For awhile I've wanted to compile a list of all the chapter books I've read to my girls. It has seemed too daunting. We've read and listened to too much.
Gabby was only 4 when I started. We'd always read, of course. I remember her lovingly chewing on board books in our little apartment when we lived in Utah. One summer we read over a hundred different picture books as part of our library's summer reading goals. The chapter books started at age four. It was kind of an experiment. We'd been living in Pennsylvania for 2 or 3 years, far from our Boston family. My mother-in-law offered to read bedtime stories to Gabby over the phone. It was an intriguing idea. They tried and Gabby really enjoyed it. She understood the stories and could answer questions about them. She didn't get bored either. So I thought, if she didn't need pictures I would try book without them. I picked A.A. Miln's Winnie the Pooh. There are little sketches in there that I cold show her and the stories are pretty brief. That was our first mostly picture-less book. We were hooked.
Usually, we had to read during Bri's naps since she was only 2. But when Bri was 3 and stopped napping, she kind of just went with it and has been a great listener since. A great reader herself. Both girls are. William and Fielding have been a little slower to catch on. Fielding still has no interest in stories without pictures. In fact, we tend to read the same picture books over and over again. It is often dull for me, but I do enjoy hearing him "read" -- stories he's heard so much he's memorized. The Knuffle Bunny books are his favorite. And Pete's a Pizza by William Steig. William and Fielding act it out every time we have pizza for dinner. Just the two of them, running between the kitchen table and the family room, between bites. It's adorable.
William enjoys some chapter books now. James and the Giant Peach was our first read-aloud. Then Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. We were reading Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator, but it has been lost for about a month and I can't say I'm sorry.
But back to the girls. I can't remember what we read after Pooh -- maybe an abridged version of Peter Pan. I do remember throwing a Little House on the Prairie birthday party for Gabby when she turned 5 and, with very high hopes, gave her the books by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Unabridged, few pictures, kind of advanced listening for a 5 year-old. I had never read them, so I didn't know what we were getting into. Gabby snuggled up next to me while Bonnie slept each afternoon. She listened and listened. We'd read for maybe an hour. We felt sad when Jack was lost in the river and scared and surprised when he returned in the night like a wolf out of the bushes. We worried when Pa was lost in the snow. We laughed at Mr. Edwards. Gabby listened to all the technical details.
In the summer we started the Chronicles of Narnia. I read several and we listened together to others on tape. She's read them all again herself now.
What else have we read? It is so hard to remember the titles. Although the whines and cries stand out: "just one more page!"
What I can remember...
Every Junie B. Jones book, by Barbara Park, read aloud and then listened on cd
Many American Girl books, including the Kit, Samantha, Kirsten, Kaya, Molly, Felicity, and Josephina series
The Betsy-Tacey books
A few Magic Treehouse books, by Mary Pope Osbourne
The Wizard of Oz by Frank Baum
Many books in the Ramona series by Beverly Cleary
Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator by Raoul Daul
Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
The Last Holiday Concert by Andrew Clements
The Little Gymnast
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
A Little Princess by Francis Hodgson Burnett
The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett
The Birds' Christmas Carol by
Many we've listened to in the car:
The Harry Potter books by J.K. Rowling (several times. First the girls had to read them, then they were allowed to listen to them, then they were allowed to watch the movies)
Mary Poppins
Hatchet by Gary Paulson
28 Fairmont Avenue by Tomie dePaola
The Penderwicks, The Penderwicks on Gardam Street, and The Penderwicks at Point Mouette by Jean Birdsall (treasures, every one of them!)
Henry and Ribsy by Beverly Clearly
The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary
A number of Magic Treehouse books, by Mary Pope Osbourne
Some Mrs. Piggle Wiggle stories
I think I'll add to this list over time -- books that we've read that I left off. Future stories (we just started Brian's Winter by Gary Paulson), I talk about in future posts.
Have a wonderful new year! And happy reading!
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
What the Dickens!
Gabby's December reading assignment was Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. Here's what our plans looked like:
Week one:
Read Stave 1 and complete the worksheet.
Do 4 vocabulary webs from the Stave 1 vocab list.
Read Stave 2 and complete the worksheet.
Do 4 vocabulary webs from the Stave 2 vocab list.
Watch A Muppets Christmas Carol with the family.
Week two:
Read Stave 3 and complete the worksheet.
Do 4 vocabulary webs from the Stave 3 vocab list.
Read Stave 4 and complete the worksheet.
Do 4 vocabulary webs from the Stave 4 vocab list.
Watch Mickey's Christmas Carol with the family.
Week three:
Read Stave 5.
Do 4 vocabulary webs from the Stave 5 vocab list.
Go to the Christmas display at Byers Choice.
Watch Scrooge with the family.
As you can see, there was a lot of movie-watching here. Shall I pretend there was an educational purpose to it? I'm sure it showed how influential and popular A Christmas Carol is. We really just watched them for fun.
I got our vocab list and worksheets from a FABULOUS website called "In the classroom with Least Tern." It also has a grammar unit that Gabby, well I can't say "enjoyed" but at least completed without too much complaining. I like it because EVERY example is taken from A Christmas Carol. ALL the exercises are from A Christmas Carol. I know that learning grammar is considered the greatest drudgery of English studies, but I really liked these lessons. They were challenging and made you think about what the sentences were really saying. The explanations weren't always the best and so sometimes even I couldn't come up with a good answer. Still, I think it helped in understanding Dickens language -- from a very different time and place than my Gabby lives. I hope that doing the grammar will help Gabby have better reading comprehension in the future as she studies more classic literature.
We capped off the reading by going to the Byers Choice Christmas Museum. I find the dolls a little freaky-looking myself, but nevertheless, all together spectacular. The Christmas village is filled with them, flying in hot air balloons, ice skating, and of course, caroling. I love the colonial doll room and the green Irish santas in the gift shop.
We went because there is one room decorated like London in Dickens' time and dioramas of Ebeneezer Scrooge with Crachit, Marley and each of the 3 ghosts. You'll also find a creche display there and an observation deck where you can watch the dolls being made. Here's an online slideshow.
