tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30167626853569329212024-03-05T20:04:09.063-08:00Golden Delicious EducationPlanting the seeds of learning to cultivate lifelong growth.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger47125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016762685356932921.post-31287195136169290552018-02-19T10:15:00.000-08:002018-02-19T10:15:24.288-08:00Hello & GoodbyeHello, Family and Friends!<br />
<br />
I know it's been awhile, but words have been hard lately.<br />
<br />
You see, we are saying Goodbye to our home and relocating to a new state.<br />
<br />
Sometimes home is less about the place where you are living, and more about the people who are close. That's why my husband and I are planning to load up our kids and belongings and relocate to the Sunshine State the first week of April.<br />
<br />
This may seems surprising, considering that I have been pretty quiet on the blog since October. I know I mentioned that we were dealing with some family drama.<br />
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In order to explain the context, I really need to go back to August 2006 when my husband and I had just returned from a year living in Japan. We had very few possessions to our name and no children, so we felt like we could go anywhere. However, we did want to start a family and maybe even own a home at some point, so we kept those things in mind when we were choosing where to live. We settled on moving to Pennsylvania to be near my mother in law .<br />
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We have been in Pennsylvania for more than 11 years now. My husband has been working for the same company all this time, and I went to graduate school here. We have had three beautiful children. We bought a home.<br />
<br />
My mother in law was the main pillar of our support system here. Our children have always had holidays and birthdays and sleepovers at Nana's house. So when she put her house up for sale last summer and moved back to Florida, it really shook us. We have incredible friends here and a community that we know and love. But we never really intended to raise our children without some extended family close by.<br />
<br />
We knew when we took our vacation to Florida in October that it would be a pivotal moment for us as a family. Could we see ourselves moving back after all this time? Were we willing to risk our savings to make the move? Would the kids be comfortable with family they didn't know as well?<br />
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As it turned out, the kids were extremely comfortable. We all were. For the first time in months, I felt my panic attacks lift. I wasn't exactly enthusiastic about moving, but it was too hard to come back to Pennsylvania and leave all of our extended family behind.<br />
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We started looking at the logistics of a move as soon as we came back from vacation, but pretty soon the holidays were upon us. We ended up going to Florida (again) for Christmas with my extended family, and (again) it was incredibly hard to leave.<br />
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So we contacted a realtor and gave notice at work. We reserved a modest, 16' truck and made plans to stay with my brother and his fiancee while we get situated. It's imperfect and terrifying. But it's also easier than staying where we are.<br />
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I am so grateful to all of the people who have helped and supported us here. It's hard to say Goodbye, but it's a great opportunity to say Hello to a new adventure.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016762685356932921.post-36448379020908271802017-09-25T10:39:00.000-07:002017-09-25T10:39:02.555-07:00Ocean Unit Study: Weeks 4&5<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Things are getting a little hectic these days. Family drama. Consulting work. Home school. Doctor appointments. Swim lessons. Preparing for vacation.<br />
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Basically, I <i>just keep swimming</i>.<br />
<br />
Rather than write long, detailed posts each week, I am trying to stick to much more manageable goals. Honestly, I am really happy if I can manage a photo-intensive post every other week, and that's what you are getting today. However, if you want more detail, I encourage you to (re)visit <a href="http://goldendeliciouseducation.blogspot.com/2017/08/ocean-unit-study-week-1.html">my initial post describing the plans for our Ocean Unit Study</a>.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNKrt6xLkAWvNwTOEVA3ZL6c3gmXikrrDdXW3gyWbs3BakkIdjbITP6B_mPe1_WJwtkFrD5GuGOZTLkIHrf5fbK8zTGWL-wR1PbCQQncjJP7Z3WebLGxRrgBmqxkmW0kVsQQEdISNsAriR/s1600/IMG_20170912_145609.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNKrt6xLkAWvNwTOEVA3ZL6c3gmXikrrDdXW3gyWbs3BakkIdjbITP6B_mPe1_WJwtkFrD5GuGOZTLkIHrf5fbK8zTGWL-wR1PbCQQncjJP7Z3WebLGxRrgBmqxkmW0kVsQQEdISNsAriR/s640/IMG_20170912_145609.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In Week 4, we created our very own solar still to learn about the water cycle. We also explored why water that evaporates from the ocean isn't salty anymore.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLHUWgV8EGBYansqgHlgHRcvI-499NlDME2mBu-rjByoq2T3BCgi7FUkr_rWoxKt7e1gUmL7AzLUicNwbfWtlQNegbqetV3PjR0MLbpRJWfZyyD8RqsNeMIyjXIBPHy2H5mCddZ7XYDZzR/s1600/IMG_20170925_131441+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLHUWgV8EGBYansqgHlgHRcvI-499NlDME2mBu-rjByoq2T3BCgi7FUkr_rWoxKt7e1gUmL7AzLUicNwbfWtlQNegbqetV3PjR0MLbpRJWfZyyD8RqsNeMIyjXIBPHy2H5mCddZ7XYDZzR/s640/IMG_20170925_131441+%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Also in Week 4, we created some mixed-media artwork. Each of the sprouts chose an ocean animal from scrap magazines. Then they painted habitats for those animals with watercolor pencils. First Sprout chose to make a coral habitat for seahorses.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkV9Rv0y4YRA3Jek0qJ85CSIp9pBJZvPsfupH-_lnJmLyFbVh1-cx_OG4JGU3_92jqFUUWnVfRZrhe5ECbBepvL_tzC59uiJYWD5px3qEbTuCQQVLKo5dSIczXUj14skoc5C9ZMRL3q_QM/s1600/IMG_20170919_102009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkV9Rv0y4YRA3Jek0qJ85CSIp9pBJZvPsfupH-_lnJmLyFbVh1-cx_OG4JGU3_92jqFUUWnVfRZrhe5ECbBepvL_tzC59uiJYWD5px3qEbTuCQQVLKo5dSIczXUj14skoc5C9ZMRL3q_QM/s640/IMG_20170919_102009.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In Week 5, we continued exploring coral reef habitats by making observations about coral with the microscope and magnifying glass. I found this piece of coral washed upon a Florida beach when I was in college, and it's definitely coming in handy lately!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKhuQpt5N01UiVziXtZpeMN_QKlK5kSp8TAUOn19Nkjlun7ZMcpT4sLvFK8iiT8SWgM-kO7XOcdjsnGzd2X2huXlBwdz2A8SA-cUSU5uUKm73LdiXiHJdyY0QK-oxRCVayDXlKiIZcyrqm/s1600/IMG_20170919_095916.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKhuQpt5N01UiVziXtZpeMN_QKlK5kSp8TAUOn19Nkjlun7ZMcpT4sLvFK8iiT8SWgM-kO7XOcdjsnGzd2X2huXlBwdz2A8SA-cUSU5uUKm73LdiXiHJdyY0QK-oxRCVayDXlKiIZcyrqm/s640/IMG_20170919_095916.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We also made (edible) model coral polyps. The crackers represent the hard exoskeleton that eventually forms the main structure of the reef.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_1GH6Kv-kaf5lN8Uw2ocp9R3X7wYIsyN79YD23UYQQpunFjd3pyxc2IbQNQgTKMml94nNYfB6reavMlXo7yE-OXeUPICqKG08NBGzPN_XDbR4kBMOa5EYELeb5bVq-udjzeLFmvewwe41/s1600/IMG_20170920_104648+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_1GH6Kv-kaf5lN8Uw2ocp9R3X7wYIsyN79YD23UYQQpunFjd3pyxc2IbQNQgTKMml94nNYfB6reavMlXo7yE-OXeUPICqKG08NBGzPN_XDbR4kBMOa5EYELeb5bVq-udjzeLFmvewwe41/s640/IMG_20170920_104648+%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In Week 5, we re-created the famous Cartesian Diver experiment. The (older) sprouts caught on to the relationship between pressure, density, and buoyancy pretty quickly. Third Sprout was a little meh though.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHIf5hXaBIDyLm1qSLzJdLImGBsbK_hKCVeal7vBpGHlsoxEl-vFB3as7lYvxpLWRNjoeYptm5JdEj4fS1O5u6iRNNBM_mVnQeDshsIJRx6OMmAt3uSr4xQ8JyuI5Me7fMxdtGpimvcqFh/s1600/IMG_20170925_131413.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHIf5hXaBIDyLm1qSLzJdLImGBsbK_hKCVeal7vBpGHlsoxEl-vFB3as7lYvxpLWRNjoeYptm5JdEj4fS1O5u6iRNNBM_mVnQeDshsIJRx6OMmAt3uSr4xQ8JyuI5Me7fMxdtGpimvcqFh/s640/IMG_20170925_131413.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">For art in Week 5, we are back to chalk pastel tutorials. This time, Second Sprout was inspired to make a seahorse in their habitat. I love re-visiting the same subjects with different media-- it builds a lot of experience!</td></tr>
