Weekly wrap up 2/10/17

 For our Science lesson we are continuing to look at simple machines and this week I introduced Pulleys.  We read a little about the different pulleys in our science book.  Last year, my husband had shoulder surgery and we needed to get a shoulder pulley to aid in his recovery so I used his pulley as an introduction to this weeks science:)!!!

First we only used one pulley to lift a 5 lb  weight 

then we used the same weight with two pulleys and compared the difference.  Next week we will be looking at fixed pulleys, moveable and bock and tackle (compound) pulleys using our Knex kit

For History we are reading the above book which gives an excellent look into the Navajo Indians on the reservation as well as their great contribution to WWII.  It is a part of US history I feel is overlooked.

This week on our book club we are in-between so the boys have been working on a stop motion Minecraft game.  They have had fun creating their own stories and learning how to use the editing program on the iPad.  It is a very easy program to use and the boys are loving it:)

MarioFan got the stage kit this Christmas but I don't think you really need it but it gave us a starting point as I have never done this before 

I pretty much left it up to the boys to figure out the program themselves and being boys they had it mastered in a matter of minutes

this was the kit we used to get started.

My husband and I dream of retirement and we are planning to buy an RV and travel the states and Canada.  This past weekend we went to an RV show in the city and scoped out the prices and types of campers that are out there.  We still have a few years to go but we have our dream and are saving up to one day afford a smaller camper.

We narrowed it down to two styles...this one with a more open floor plan with reclining chairs.

or this one which came with a center island, more counter space and 2 refrigerators!   

I have taken up crocheting and my husband is wearing the first thing I have ever crocheted...a scarf.  I have tried for years to learn and always lost interest but this time I seem to have mastered it:)  Now working on a hat which is proving to be a bit harder.

This past weekend we went to a Super Bowl party and the couple lived in a high rise apt.  20th floor  in the middle of the city.  They had the most amazing views from their apartment.  Watching the sun set was so beautiful!!!

This is our week in a nutshell.  We are keeping busy and I hope to get back to my stain glass window one of these weekend. 

Weekly Wrap Up 2/03/17

Usually around this time of year I do a mid term wrap up to hold me accountable for how the kids are doing and what we have achieved so far in the new school year!  We are well past the half way point for our required school hours based on our state requirements.  I will add if we have met my initial year's goal after each subject and based on the last 7 years of homeschooling I  always find there are always a few areas that need improvement.  Sometimes I am able to catch up, other times, I have to concede that those areas are falling behind and I try to do better next year.  I do this to help any new homeschooler who stumbles on my little blog to show that I am NOT a super Homeschool Mom.


FIREDRAKE  - 9th grade

Algebra 1--We have struggled this year to find the right curriculum that works for Firedrake.  We have been using Math U See but that proved to be a big NO once we hit Algebra, so we switch to Khan online and that also proved to not work for her.  So after many hours of researching and asking other homeschoolers we finally chose Teaching Textbooks.  While my daughter is still not crazy about it (not sure we will ever find a math program she would love) we at least have stopped the tears and anger every time I mentioned the word Math:)  We are BEHIND but catching up

History-- Firedrake is taking a American history/literature class at coop.  She is getting a review of early American History in this class (we covered this last year) while at home we are concentrating on the the latter part of American History.  I pull our own resources and use many textbooks, as well as a literature books, videos, movies and documentaries for this subject.   Various projects are done for her coop class and at home.

Biology 2 -- we are using EO Wilson books 4, 5, 6 and 7 this year (we used book 1,2,3 last year for Bio 1).  My husband is responsible for this subject and he takes it very seriously.  Currently they have just started book 6.  My husband is testing my daughter after every chapter and is doing very well.  My husband's test are quite HARD!  ON TARGET

Spanish 2-- Taking at Coop.  Firedrake has decide she does not want continue with Spanish after this year.  I am very disappointed but we have agreed to let her stop if she continues with her Japanese lessons.  She is doing well in the class but I can tell her effort in it has decreased.  At mid term she still earned an A but I have to push her more this year to keep up with the studying.--So ON TARGET

Japanese 1-- Firedrake is taking private lesson with a tutor to learn Japanese and she LOVES it so far.  She is using the book Genki and soaking up everything in her lesson.  This tutor does do testing and she is earning an A so far.  I just hope that when it starts to get even harder she won't lose interest like she did for Spanish.  ON TARGET

Drawing 2 -- Taken at coop class and she is doing well and we can see a great improvement in her capabilities.  ON TARGET

Music -- Piano lesson taking privately which include music theory.  ON TARGET

America Literature -- This is taken at coop class and it is Firedrakes favorite class and teacher (so she reports).  This class includes, public speaking, writing, vocabulary and grammar.  She has earned an A+ this past semester.  ON TARGET

Volunteering -- Firedrake volunteers 16 hours a month at our local World Bird Sanctuary.  He is learning a great deal about birds and work skills.  So far this year she has completed 135 hours:)

MARIOFAN - 7th grade

Math --  We are using Math U See Zeta and doing well.  I am noticing he is beginning to struggle (this is exactly the place where we sort of lost Firedrake:()  So I am considering switching to Teaching textbooks for pre-algebra next year.  But we will continue with this program this year  ON TARGET

Science --  I create our own science program based on my son's interest and what I think we still need to learn.  We started off learning about the Periodic table and doing a bit of Chemistry.  Then we switch to physics with a simple machines unit of which we are almost done.  Not sure what we will examine next but MarioFan and I are discussing it.  ON TARGET

Writing --  We are using IEW continuation and slowly working though the book.  Writing is a bit more of a struggle for MarioFan so we need to take it slow and easy.

Spelling -- We are on book 6 of AAS and only have 6 weeks left before completing the program.  ON TARGET

Vocabulary -- I added this in late choosing to use Wordly Wise book 7.  He is doing well will with it so far.  A BIT BEHIND but catching up:)

Reading -- we are doing a mini book club at coop with a friend and choosing great literature books and doing special projects, answering questions and comparing movies to the books we have read.  ON TARGET

History -- This is the one area where my two kids work together. Currently we are discussing, reading and watching documentaries on WWII the pacific campaign.   ON TARGET

Grammar -- We use the program Growing with Grammar and are on the last chapter so should be finished with it very soon.  ON TARGET

Art -- Takes this class at coop ON TARGET

Spanish intermediate -- Takes this class at coop and is doing well with all tests and quizzes seems to have a knack for this language so I am hopeful he will continue it into high school.  ON TARGET

Geography -- Yikes completely missed the ball on this one:( other than looking at maps when discussing WWI and WWII events.  I sort of miss our country studies but I just don't know when or where we can fit anything else in our school day.  BEHIND

Computer -- We are using Kid Coder Gaming on line program this year.  MarioFan loves the program and he can do it independently which is great for me as I know nothing about gaming and computers.
ON TARGET

JA Bizztown -- MarioFan attends classes at coop for this.  We will attend a full day at our local JA Bizztown the end of March.  We did this two years ago and it was an amazing experience where kids are assigned a job and earn money and see how a community works.  Right now the kids are learning the skills of check writing, balance a check book and understanding credit cards vs debit cards.  ON TARGET

Whew that is are progress for this year.  For the most part I am happy with where the kids are.  I just notice that we have no formal PE program for either kids scheduled so that needs to be looked into as well.

I will leave you with this picture of the book club boys at my home watching Wizard of OZ and having a picnic in our living room:)