When we were finished looking at the dolls, the kids got to dress up in old fashioned clothes and take pictures. William and Fielding were very patient with me as I dressed them and said, over and over again, "Just one more picture!" I think Gabby actually enjoyed the dress up.
That's it, no essays or literature webs. Maybe I should have assigned her some project. I didn't want too, though. I didn't want schoolwork to get in the way of enjoying the holidays. With all the extra time we've done some fun things. I taught Gabby how to make evergreen wreaths. We've worked on our annual Christmas puzzle, baked togther. We've had a great time -- despite the grammar! -- and I wonder how we'll top it next year.
Sunday, December 11, 2011
A Christmas Party
Last week we went to our homeschool group Christmas party. I brought Gabby, Fielding, and since it was in the early afternoon and William has morning kindergarten, William came too. Bri was still in school. :(
It was mainly a social. There were some movies for the little kids and a simple craft too, but mostly it revolved around eating and chatting. I spent my time refilling plates for William and Fielding. There were A LOT of yummy treats to try. Oreo cheesecake truffles, for one.
I would call this event a success for 2 reasons:
1. There were children Gabby's age there. Several 7th graders, actually. At our last event, she was the oldest kid there.
2. Not only was Gabby in the same room with girls her age but (drumroll) SHE TALKED TO THEM!
Not a major accomplishment for most, but for Gabs, this was a big deal. I know she went hoping to meet some homeschooled kids. I didn't know, though, if when the moment came, she would stick by me or reach out and actually try to make friends.
I am happy to say there was no sticking and definitely some friend-making going on. Gabby spent most of the party kind of tagging along with a couple girls who seemed to welcome her and involve her. There were others that I'm not sure she even had a chance to meet. Hopefully next time. Hopefully, this will be the beginning of some friendships. Perhaps this is the beginning of her throwing off her cloak of timidity and one day being the life of every party. (Is this not realistic, perhaps?)
On a side note, there were some willing and potential friends that Gabby did not make at the party. Occasionally, I would look up to scope the room for Gabby -- her location and whether she seemed, happy, lonely, bored, traumatized... I noticed 2 or 3 boys strategically placing themselves near her. Several times I saw this. I wonder what they were hoping...
Gabby: (suddenly turns around, tosses her hair and notices her hoverers) Oh, hi, I don't think I've met you. I'm Gabby. Do you want to have some refreshments with me? You seem really cool, maybe we should hang out sometime.
If this was anything close to their goal, they picked the wrong girl.
It was mainly a social. There were some movies for the little kids and a simple craft too, but mostly it revolved around eating and chatting. I spent my time refilling plates for William and Fielding. There were A LOT of yummy treats to try. Oreo cheesecake truffles, for one.
I would call this event a success for 2 reasons:
1. There were children Gabby's age there. Several 7th graders, actually. At our last event, she was the oldest kid there.
2. Not only was Gabby in the same room with girls her age but (drumroll) SHE TALKED TO THEM!
Not a major accomplishment for most, but for Gabs, this was a big deal. I know she went hoping to meet some homeschooled kids. I didn't know, though, if when the moment came, she would stick by me or reach out and actually try to make friends.
I am happy to say there was no sticking and definitely some friend-making going on. Gabby spent most of the party kind of tagging along with a couple girls who seemed to welcome her and involve her. There were others that I'm not sure she even had a chance to meet. Hopefully next time. Hopefully, this will be the beginning of some friendships. Perhaps this is the beginning of her throwing off her cloak of timidity and one day being the life of every party. (Is this not realistic, perhaps?)
On a side note, there were some willing and potential friends that Gabby did not make at the party. Occasionally, I would look up to scope the room for Gabby -- her location and whether she seemed, happy, lonely, bored, traumatized... I noticed 2 or 3 boys strategically placing themselves near her. Several times I saw this. I wonder what they were hoping...
Gabby: (suddenly turns around, tosses her hair and notices her hoverers) Oh, hi, I don't think I've met you. I'm Gabby. Do you want to have some refreshments with me? You seem really cool, maybe we should hang out sometime.
If this was anything close to their goal, they picked the wrong girl.
Saturday, December 3, 2011
On reinventing the wheel and just generally making stuff up
Sometimes I accuse Max of trying to reinvent the wheel. He does a lot of computer programming for work and rarely will use software that already exists or try to improve what is already in practice in his lab. He likes to start from scratch. I can't fault him because his end result, is always better. His fingers race over the keyboard, hour after exhausting hour until he his finished, pleased, proud and breathing again.
Not a single text or workbook is published by a homeschool company. Everything is meant for actual teachers in actual classrooms. (I realized I just diminished my own home classroom by saying that. Sorry.) I chose not to buy actual homeschool materials for our curriculum. Why? I don't know. It would have been the smart thing to do. Maybe I also feel a need to reinvent the wheel in my life.
Our curriculum has been more successful in some areas more than others. Here's the run-down:
Biology: The textbook I picked up at a homeschool used book sale. It is pretty good. I learned that a local high school uses it and I've found a lot of online resources that coordinate with it. I've enjoyed creating projects as we've read. Sometimes Gabby and I have struggled with the content, but that should be expected since it is advanced for her and has been along time since I studied these topics.
Math: Here there has been ups and downs. My husband is teaching. I've been worried recently that it is not working, but yesterday, I heard a deep and bold, "yeah!" come from the kitchen table where Abigail was factoring polynomials. A few seconds later, "I did it!" So maybe things are on the up, now.
Social Studies: I chose to have Gabby do an intensive geography curriculum this year. That would be great if I had any background in geography at all!
Language Arts/Literature: I have been using Utopia by the Center for Gifted Education at the College of William and Mary. There is a lot of group discussion and group projects which, obviously, is hard to do with a class of one. There is also a lot of educational theory in the teachers guide that is over my head. The amount of work itself is staggering. However, I'm not sure if that is because, in a classroom, teachers tend to pick and choose what they do, rather than complete the everything. Do the authors expect me to use the whole book, assign every assignment? It's meant for grades 7-9 -- does that mean it should take me 3 years to complete it or is it meant just for one? Maybe seventh graders would take longer and end up completing less from the book than 9th graders... These I things I would ask the authors, if I could.
