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on a roll with school..

Written by Joy
2 Comments
on a roll with school..

We are back on track for the year of 2012.  We started our second week this past Monday morning and are having a wonderful time.  I am very thankful to have kids who love school and love to learn.  As for curriculum, not much has changed from the first half of the school year.  I have actually added a couple of more subjects.

For my younger two kids, we are still using Bob Jones Math, grades 1 and 2.   I have added Bob Jones Phonics/English for 1st grade.  We are still using Hooked on Phonics and I have now added their Bonus workbooks as well.  For science, I am continuing on with Apologia’s Botany.  This semester, I have added art for all three of my kids.  We are using See The Light art curriculum. I am really excited about this art curriculum and will be dedicating another post, just for it. Mystery of History is still our choice for history.  I am loving how they have short lessons and easy to do projects for the kids.



The kids really got into their lesson on Monday.  We read about Egypt, pharaohs and mummies!  The kids enjoyed hearing how the pyramids were built and how the Egyptians were mummified.  My oldest daughter showed our kids this really cool website that takes you through each step of mummification. 

We decided to do a little mummifying of our own!  The kids took a couple of their stuffed animals and we wrapped toilet paper around them until they were completely covered.
 
Then, I told the kids we were going to wrap them up just like a mummy.  Their older sister decided to help out!  How often can you wrap up a sibling in toilet paper?   😉
Samuel volunteered to go first!
 
I am thinking older sibling might be enjoying this a little too much!
 

What has been your favorite part of school so far this year? 

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2012, homeschooling, mummies, mystery of history, See The Light

Science Fair 2012

Written by Joy
2 Comments
Science Fair 2012
Yesterday, the homeschool group I am a part of held its annual science fair. My oldest daughter was a participant in it. This year, there was only 6 students taking part, but they had awesome projects and I am so proud of them.
This makes the sixth year I have organized the science fair. The projects just keep getting better and better. The kids take so much time in doing their projects. They do a great job talking with the judges and explaining how they did it. The science fair is definitely a highlight of the year for me.
Sarah’s project was titles, “Layers of Science: Onions and You.” She was testing different ways that you can get the onions to stop making your eyes water. The different ways she tested were, using a very sharp knife, rubbing vinegar on the cutting board, burning a candle while slicing the onion and putting the onion in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before slicing. We both did this and for Sarah none of the methods worked for her. However, for me, the vinegar on the board worked best.
There were many other suggestions that she could have used; chewing on a piece of bread while slicing the onion, slicing the onion with water running over the onion, putting a lit match in her mouth while slicing the onion. She may continue working on this project to test the other ideas.
At the science fair, in her category, she placed 1st. We are so proud of her.
I normally don’t like getting my picture taken, but decided to get my daughter to take one at the science fair.  It looks like I am looking a little green around the gills!  
We had a wonderful time at the fair and I am already looking forward to see what the kids come up with next year for their projects!

Photobucket

2012, homeschooling, science, science fair

Science Fair 2012

Written by Joy
2 Comments
Science Fair 2012
Yesterday, the homeschool group I am a part of held its annual science fair. My oldest daughter was a participant in it. This year, there was only 6 students taking part, but they had awesome projects and I am so proud of them.
This makes the sixth year I have organized the science fair. The projects just keep getting better and better. The kids take so much time in doing their projects. They do a great job talking with the judges and explaining how they did it. The science fair is definitely a highlight of the year for me.
Sarah’s project was titles, “Layers of Science: Onions and You.” She was testing different ways that you can get the onions to stop making your eyes water. The different ways she tested were, using a very sharp knife, rubbing vinegar on the cutting board, burning a candle while slicing the onion and putting the onion in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before slicing. We both did this and for Sarah none of the methods worked for her. However, for me, the vinegar on the board worked best.
There were many other suggestions that she could have used; chewing on a piece of bread while slicing the onion, slicing the onion with water running over the onion, putting a lit match in her mouth while slicing the onion. She may continue working on this project to test the other ideas.
At the science fair, in her category, she placed 1st. We are so proud of her.
I normally don’t like getting my picture taken, but decided to get my daughter to take one at the science fair.  It looks like I am looking a little green around the gills!  
We had a wonderful time at the fair and I am already looking forward to see what the kids come up with next year for their projects!