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Those are all of the photos I have to share for now. We are planning to condense Week 6 of our Ocean Unit Study so that we can get our family vacation started a few days early and take some extra time driving to Florida. Everyone is definitely ready for a break!<br />
<br />
Until next time,<br />
<br />
<h3>
<i>Just Keep Swimming!</i></h3>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016762685356932921.post-86406281626655972392017-09-11T09:13:00.002-07:002017-09-11T09:17:49.038-07:00Ocean Unit Study: Weeks 2 & 3 Sometimes life throws you a curve ball-- or in our case, a hurricane.<br />
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Even though my home is much MUCH further north, I grew up in Florida and still have lots of family and friends there. It's been a little hard to focus over the past week as it became increasingly clear that all of those people were going to be affected by Hurricane Irma no matter where she eventually made landfall. At one point, there was a very distinct possibility that the eye of the storm would pass directly over my mom's house as a Category 4 or Category 5 hurricane, and I was most definitely in a panic. However, the track shifted west, and the worst weather affected other folks instead. It's hard to be thankful for the shift-- somebody else's family is struggling now-- but I am honestly, selfishly relieved.<br />
<br />
Needless to say, my anxiety definitely affected my ability to teach last week. We still checked the perfunctory boxes, but my mind and my heart were definitely elsewhere. That's also why I couldn't bring myself to post anything on the blog-- my mental energy was sapped. Even now that the worst is over and the impact to my family and friends was relatively minimal, I am still feeling extremely drained. I want to keep everyone updated though and at least get some photos posted. If you are interested in finding out more details about Weeks 2 &3 of our Oceans Unit Study, I encourage you to re-read <a href="http://goldendeliciouseducation.blogspot.com/2017/08/ocean-unit-study-week-1.html">my post from Week 1</a> and/or re-visit the <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1EdsK0qBS1Tc_EdOvPfjeeKPlapah46PTKZgwdPZeCDM/edit?usp=sharing">Oceans Unit Study Plan</a> that I shared through Google Drive.<br />
<br />
(<i>I do want to note that we have had lots of conversations about hurricanes this week and how they form over the ocean. I tried to balance using the "teachable moment" with not passing my anxiety along to the sprouts. As a result, we talked about the theory of hurricanes and how important accurate predictions can be for helping people prepare.</i>)<br />
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Otherwise, onto the pictures!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpWXwGZ8mJ5QHjHd4X5dE1OjC5HHFnEoKNv9J10WQXUwhZ-umIgJwiZGVFfN8oJ2FeW3YWLnsgx1A-BEC_tI3yL_PUg0pKTRKG2WaCUgUsSeRAAMRlUlc9bzncx_Txy75yG4CO7HNgJRed/s1600/IMG_20170831_125235.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpWXwGZ8mJ5QHjHd4X5dE1OjC5HHFnEoKNv9J10WQXUwhZ-umIgJwiZGVFfN8oJ2FeW3YWLnsgx1A-BEC_tI3yL_PUg0pKTRKG2WaCUgUsSeRAAMRlUlc9bzncx_Txy75yG4CO7HNgJRed/s640/IMG_20170831_125235.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">During Week 2, the sprouts asked to change our art project to rock painting. We used acrylics (and pearlizer!) to paint some cleaned garden rocks. I decided to stick with the ocean theme, but the spouts took their inspiration from elesewhere.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHBOk-nrzLjTk9ZFd8C9bPlTu5yF6mARucMgsZ5NbspYAsHCY5goNlVeE-bCLNhOoCGr_DpQF0YUF7H00369hyphenhyphenpcf3O_2B22tkAdMsLU_C-ZUJvG7f7066xkcHR_k2C7qj2mVZ2szNTVmW/s1600/IMG_20170905_105641.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHBOk-nrzLjTk9ZFd8C9bPlTu5yF6mARucMgsZ5NbspYAsHCY5goNlVeE-bCLNhOoCGr_DpQF0YUF7H00369hyphenhyphenpcf3O_2B22tkAdMsLU_C-ZUJvG7f7066xkcHR_k2C7qj2mVZ2szNTVmW/s640/IMG_20170905_105641.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In Week 3, we did an experiment to see how salinity of the water affects buoyancy. The sprouts made observations and recorded their findings.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUSjqx63e8K4z0wlsG_eLf56AC1fN2eoB3aIiwJXWKe3TkR4kfvOQKb9riQgvRXJI8OhJm5XONPaKuPK8xN-fudxpnIzDCsjt2c75MIvcPgAKM5d-Kwi5035qmjreUFxxQRmeXLmV7FOBU/s1600/IMG_20170906_104322.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUSjqx63e8K4z0wlsG_eLf56AC1fN2eoB3aIiwJXWKe3TkR4kfvOQKb9riQgvRXJI8OhJm5XONPaKuPK8xN-fudxpnIzDCsjt2c75MIvcPgAKM5d-Kwi5035qmjreUFxxQRmeXLmV7FOBU/s640/IMG_20170906_104322.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Also in Week 3, we used modeling clay to make boats. We learned about displacement, buoyancy, and density here. This one was a little messy, but it was a lot of fun. The sprouts ended up making and testing multiple hypotheses about the sea-worthiness of their clay vessels.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpQbYAfGJoZyccih0ZuilIrnUe0LDdBFVH180GS08uVISgZFRfAcCPsMqBw-opYnkUzEXWlAciYGJTuOwDsSxwD36wvjddT8I7SiSAKpyJRbzlpswoPz5McAPsVZIHMno5rQrX7Ip_jNBO/s1600/IMG_20170907_103636_862.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1599" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpQbYAfGJoZyccih0ZuilIrnUe0LDdBFVH180GS08uVISgZFRfAcCPsMqBw-opYnkUzEXWlAciYGJTuOwDsSxwD36wvjddT8I7SiSAKpyJRbzlpswoPz5McAPsVZIHMno5rQrX7Ip_jNBO/s640/IMG_20170907_103636_862.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's a sample of the copywork First Sprout completed during Week 3. I took the poem from the book <i>Water Sings Blue</i> by Kate Coombs. I really like tying our copywork into Poetry Teatime, and the poems are a great opportunity to discuss the basics of grammar-- including parts of speech.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU5MWPCq04oIkvoY_Mx2PtiMQOq70EEZTGcrRRgnXvTO4uzRPeqBIQRkiNGpCUjBF2N3RxhvtFqsYVLXDbEUzmYi6tydIAz_cmV0ALcXWpsMWLzrevSu212yYhh1geL1Y5Iq7ivLNKvd9H/s1600/IMG_20170907_132554-COLLAGE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU5MWPCq04oIkvoY_Mx2PtiMQOq70EEZTGcrRRgnXvTO4uzRPeqBIQRkiNGpCUjBF2N3RxhvtFqsYVLXDbEUzmYi6tydIAz_cmV0ALcXWpsMWLzrevSu212yYhh1geL1Y5Iq7ivLNKvd9H/s640/IMG_20170907_132554-COLLAGE.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Since we painted rocks in Week 2, we had the choice of two chalk pastel projects for Week 3: either jellyfish or sea turtle. Clockwise from the top left are: Mama's sea turtle, First Sprout's jellyfish, Second Sprout's jellyfish, and Third Sprout's jellyfish.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibd1hHqdDvJF9VyF9UsY0YjGvLU5-0MgJs0GTwEldzbIJUDpGfBBwW6yvPr1KOEBAcqg89mb1cWsgmlFxhRm4pNfR3ygnQi4jYC5VRwosXJIUn8YDp_cZEVvhTBIVNLpn5UoBSSZM30tN2/s1600/IMG_20170911_104017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1429" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibd1hHqdDvJF9VyF9UsY0YjGvLU5-0MgJs0GTwEldzbIJUDpGfBBwW6yvPr1KOEBAcqg89mb1cWsgmlFxhRm4pNfR3ygnQi4jYC5VRwosXJIUn8YDp_cZEVvhTBIVNLpn5UoBSSZM30tN2/s640/IMG_20170911_104017.jpg" width="570" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I have been trying to add some fun to our writing routine, so Mondays we have been playing writing-related games to practice grammar and flex our story-telling muscles. <i>MadLibs Junior: Under the Sea</i> has been perfect for our theme, and everyone is getting a great review of the parts of speech. For once, everyone is really excited to start the school week!</td></tr>
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<div>
That's all I have for now-- photo-wise and energy-wise. Florida still has a long way to go to get cleaned up from Irma, and I know that I will continue to worry for awhile. It certainly doesn't help that Hurricane Jose is circling the Atlantic with the potential of coming ashore somewhere in the Southeastern United States now, and there are more tropical systems forming already. Any more hurricanes could make recovery extra challenging-- and they could definitely force us to reschedule our Florida vacation in three weeks. On many many levels, I am hoping that Florida stays safe for the rest of hurricane season!<br />
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<br /></div>
<div>
In the meantime, we'll be watching and waiting and sending help, as much as we can. (If you are also planning to donate money, please choose a local relief organization. Red Cross is already being investigated for fraud in Houston.)</div>
<h2>
