Monday, September 26, 2011

Week 4 Ideas

I am preparing for this week's class and wanted to share a few links that were really helpful.

We will be doing Lung Capacity as our Hands-on Science:
http://science-class.net/Teachers_Lessons.htm#Anatomy & Physiology
This site was amazing, everything you could ever want!!
http://science-class.net/Lessons/Anatomy/Respiratory/Respiratory_Internet_Answers.pdf
I am hoping at the end of CC, my kids can answer all of this!

Nervous System
http://library.thinkquest.org/5777/ner1.htm

1776
http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/northamerica/after1500/government/declaration.htm

Little known facts:

1. There Was No “United States” in the Declaration of Independence.
When the Founding Fathers adopted “The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America” [wiki] on July 4, 1776, they didn’t form the nation called The United States of America.

2. Jefferson Was Upset that Slavery was Edited out.
The passage, was edited out by request of the delegates from South Carolina and Georgia. Jefferson (himself a slave owner!) remained upset about this removal of the condemnation of slavery until his death.

3. The Youngest and Oldest Signers
The youngest signer of the Declaration of Independence was Edward Rutledge [wiki] of Southern Carolina. He was 26. 
The oldest signer was Benjamin Franklin [wiki], who was 70 at the time. 

4. The Sole Recanter: Richard Stockton
During the course of the Revolutionary War, four signers were captured by the British  Under duress of harsh British confinement, Stockton recanted his signature on the Declaration and declared his allegiance to the King George III before he was released. 
Before he died, Stockton re-affirmed his oath of allegiance to the United States.

5. A bargain hunter bought an old copy of the Declaration of Independence for $4, then sold it for millions!
In 1989, a bargain hunter who bought an old and torn painting for $4 at a flea market found an old copy of the Declaration of Independence tucked away between the canvas and the frame! The lucky bargain hunter sold his copy of the Declaration at an auction for $8.14 million!

6.  Thomas Jefferson wrote the first draft of the Declaration of Independence, which was then edited by John Adams and Benjamin Franklin.

7. Independence Day: July 2, 1776 - Though Independence Day is celebrated on July 4th, the date that appears on the document itself, the 2nd of July is actually the day that the Continental Congress voted on and declared independence from Britain. The document itself wouldn’t actually be signed until August 2, 1776

8. If By Land or By Sea – The document has experienced many modes of travel. Initially, like other parchment documents of the time, the Declaration was probably stored in a rolled format. It likely traveled by light wagon and by horseback with the Continental Congress it its early years. When it was first brought to Washington, it traveled by boat, down the Delaware River and Bay, out into the ocean, into the Chesapeake Bay, and up the Potomac to the new capital city. During World War II, it was moved by Pullman train to Louisville, KY and transferred under armed guard to Fort Knox for safety and protection.

9. Line of Descent – Actress Reese Witherspoon is a direct descendant of John Witherspoon, one of the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence.

10. Fireworks displays were used as morale boosters for soldiers in the Revolutionary war. At the time however, fireworks were the same type of explosives used in war and were called rockets, not fireworks

Friday, September 23, 2011

Redneck Latin and the EYE dissection link

Wanted to write this down before I lost it.  One of the things we have been doing is associating our Latin words with silliness. (who-us?)  Latin redneck is our theme.

For some odd reason, it currently is working, albeit for the life of me I have no idea why. It seems like it should complicate the memory work. Take it or leave it. Just didn't want to forget it as we delve into more and more of the Latin grammar.

Prepositions
In = In
Apud = With    (aka:  APUD it WITH my shoes)
Per = Through   (we drew a picture of a pear with a hole in it)
Sine = Without   (aka: Jesus was WITHOUT SIN)

Conjunctions
Et = And   (aka:  I  ET ham AND beans)
Ut = That   (aka: I tol' you, UT THAT over thar -Translation for the redneck challenged-"Put that over there")
Sed = But   (aka: I knows what you SED, BUT I don't care!)

Pronouns
Didn't use the redneck translation here, just did hopscotch games. Made a little chant.

Verbs
Erat = Was   (aka:  ERAT WAS gonna bite me)
Est = Is        similar enough to leave alone
Sunt = Are    (working on this one)
Venit = Came   (VENIT CAME over to our house)
Perhiberet = Bear      (there's a hibernate in there somehow which relates to bear)
Crederent = Believe   (Credible means believe, crederent obvious origin.)


DISSECT AN EYEBALL
http://www.eschoolonline.com/company/examples/eye/eyedissect.html

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Week 3-Up against the wall, hands behind your back...

Today I was greeted via email from my dear friend, Kim, with a post that convicted me to my knees. Why do I homeschool? Have I turned success and accomplishment into our God? Is my need to look good as a mom/teacher more important than my relationship with my kids?? Oh my my....big questions. Honestly, I can't answer all of the above with absolute certainty. That scares me.  If you would like a good scare or at least a great topic for debate, read the following article. (btw- that's not me...)

http://www.joshharris.com/2011/09/homeschool_blindspots.php

Week 3- Lots of cool things this week!

LATIN
As the kids and I did the work for this week, we spent a lot of time trying to wrap our heads around the Latin. We came up with a hopscotch game where your feet hop to the matching words. Hailey put it to a song (that I couldn't repeat if life depended on it) that worked great, any ole song would have worked just as well.    We also wrote out the latin from all three weeks on the driveway then I'd call out a Latin word, they'd have to run to the corresponding English word. Worked pretty well. I may try to do same with my Latin flash cards I made. (index cards).