Photobucket

2012, homeschooling, science, science fair

The Earth: Its Structure & Its Changes – review

Written by Joy
The Earth: Its Structure & Its Changes – review
Written by Tome DeRosa and Carolyn Reeves

The Earth: Its Structure and Its Changes is an elementary earth science book  that does not disappoint.  From the introduction of the Teacher’s Guide and Student Journal book, it reads, “The overall goal for each workbook is to include three components; good science, creation apologetics, and Bible references.”  Not only does it do all three that is listed, it also gives the kids a love of science as it teaches about the mysteries of the earth.

The book has 20 different investigations that you and your kids can do together. It gives the students a chance to learn more about God’s creation.  The authors have a process that they give the kids to work with.

Think about This (Engage)

The Investigative Problem(s)

Gather These Things

Procedures and Observations (Investigate)

The Science Stuff (Explain)

Making Connections (Apply)

Dig Deeper (Expand)

What Did You Learn? (Assess)

 As the kids go through each process they will also learn about some of the early scientists and engineers and how they believed.  They will also find creation apologetics and Bible lessons. For the kids to get the maximum of information out of this study, they recommend that you do each lesson in order.  This way, each lesson will build on one another.  It will have the students asking even more questions and doing more research to figure out the truth.

The teacher’s guide comes with student journal pages that can be torn out, so that the kids can make a notebook out of it.  The journal pages have more questions and an area where the kids can make a drawing of their investigation or what they have learned.

While this book is geared towards kids in grades 3rd-6th, I had my 7th grader working in it and had her younger siblings watching on as she did the procedures.  She enjoyed the little projects and investigations learning new information as she did the work.  I would definitely recommend it to any homeschooling family who has a love of science!

I was given this book by New Leaf Publishing group, in exchange for an honest review.
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2011, homeschooling, The Earth

The Earth: Its Structure & Its Changes – review

Written by Joy
The Earth: Its Structure & Its Changes – review
Written by Tome DeRosa and Carolyn Reeves

The Earth: Its Structure and Its Changes is an elementary earth science book  that does not disappoint.  From the introduction of the Teacher’s Guide and Student Journal book, it reads, “The overall goal for each workbook is to include three components; good science, creation apologetics, and Bible references.”  Not only does it do all three that is listed, it also gives the kids a love of science as it teaches about the mysteries of the earth.

The book has 20 different investigations that you and your kids can do together. It gives the students a chance to learn more about God’s creation.  The authors have a process that they give the kids to work with.

Think about This (Engage)

The Investigative Problem(s)

Gather These Things

Procedures and Observations (Investigate)

The Science Stuff (Explain)

Making Connections (Apply)

Dig Deeper (Expand)

What Did You Learn? (Assess)

 As the kids go through each process they will also learn about some of the early scientists and engineers and how they believed.  They will also find creation apologetics and Bible lessons. For the kids to get the maximum of information out of this study, they recommend that you do each lesson in order.  This way, each lesson will build on one another.  It will have the students asking even more questions and doing more research to figure out the truth.

The teacher’s guide comes with student journal pages that can be torn out, so that the kids can make a notebook out of it.  The journal pages have more questions and an area where the kids can make a drawing of their investigation or what they have learned.

While this book is geared towards kids in grades 3rd-6th, I had my 7th grader working in it and had her younger siblings watching on as she did the procedures.  She enjoyed the little projects and investigations learning new information as she did the work.  I would definitely recommend it to any homeschooling family who has a love of science!

I was given this book by New Leaf Publishing group, in exchange for an honest review.
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2011, homeschooling, The Earth