<br />Sending love to you, Florida.</h2>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016762685356932921.post-29401823292470207642017-08-29T12:23:00.002-07:002017-08-29T12:23:33.492-07:00Ocean Unit Study: Week 1<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5EsiMOxlFwg9j1ThPDkJpYUlffs0-RPnhZ3MSP6wD0qoY_QpPjvteQW8mwraUGJTwfkojdVYxR6IBcqRbIvRpfVi-Merx3-_dZQAgPzWt6c9nk59QjYrAi2WpCq1rIqJkTbLMK2zWHQpe/s1600/IMG_20170828_175825.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5EsiMOxlFwg9j1ThPDkJpYUlffs0-RPnhZ3MSP6wD0qoY_QpPjvteQW8mwraUGJTwfkojdVYxR6IBcqRbIvRpfVi-Merx3-_dZQAgPzWt6c9nk59QjYrAi2WpCq1rIqJkTbLMK2zWHQpe/s640/IMG_20170828_175825.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sun catcher art by First Sprout inspired by the book <i>Out of the Ocean</i> by Debra Frasier.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
We have an opportunity to visit Florida beaches this October, so our upcoming <strike>family vacation</strike> field trip seemed like a great reason to kick off the school year with a unit study on Oceans. We started last week by introducing the topic, sharing materials, and thinking about questions to explore. For an in-depth look my my entire 9-week plan, I thought it might be easiest to share my <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1EdsK0qBS1Tc_EdOvPfjeeKPlapah46PTKZgwdPZeCDM/edit?usp=sharing">Oceans Unit Study Plan</a> via Google Docs.<br />
<br />
<i>What can I say, except "You're Welcome!"</i><br />
<br />
I think more than anything, I am really excited about the space that the sprouts helped me organize for our unit study. We have a fully-stocked bookshelf of ocean-related reading materials. We have a brand new science and discovery center. And we have a really nifty word chart that helps us link our writing, reading, and science together.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-ssaYCQbYEJX8V8tiBUyhfDmf7ygxB23iyxqRwGeNBBdarOgCLiDpY4EoulcGmaS-6utBzlu8_dbbeB46yTmyX3a4YeVlUNnQ3ND-gzj8pdQZar4CbCXihxYVTDghVQZB5UVHsbbskuLr/s1600/IMG_20170828_182655.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-ssaYCQbYEJX8V8tiBUyhfDmf7ygxB23iyxqRwGeNBBdarOgCLiDpY4EoulcGmaS-6utBzlu8_dbbeB46yTmyX3a4YeVlUNnQ3ND-gzj8pdQZar4CbCXihxYVTDghVQZB5UVHsbbskuLr/s640/IMG_20170828_182655.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The sprouts are all really excited to learn more about oceans in this space. I am too!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I especially love how the oceans unit lends itself to hands-on exploration through the close study of shells, beach glass, driftwood, and other beach artifacts. There are also lots of neat ocean animal toys available for play and learning too.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfWYAXa_kAI84x76XEheV4z5su-SxG7LRNPqqxR7JnNcKxdaVeDKRibufIgKlOM1pM-0jKvlcYSB1PWwnuBL2-NrKY6RkWz_4NFR1PuKGhVsaU6jt5j5pk9PQ4DRB-aU8U8f8xnlMM-MiC/s1600/IMG_20170828_182628.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfWYAXa_kAI84x76XEheV4z5su-SxG7LRNPqqxR7JnNcKxdaVeDKRibufIgKlOM1pM-0jKvlcYSB1PWwnuBL2-NrKY6RkWz_4NFR1PuKGhVsaU6jt5j5pk9PQ4DRB-aU8U8f8xnlMM-MiC/s640/IMG_20170828_182628.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Look at this stuff! Isn't it neat? Wouldn't you think my collection's complete?</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Since we haven't had much chance to dive into this unit yet, I thought I would use this post to share some of my planning resources:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>My <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/goldendeliciouslearning/unit-study-oceans/">Unit Study: Oceans board</a> was not a resource all by itself, but it helped me keep track of ideas while I was looking for information.</li>
<li>Education.com had a lot of great ideas for science experiments, like this <a href="https://www.education.com/activity/article/coral-polyp/">edible model of a coral polyp</a>. Most of the science I have planned for this unit comes from them since it's free and covers a good range of elementary topics.</li>
<li>Natural Beach Living blog had lots of awesome <a href="https://www.naturalbeachliving.com/shark-activities-for-kids">ocean printables</a> that I laminated for our science table. </li>
<li>Pretty much all of our art plans came from these great <a href="http://www.chalkpastel.com/product/seashore-art-tutorials/">beach-themed chalk pastel tutorials</a> by Southern Hodge Podge.</li>
<li>Brave Writer has been a huge inspiration for our language arts program, so I will be using lots of ocean-themed copy work, Poetry Teatimes, and writing games-- such as <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Under-Sea-Mad-Libs-Junior/dp/0843113502/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1504030906&sr=8-1&keywords=mad+libs+junior+ocean">Mad Libs Junior: Under the Sea</a> and <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Gamewright-320-Rorys-Story-Cubes/dp/B009ZNJZV8/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1504030960&sr=8-3&keywords=rory%27s+story+cubes+voyages">Rory's Story Cubes: Voyages</a>. </li>
<li>There are tons of great children's books about oceans. I have many of them listed in my unit study plan, but if I had to pick my top 5, they would be: <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Hello-Ocean-Pam-Munoz-Ryan/dp/0881069884/ref=pd_sim_14_2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=G3JPG681BZEHBA72MGRN">Hello Ocean</a> by Pam Munoz Ryan, <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Out-Ocean-Debra-Frasier/dp/0152163549/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1504031257&sr=1-1&keywords=out+of+the+ocean+by+debra+frasier">Out of the Ocean</a> by Debra Frasier, <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Flotsam-David-Wiesner/dp/0618194576/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1504031315&sr=1-1&keywords=flotsam+by+david+wiesner">Flotsam</a> by David Wiesner, <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Shark-Lady-Eugenie-Fearless-Scientist/dp/1492642045/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1504031189&sr=8-1&keywords=shark+lady">Shark Lady</a> by Jess Keating, and <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Follow-Moon-Home-Hundred-Turtles/dp/145211241X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1504031426&sr=1-1&keywords=follow+the+moon+home">Follow the Moon Home</a> by Phillipe Cousteau. </li>
<li>I must confess to using lots of Netflix in my planning, because there are fascinating documentaries (<i>Blue Planet</i>), television shows (<i>The Magic School Bus</i>), and movies (<i>Moana</i>) available about oceans.</li>
<li>Last but not least, the sprouts gave me a great list of questions to consider.</li>
</ul>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-5EEPRYGkgo32GxcXnWIUgwUSlNyFw92x6HwWhweUw9IbjP2RVUB2aHXq6smUsef-5uwKUUkL9yyYBHM6CQxdrJHy66tibBSRU6OBPCPNu7RP9Tbz0l3apqtfhxlzWtX_5wHFwFWvfgfs/s1600/IMG_20170828_182543.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-5EEPRYGkgo32GxcXnWIUgwUSlNyFw92x6HwWhweUw9IbjP2RVUB2aHXq6smUsef-5uwKUUkL9yyYBHM6CQxdrJHy66tibBSRU6OBPCPNu7RP9Tbz0l3apqtfhxlzWtX_5wHFwFWvfgfs/s640/IMG_20170828_182543.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">When you aren't sure where to start, just write down their questions.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
For our Oceans Unit Study: Week 2, we will be looking at some of the physical properties of ocean water such as the composition of seawater and the role of the ocean in climate and weather. I am looking forward to doing more science experiments, more writing, and more exploring.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Until Next Time, </div>
<h3>
Happy Learning!</h3>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016762685356932921.post-43532246976745353572017-08-22T11:37:00.001-07:002017-08-22T11:37:08.059-07:00Happy Back to SchoolOh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh!<br />
<br />
