Weekly wrap up 3/31/17

Firedrake had her Spanish presentation this week for class.  She was presenting a story she wrote in Spanish.  In her story she talked about eggs and bacon so she wanted to bring in a treat for the kids to munch on while listening and translating her story into English her story.

We found a very cute candy fried egg and bacon treat.  We figured this would be easier then making real eggs and bacon. to take to school.

We simply melted white chocolate discs and spread it out on wax paper into odd shapes.  We added yellow MM's for the egg yolk and two pretzels for the bacon slices.

the treats were a bit success and so simple.  Most kids were able to figure out what they were suppose to be based on the story, which my daughter was relieved about.

MarioFan and I are starting a new science unit and I have chosen this book to work from.  In addition I am for the first time going to make up tests after each chapter and work with him on how to study for tests.  I am also teaching him how to take notes while reading a book.  Due to handwriting issues he is learning to take notes via typing on the computer.

Our first experiment was to create mold. Mold forms and spreads very quickly with moistened bread 

whereas dry bread takes a bit longer to develop mold.

For history we are continuing to understand the cold war and looking at the many complexities of that era.

Next week is spring break for us and our coop so I will be take a small blogging break to so a bit of spring cleaning and yard work, at least that is my plan:)

Weekly Wrap up 3/24/17 JA Bizztown

The highlight of the week for MarioFan was attending JA Bizztown!  We did this two years ago and he loved it!  He wanted to attend again and we have been working on this program with a friend so both boys attended.  MarioFan job for the day was working for the utility company as a Customer specialist.

ON this day only Homeschool kids were there and it was big group from all over the state

MarioFan had to start the day with paperwork and he has decided he hates excessive paperwork and wants a future job with no paperwork.  Good luck with that son;)

One of his jobs was to check all the business (there are 16) and record their electric meter reading and give them to his boos so the other companies can be charged.

MarioFan was also interviewed for his job and how the community can conserve energy

He was very excited to be on TV

Another job was to go to each job and educate business on how to conserve their energy and to change filters.

If you have a Junior Achievement opportunity in your area I highly recommend it as the learning experience is unbelievable.  Next year MarioFan is old enough to try the older section which includes more adult activities like finding a apt, buying a car in addition to holding down a job!


MarioFan  is reading the book "The Giver" for his book club this month.  We used a new literature guide as our main resource.  For my secular readers I would avoid it as it had way too many biblical references in it.  We just skipped those sections as I felt they were unnecessary to the point of this book.  Someone else might feel completely differently.

this is an excellent book and we had many interesting conversations about this dystopian lifestyle.  both boys wanted to do the next book in the series until we found out the main character in this books does not carry over into the next book:(.  So after much discussion we all voted to chose a new book and one that has more hands on activities.  I will announce our new book next week as the boys are still researching what they read next out of the four choice us Moms gave them:)

Firedrake loves anime and we found a club for her to attend in the city, currently it meets 2X a month and she attended her first meeting and LOVED IT.  She is also planning on attending and dressing up for the local Comic Con that is happening locally in May.  We have been busy looking in second hand shops for various items that we can use to create her outfit.  I have been trying to help her sew and construct her outfit but it is hard to do when my sewing machine is acting up again:(  So we are hand stitching which is not my speciality.  Actually sewing in general is not a strong suit of mine.  I have been very strict and have made Firedrake pay for most of her outfit out of her allowance.  My husband and I will pay for the entrance into the Comic Con.

We still have to find a wig and shoes to go with her  anime character.  She is going as Anri Sonohara .  She really wants to get colored contact lenses but my husband and I vetoed that idea down

My husband is going a Shepard from Firefly and I am working on his costume which should be much easier to put together, I hope!

weekly wrap up 3/17/17

This week the kids and I went on a field trip to see a play called "A Thousand Cranes" at our local Botanical Gardens.  The play was about a little girl and the aftermath of Hiroshima.  There is also a book about this story that you can find in the library.  It is a very sad story but important to learn about the effects of the atomic bomb.

No pictures during the play but it was very well done and we all had tears in our eyes when we left

Afterward we took a walk around the Japanese gardens and talked about the play

Mario Fan practicing his presentation for his Spanish class at coop.  He has been working so hard on learning about PERU!

His topics were to talk about the map/geography of Peru, learn about the Guinea Pig festival and find a game that was practiced in Peru.