REVIEW
For review we drew 4 lines on the drive way. Line 1=easy question and closest to the goal. Get the question, make the shot, get double points. (ie:2)  Line 2= semi easy.....same scenario (up to 4 pts)  etc etc.  Kids really liked it. I am going to try it this week in class with a beach ball and a laundry basket. We'll see how nuts it gets.

GEOGRAPHY
We are still loving Mach Nacho states and capitals off of YouTube, however, kids are not really associating the capital name with the state. SO, in addition to drilling locations on the map, I'm randomly asking them capitals of states. That on the spot quiz seems to have them a little more focused when they sing the song. We are also doing geography puzzle races.

SCIENCE
For the muscles, we came up with a dance:  Skeletal muscle=stand like a scarecrow with arms dangling and head to side, Smooth=strike a pose like you are soooooo smooth and cool, then use hands to make heart over your heart for Cardiac.  We will investigate fingerprinting this week too.

IEW/EEL
Working on IEW this week really caused me to step back. The first poem about killed us all, so I asked them to do the second poem alone, without any help. They did just fine. Granted they did not meet all the criteria, but I did learn that they can write without my constant oversight. Humbling really...how dare they grow up so well!

OH OH!!   We found SpellingCity.com and someone has put all the C3 EEL spelling and vocab words on the site. (http://www.spellingcity.com/CCChaska/)

I also found a section of homonyms that you could print out "flashcards" without being a member. So we printed out minicards all the way through highschool level. Hopefully, that will really avoid some spelling sins we are all guilty of committing.  http://www.spellingcity.com/view-spelling-list.html?listId=3820028
We use another program, but for a while, we are going to try this. Kids want to take "tests" to get "grades" they can tell their non-homeschooled friends. It is so important they do not feel "weird" by being homeschooled. They get that they are getting a superior education, but they've shared with me that they feel odd man out when everyone is talking about their homework or tests each week. Homework you want? You got it!


HISTORY
We found a timeline online of the colonies. Really enlightening as it provided a short synopsis and we were able to see and understand the series of events much clearer. We followed with watching the corresponding episodes of LIBERTY KIDS on YouTube. Brandon liked it (he's the history buff) so well that he watched for an hour or more!!  It appeared to be pretty factual, so we are now going to incorporate that into our reading/watching of history.     Liberty`s Kids: #01 "The Boston Tea Party" (1/2) - YouTube


Well, hope this was somewhat helpful or inspiring. Hugs to all! Happy schoolin.

If you would like to follow this blog so it tells you when I have posted, please just sign up! It makes me think you like me!

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Fall is in the air

Or is it me just falling?? Gee willakers, I sure wish I could do something in small increments. I get so excited about every little thing that I can't keep up with my brain!

As I prepared for this week's lessons in CC, I found some really neat sites that.... albeit, they may not be for everyone, but it really got my scientific juices flowing. Have you ever wanted to dissect an eyeball?? NO?! Me either, but without all the blood and guts, this site was great. As we are learning about the anatomy of the eye, seeing a real one and being able to take it apart was really neat. Ah, the wonders of the internet.
http://www.eschoolonline.com/company/examples/eye/eyedissect.html

These were good too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvozcv8pS3c&NR=1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsKeu4wm3XI&feature=related

AND BONES- we will also be learning about bones this week! This site is fab for all sorts of info. Here is a link you'd like if you wish to study more on the axial skeleton.
http://kidshealth.org/kid/cancer_center/HTBW/bones.html#


HISTORY
I remembered as we studied the plight and purpose of the Pilgrims how the tyranny of a monarchy really reeked havoc on a religious sect. For a few years it is all hunky dory, then a new person comes to power and you had to run for your life....then five years later all is great, then high tail it once again. I can't blame them for leaving. What trust and determination that took!! What a deep conviction that the Bible is truth...to sail for 65 days into the unknown, risking all...for your God. I can only pray I'll ever have that depth. Then to miss your mark, make do with where you landed, and then have the hardships! It wasn't all turkey and indian peace pipe as I was taught.

This site had some neat info: Check out the diaries and letters. I never realized they experienced earthquakes along with famine, illness and other hardships-yet miraculously kept a deep and abiding faith. How we became such a prosperous, blessed country in the face of what they went through is amazing. PTL
http://www.mayflowerfamilies.com/

And an interesting site about Columbus....
http://library.thinkquest.org/J002678F/columbus.htm
http://library.thinkquest.org/4034/vespucci.html

Seems to me Vespucci may have given old Chris C. a tough time about his misguided perception. Then to find out John Cabot was actually Italian (not French as he name sounded) and was the one who actually landed in "North" America before either of those guys! So who got to the future USA first? Really? Brendan the Navigator? Juan Ponce de LeónLeif Ericson?      I am shocked at the contradictory info, but I think settled in the idea that many people "discovered" different parts of America. I think. What do you think?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exploration


A.D.D. side note:
I do also remember a book I read some time back about China, called "1421, the Year CHINA Discovered America". Now, I can't say whether or not this fella is telling the whole truth, but it sure was an interesting read and puts a whole new spin on the history of exploration.