It's our FOURTH year of homeschooling, and I'm still in a little bit of shock. All three sprouts are officially school age this year, which is both amazing and frightening. On one hand, I get to spend everyday with these fascinating little people who I love. On the other hand, I am also almost entirely responsible for making sure they grow up into decent human beings. Talk about pressure!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB4cpExnV4DUVYTxM-DOVyPzpoTGUR69lFWxa7aUWbBOdMayfm9S56lai6IX1PLvFx6IgvJpkZEg3GFPb69ErwrhLLBw4eYrPHJFmAf61Eq73bWEMGglUZ0HyfbutfFgrdzOOz7Gfl04fu/s1600/IMG_20170821_084709.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="925" data-original-width="1600" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB4cpExnV4DUVYTxM-DOVyPzpoTGUR69lFWxa7aUWbBOdMayfm9S56lai6IX1PLvFx6IgvJpkZEg3GFPb69ErwrhLLBw4eYrPHJFmAf61Eq73bWEMGglUZ0HyfbutfFgrdzOOz7Gfl04fu/s400/IMG_20170821_084709.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our back to school photo may or may not have required bribery.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Yesterday was officially our first day back to school. We are starting a week ahead of our local school district because we are planning a family vacation in October, and you can do that when you homeschool. The sprouts were actually pretty excited about starting school again, and I tried to capitalize on that excitement by taking a back-to-school photo. Unfortunately, the photo backfired spectacularly, and we ended up needing bribery (aka donuts) to get everyone looking at the camera with a not-angry face.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnpgtXtLZmI7X6b22YClilaA_XN_M3VYVrltZBPaVhlUeV_eh1xsXO54KSQ3CdTwTNIVHsImNK7WtFgpBot_ArJuPpMFJDqjmmNoeRAt9Qsnk4bce_iytRaKhdXPna7u7-GVXWOHGFSwRO/s1600/IMG_20170821_092843.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnpgtXtLZmI7X6b22YClilaA_XN_M3VYVrltZBPaVhlUeV_eh1xsXO54KSQ3CdTwTNIVHsImNK7WtFgpBot_ArJuPpMFJDqjmmNoeRAt9Qsnk4bce_iytRaKhdXPna7u7-GVXWOHGFSwRO/s400/IMG_20170821_092843.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">When all else fails, add treats.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Our walk to Tim Horton's and subsequent sugary breakfasting was just what we needed to get the day back on track. On the way home, we were lucky enough to run into some friends. The unexpected playdate involved some boisterous trampoline jumping, and by the time we walked home, everyone was bright pink and pouring sweat. I had the sprouts jump into the bath and rinse off. Then <strike>we were finally ready for school</strike> Nana stopped by to pick up her puppy who we had been watching over the weekend.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkkhyphenhyphen7QMqOHbCAxxdPolYLHFi1z8S0QXg3uT-4BxjYB1vf_GHTM0u32pyyJGiEfdQCYfzPL7WL8TU_Uxp_LhcEY1gcL7cgaACLczZxIChYxAWUS0vwvsawHZiEW2df2yQl5jLrlQKXdNBf/s1600/IMG_20170821_114904.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkkhyphenhyphen7QMqOHbCAxxdPolYLHFi1z8S0QXg3uT-4BxjYB1vf_GHTM0u32pyyJGiEfdQCYfzPL7WL8TU_Uxp_LhcEY1gcL7cgaACLczZxIChYxAWUS0vwvsawHZiEW2df2yQl5jLrlQKXdNBf/s400/IMG_20170821_114904.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lure them in with games and make them stay for the learning.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
By this time it was about 11:30am, and I had not even cracked a book. I made the executive decision to ease into working at the table by starting our school day off with a game of Rory's Story Cubes. The game went over well, which allowed us to proceed with a read aloud, draft a list of questions about oceans, and work through some Bedtime Math. We took a break for lunch, after which, it was time for the solar eclipse.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA2NWXK9t2LbzVkTT9Qo5nwj82uMMJsiEd67d50Gk837-srtI-S6QQdUYTp_oQQhW-QtP_l2lURklbcIowGqwWhx7io_KhpvhfBKbKOlUgnqtoR8SqOoIkeV14MiXPn6vDRfGOouWjGuu7/s1600/IMG_20170821_142930+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA2NWXK9t2LbzVkTT9Qo5nwj82uMMJsiEd67d50Gk837-srtI-S6QQdUYTp_oQQhW-QtP_l2lURklbcIowGqwWhx7io_KhpvhfBKbKOlUgnqtoR8SqOoIkeV14MiXPn6vDRfGOouWjGuu7/s400/IMG_20170821_142930+%25281%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Turn around, bright eyes.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Our area had about 77% coverage at peak, so we went ahead and prepared pinhole viewers out of cereal boxes. We watched a video about what was actually happening and revisited modeling we did in an astronomy unit study last year. About a half hour before peak, we went outside to check out the eclipse, and it was incredibly cool to watch. I was really impressed with our pinhole viewers, but of course, I also had to play around with taking some photos.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8mWgh0aAX-gF4aQDBUn3Jw8FO0k8zADpyIwdh0DtZMuiBlrKTkLff6_draYjQGSr7zDFyu8cGfgJmQ8ysXsH28wEfHU-eUwTE1xmeAwcH6hJl_Pl9e5wDfas9579STbwlNLgnbeB9EuTB/s1600/IMG_20170821_142159.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8mWgh0aAX-gF4aQDBUn3Jw8FO0k8zADpyIwdh0DtZMuiBlrKTkLff6_draYjQGSr7zDFyu8cGfgJmQ8ysXsH28wEfHU-eUwTE1xmeAwcH6hJl_Pl9e5wDfas9579STbwlNLgnbeB9EuTB/s400/IMG_20170821_142159.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fun fact: this did not destroy my phone.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
First sprout hung in there for nearly an hour watching the eclipse with me. Second sprout and Third sprout were interested for about 10 minutes and wanted to go play on our swing set. I decided to prioritize my own enjoyment rather than worry about whether they were getting the full educational value out of this celestial alignment. It all worked out!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguTRFjxITrGs8B8lp2k_xOFi4P4D-psjL3ZPTrVMzB1xXqCx_xMkftMNB_aAUI4Kn5dfmOJeqQkxuq2MLFKdfIQbM-EfeY2ctbQ_kYZ4rS-eSJPCk-OROrvVhB3W5IYZQKmvHxS8OFGyyD/s1600/IMG_20170821_143800.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguTRFjxITrGs8B8lp2k_xOFi4P4D-psjL3ZPTrVMzB1xXqCx_xMkftMNB_aAUI4Kn5dfmOJeqQkxuq2MLFKdfIQbM-EfeY2ctbQ_kYZ4rS-eSJPCk-OROrvVhB3W5IYZQKmvHxS8OFGyyD/s400/IMG_20170821_143800.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I took this photo right around peak coverage for us.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Our first day back to school was busy, bumpy, and overall pretty brilliant. I have a feeling that the rest of the year will be more of the same, and I couldn't be more excited!<br />
<br />
Until Next Time,<br />
<h3>
Happy Learning</h3>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016762685356932921.post-2227455366919452692017-08-15T07:08:00.000-07:002017-08-15T07:08:01.595-07:00Do You Know What I Did This Summer?Pop Quiz: What did this homeschool mama spent all summer doing?<br />
<br />
a) Shuffling children to and from the pool;<br />
b) Planning all the things;<br />
c) Buying too many books;<br />
d) Professional development; or<br />
e) All of the above.<br />
<br />
If you guessed "e) All of the above," then you are CORRECT! <br />
<br />
In between shuffling kids to and from the pool, I planned all the things, bought too many books, and finished up some professional development. I am pretty sure this will sound very familiar to other homeschooling families and most teachers. However, I know that there is a decent chunk of the population who still does not quite understand what teachers <i>do</i> all summer long.<br />
<br />
It would be a really long post if I went into detail about everything I did, but I would like to share what the part about "planning all the things" looked like for me.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwOKqIVShdiATjjwNL4ZycweYBm46zpKOMly02x-pkBFlpmD3i-1CLrj5zYp7x1RvIbdK8rtmGsA53aocUXqSJ9ZBd3vIRN3TaICm__nPh_tToDqjAGIVEPgxkQEwWjWDTxVznL252W_8x/s1600/IMG_20170814_102103.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwOKqIVShdiATjjwNL4ZycweYBm46zpKOMly02x-pkBFlpmD3i-1CLrj5zYp7x1RvIbdK8rtmGsA53aocUXqSJ9ZBd3vIRN3TaICm__nPh_tToDqjAGIVEPgxkQEwWjWDTxVznL252W_8x/s320/IMG_20170814_102103.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
1) Making Sure We Have a Basic School Schedule </h3>
Our state requires that we complete 180 days of school each year, so I like to sit down with the school calendar and our family calendar to plan a rough outline for the year. I try to account for things like family vacation, holidays, birthdays, and planning time for me. If necessary, I will make adjustments or notes on the fly, but I like having the basic plan laid out for me ahead of time so that I am not surprised if we fall behind. Last year, we alternated quarters (roughly nine weeks each) between unit studies and project-based homeschooling. That way I have two stretches of the year when I am doing heavy planning and teaching and two stretches of the year when the sprouts choose their own areas of interest to explore. It balanced out nicely, so I am following the same alternating schedule this year. For unit studies, I requested ideas from the sprouts, and we agreed to study oceans in the first quarter and anatomy in the third quarter.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY-wQvLwAa6-OvcF5CJT_vLat8awUa75lS4nYXfKRyeJHZ5Q1ODe19DgqUgmJXd-l5MfyVEpEn7V28vlcSC1H4yLQ2V74HwyUIl37JH8P5z47QLTNU2JzWf3TkI0H22vQNEKuI6HbhgrEn/s1600/IMG_20170728_085645-COLLAGE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY-wQvLwAa6-OvcF5CJT_vLat8awUa75lS4nYXfKRyeJHZ5Q1ODe19DgqUgmJXd-l5MfyVEpEn7V28vlcSC1H4yLQ2V74HwyUIl37JH8P5z47QLTNU2JzWf3TkI0H22vQNEKuI6HbhgrEn/s320/IMG_20170728_085645-COLLAGE.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