MarioFan during his class presentation.  Everyone loved the Sapo!  He also planned on wearing  an Andes poncho and straw hat for his presentation but we forgot them at home:(

He wanted to bring in our pet Guinea pigs to show and tell but in the end we left them at home and just took in a picture.  The guinea pig festival in Peru is fascinating until you get to the part where they eat them:(  

For our History lessons we have begun studying the Cold War!  We always start of watching Crash Course videos to introduce new history topic which my kids love.

We looked at the causes and  effects of the Cold War

and we made a list of things happening around the world during the Cold War many of which we will touch on in the weeks to come.

MarioFan has completed his Growing with Grammar book and is about a month away form completing his spelling and math programs:).  I probably won't start grammar again until next September and I have decide not to resume a spelling programs since he appears to be a natural speller:).  Math however I will continue to have him work on with worksheets I find on the web so we don't get too rusty:)  before beginning pre algebra next year.  

weekly wrap up 3/10/17

I decided to do something completely out of character for me.  I dyed my hair midnight blue!  Every time I look in the mirror I do a double take, so not sure I like it, but I felt like doing something risky:) Maybe I am going though a mid life crisis but if this is the worst I do then I am good I think:)

The blue is very hard to see here but if the light hits the hair just right you can see blue highlights. The color is practically black.   LOL  My husband likes it or so he says.  

Firedrake was inspired to get just a tiny strip of her hair done.   She loves it but she wasn't so sure at first:)

Now she is asking if she can do it again but with a brighter color and more of it!  I may regret what I have created lol.  But it is hair so it grows out, right, at least that is what I tell myself!

Reaction at our conservative coop has been mixed, some people love it and other people don't even mention it.   Next time I may try something even more riskier I am embracing my inner rebel!

Our family went to visit family in Tennessee and stop by Lambert's restaurant.   My kids love this place mainly because they throw bread rolls at you:)

My husband's cousin is from Hungary (he has been in America for over 60 years) taught me how to make Hungarian beef Porkolt which is like goulash

It was excellent and I hope to recreate this dish at home next week!  This relative taught me how to make Chicken Paprikash years ago and it is one of my Husband favorite meals!  When ever I make Chicken Paprikash at home I always think I have mastered it until we visit them and eat their version and then realize I still have a ways to go:)!

MarioFan had to interview someone for one of his classes for a public speaking assignment.

MarioFan has a project to complete for his Spanish coop class.  So we have been busy working on his assigned country.  I will reveal his country next week as were are still working on it.

Making a map and labeling it

Making a game that is play around the world but was originated in his country by the INCA's

Wearing his Andes poncho and straw hat which is what can be worn in this country.  Can you guess what country he is studying?  

Firedrake also has a Spanish project due for her coop class.  She had to write a children's story in Spanish and will be presenting the story in class next week.

Our week in a nutshell:)

Weekly Wrap up 3/3/17

I missed our weekly wraps for the last two weeks due to being extremely busy and not getting any time to actually sit down to write up our homeschooling week.  So I am a bit behind reporting what we have been doing.

MarioFan is completing his science unit on simple machines and we just wrapped up a unit on pulleys.  We are build models of each pulley system using our knex kit.

First we looked at Fixed pulley like a flag pole

Next we looked at Moveable pulley like raising a sail on a boat

and lastly we looked at block and tackle pulley-- like a crane

Our Coop is doing a project Fair in a couple of weeks and we have decide to do our project on what we have been learning for the last couple of months.  So now we are busy putting together our project board and presentation on this topic.

For History we are continuing to examine WWII and while we are actually reading more about the Pacific campaign and the building of the Bomb-- we manage to make a quick trip the our local holocaust museum with friends.  This museum concentrates on 300 families from the St Louis area and their experiences surviving the holocaust and emigrating to the area.

Jewish medals from WWI

souvenirs of 1936 Olympics.

diorama of the Jewish gehttos.  What I found interesting here is that often German trolley or trams ran right through the  ghettos and could not be moved so fences were built about the lines and bridges were built over the lines where the Jewish people had to walk over the bridge to get from one side of the ghetto to another.  Which means the average German going to and from work would pass though the ghetto daily.   So bizarre!

Various Identification badges and we read horrible stories of the German starving handicapped children.

This map took me by surprise as every black dot represents either a death camp, transit camp, slave labor camp,  concentration camp, killing sites, or euthanasia centers.  You only hear about the biggest ones but there were so many more:( and all over Europe.

Pictures of the families that moved to St Louis and how they made something of themselves here.

MarioFan and Firedrake are also reading the book the Bomb and learning about the race to build the atomic bomb.  The book also includes the Soviets and their spy ring to obtain secret documents to build their own bomb.  I have learn quite a bit from this book myself.  I highly recommend it if you are studying this era.

Hope you are having a great week!