Posted by Cindy on April 18, 2009
This was our last official project of the 2008-09 school year. Besides finishing up some math and grammar, we’re done! WooHoo!! We’re taking the next couple of weeks to tie up the loose ends, write report cards and pack up our work. Of course, around here the learning never stops, it’s just less official. (And I get a lot more done around the house!)
Besides nature study, our science topic for the year was chemistry. After finishing the lessons from Christian Kids Explore Chemistry
, I wanted to be sure they fully understand the concepts we covered. So, a project week was assigned! I wanted them to research, plan, organize, and present a project that came almost completely from them. As usual, they went all out and did a super job!
Here was the assignment:
On Friday, you will be presenting a Chemistry Show. You are expected to work together and be fully prepared for the presentation. During the show, you are to present (and explain) experiments or models to show you understand the following chemistry concepts:
- mixtures
- separating mixtures
- solutions
- solvents and solutes
- reactions
- matter – solids, liquids and gases
- acids and bases
- atoms
- molecules
I handed them a small pile of science experiment books and the assignment paper and they took over!
Here are some random pictures from the “Crafty Chemistry Show”. Their shirts are “lab coats” and they rustled up some latex gloves and safety glasses for more authenticity. 
Posted by Cindy on April 17, 2009
We were honored to help out at a nearby soup kitchen this week. It’s an activity I hope we can do more often!
Posted by Cindy on April 14, 2009
Creative Nature Study: Ideas to Jump-Start or Invigorate Nature Study in Your Homeschool is finally here! The Old Schoolhouse editors and graphics designer have done a fabulous job! I’m just as please as can be with the final product…..
Would you like to win a FREE copy? I have TWO to give away here on my blog! All you need to do is leave a comment on this, or any other post, by MONDAY, APRIL 20. I’ll announce the winners the following day. You’ll want to enter to win this one – it’s a keeper!
Psst… If I get more than 50 comments by Monday, I’ll giveaway THREE copies!! I’ve never had near 50 comments for one of my giveaways, so this is asking a lot. We’ll see what happens. Hope you win!
Posted by Cindy on April 10, 2009
This week was our second round of book publishing this year. Back in February, after the kids had written an original story from a picture prompt, we took the story through the writing process. We’re still trying to find a binding method that works for us – these books were comb-bound using a machine at church.
Mahayla’s is titled The Mountain Trail and is about a horse riding incident. She submitted this story to the Girlhood Home Companion and we think it’s going to be published!
Caleb’s is called Josh the Ice Skater and teaches us all a lesson about skating on a not-so-frozen pond.
This week, I asked each of them to choose a children’s book with predictable patterns. They had to study the pattern and write their own version of the story using the same pattern.
Mahayla chose Fortunately
by Remy Charlip and Caleb Chose Ten Black Dots
by Donald Crews. We sewed the inner pages of the books then used Gorilla glue for the covers. We won’t use Gorilla glue again!
Publishing certainly isn’t for every story, but it’s valuable experience at least a couple times a year. I’m considering asking the local preschool if we can come read these to the children. I think that, too, would be good experience for my children!