We've been plugging along, taking breaks here and there for my own curriculum ideas. Some parts of it I love. I love that Gabby is learning about the concept of utopia and reading great works of fiction. I love the vocabulary webs. These are worksheets that replace the traditional vocabulary list. The student finds the word in the text, writes her own sentence, finds the definition, synonyms, antonyms, root words, derivation, word families... It's great. What a way to expand your vocabulary and actually remember the words you're learning!
I also love the literature webs. These are worksheets the student fills out for reading selections. They include symbols, feelings, ideas, structure.
Here are some examples:
We recently completed a unit on Animal Farm by George Orwell. At first I was overwhelmed with the amount of writing, projects, and worksheets for one, rather short novel. But by the end, when Gabby wrote her final essay, I was saw that she could use as resources all these projects and worksheets, so writing the essay felt like a natural conclusion rather than this overwhelming, all-consuming assignment. She was very well-prepared by the work she had done leading up to it. That impressed me.
Our first unit on Little Women wasn't part of Utopia. Neither is A Christmas Carol. We are just finishing that up. I also read to Gabby and Bri every night. This fall we read A Little Princess and The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett. It is only a few days until Christmas but we are just starting our holiday story -- The Bird's Chritsmas Carol. In January we'll start up with Utopia again. That means, over the Christmas break, I'll have a lot of reading and preparing to do. And I hope, not too many wheels to invent.
Monday, November 14, 2011
Jeweler, you failed.
There's a scene in the movie Help! where John brings Ringo to a jeweler to have the mysterious ring removed from Ringo's finger. Of course, no matter how hard he tries, the ring stays firm. John, then pronounces, entirely deadpan, "Jeweler, you failed." Here's the clip on youtube.
I had never seen Help! until I started dating my husband and of all the famous lines from movies that occasionally run through my brain, I think this is probably the lamest, but nevertheless, whenever I see a failure of some kind, I think it.
When it came to science experiments this week, this jeweler certainly failed.
So far our biology curriculum has been going pretty well. The move set us behind a couple weeks and that disappoints me, but I've decided not to rush to catch up. We'll just forge ahead at a consistent pace (or try to) and see where it takes us. We have done very well making science a hands-on experience with all the models Gabby's made. She built her atom, her gumdrop molecules, and she just finished a terrific model of an animal cell.
Here's the cell. There are holes cut for each organelle and on the back you can read about them.
But experiments have been harder for us. I have craft supplies galore -- great for models -- but what do I have that's good for experiments in freshman biology?
This week Gabby and I attempted 3 experiments. Every one was a failure.
The first was a diffusion lab. This was to conclude our chapter on the cell. We had to fill plastic baggies with a cornstarch solution and place them in an iodine solution. Sounds simple, right? Well, we did exactly what we were supposed to do and it did not do its part.
The bag was supposed to work as a selectively permeable membrane, only allowing the iodine solution in. We would have been able to see that because the iodine would have reacted with starch, turning blue. Nothing happened to our starch solution! It stayed perfectly cloudy white. The iodine solution did change though. It started turning a dark brown or black. We realized that for whatever reason our bag was acting as a selectively permeable membrane -- only letting the starch solution pass! So I guess that one wasn't a total bust. It still illustrated the concept but I wouldn't give us a gold star or anything.
The next one was supposed show how light affects leaves. We colored some leaves with black construction paper and others with different colors of cellophane and placed the plant in a sunny window. Of course, for the next few days we had cloudy weather. The covered leaves looked no different from the rest of the leaves. It may be because of our choice of plant. This time of year, I could only find poinsettias. Alas.
The final lab should have been our simplest. A paper chromatography lab. We followed the instructions EXACTLY. I sent Gabby and William into our yard to collect leaves. We thought it would be fun to collect leaves of all colors: green, red, yellow, purple. We cut them up and put them in cups with acetone (nail polish remover) and let it sit for 24 hours. When we came back to it the acetone was tinted with the colors of the leaves. We dipped strips of coffee filter in and waited for different colored lines to appear. We got nothing! I couldn't believe it. In fact, I was so mad that I found another website, same lab but somewhat different instructions. We're going to do it all over again. We will succeed!
I think a situation like this is why a friend of mine, Susan, says to always test object lessons at home before performing them for the Sunday School class!
Well, I tested at home, but home was the class!
I can only hope for better results in the future. Or better experiments. Or a better biology instructor -- who just happens to come knocking on my door. That's likely, right? Maybe. Tomorrow never knows.
Our 3 failed labs
I had never seen Help! until I started dating my husband and of all the famous lines from movies that occasionally run through my brain, I think this is probably the lamest, but nevertheless, whenever I see a failure of some kind, I think it.
When it came to science experiments this week, this jeweler certainly failed.
So far our biology curriculum has been going pretty well. The move set us behind a couple weeks and that disappoints me, but I've decided not to rush to catch up. We'll just forge ahead at a consistent pace (or try to) and see where it takes us. We have done very well making science a hands-on experience with all the models Gabby's made. She built her atom, her gumdrop molecules, and she just finished a terrific model of an animal cell.
Here's the cell. There are holes cut for each organelle and on the back you can read about them.
But experiments have been harder for us. I have craft supplies galore -- great for models -- but what do I have that's good for experiments in freshman biology?
This week Gabby and I attempted 3 experiments. Every one was a failure.
The first was a diffusion lab. This was to conclude our chapter on the cell. We had to fill plastic baggies with a cornstarch solution and place them in an iodine solution. Sounds simple, right? Well, we did exactly what we were supposed to do and it did not do its part.