2) Choosing Curricular Materials</h3>
Whether we are doing unit studies or project-based homeschooling, I set time aside everyday for the sprouts to practice reading, writing, and mathematics. This year I am continuing with a few things that have worked for us in the past and expanding their role. Science, social studies, and the arts will largely be incorporated into our unit studies. For math, we are continuing with <i>Bedtime Math</i> on Mondays and "Game-day Fridays" from last year. I also had a lot of success with Marilyn Burns' <i>Math By All Means</i> when I tried a unit last year, so I am going to ditch our district text and use those units year round this time. They are not aligned to Common Core; however, they are cross-curricular and very hands-on, which is an absolute must for First Sprout. She ran into major trouble with math last year when it suddenly was not hands-on anymore. For language arts, we are looking to <a href="http://www.bravewriter.com/">Bravewriter</a> for copywork, Poetry Teatime, Big Juicy Conversations, and Friday Freewrite-- plus lots and lots of awesome read alouds.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJIwk26GO_ieYCP3wFalxUNgbhBXqJtMeHPBh1KgYGzFBTW8Y8H-mzmwOcOIY5s2BaEAr0aeEQT5eXcMLTjsmES8UThqW71xIjefYaIZ5ZiYlKAMYQZlGM55kSs9QLCzhSSasNVCGJGQv2/s1600/IMG_20170814_105232.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJIwk26GO_ieYCP3wFalxUNgbhBXqJtMeHPBh1KgYGzFBTW8Y8H-mzmwOcOIY5s2BaEAr0aeEQT5eXcMLTjsmES8UThqW71xIjefYaIZ5ZiYlKAMYQZlGM55kSs9QLCzhSSasNVCGJGQv2/s320/IMG_20170814_105232.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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3) Planning Our First Nine Weeks</h3>
This involves looking through all of our books for the oceans unit study, planning video playlists, tracking down science experiments, and finding art projects. I use <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/goldendeliciouslearning/unit-study-oceans/">Pinterest</a> to keep track of unit study ideas ahead of time so that I have a repository of goodies when I sit down to plan. I start by sketching everything out in my bullet journal, and I have been known to solicit ideas from friends and family too. I like to type everything out so that I look organized, but the truth is that my plans are always subject to change. This at least provides the illusion that I have all of my bases covered!<br />
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<h3>
<div style="text-align: center;">
4) Organizing Our School Space</div>
</h3>
We homeschool in our dining room at the same table where everyone eats, plays with LEGO, and creates artwork. I have posted in the past about how I label and organized all of our learning materials, so not much changes with that from year to year. Mostly I try to inventory materials over the summer to see what needs pitched, donated, or replaced. Then I get our theme book shelf organized to support our unit study. As it turns out, I, um, have a few books pertaining to oceans.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwzyQp1MThcVoZwNStMgZagq3DsiD7pNtQ5D9MeEVXRO5baSw8sq3LpmW4cGeKvZc5mN9DPpfstOpDej63Ux3nNL_-fdVjUZsXkEahuaoFoTDz0ZiF-9AZ-M7K0GcURTjQijRInmn5ugdC/s1600/IMG_20170814_101944.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwzyQp1MThcVoZwNStMgZagq3DsiD7pNtQ5D9MeEVXRO5baSw8sq3LpmW4cGeKvZc5mN9DPpfstOpDej63Ux3nNL_-fdVjUZsXkEahuaoFoTDz0ZiF-9AZ-M7K0GcURTjQijRInmn5ugdC/s320/IMG_20170814_101944.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
5) Updating Our Morning Basket</h3>
While the idea of having a <a href="https://edsnapshots.com/basket/">Morning Basket</a> is kind of a specific thing, our morning basket is basically where I keep all of the materials for our structured school time. For some reason the words "it's time for morning basket" generate fewer arguments than "it's time for school!" I am not sure why it makes a difference, but I am going to roll with it. I started with a small(er) basket about a year and a half ago, but with all three sprouts officially school age, I knew I needed an update. This year we have pouches for copywork, our writing notebooks, math books, weekly read-alouds, my morning binder (aka the plans), and a few odds and ends for warming up our brains in the morning. Looking at my updated morning basket really gets me excited to start the year!<br />
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<h3 style="text-align: center;">
6) Preparing Portfolios</h3>
Last but not least, I took time this summer to prepare a portfolio for each sprout. Every year, I start create a three-ring binder with a learner profile that includes their name, age, overview, strengths, challenges, and goals for the year. Then I add a self-portrait that they create at the start of the year. The next page is for health records, and other documentation I want to track. I also like to splurge on pocket dividers so that I can keep hold of scrap papers, brochures, maps, tickets, etc. I include tabs for Art, Literacy, Math, Science, and Social Studies so that I can easily store papers by subject as needed. With the portfolios setup and ready to go, I don't have to worry about falling behind (as much) during the busy school year. As a certified Pennsylvania teacher homeschooling under the "private tutor" option, I do not have to maintain a portfolio or have it evaluated. However, I am a big fan of covering my butt, so I keep them anyway. Plus, I know that one day when the sprouts are moving away on their own, I will cherish these memories.<br />
<br />
Now that you know what my summer has looked like, tell me about your summer!<br />
<br />
Until Next Time,<br />
<h2>
Happy Learning!</h2>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016762685356932921.post-90696601670036246282017-08-08T07:57:00.001-07:002017-08-08T07:57:13.655-07:00Still Here, Still Homeschooling<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHaZ2owDP8BQLX54HgnSEjDcP27U6HLR_SxaQzuLfegs0H48ierYkw1frLzpHu17rv7U6CmVNLtTs0xr2_vohKuOSC5nrByR14C1RNh22dUeqTRO-SFhD1t0qY3IY3gE6Df_EqBItkNhVt/s1600/still+here.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="278" data-original-width="727" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHaZ2owDP8BQLX54HgnSEjDcP27U6HLR_SxaQzuLfegs0H48ierYkw1frLzpHu17rv7U6CmVNLtTs0xr2_vohKuOSC5nrByR14C1RNh22dUeqTRO-SFhD1t0qY3IY3gE6Df_EqBItkNhVt/s640/still+here.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />
<br />
It seems hard to believe that it's been three years since our family's <a href="https://goldendeliciouseducation.blogspot.com/2014/08/the-decision-to-homeschool.html">decision to homeschool</a>. I started off with First Sprout in first grade that first year, and now I am looking at "officially" educating all three sprouts in the fall.<br />
<br />
One of the most common questions I am asked: "How long do you plan on homeschooling?"<br />
<br />
The short answer: "I don't know."<br />
<br />
The long answer is that we homeschool on a year-to-year basis, checking in regularly to see if it is the best option for our children and our family. So far, we haven't found any reason to change gears. We might send the kids to public school for middle school or maybe high school. We might send them back all at one time, or we might let them go one at a time on their own terms. We aren't really sure.<br />
<br />
What we do know is that, right now, homeschooling works for us. All three sprouts are radiant and engaged.<br />
<br />
They focus.<br />
<br />
They persist.<br />
<br />
They ask questions.<br />
<br />
They solve problems.<br />
<br />
They motivate themselves.<br />
<br />
We have been wildly successful at achieving <a href="https://goldendeliciouseducation.blogspot.com/2015/08/">these goals</a> for ourselves, and we love having so much time as a family. Learning is a lifestyle for us. Sure there are gaps and setbacks. We certainly don't move at the pace of most public schools. Heck, we don't even change out of our pajamas most days. And yet, First Sprout already had her first art show at the public library. Second Sprout has constructed cities from cardboard boxes and recycled materials. Third Sprout has an entire catalog of songs memorized that she shares with us throughout the day.<br />
<br />
I love that magnifying glasses are considered "mandatory beach toys" in our home.<br />
<br />
I love that going to a bookstore evokes squeals of excitement.<br />
<br />
I love to see the joy that the sprouts express in learning.<br />
<br />
