How Clean Is Your Waterway?

We live in a costal waterway...an hour from the ocean with many rivers that feed the Chesapeake Bay. My daughter and I enjoyed observing the wildlife on the shore of the river that is walking distance from our home. For years we have known of the pollution. But it really hits home when you read a sign on a fishing dock that warns you not to eat the fish or crabs because of PCPs, Mercury, and Dioxin contamination. To the untrained eye these waterways are pristine and a place to relax and enjoy the bounty within. Many families have been eating the fish and crabs from these waters for years. For some its a staple. Sadly many folks were fishing and crabbing and ignoring the warning.

We came home to learn what we could about the chemicals. We printed out a map that shows what chemicals are most prominate in the water ways and were shocked!!!!! You can view the map and info here ( I could not download the maps) http://www.vdh.virginia.gov/Epidemiology/dee/PublicHealthToxicology/Advisories/JamesRiver.htm

I am sure you can find similar maps of your state. Might be worth a look!

School is Always in Session

I am always amazed at the learning that takes place unplanned.

This weekend my youngest daughter took great interest in helping her dad replace the brake pads on our Suburban. She actually enjoyed the whole process and learned a ton.

I found an old recipe box ( 52 years old) at the thrift store. It was full of really cool rocks, amber, trilobites, plant fossils, and arrowheads! That sparked quite a conversation.

DD1 is learning to drive. She has had time with both the Suburban and the smaller car. She insist the Suburban is easier to drive and that I really need to learn...she is right! I have put off getting behind the wheel of the suburban since we got it. It intimidates me! Its huge!

I have spent a great deal of time learning how to work with Wordpress. Thankful for my many friends here who have given tid bits of information and support!

I also learned that one does not have to love every book they read...though I did finish the book! I finished it because it was part of a free offer through Booksneeze. I will do a review on it shortly.

The Homeschool Channel

New to me web page/blog/tv. Found this today and just love it. Has live tv as well as many many videos.

 

Visit The Homeschool Channel

Prom 2010

 

 

 

Gals Biology Blog

Here is the girls Biology Blog. They will be posting photos of their Botany assignments here. Todays lesson was on roots and leaf shapes .

http://morningstar-academy.blogspot.com/

Preparing My Heart for School

As summer begins to come to an end and autumn is in the air I know I need to switch gears and focus once again full time on school. I am looking forward to being on schedule again, having more one on one time with each of my children, and learning with my kids.

Most important I am preparing my heart. More time in the word and prayer perparing for the upcoming year. Praying about classes, or learning skills, praying over each childs strengths and weakness. Praying for my weakness.

One book I always find helpful to read this time of year is  A Mom After God's Own Heart by Elizabeth George. This book focus on the training of the heart and on loving your children . How to pray for your children.

Art Project # 2

This is a gift my daughters are making using the sharpie tie dye method.

Art and Gifts

Here is a slide show of our second "folk" craft of the school year. ( even though we don't offically start till after Labor Day). This project will be a gift. Finished project will be in a later post. For information on the history of tie dye go here: http://www.harmonytie-dyes.com/_special/history.html  http://www.ehow.com/about_5188978_history-tiedye-shirts.html 

 

Paint Box

My daughter in law gave my daughter her old paint box. My daughter covered it with pretty paper and designed it to fit her paint supplies.

Art with a Purpose

  Scroll to bottom of post for our first craft of the new school year

I want to share what we are doing in school a few subject areas at a time.  This post is about Art with a Purpose. The last 2 years we have done some wonderful CM style classical art studies. As I prepared for another year of art I just could not wrap my brain around another CM Study. I needed something more hands on…more practical for this season of our life. After much prayer I felt the Lord has given me the class title “Art with a Purpose”.  I spent many days researching art classes taught across the US and Canada in High School. Here is what I learned…very few schools offer Folk Art or Handicrafts that celebrate our heritage.  We are doing the second half of American History this year and I usually coordinate art with the time period that we study.  We will be dong Folk Art and Crafts from 1860 to present. Most of the projects will be gifts or useful things. ( thus art with a purpose). I have been blessed this year with many free odds and ends that will work well with this topic.  Most of the projects will be from recycled stuff. I hope to encourage my daughters to create to give.

 Here is a scant incomplete outline:

What is Folk Art? 

What is American Primitivism?