The bag was supposed to work as a selectively permeable membrane, only allowing the iodine solution in. We would have been able to see that because the iodine would have reacted with starch, turning blue. Nothing happened to our starch solution! It stayed perfectly cloudy white. The iodine solution did change though. It started turning a dark brown or black. We realized that for whatever reason our bag was acting as a selectively permeable membrane -- only letting the starch solution pass! So I guess that one wasn't a total bust. It still illustrated the concept but I wouldn't give us a gold star or anything.
The next one was supposed show how light affects leaves. We colored some leaves with black construction paper and others with different colors of cellophane and placed the plant in a sunny window. Of course, for the next few days we had cloudy weather. The covered leaves looked no different from the rest of the leaves. It may be because of our choice of plant. This time of year, I could only find poinsettias. Alas.
The final lab should have been our simplest. A paper chromatography lab. We followed the instructions EXACTLY. I sent Gabby and William into our yard to collect leaves. We thought it would be fun to collect leaves of all colors: green, red, yellow, purple. We cut them up and put them in cups with acetone (nail polish remover) and let it sit for 24 hours. When we came back to it the acetone was tinted with the colors of the leaves. We dipped strips of coffee filter in and waited for different colored lines to appear. We got nothing! I couldn't believe it. In fact, I was so mad that I found another website, same lab but somewhat different instructions. We're going to do it all over again. We will succeed!
I think a situation like this is why a friend of mine, Susan, says to always test object lessons at home before performing them for the Sunday School class!
Well, I tested at home, but home was the class!
I can only hope for better results in the future. Or better experiments. Or a better biology instructor -- who just happens to come knocking on my door. That's likely, right? Maybe. Tomorrow never knows.
Our 3 failed labs
Thursday, November 10, 2011
A Unit for a Little Woman
To begin our Language Arts studies for the year, I chose to concentrate on Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. I have a soft spot for the Transcendentalists, having grown up in the Boston area, swimming in Walden Pond in the summer, and being one of 4 daughters myself. (My placement in my family would make me "Beth" but I have much more of Jo's temper than Beth's meekness and timidity.) I hoped Gabby would enjoy this story of 4 playful, imaginative girls and thought it very likely she would identify with Jo, as I did. (Who doesn't?)
I found a workbook to go along with our reading. It is meant for a fifth grade class using an abridged version of the book. Gabby is in 7th grade and I wanted her to read the real thing. (Why does anyone ever bother with abridgements anyway?) We used the workbook as a jumping off point. I liked the character guide where the student keeps track of descriptive words for the main characters and sketches pictures of them. We also used the writing prompts and some of the discussion questions.
To go along with some of those discussion questions, I found some complimentary activities in Gabby's church workbook. For one, she was supposed to write in her journal about modesty, dating, and the media. I thought this went well with the chapter Meg Goes to Vanity Fair, where Meg is tempted to turn from her values. I encouraged Gabby to write about Meg's experiences and what she thinks of them and apply them to herself in a modern context. See Personal Progress Choice and Accountability 6. I also used an activity where Gabby had to learn about a gospel principle. I thought exploring sacrifice would help her appreciate Jo's sacrifice of cutting her hair. (Gabby also has very long her that she refuses to cut!) Gabby wrote an essay to share with the family. She used the scriptures and online church resources and, of course, the account from Little Women. See Personal Progress Knowledge 4.
I've already shared about our field trips to Orchard House and Fruitlands Museum in an earlier post. They made the story come alive and helped us to get to know the author.
I found this great website for learning about the clothing women wore in the 1860s. It has an interactive version where you can add and remove each layer of clothes (except for the chemise!) It is astounding how many layers women wore!!! We used this as a basis for Gabby's major project: sewing a dress similar to what Louisa May Alcott might have worn. First we chose a pattern. Most period patterns are geared toward adult women so we had to choose a girls costume pattern, since Gabby is still small. Thus, her dress has some differences from a traditional 1860s gown: her bodice is sewn into the skirt, her lacing is purely decorative, and we used a zipper rather than buttons. It is also a bit short (Gabby is thin, but tall!) Next, we chose fabric. Somewhere we had read that the Alcotts preferred linen over cotton -- to avoid passive participation in slavery -- so we purchased all linen fabrics for the dress. That made it a bit pricey and reduced our color selection, but Gabby was happy with what she bought. We chose not to worry about our threads, ribbons or lace being cotton or cotton/poly. Here are some pictures of the sewing process:
cutting it out
Monday, November 7, 2011
Freedom!
Now that we are fairly settled into our new home, we are trying to get back into our old routine. I'm not sure we had ever really developed a true routine, but we had great visions of one, so we are at least now re-assuming our visions.
Today, that meant Gabby got to go to work with Max. Max is a researcher at a hospital in the city. He has his own office where Gabby can study and the atmosphere in the labs he works at is pretty relaxed so it's okay for her to tag along.
They took the train together this morning and around 9:30 they were probably scooting through the city together. This is one of Max's favorite parts of his day, riding his Zootr to his office. He got Gabby a Razor so she could join in the fun. (That is how the broken elbow came to be.)
So now, here I am, with a day free of homeschooling. I plan to do housework, play with Fielding, get caught up with my church responsibilities and who knows what else. Maybe give my parents a call? Bake a little treat for family night tonight? Steal some Halloween candy?
The possibilities feel endless. I think I'll go and see what Hershey's got to offer.
Today, that meant Gabby got to go to work with Max. Max is a researcher at a hospital in the city. He has his own office where Gabby can study and the atmosphere in the labs he works at is pretty relaxed so it's okay for her to tag along.
They took the train together this morning and around 9:30 they were probably scooting through the city together. This is one of Max's favorite parts of his day, riding his Zootr to his office. He got Gabby a Razor so she could join in the fun. (That is how the broken elbow came to be.)
So now, here I am, with a day free of homeschooling. I plan to do housework, play with Fielding, get caught up with my church responsibilities and who knows what else. Maybe give my parents a call? Bake a little treat for family night tonight? Steal some Halloween candy?
The possibilities feel endless. I think I'll go and see what Hershey's got to offer.
Saturday, November 5, 2011
We've moved; we've been overwhelmed
Our home in a freak fall snowstorm.