For at least another year, we are still here, and we are still homeschooling.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016762685356932921.post-81832854860476150692017-08-02T08:57:00.001-07:002017-08-02T08:57:02.978-07:00Nine Wishes for Your Ninth Birthday<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>It's been a few months since First Sprout turned 9 years old, but I am still loving this list that I wrote. I thought I would take a moment to share it here.</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;">Nine Wishes for Your 9th Birthday</span></h2>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Use Your Voice </span></b><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Words
are a powerful tool that you can use to connect with the world. Whether
speaking or writing, let your voice shine through bright and clear. Use your
voice to tell your truth, to share your feelings, and to protect others
whenever you can.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">But Don’t Forget
to Listen </span></b><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">You already know to treat others the way you would be
treated. When you want someone to listen to you, you have to be prepared to
listen too. Practice listening to really hear the person rather than listening
to respond. This is the foundation of strong bonds.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Be Persistent </span></b><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">From
the beginning, you have had the ability to keep trying until you achieve your
goal. Hold onto that persistence—it will serve you well for your entire life.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Embrace Mistakes </span></b><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Life
is all about learning, and mistakes are some of the best learning tools
available. As Miss Frizzle says: “Take chances, make mistakes, get messy!”<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Feel Your Feelings
</span></b><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Human
beings have a whole variety of emotions for a reason. Big feelings teach us a
lot about ourselves and each other. Know that it’s okay to feel sadness, or
frustration, or doubt, or fear. It’s also okay to feel joy, or excitement, or
peace, or connection. There is plenty of time to feel them all.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Find Your People </span></b><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Look
for those who love you as you are. Cherish those who will listen to you,
respect you, and challenge you to be a better person. They are your people to hold
close.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Follow Your Bliss </span></b><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">As
you grow older, you will discover that you will gain greater freedom but also
receive greater responsibility. Try to seek a balance between your
responsibilities and taking care of your heart. Learn things that you love, do
important work, and take care of your people—that will be your bliss.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Stay True to
Yourself</span></b><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">You
are a bold, kind, and curious child. Hold on to your loving heart and brave
spirit as you grow older. The world isn’t always kind to young women who take
up space, but it’s important that you take your space anyway. You deserve to
share the fullest version of yourself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Know That You Are
LOVED</span></b><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Always
and always and always.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016762685356932921.post-72549850496082346182016-02-23T08:59:00.002-08:002016-02-23T08:59:20.653-08:00A Day in the Life of Homeschooling<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4thHhDOo-vnzF_mDQnQ7k8PhyI14pOp5o_aBkelCHZ1orsIk5wKzCA7BZ9jdHL5x-L0J-2q3Ntend3fC4aWG0sAbVf4IjFk8vMoivZq5FabbTAoRHjGsZGRtDMLaWucL9Gn4cuAnbMhEb/s1600/a+day+in+the+life.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4thHhDOo-vnzF_mDQnQ7k8PhyI14pOp5o_aBkelCHZ1orsIk5wKzCA7BZ9jdHL5x-L0J-2q3Ntend3fC4aWG0sAbVf4IjFk8vMoivZq5FabbTAoRHjGsZGRtDMLaWucL9Gn4cuAnbMhEb/s640/a+day+in+the+life.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
In anticipation of <a href="http://simplehomeschool.net/weekend-homeschool-links-36/">Simple Homeschool's Day in the Life Community Link Up</a> next week, I figured that it would be a good exercise for me to record what happens on a "typical" day of school with the sprouts. I took notes throughout our day yesterday, and this is what we did...<br />
<br />
The day began with me getting up (before the kids!) to get dressed, make some coffee, feed the cat, and pack my husband's lunch before he left for work. By the time that was done, the kids were coming downstairs for the morning.<br />
<br />
I put on "Here Comes the Science" radio from my Google Music account for everyone to listen to while I re-heated leftover biscuits and sausage gravy for breakfast.<br />
<br />
After we ate and cleared the breakfast dishes off of the table, I brought out our <a href="http://www.goldendeliciouseducation.blogspot.com/2016/01/a-new-ish-year.html">Morning Basket that we formed at the start of the year</a>. The sprouts pulled out their new sticker books that they'd gotten as gifts from Nana over the weekend. As they played with their books (engaging in lots of fine-motor practice), I paused the music and continued reading Hans Christian Andersen's version of "The Mermaid" that we had started last Friday as part of an ongoing exploration of traditional tales.<br />
<br />
We made it through about 15 pages of the tale before the sprouts started getting restless, so I switched gears to helping First Sprout with practice on telling time as Second Sprout finished a design in her sticker book. Then, we piled up on the couch to read a chapter from <i>Life of Fred</i>-- we're just on the first book of the elementary math series, but we all love it! The two older sprouts each have a dry-erase board to doodle on while I read, and then they use the board to "play along" with Fred at the end of the chapter. During this time, Third Sprout is entertaining herself with her own dry-erase book on the floor nearby.<br />
<br />
After <i>Life of Fred</i>, I helped Second Sprout with a math practice page on counting numbers to 10. I've found that the sprouts seem to prefer doing their practice pages in dry-erase books (like The Priddy Books) more than conventional worksheets. I'm not sure why it makes a difference, but I'll take it if it works!<br />
<br />
Our Morning Basket routine is still pretty short and sweet, so at this point we switched gears into Project Time. The older sprouts have shown a renewed interest in Pokemon as a part of their project work, so they asked to play their Pokemon games on the 3DS. They began busily comparing their Pokemon rosters, so I took the opportunity to start a load of laundry and wash the breakfast dishes.<br />
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I had some overly ripe bananas, so I invited Third Sprout to join me in baking some <a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/6714/banana-oat-muffins/">yummy banana oatmeal muffins</a>. She helped me count scoops, pour ingredients, and mix everything together in the bowl. She also helped portion the batter out into the muffin tins, and it was super nice to have that time working quietly alone with her.<br />
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Once the muffins were in the oven, the bigger sprouts asked to turn on a series of Disney animated short films on Netflix that include several wonderful folk tales, plus some original stories (most importantly,<i> Frozen Fever</i>). It includes a stunning versions of "John Henry" and Hans Christian Andersen's "Little Match Seller," so I felt like that was a good fit with our study of traditional tales.<br />
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With the sprouts absorbed in their movie, I decided to sneak in my own project work by listening to Podcast #2 on <a href="http://amongstlovelythings.com/2/">Read-Aloud Revival with Sarah Mackenzie</a> while I cleaned up the dishes from baking. By then it was time for lunch, so the sprouts paused their movie to eat some freshly-baked muffins with yogurt and sliced apples.<br />
