Science CLUB!

We've decided that we need t-Shirts for our newly formed science club.

8 kids ages 6-11 all learning about force and motion this week.

My pictures aren't that compelling but the children really enjoyed the experiments. Younger kids built kit cars last week and are learning about motion and gravity.
We just happened to have a built a racing ramp last weekend for one 6 yr old birthday boy. We put it to good use and the cars that we built last week made it down the ramp - at least once. We changed the angle of the ramp a few times to see how that would affect the speed and pushed the cars uphill to show forces at work.

When the wheels really did start to come off, the children switched to lego cars.
 Note for next time: super glue the wheels

The older ones are getting serious with their electric cars. Other than one hair tangling incident, we are sailing along with the help of three mom-teachers. Hypothesizing, Theorizing and generally having fun!




I really enjoy the time spent with other families, the fresh questions, and the new perspectives. Hooray for Science Club.

Pyramids of Egypt

We are time traveling to Ancient Egypt, circa 3100 BC. Off on an adventure to the land of the Nile, pharaohs, and let's not forget, the pyramids.

We mixed in some geometry while building these pyramids out of straws and playdough, checking to see which was the stronger of the two types.

We had to practice for a long time to be able to draw a realistic looking pyramid on paper. It's like those 3-D pictures that only some people can see and only if you stare for a really long time. Much longer than I have time for........

My nine year- old had the most trouble with getting the dimensions just right and seeing the 3-D pyramid on paper, no matter how we drew it. I finally had her cut out shapes and make one that she could hold. I struggle with rotating objects in space (like galaxy stuff) but this was pretty basic. She eventually got it but I wonder about our future in geometry........

Speaking of "D'Nile", I have been in denial about how little my 4th grader writes with our curriculum. She loves to make lists and practices her cursive happily but the fact remains that she doesn't voluntarily write stories, letters or even a postcard unless she has to. I have a 2nd grader who needs to learn how to manage her paper consumption so I know it's partly due to interest level and gifting however....................... where there is a hole, one must fill it. I would be remiss if I did not address AGAIN the gap in where she is and where I think she should be. That said, Mackenzie is working on an essay of Ancient Egypt so stay tuned as I work to get this reluctant writer to complete the assignment. One paragraph per day should result in a page turner in about another week.

She has agreed to type it out and post it in the blog as well!

One less entry for me.

In case anyone thinks we don't do recess.......

Can you tell what this is?

Looks a little like a hookshot, right you are!

This is Mackenzie taking a whack at the 'ball' aiming for lightpost across the street.

In case you were looking for the ball, it's actually been substituted with those little brown, annoying pokey balls that cover our front lawn this time of year.

And........the grass wasn't in very good shape anyway!

This one makes a really cute caddie. Pairing a healthy snack and some hard work shagging the balls, that's Harper. That bag is filled with those little brown, did I mention, annoying pokey balls.

Now that's not a bad finish for a six year old.

Dad had a few pointers for Everett. I don't know what's cuter, the plaid knee length golf shorts or the intense concentration on his face.

Not bad for a homeschool recess. 20 minutes later, we were back hitting the books. I don't have pictures to prove it, just have to take my word for it, I guess.

Sabbath Day celebration

First the Preparation:

Celebrating the Sabbath was a way to commemorate the Day of Rest at the end of the creation week.

In preparation of the Friday Sabbath dinner, this week we read Genesis 1

and colored posters indicating the days of creation. Here is Everett's ( K) rendering of the all that was made by God during Creation. I particularly love his angels hovering over God as He rests on the 7th day.

Mackenzie was my

helper for the braiding of the challah bread. She loves to be in the kitchen and couldn't help but put her new skills to work after practicing on her dolls this summer.

After 20 minutes resting and 30 minutes in the oven, you get this.......

Both girls worked on the Sabbath covering for the bread. We used a piece of fabric that I had from my long-passed sewing days and some fabric markers. There was a moment of panic when they spelled Sabbath wrong but you can see that we

squeezed in the extra 'B'. No one was the wiser and we got to work setting the table with candles, cloth napkins and wine glasses for everyone.

Todd got home right before this picture so I didn't have time to prep him on what he would doing during this special meal. As usual, he rose to the occasion, made some jokes about the fact that I made PORK for the first Jewish feast of the year- haha- shush- it's one of my best dishes and it's soooo tasty. I did explain that this is not what the people of Israel would have eaten.

hey- I am trying here.....

You can see Todd's script in front of him.

It was his job to recite most of the prayers so I typed them out for him. He did manage to get silly about halfway through so the kids are laughing in this picture...... Something about a typo and the word 'nut' in the wrong place. He really just can't help himself!

And one last shot, the teacher and her three favorite students!

Great first week of school. I only counted one - are we done yets?- but saw lots of smiles, determination and focus. Structure was missed this summer I believe!

I am so blessed to be able to have this time with them and I wouldn't have it any other way.