We are in a new house, a house we love and are so happy to have moved to, but wow -- getting to this point, where I now have a bit of free time to write about it -- that's been tough. I really was not prepared for how difficult it would be to move during the school year.
We put our house up for sale in June. It is a lovely little townhouse, but with only 3 bedrooms (small ones, too) and 4 kids, it was time to go bigger. And since a bad economy is a good time to buy a house, we went for it. At the end of July we got an offer and found our new home at the end of August. We had 14 days between closings. I thought having 2 weeks to move would make the whole process run smoothly and allow time for me to homeschool Gabby and tend the other kids' needs as well.
WRONG! The 2 weeks went by like nothing and we still had boxes everywhere and nowhere to sit (small house -> big house = not enough furniture). The first night we slept here, we didn't have enough time to set up the beds, so our bedroom became a true "bed"room: we had all the mattresses spread across the floor and all slept together.
Throughout this time, I was able to fit in very little schooling. Even Bri ended up missing 4 homework assignments over the course of the month. I don't think I had ever had to sign a missed homework slip for her in the past 5 years! Now, 4 in a month! The poor kid cried over the last 2 of them. She's responsible but still only 10. A 10-year old needs some support in getting homework done. An occasional "did you get your homework done?" goes a long way.
Gabby has been a huge help with the move. We would not be so well unpacked now if not for her. One day we organized the garage. It was stuffed so full, you could hardly walk through it. We moved all the boxes to the rooms where they belonged. It took the whole afternoon and was heavy labor. Gabby didn't complain once.
Doing schoolwork, though -- that's involved some complaining. Everything was too hard or she didn't know what she was supposed to do (5 minutes after me explaining what she was supposed to do). She was an angel to help me and a bear to teach.
But what can I expect? I had no interest in school either with the house in such a state! We are cut from the same cloth, this girl and I.
Well, now we're moved. Unpacked, mostly, a new couch (someplace to sit) and we are making a greater effort at schooling. Gabby should finish a nice paper puzzle of the cell in the next few days and complete our unit on Animal Farm as well. Halloween brought the culmination of her month-long study of Little Women. I'll post about that this week. I'm trying to be a better mom to everyone. I am even checking Bri's homework sheet every night.
Friday, October 14, 2011
PA Fall Foliage Hike
For the Columbus Day holiday, we went to the Pocono Environmental Education Center. Its got a large main building with exhibits and many hiking trails. We took the Fossil trail. Supposedly there were fossils to find. We just tried not to get eaten alive by the mosquitoes!
I'd love to go back there because it was a beautiful hike and I feel like we just scratched the surface of everything the center offers. Getting there, however was such a bear! Traffic was terrible. I'm not sure we will be headed back any time soon, despite how much we enjoyed it. Here's the website and pics of us on the hike, below.
The fossil trail
Bri reading from the trail guide
Can you find the frog?
Tumbling stream
Gabby, Fielding, William, and Bri
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
The Elbow
Today Gabby took off her splint. She's been writing her assignments herself and generally seems happier about her schoolwork.
It was just over 2 weeks ago Gabby fell off her scooter and broke her right elbow. It was a new scooter, purchased so she could ride it in the city with her Dad when she visits him at work. (He's got a scooter of his own.)
The very next day after having opened the box, she was riding around, got going too fast and --slam!-- fell flat on the pavement. When Max brought her inside, I could tell there was something more serious than scrapes going on. Gabby wasn't crying at all, but was holding her arm, bent and shaking. She couldn't straighten it.
Max wanted to wait and see, so we didn't actually find out it was a break until I took her to the ER the next morning. We were sent home with a splint and told to see an orthopedist. When we got in to see him, on Tuesday, he confirmed the break, but said it wasn't a bad one. She only needed to wear the splint and a sling for 10 days.
Today was the first open appointment at the orthopedist for a follow-up, so she ended up wearing it for 2 weeks, longer, if you count the splint she was sent home from hospital wearing. I had to write for her all that time! It was a pretty rocky week for school. Everything took longer. We were both easily frustrated. Looking back, I wish I had totally changed our plans so that she didn't having any writing or typing assignments. Goodness gracious, that's the benefit of homeschool -- that we can be flexible when we need too! I wish we had just focused on reading or combed youtube for science videos. I kept things the same, because I didn't want to get behind and because she was working on some pretty cool assignments. Here's the Biomes presentation, she completed, typing with one hand.
I'm not sure it was worth the added stress. The house paid for it too -- no laundry was folded last week and dishes only got done when Max did them. Thanks Max! I guess I'm still getting used to the idea that we don't have to "keep up" or justify our time.
We had thought that Gabby would get to go to swim practice tonight (she is an AMAZING swimmer!), but the orthopedist said no. He wants her to wait "3 weeks post injury" and to see a physical therapist. He normally would not recommend the therapy, but since she's a swimmer, he thought it would help her get back into shape sooner. I'm worried because, the longer she stays out of the pool, the more anxiety Gabby feels about getting back in. She's been swimming for so many years, it is like part of her identity. (I don't like that at all!) She stresses about going -- that she won't be up for the challenge -- and about not going, that she'll get more out of shape.
Sometimes she hears what I say and sometimes I think it just sounds like, "Blah, blah, blah."
I'm glad that she's been so independent in her work today. I hope that helps her feel generally more competent and capable. I'm sure it was discouraging to be so dependent on me for the last couple weeks. (I even had to fix her hair each day.)
When she's done with her reading assignment, we are going to finish a sewing project -- and she'll be 100% in charge of the machine for the first time. Now that she's got 2 good hands again.
It was just over 2 weeks ago Gabby fell off her scooter and broke her right elbow. It was a new scooter, purchased so she could ride it in the city with her Dad when she visits him at work. (He's got a scooter of his own.)
The very next day after having opened the box, she was riding around, got going too fast and --slam!-- fell flat on the pavement. When Max brought her inside, I could tell there was something more serious than scrapes going on. Gabby wasn't crying at all, but was holding her arm, bent and shaking. She couldn't straighten it.
