PHYSICS FRIDAY - #2

This week she built an ATV - including putting all the links together - that could reach speeds of 1.04 miles per hour.

Then she did some experiments with Gravitional Force -
The contraption had to be 6 feet high so we had to do some quick thinking on that one -

Here was the final outcome -

Sports Stadium

----she spent all afternoon constructing this one!

Meet the Masters - Van Gogh

We starting using the Meet the Masters Art Series this past week and KM is really liking it. We got a TERRIFIC group buy price on it through Homeschool Buyers Co-op.

The first artist that we started out with was Van Gogh and we made our own renditions of Starry Night using oil pastels.

We will be working on this program every other week or as time allows and I will be sure to post pics of each her own masterpieces.

There is nothing like friends in the wild!

Especially if they are wild friends!

We went questing this past weekend and took one of KM's BFFs with us!

They always have such a great time together!I love that they can be silly and goofy,

wear witches hats and slide down rocks

without a care in the world!


To see more pics of these great hiking spots check our our nature blog -
GCK Homeschool Nature Photo Journal.

More than Half Way There!

KM is a total book worm, so any sort of reading challenge is right up her alley!

As a scholastic "classroom" she has the opportunity to help books get donated to some great charities and she is already more than half to her 100 book mark!



To find out more about Scholastic Classrooms Care Program please check out their site!

PHYSICS FRIDAY - #1

WE STARTED OUR PHYSICS WORKSHOP KIT THIS WEEK. KM DECIDED THAT SHE IS GOING TO HOLD OFF ON DOING THE ACTUAL MIDDLE SCHOOL PHYSICS FROM SIMPLE SCHOOLING, AS RIGHT NOW IT JUST DOES NOT APPEAL TO HER. HOWEVER THE KIT THAT YOU ARE SUPPOSE TO USE IT WITH IS VERY APPEALING.

WE WILL BE POSTING PHOTOS OF THE EXPERIMENTS AND WORKSHOPS EACH FRIDAY FOR ALL TO SEE.

DUE TO POSSIBLE COPYRIGHT ISSUES I WILL NOT BE GOING OVER THE INSTRUCTIONS, BUT YOU CAN TAKE A LOOK AT THE KIT HERE .

Fall has arrived...

and around here that means...

scarecrows,


pumpkins,

and witches!

The farm that we went to had a huge bail scarecrow that was happy when you arrived...

and sad when you left!!!

Curriculum revamped...already

Okay I am notorious for changing my mind with our curriculum choices and I didn't even make it through the first week without deciding that we were not going to use a few things for various reasons.

Health -
We decided to hold off a bit on the NIH Curriculum Supplements Series and to work through the rest of the Learn to Be Health site that she didn't complete last year. I was feeling as though we were really book heavy and wanted to go for something more computer based - this was a rather easy subject to do the switch on.

Latin -
KM was really not into the Latin Through Mythology like I thought she would be and wanted to do Minimus Secundus sooner rather than later, so I complied. I already had the set and figured why torture her if I didn't need to. I want her to love what she is learning especially when it comes to electives, so why force her to use a program that she really just doesn't want to?

History -
We planned on working through the Ancient China Thematic Unit using Between The Dragon and the Eagle, but she REALLY was not into that book, so again why use it if she doesn't like it. We are still working through most of the time worksheets and projects that went along with it and researching things as we go. When I was looking for things at the library I was reminded of the "You Wouldn't Want to" Series and Horrible Histories. KM has always loved these series and I decided to order the DVD series of Horrible Histories to supplement with - as some of the books are really hard to find around her.

Science -
KM REALLY wanted to start with the Simple Schooling Middle School Physics before we started working on Story of Science so we are holding off on that one until we have finished Physics. This actually did make a bit more sense to me after I thought about it because she has caught up with Earth Science, Astronomy, Biology and Chemistry over the last year and a half, but really hadn't done ANY physics work. So we will focus on Physics and then work through the Story of Science sets so that once we finish those KM should be ready to start High School level Science. I think this should give her a pretty solid foundation to work from.

So that is what we have changed so far. I think it will be about it for the fall session! You never know for sure though!

Building Things -

KM is having a fantastic time building things lately...

whether it is a robotic grasshopper or...

A K'NEX Windmill.


I think she may have gotten the spark lit
when she started doing Lego League.

This is also what led us to starting our Physics early.

Weather Center

While I was digging around looking for things to create a weather unit for KM, I came across this freebie at Currclick - Whatever the Weather. It was young for KM but I figured that I would save it to use for clip art or if she wanted to make a weather game or something. Then when I was trying to come up with things to put in the "toddler area" of our class space, I thought it would be perfect to use to create a weather today center.

I made up the background sign myself and then printed it on to cardstock. I used the brown tape to make the square and rectangle so that it would be very easy to see which fit on which spot. I took the word strips and pasted some of the smaller pics to those so that SC could match them up with the larger picture. Then I used magnets that I had left over from something - ?calendar, notepad that was suppose to attach to a fridge? - you don't need to much and if they are too strong little hands will try to rip them and get frustrated. I attached them to the piece on the wall and to the strips and squares. I am thinking I may cover the pieces with clear contact paper or packing tape to reinforce them a bit though as the edges are already getting a bit worn.



We don't do the center everyday because SC is not here everyday and is only 2. If she were older - or when she gets a bit older - we might print out a calendar and record the weather for every day. This could also lead to graphing, prediction, pattern discussions and all sorts of other things. This could also be a great way to incorporate younger siblings and make them feel included in the days work.

Quick easy addition to a morning routine that can expand to lots of different curriculum connections!

Thanks Wendy for asking - I got to it a bit quicker than I thought I would!

First day of Fall Session

It was our first day back to lessons today after a 3 week break.

We had an early start...

got some studies done...

enjoyed a wonderful hike with our coop friends...

and then got a new "class" pet!

Our first day and I am already revamping things. I have to hit the sack but will be sure to be back and let you all know what we have scrapped already!

almost back...

We will be back to lessons starting Sunday. I am trying to take the rest of this week to get myself, my house and my coop responsibilities under control before we delve into lessons here. I am waiting to see what happens with the Littles. I am having some anxiety over it, but I know that it will all work out in the end. We have decided to do a few things on Sundays, as they are generally slow get things done and ready for the next week days around here. KM agreed and thinks that if it will make me feel less pressure with the Littles during the week she is all for it, so we have picked Health and Cultural Studies to do on Sundays. We will wait and see how things really turn out with the kids and how much we can get done before we decide to switch things out anymore. There has been some talk of making the days that we have them more like weekend days, but I really need time that is neither lesson or daycare time - wow what a CONCEPT! Does such time actually exist?
I am bound and determined to find it! Anyway we will be back in full force next week and I am working on coming up with some sort of themes like Science Thursdays that we did during the Summer, but I will have to keep everyone posted on that one!

Birthday Bash 2009

Since mine and KM's birthdays are so close together we usually have a HUGE party to celebrate, but this year we decided to keep our birthday bash a bit smaller than usual, but we had a FANTASTIC TIME!

The many faces of my...

12 Year Old!!!

I honestly don't know where the past year has gone,
never mind the past 12!
Thanks for all the very Happy Birthday wishes for KM!