside you can see the cell wall, the cytoplasm, the organelles, make one nut the nucleus and I had them push in a vacuole. Afterwards they had to redo what they'd learned using play dough. We then went on a walk across the street to an amazing garden and were able to explore plants. They then had to draw what they saw (Charlotte Mason idea). Ta Da! Our fun for the day.

Next it's snack and nap for Mia and then we break out the reading, writing, math, grammar, spelling, typing, piano and whatever I see they are in need of.

Reading: Each child reads out loud to me either from a book (Mollie's reading The Witch from Blackbird Pond, Benjamin is Reading Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets) or from the McGuffey Readers, or from Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons Then they all of silent reading and scripture reading sometime during the day. I have a chart if they've done it they mark it off. Before they can play with friends, their chart needs to be done.

Writing: We use writing letters, writing something from History, a journal entry, Just Write

Grammar: Easy Grammar and Winston Grammar works for us. We've tried a ton of things... but these are short and can be used in game like mode. Oh, I did love First Language Lessons, but I like doing things that can be done with multiple children... I'll probably go back to that next year and let Mollie go ahead onto something else.

Spelling: Spelling Workout Mollie was up to E, but we've gone back to C to redo some of the basics. Benjamin is pretty good at spelling, and could be C or D, but I want to really enforce the basic rules. Jonah is in A.

Math: Singapore Math. I've tried Math-U-See and loved it, but we were already in Singapore and it's hard to make a switch in math... I think. So everyone is on grade level, but Mollie is 6 months behind... again, I just want to really enforce the basics. Once you get those, the rest will be easier.

Typing: Online typing

The next day we do American History... for instance, the first lesson was Vikings and then Columbus. We did map work and a timeline and the did experiments with making our own boats out of cardboard of foil and see what shape and design works the best.

Another Unit Study we're doing is on Art. I made it myself using Usborne Art Books http://www.usborne-quicklinks.com/ , Drawing with children, and Discovering Great Artists

It's taken 5 years to get in this groove. Things change, children change, and I'm sure we'll change again. But this is what we are doing for now.

Facebook

Now I know why many of my blogger friends have stopped writing on their blogs.... facebook. I just entered that realm a few weeks ago, and I'm amazed at how many people are on there. I had been skeptical and reluctant, but I love it. I have been reintroduced to many of my lost long best friends. It's been a fun journey... but I can't forget my blog. I am in charge of Relief Society Meetings in our church (meaning I plan the activities for women once a month). So, I just planned a pretty successful meeting on journaling. I am a HORRIBLE journaler. My husband; amazing! Yes, I like to scrapbook, but doing and liking are two different things. So, I am going to commit (yes, again) to making this more my journal. They have this amazing thing now where you can have your blog made into a book... why can't I think of those things? Here is one of those sites. So, here's to be being a better blogger.