Timeline

Who’s Who in Folk Art ( crafters not painters)

Folk Art Crafts

Quilting

Collages and Mixed Media

Tin Punching

Paper Mache folk art basket

Paper making

Weaving ( using t shirts)

Basket Weaving using poster board  or other materials ( newspaper, foam board, ect) Gourd Art

Machine Quilting Project

 Pennsylvania Hex Design

Tramp Art

Wall Paper Boxes

Decorated Chair

Button Bracelets 

 Altered Book Keepsake

Sharpie Tie Die 

Printmaking

Sculpting ( probably dryer lint)

Folk Art Painters

We will choose 9 to study CM Style

Grandma Moses

Charles  Sheeler

Elie Nadleman

William Zorach

Charles Demuth

James Bard

Harriet Knapp

Jimmie Lee Sudduth

Moze Tolliver

Bill Traylor

Horace Pippin

Fredrick Hicks

Josephine Joy (American, 1869-1948)

John Kane (American, 1860-1934)

H.O. Kelly (American, 1884-1955)

Lawrence Lebduska (American, 1894-1966)

Abraham Levin (American, 1880-1957)

Israel Litwak (American, 1868-1960)

Fred E. Robertson (American, 1878-1953)

Ladis Sabo (American, 1870-1953)

Patsy Santo (American, 1893-?)

Clara McDonald Williamson

Charles Hoffman

We started crafting today! We did a very modern craft with very old mark on history. This craft was first done in Japan during the Tang Dynasty. Tie dye with Sharpies is the modern twist. My daughter made a shirt for one of her friends for Christmas. It is a very easy non messy craft. It took quite a bit of time.

Resources for Curriculum Building

Each year I build my own curriculum in many subject areas. The Web is full of excellect free resources. Here are a few that you might find useful.

History

This year we are doing American History 1865 to present. I am using a college book as my spine. The American Journey. Vol 2 I still like to use web pages for maps, photos, narritaves, books and graphs.

http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/  Love this site. So much information, maps, photos and more.

http://memory.loc.gov/learn/features/timeline/  Another fabulous site. Good timeline. Lots of documents.

http://free.ed.gov/  This site is a bit tough to navigate at times. Be patient! Its worth it. Narritives, photos, timelines and so much more.

http://americanhistory.mrdonn.org/index.html Very basic American History.

http://www.animatedatlas.com/movie.html fabulous visual map of American History.

http://www.history.com/video.do?name=americanhistory videos. Review first. Many choices.

Geography:

Maps:

http://www.yourchildlearns.com/megamaps.htm

Interactive Games

http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/web_games.htm

http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/  lots of fun!

Lesson Plans

http://countries.mrdonn.org/usa.html  Mr Donns plans. Very basic ( which I like!)

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/matrix.html Tons of lessons at all age and stage levels.

http://teachers.net/cgi-bin/lessons/sort.cgi?searchterm=Geography  more lessons.

Worksheets

http://www.tlsbooks.com/geographyworksheets.htm easy. Good for review.

http://bogglesworldesl.com/geography_worksheets.htm

http://www.kidzone.ws/geography/provinces.htm Canadian

  Art

http://www.harmonyfinearts.com/   Love this site! CM style.  Plenty of free downloads and low cost downloads. This very talented homeschool mom has passed on her skills for us to enjoy and use. From her site:

"This is the art and music appreciation program for busy people. We have done all the research and organizing. You are able to open our plan and offer a great program for your children."

http://www.si.edu/Encyclopedia_SI/Art_and_Design/ I get tons of ideas and inspiration here. I hope to go to DC this year and see the museum.

http://www.artgraphica.net/free-art-lessons/free-art-lessons.htm 

http://www.creativespotlite.com/

http://www.artyfactory.com/sitebody/gallery1.htm

http://www.blehert.com/lessons/lesson.html

 Science

This year we are doing Biology. I divide biology into four units: Botany, Anatomy and Physiology, Zoology, Cellular, and Molecular. I love using web sites that show the real thing.

http://science.pppst.com/biology.html Very good powerpoints! Great visuals. Lots of videos.

http://www.biology4kids.com/  Basic biology.

http://www.mysciencebox.org/ General science lessons. Very basic.