Max wanted to wait and see, so we didn't actually find out it was a break until I took her to the ER the next morning. We were sent home with a splint and told to see an orthopedist. When we got in to see him, on Tuesday, he confirmed the break, but said it wasn't a bad one. She only needed to wear the splint and a sling for 10 days.
Today was the first open appointment at the orthopedist for a follow-up, so she ended up wearing it for 2 weeks, longer, if you count the splint she was sent home from hospital wearing. I had to write for her all that time! It was a pretty rocky week for school. Everything took longer. We were both easily frustrated. Looking back, I wish I had totally changed our plans so that she didn't having any writing or typing assignments. Goodness gracious, that's the benefit of homeschool -- that we can be flexible when we need too! I wish we had just focused on reading or combed youtube for science videos. I kept things the same, because I didn't want to get behind and because she was working on some pretty cool assignments. Here's the Biomes presentation, she completed, typing with one hand.
I'm not sure it was worth the added stress. The house paid for it too -- no laundry was folded last week and dishes only got done when Max did them. Thanks Max! I guess I'm still getting used to the idea that we don't have to "keep up" or justify our time.
We had thought that Gabby would get to go to swim practice tonight (she is an AMAZING swimmer!), but the orthopedist said no. He wants her to wait "3 weeks post injury" and to see a physical therapist. He normally would not recommend the therapy, but since she's a swimmer, he thought it would help her get back into shape sooner. I'm worried because, the longer she stays out of the pool, the more anxiety Gabby feels about getting back in. She's been swimming for so many years, it is like part of her identity. (I don't like that at all!) She stresses about going -- that she won't be up for the challenge -- and about not going, that she'll get more out of shape.
She says things like, "What if it's too hard?" "What if I'm not fast anymore?" and "What if I'm not on the A relay team?"
I say things like, "I will still love you. Your coaches will still love you. God will still love you. The sun will continue to rise and set each day."
Sometimes she hears what I say and sometimes I think it just sounds like, "Blah, blah, blah."
I'm glad that she's been so independent in her work today. I hope that helps her feel generally more competent and capable. I'm sure it was discouraging to be so dependent on me for the last couple weeks. (I even had to fix her hair each day.)
When she's done with her reading assignment, we are going to finish a sewing project -- and she'll be 100% in charge of the machine for the first time. Now that she's got 2 good hands again.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Too Lazy, Too Tired
Today Gabby and I took our first theater class. It was in role-playing. We role-played how our day should have gone.
We can blame it, a bit, on yesterday. Yesterday, we drove home from Boston, with not too much traffic, just one vomit-incident, and just a little fussiness from Fielding. We got home in good time and ate leftovers from my mom, packed in a cooler and warmed, delicious.
It was hard, though, to get up for school this morning. I had to help William on a project that was due while we were away. Gluing little pictures of his favorite things onto a cardstock t-shirt.
I managed to get Bri and William on the bus and Fielding and I out the door for my 8:45am workout at the Y. (Normally Gabby comes with us, but since she's got a broken elbow -- I'll tell about that in some future post -- she opted to stay behind.)
When I got home, it was obvious that Gabby had been disinclined to work. Here's the role-play:
Gabby: Mom, I'm so tired from the trip, I don't feel like studying.
Me: I know. It's hard to get back into the routine after a vacation. What have you done so far?
Gabby: Well, I looked for photos of biomes but I can't find any with the locations stated, like you want. I did my math worksheets, but Daddy hasn't given me any new challenge problems and the timed quiz website isn't working.
Me: I can help you find some good websites for the biomes project. Have you emailed Dad about the math?
Gabby: No. I just don't feel like it.
Me: I understand. I didn't feel like working out this morning. I had to not think about it and just do it.
Gabby: That's too hard.
Me: It is hard. Would you like me to help you email Daddy?
Gabby. Okay. Then can I take a break?
Me: That's okay with me, but we might not have time to work on your sewing project if you do.
Gabby: I really want to sew.
Me: You'll have to decide what you want most. Here, let's email Daddy and then find some good websites on the biomes. Then you can decide what you want to do.
Gabby: Thanks Mom. You're the best!
Me: Gee, that means a lot Gabby. I think you're great too.
That's what we role-played. That is not what actually happened. What actually happened was a lot of "I can't" coming from Gabby (which I hear as "I won't). And a lot of "you have to" from me, which Gabby hears as "I dare you not to."
I even pulled out, "then we'll have to enroll you in the middle school."
SO DUMB! Why did I say that? Why pull out the big guns for such a little thing? She was tired from the trip. She was having troubled getting back into the rhythm of school... And we've been having a great time homeschooling so far! Why get so bent out of shape over one bad day?
Well, in my defense, I was tired too. I was all sweaty from my work out, which wasn't even satisfying. In the rush of the morning I had forgotten to eat. Halfway through the class, I felt like I might pass out so I left early. Blah.
Only to be greeted by Lazy Lucy when I came in the door.
It is so hard to be compassionate when I want compassion!
In a funny coincidence, last night my husband told me about a difficult time he was having with a coworker. Max works in academia and is responsible for mentoring students and others in his research. This particular individual was giving him a hard time over the assignments Max had given him. (Sound familiar?) In frustration, Max played Monty Python's Argument Sketch -- the coworker didn't seem to get it and wasn't amused.
Sometimes it feels like exasperation and defiance meet my every suggestion. I wish Gabby could just say that an assignment is difficult, or just ask me to help her, or just tell me she's worried about something. But every statement drips with emotion. All that drama makes me dramatic!
Sometimes I think to myself, "If Ican just get through the day without losing my temper -- or losing my temper again -- then we'll all wake up in better mood tomorrow!"
We can blame it, a bit, on yesterday. Yesterday, we drove home from Boston, with not too much traffic, just one vomit-incident, and just a little fussiness from Fielding. We got home in good time and ate leftovers from my mom, packed in a cooler and warmed, delicious.
It was hard, though, to get up for school this morning. I had to help William on a project that was due while we were away. Gluing little pictures of his favorite things onto a cardstock t-shirt.