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Meals are generally a great time for generating discussion, and this particular lunch was no exception! As we were making plans for the afternoon, the topic of weather came up. Second Sprout wanted to know what would happen if the temperature reached 199 million degrees, and we discovered that would be much hotter than even the temperature of the sun. We also talked about the temperature where we live compared to places like Florida or the desert. The older sprouts then launched into a metaphysical discussion of whether people could actually live in the desert or whether they would simply die and "live" as spirits instead. We linked the talk about spirits back into our discussion of "The Mermaid" from that morning since one of her motivations in the story is to gain an immortal soul. That led to questions about sea foam, a Google images search, and speculation as to whether you could stack enough seafoam to reach outer space. First Sprout was adamant that stacking seafoam was unrealistic, and wanted to know more about rockets that <i>actually</i> go into space. We ended up watching <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s39mNwFuQDQ">this compilation video of rocket launches</a> for the remainder of lunch.<br />
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Let me just stop here and say that I don't know how we'd manage this eclectic, delight-led learning without my smart phone or Google. So, thank you Google (and my tech-oriented husband who helps me make sure all of this stuff is working!).<br />
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After cleaning up lunch, the sprouts all got dressed while I threw some things into the Crock-Pot for dinner. We decided to take some of our banana oatmeal muffins to a friend with a 3-week-old baby (don't worry, she knew we were coming). Thankfully the weather was lovely, and we were able to make the 20-minute walk without too much trouble. We enjoyed the sunshine while the older sprouts filled me in on the ballet version of Rapunzel they had seen over the weekend with their Nana. First Sprout talked through a really detailed analysis of the similarities and differences between the ballet, the <i>Tangled</i> movie, and the folktale.<br />
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Most of the afternoon was spent visiting our friend, snuggling the new baby, and playing with her bigger kids when they returned home from school. We didn't make back it home until nearly 5 o'clock, which gave me just enough time to put the finishing touches on dinner while the sprouts finished watching their Disney animated shorts from earlier. By 6 o'clock, my husband was home and we had family dinner.<br />
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It wouldn't necessarily be true to call this a "typical" day of homeschooling because all of our days end up looking so differently. We do lean toward project-based homeschooling and even to unschooling, so the only really structured time is first thing after breakfast when we go through our Morning Basket. Otherwise, we practice research and discussion habits that we carry with us through everything we do during the day. I hope you've enjoyed taking a little peek into what "A Day in the Life of Homeschooling" looks like for us.<br />
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Until next time,<br />
<br />
<h2>
Happy Learning!</h2>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016762685356932921.post-82940538780803021272016-01-04T17:49:00.000-08:002016-01-04T17:49:55.235-08:00A New-ish Year<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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'Tis the season for setting goals and making resolutions. Personally, I prefer a more year-round approach to personal growth and learning through change, but sometimes that return from a nice, long holiday break provides a great opportunity to experiment.<br />
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This year, I am planning to try some new things in our homeschooling life and in my mama life (as if those two things could ever really be separate) and continuing other things that we started to experiment with last year. Here are a few highlights:<br />
<h3>
<br />Morning Basket</h3>
I have been mulling over the idea of a Morning Basket for awhile after listening to some of <a href="http://edsnapshots.com/your-morning-basket-podcast/">these amazing podcasts from Ed Snapshots</a>; however, our actual Morning Basket will be brand new to our homeschool routine in 2016. Previously, I did a more traditional, school-like morning meeting with calendar time, counting days of school, graphing the weather, and so on. As it turns outs, that really was not working for the sprouts, and they were tuning me out before the day even started. I like the idea of the Morning Basket as gentler and more connected way to start the day. A lot of ideas for the basket include religious texts, but as secular homeschoolers, I prefer some of the ideas presented in this <a href="http://choosingourownadventures.blogspot.com/2015/12/our-winter-morning-basket.html">blog post from Choosing Our Own Adventures</a>. Our basket is not nearly so extensive-- at least not yet. Right now, we are using Mother Goose rhymes for memory work and the <i>Blue Fairy Book</i> by Andrew Lang as the source for our read-alouds. I plan on mostly ambushing the sprouts with the read-aloud at breakfast time (a captive audience!) but I also plan to include a fine-motor activity during read-aloud time for the days when things don't go according to plan.<br />
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I have also decided to include a math manipulative in our basket each week as a way to reconnect with hands-on mathematics and to bring some playfulness back into our math routine. This week, I included pattern blocks on our basket, which are always a hit. That brings us to a grand total for four things in the basket (memory work, read aloud, fine-motor manipulative, and math manipulative). It's not much at the moment, as I'm a big believer in starting small and working our way up from there. The basket was well-received this morning-- <i>knock on wood!</i>-- but we shall see how the sprouts respond in a day, a month, or even next year.<br />
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<h3>
Project-Based Homeschool</h3>
We started Project-Based Homeschooling last year, and we loved it so much that we will definitely be continuing in 2016. I already wrote about <a href="http://goldendeliciouseducation.blogspot.com/2015/12/getting-started-with-project-based.html">getting started</a> and <a href="http://goldendeliciouseducation.blogspot.com/2015/12/setting-goals-in-project-based.html">setting goals</a> for PBH. I'm looking forward to writing more about our experience this year, as it will likely be the majority of our schooling for the time being. The sprouts really enjoyed the experiment in December when Project Time was their only school work. They were focused, motivated, and fairly productive. I do want to keep introducing some skills that I think are important, so that's why I feel like the Morning Basket will make a nice complement to the PBH approach.<br />
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<h3>
Bullet Journal</h3>
This is a new practice for me, but so far I am completely in love. If you <a href="http://bulletjournal.com/">haven't heard of it before</a>, it's basically a list-based journal that is indexed--and later, archived-- for quick reference. Personally, it appeals to me as a homeschooling mom because I finally feel like I have something to show for all of my work. Rather than wadding up my Post-It note at the end of each day, I can preserve my list as a record of what I accomplished. I have also decided to include a one-sentence summary of the day in each entry so that I can preserve my memories efficiently. I have done long-form journaling off-and-on throughout the years, but this feels like something I can stick with in spite of-- or rather, because of-- my busy schedule.<br />
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<h3>
Capsule Wardrobe</h3>
I actually started building my capsule wardrobe in November after reading <a href="https://quillandcamera.wordpress.com/2015/10/05/whats-your-homeschool-mom-uniform/">this post on mom uniforms from Quill and Camera</a> and <a href="http://dallas.citymomsblog.com/why-i-got-rid-of-my-wardrobe-capsule-wardrobe/">this post on capsule wardrobes over at Dallas Moms Blog</a>. As a homeschooling mom, it's easy to fall into the pattern of wearing a sweatpants and a t-shirt most days or spending the whole day in a nightgown during hot summers. Even when we left the house, I was never super motivated to dress up since I would be toting kids around. However, I started to feel like maybe that was having a detrimental impact on my psyche. I wasn't taking myself seriously, and I wasn't taking care of myself as a result. Now, I haven't turned to a style maven by any stretch of the imagination, but I am dressing more like a grown up. Paring down my wardrobe and making sure I only kept (or bought) mix-and-match neutrals that I loved, has made getting dressed much more enjoyable for me. It helps me feel more put-together, more confident, and happier as a result; I'll definitely be keeping up the capsule wardrobe for 2016.<br />