  Anatomy

http://www.innerbody.com/htm/body.html  Awesome click and view anatomy

http://www.stcms.si.edu/hbs/hbs_student.htm Tremendous amount of info on each body system. Good visuals.

http://texasheart.org/HIC/Anatomy/Anatomy.cfm Heart. Good visuals.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/heart/heartmap.html Interactive heart. Simple.

Cells

http://www.cellsalive.com/cells/cell_model.htm My favorite cell site. Interactive and fun!

http://science.howstuffworks.com/cellular-microscopic-biology/cell.htm Great videos.

http://www.thetech.org/genetics/zoomIn/index.html DNA up close.

http://www.fi.edu/learn/heart/blood/blood.html Blood Very basic.

Digestive

http://www.tvdsb.on.ca/westmin/science/sbi3a1/digest/digdiag.htm Very basic. Interactive.

http://kidshealth.org/kid/htbw/kidneys.html# Kidney. Very basic and interactive.

Endocrine:

http://arbl.cvmbs.colostate.edu/hbooks/pathphys/endocrine/index.html

http://yucky.discovery.com/noflash/body/pg000133.html

Lymphatic

http://www.innerbody.com/image/lympov.htm

http://www.howstuffworks.com/immune-system.htm

Muscular:

http://library.thinkquest.org/5777/mus2.htm

http://sv.berkeley.edu/showcase/pages/bones.html a bit difficult to do but good!

http://school.discoveryeducation.com/lessonplans/programs/seehowtheyrun/index.html  active gamesFrog Dissection

 Nervous System

http://www.exploratorium.edu/memory/ dissection and more.  ( brain)

http://www.uwtv.org/programs/displayevent.aspx?rID=4909 30 minute video on the brain.

http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/introb.html#hrh vast amount of information. Kid friendly.

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/brain/ Excellent 3D interactive stuff!!!!

Respiratory System

http://www.emc.maricopa.edu/faculty/farabee/BIOBK/BioBookRESPSYS.html shows all different types of systems. Very good.

Skeletal System

http://www.emc.maricopa.edu/faculty/farabee/BIOBK/BioBookMUSSKEL.html Excellent for showing different types of skeletal systems, bone growth, and bone tissue, joints and more.

http://www.medtropolis.com/VBody.asp interactive

http://www.rigb.org/contentControl?action=displayContent&id=00000001873 Build a skeleton

http://www.childrensmuseum.org/special_exhibits/bones/kids_mazeGame.htm games!

 

http://www.ofsd.k12.wi.us/science/frogdiss.htm

http://frog.edschool.virginia.edu//Frog2/home.html

Engineering

http://teachengineering.org/index.php Fabulous resource! ( for all grade levels)

Videos

http://www.howstuffworks.com/ I use this site often. Skip the ads. Preview. Good demo videos, photos, and explainations.

http://watch.birds.cornell.edu/nestcams/camera/index bird cams.

Music

http://datadragon.com/education/reading/  how to read music

http://makingmusicfun.net/ very basic easy lessons, tons of free resources. 

http://www.classicsforkids.com/shows/showview.asp?ID=31 audio lessons on composers. Really nice.

http://www.playmusic.org/  interactive with games.

Chinese ( because my daughter is passionate about learning it and wants to be a missionary to China)  It takes four years to master chinese. My daughter is going into 8th grade. I am hoping by next year to have the cash for tapes and books and a tutor. Its around 400.00. I did find a very basic book and CD by DK. It is very good.

http://www.shopping.com/xPO-Book_Get_Talking_Chinese_Dk~linkin_id-8046646

http://www.chinese-tools.com/learn/chinese  30 lessons or weeks worth of lessons. Geared for tourist. However it is a good beginning.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bh2Gt4HzAw8 Awesome You Tube Videos on the tones.

http://www.semanda.com/ Wonderful Flash Cards

http://www.csulb.edu/~txie/ccol/content.htm Short Audio Lessons.

http://www.learnchineseez.com/lessons/mandarin/ More short Audio Lessons

French.  Daughter number one is learning french The curriculum she needs is 250.00 for the full two year course. Since I do not speak the language I need a complete course! The below sites are not perfect but untill I can get her the books it is a good start.

 http://www.frenchspanishonline.com/beginnersfrench/freefrench.html 14 weeks basic lessons

http://www.jump-gate.com/languages/french/ 10 simple lessons on the basics

http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/french/lj/ 12 basic lessons with lots of conversation.