I managed to get Bri and William on the bus and Fielding and I out the door for my 8:45am workout at the Y. (Normally Gabby comes with us, but since she's got a broken elbow -- I'll tell about that in some future post -- she opted to stay behind.)
When I got home, it was obvious that Gabby had been disinclined to work. Here's the role-play:
Gabby: Mom, I'm so tired from the trip, I don't feel like studying.
Me: I know. It's hard to get back into the routine after a vacation. What have you done so far?
Gabby: Well, I looked for photos of biomes but I can't find any with the locations stated, like you want. I did my math worksheets, but Daddy hasn't given me any new challenge problems and the timed quiz website isn't working.
Me: I can help you find some good websites for the biomes project. Have you emailed Dad about the math?
Gabby: No. I just don't feel like it.
Me: I understand. I didn't feel like working out this morning. I had to not think about it and just do it.
Gabby: That's too hard.
Me: It is hard. Would you like me to help you email Daddy?
Gabby. Okay. Then can I take a break?
Me: That's okay with me, but we might not have time to work on your sewing project if you do.
Gabby: I really want to sew.
Me: You'll have to decide what you want most. Here, let's email Daddy and then find some good websites on the biomes. Then you can decide what you want to do.
Gabby: Thanks Mom. You're the best!
Me: Gee, that means a lot Gabby. I think you're great too.
That's what we role-played. That is not what actually happened. What actually happened was a lot of "I can't" coming from Gabby (which I hear as "I won't). And a lot of "you have to" from me, which Gabby hears as "I dare you not to."
I even pulled out, "then we'll have to enroll you in the middle school."
SO DUMB! Why did I say that? Why pull out the big guns for such a little thing? She was tired from the trip. She was having troubled getting back into the rhythm of school... And we've been having a great time homeschooling so far! Why get so bent out of shape over one bad day?
Well, in my defense, I was tired too. I was all sweaty from my work out, which wasn't even satisfying. In the rush of the morning I had forgotten to eat. Halfway through the class, I felt like I might pass out so I left early. Blah.
Only to be greeted by Lazy Lucy when I came in the door.
It is so hard to be compassionate when I want compassion!
In a funny coincidence, last night my husband told me about a difficult time he was having with a coworker. Max works in academia and is responsible for mentoring students and others in his research. This particular individual was giving him a hard time over the assignments Max had given him. (Sound familiar?) In frustration, Max played Monty Python's Argument Sketch -- the coworker didn't seem to get it and wasn't amused.
Sometimes it feels like exasperation and defiance meet my every suggestion. I wish Gabby could just say that an assignment is difficult, or just ask me to help her, or just tell me she's worried about something. But every statement drips with emotion. All that drama makes me dramatic!
Sometimes I think to myself, "If Ican just get through the day without losing my temper -- or losing my temper again -- then we'll all wake up in better mood tomorrow!"
Saturday, October 1, 2011
What a field trip!
Did we really drive 6 hours for a Language Arts field trip?
Yup.
This month Gabby has been reading Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. I've assigned her several essays and she's been working on a great sewing project as part of it but the coolest thing we've done is driven to Massachusetts to visit Fruitlands and Orchard House, two of the places the Alcotts called home.
I'm lucky in that I have family who live in the Boston area, so it was easy for me to call and say, "Hey, would you guys care for some visitors this weekend?" and hop in the car and take off. We saw Fruitlands on the way. Fruitlands was the farm the Alcotts moved to when Louisa was 9. They tried to live out their Trancendental dreams, to create a utopian community that lived independently off the land, in harmony with nature. The experiment failed pretty miserably; the Alcotts left, penniless and hungry after 7 months. The farmhouse is still there with other art and culture museums on the property. You can walk through the woods and play old-fashioned children's games, see the attic where Louisa slept and enjoy the other exhibits.
It wasn't too pricey, for a museum and even the little boys had fun. You can learn more about it here Fruitlands Museum And see our family enjoying it below:
Gabby in front of the farmhouse
Henry David Thoreau's desk
Louisa and Anna's attic bedroom
Artwork by May
Gabby, Bri, William, Fielding, and one of the museum workers (a very sweet lady) playing with the old toys and in the woods.
Just this morning we visited the other site -- Orchard House. This was the most stable home for the Alcotts. They bought it after having moved 22 times in 30 years! It was where Louisa wrote Little Women and where she based the book as well.
Walking through Orchard House was AMAZING! There had been very little change to the home in the 150 years since they moved there. More than 80% of the furnishings actually belonged to the family -- including quilts made by Marmee. (The Alcotts girls truly called Abba Alcott that, just like in the book). In some rooms you can see the artwork of May (Amy March): beautiful framed paintings and sketches done right on the walls. Mr. and Mrs. Alcott encouraged her to draw on the walls!
The tour began with a video about the Alcotts, hosted by "Louisa May" herself. Then we were taken into the kitchen, which was an addition by Bronson Alcott, built right over the well, so the family had easy access to their water supply. A door in the floor opens to reveal the well below. I loved hearing the stories the guide told, particularly one about May and Julian Hawthorne capsizing in a boat in Walden Pond and having to walk home together, soaked, May's white dress ruined, through a busy Concord town center.
If you get the chance I highly recommend going, especially if you're from the Boston area. My mom went with us and after we left, she said, "I can't believe I've lived here all my life and never seen this place! Orchard House
The Alcott's home in Concord
Bronson Alcott's school
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Friends and Movies
On Friday we went to our first homeschool group activity: a movie day. We saw "Dolphin Tale." It was very good -- or, good, considering my low expectations! There was a workbook emailed to us by the group and we did most of the activities beforehand. Made seeing the movie much more fun. I highly recommend using it.
Dolpin Tale Workbook
As far as a socializing event, it was okay. We met a few people, but all in all, a movie theater is not a great setting for making friends. Gabby, William, and Fielding had a good time, though. William wanted to stay and watch it again!
When we got back, Bri had already arrived home from school. Bri is my 10-year old. She is in fifth grade at the elementary school. I felt a little bad going to a movie without her. I wonder sometimes if she's jealous that Gabby is being homeschooled and she's not. Her dad asked her that very question earlier in the week and she said she wasn't. Bri knows that she'll get her chance once she starts middle school. Still, I do worry about it. Gabby, not Bri, is the "squeakier wheel" in the family; I have to make a conscious effort to be sure everyone gets "greased."
I'd like to get involved with some of the homeschool organizations in the area. Gabs is so shy. I don't want her to miss out on opportunities to fine-tune her social skills, just because she's homeschooled. That was a down-side of this whole under-taking. I said to my husband, "She's so timid, how can we take her away from school? She'll have even fewer chances to overcome it."
He had a very wise response: "What is school doing for her now? Is being immersed in a classroom of 25 kids helping?"
The answer was nothing and no.
I've actually seen a difference in Gabby since we decided to keep her home. She seems to get less stressed out about social situations and is more willing to step out of her comfort zone. Homeschooling hasn't been a magic pill or anything, but it seems like she feels more relaxed. She's even done a little bit of public speaking at church. The youth leaders there have been very supportive of her. It is comforting to me to have leaders who accept a shy child, but still find ways for her to contribute, develop her talents and feel important. That's what I try to do for her at home.
Today was a crazy day in our family. The house is messy and the boys -- well, there were several bathroom incidents that required attention. Ugh. I told everyone that Gabby and I were going to move out (jokingly). Since we've started homeschooling it has become abundantly clear how similar we are. We are both neat and well-organized. We are somehow very aware of the details of a situation but get the big picture as well. We "get" each other. And that is really awesome. I, like Gabby, am not a super social person. It is nice to have this built-in friend. And especially nice now that we get to be with each other so much more. It's hard to say for sure if homeschool, or anything I do for that matter, will really help Gabby become more confident socially. Regardless how that part of this experiment works out, I'm grateful for the friendship we're developing. I think she is too.
Dolpin Tale Workbook
As far as a socializing event, it was okay. We met a few people, but all in all, a movie theater is not a great setting for making friends. Gabby, William, and Fielding had a good time, though. William wanted to stay and watch it again!
When we got back, Bri had already arrived home from school. Bri is my 10-year old. She is in fifth grade at the elementary school. I felt a little bad going to a movie without her. I wonder sometimes if she's jealous that Gabby is being homeschooled and she's not. Her dad asked her that very question earlier in the week and she said she wasn't. Bri knows that she'll get her chance once she starts middle school. Still, I do worry about it. Gabby, not Bri, is the "squeakier wheel" in the family; I have to make a conscious effort to be sure everyone gets "greased."
I'd like to get involved with some of the homeschool organizations in the area. Gabs is so shy. I don't want her to miss out on opportunities to fine-tune her social skills, just because she's homeschooled. That was a down-side of this whole under-taking. I said to my husband, "She's so timid, how can we take her away from school? She'll have even fewer chances to overcome it."
He had a very wise response: "What is school doing for her now? Is being immersed in a classroom of 25 kids helping?"
The answer was nothing and no.
I've actually seen a difference in Gabby since we decided to keep her home. She seems to get less stressed out about social situations and is more willing to step out of her comfort zone. Homeschooling hasn't been a magic pill or anything, but it seems like she feels more relaxed. She's even done a little bit of public speaking at church. The youth leaders there have been very supportive of her. It is comforting to me to have leaders who accept a shy child, but still find ways for her to contribute, develop her talents and feel important. That's what I try to do for her at home.
Today was a crazy day in our family. The house is messy and the boys -- well, there were several bathroom incidents that required attention. Ugh. I told everyone that Gabby and I were going to move out (jokingly). Since we've started homeschooling it has become abundantly clear how similar we are. We are both neat and well-organized. We are somehow very aware of the details of a situation but get the big picture as well. We "get" each other. And that is really awesome. I, like Gabby, am not a super social person. It is nice to have this built-in friend. And especially nice now that we get to be with each other so much more. It's hard to say for sure if homeschool, or anything I do for that matter, will really help Gabby become more confident socially. Regardless how that part of this experiment works out, I'm grateful for the friendship we're developing. I think she is too.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Gumdrop Molecules
Another successful science study. This afternoon we built molecules from gumdrops and toothpicks. It was delicious!
We built sugar with sugar...a glucose molecule.
Here's the amino acid alanine. (Note the poor hand-writing and spelling. Seriously? She copied this out of a book! Definitely not the Gabby of bricks and mortar education. Maybe the sugar was getting to her. We ate a lot. For research purposes, of course.)
And a bunch of other molecules.
My 5-year old was with us for the activity. (His kindergarten is half-day.) Gabby tried to explain to him what we were doing, holding a gumdrop and saying, "This is an atom, William." He didn't get it, but it was pretty funny later, when the littlest one woke up from his nap. He toddled downstairs to the table and William picked up a gumdrop and, very seriously, said, "This is a gumdrop, Fielding."
We all learn at different levels!
Here are the websites we used for reference:
candy compounds
gummy greenhouse gases
tasty models
We used her textbook too. It is Biology by Miller and Levine.
We built sugar with sugar...a glucose molecule.
Here's the amino acid alanine. (Note the poor hand-writing and spelling. Seriously? She copied this out of a book! Definitely not the Gabby of bricks and mortar education. Maybe the sugar was getting to her. We ate a lot. For research purposes, of course.)
And a bunch of other molecules.
My 5-year old was with us for the activity. (His kindergarten is half-day.) Gabby tried to explain to him what we were doing, holding a gumdrop and saying, "This is an atom, William." He didn't get it, but it was pretty funny later, when the littlest one woke up from his nap. He toddled downstairs to the table and William picked up a gumdrop and, very seriously, said, "This is a gumdrop, Fielding."
We all learn at different levels!
Here are the websites we used for reference:
candy compounds
gummy greenhouse gases
tasty models
We used her textbook too. It is Biology by Miller and Levine.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)