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These are kind of the highlights right now. I feel like we're in a <strike>messy</strike> exciting transitional stage with homeschooling, so I am looking forward to posting more updates on how things are going as the year continues. I sincerely hope that everyone reading this is off to a good start for the New Year, but if not, please remember that change can start any time of the year. Until next time,<br />
<br />
<h2>
Happy Learning!</h2>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016762685356932921.post-71843426419167933122015-12-16T09:35:00.001-08:002015-12-16T09:35:03.022-08:00Setting Goals in Project-Based Homeschooling<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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A few weeks ago, I shared a little bit about <a href="http://goldendeliciouseducation.blogspot.com/2015/12/getting-started-with-project-based.html">my new role as a teacher-mentor under Project-Based Homeschooling</a>. This week, I wanted to share how we have started incorporating basic goal-setting skills into our PBH journey.<br />
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Ideally, I would like to get to the point where the sprouts are able to set Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timely goals-- usually abbreviated to <a href="http://www.edutopia.org/blog/smart-goal-setting-with-students-maurice-elias">SMART goals</a>-- and be able to make a plan to reach them. However, I think that some of those concepts would be pretty abstract for my learners at their ages and experience levels. So, I have been trying approach their goal setting a little bit differently.<br />
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We have started discussing project goals at each of our monthly conferences. Once the sprouts give me a goal, such as building or sewing, we then talk about the steps we need to accomplish the goal. Usually, we generate a list of 3-5 specific actions that will help accomplish the goal. For example, when Second Sprout set her building goal, we felt that looking at library books, saving recyclable materials, and buying some new tools would help her reach that goal. At first, I would offer suggestions on possible steps, but I am gradually trying to step back from that and let the sprouts plan the steps themselves.<br />
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By the time we had our second round of conferences in November, the sprouts had a better idea of what to expect. Both of the older sprouts had a goal and some of their steps ready to go for our discussion. Second Sprout was interested in building with milk jugs, while First Sprout wanted to switch gears and study cats instead. However, I added a new component to their goal setting for these conferences-- they had to come up with an idea for sharing what they are learning. Second Sprout immediately suggested making a book of her creations, while First Sprout took much more conversation and thought to reach an idea. She eventually decided that she was interested in planning and hosting an art show of cat-themed works.<br />
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Now, I have to say that these goals sound incredibly awesome, but neither of the sprouts have followed through as of yet. Most of their Project Time has been spent on other pursuits, which is really crucial to their process of becoming self-directed learners. It's entirely possible that they will end up switching goals again at our next round of conferences. Practice is the key here.<br />
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<i>And goodness knows that I haven't reached (or even started) all of the goals I ever set for myself.</i><br />
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I don't want everyone to think that we have perfected anything here. Rather, I want to share what we're doing and how it's going in case our experience might be useful to others. So, I'm okay if they don't start hitting their goals right off the bat. For me, it's all part of the process.<br />
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One thing I CAN do as they practice is model my own goal-setting skills. Currently, I have two projects going. One is Project-Based Homeschooling itself, as I try to navigate this new routine, conduct my research, and practice new skills. While I do (try to) make a habit of sharing this journey on the blog, it's maybe still a bit abstract for demonstrating the whole goal-setting process to the sprouts. So I created a second project for myself-- learning to crochet-- and set goals as well as steps I needed to get there. The sprouts got to see me skimming books and watching videos and creating samplers. They got to see my pull out stitches and puzzle over patterns and get impatient over interruptions. To be honest, I think they have been prouder of my accomplishments than even I am. They are rather fond of telling everyone they meet that "Mom is learning how to crochet-- she made that scarf all by herself!" I plan to keep working on my crochet and setting new goals for myself to keep this momentum going.<br />
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For the foreseeable future, I plan to continue working on our goal-setting skills in our conferences and through modeling the process. While we are not at the point of following through on independently-created SMART goals, we are practicing and learning a lot in the process.<br />
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Until next time,<br />
<h2>
Happy Learning!</h2>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016762685356932921.post-34766502700630484822015-12-02T11:06:00.001-08:002015-12-02T19:34:52.627-08:00Getting Started with Project-Based HomeschoolingAt the beginning of our school year, I decided that I wanted to set some <a href="http://goldendeliciouseducation.blogspot.com/2015/08/and-were-back.html">clear goals for learning</a>. After a lot of thought, I finally settled on: <b>focus</b>, <b>persistence</b>, <b>asking questions</b>, <b>solving problems</b>, and <b>self-motivation</b>. A few weeks into the year, we realized that the way we had been schooling wasn't working. The sprouts were distracted, bored, and annoyed with any sort of paperwork that I assigned. Even the projects I planned were often hit-or-miss. Anything that I gave them to do with a specific end product in mind resulted in disappointment and frustration.<br />
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So, I decided to step back. I retreated to stacks of books and internet forums. I chatted a lot with my husband and other homeschooling friends. I finally settled into reading Lori Pickert's <a href="http://project-based-homeschooling.com/resources">Project-Based Homeschooling</a>, and I had an epiphany. Workbooks, guided writing, and parent-led projects were not going to meet ANY of our learning goals for this year.<br />
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But Project-Based Homeschooling hits ALL of them.<br />
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I wasn't in a good space at the time to drop everything and switch to PBH, but I did start incorporating some open-ended Project Time into our day. Once I <a href="http://goldendeliciouseducation.blogspot.com/2015/10/art-theme-week-8-space.html">tied up some loose ends</a>, we were able to incorporate still more Project Time. I tried to hang on to some of our routine school work those first few weeks, but it quickly became apparent that the more my sprouts directed their own learning, the less they wanted anything to do with what I was planning.<br />
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It's been hard for me to take, especially as a trained teacher. But I believe in my kids, and if they need a few weeks to immerse themselves in projects, then I can support that. Honestly, the holidays are huge distraction anyway, so I know they will learn a lot more by doing their own thing that they can fully focus on. Once the holidays are over, we can re-evaluate our school day and see what needs to be done.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A glimpse at our project space (formerly known as the dining room).</td></tr>
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In the meantime, I will probably be just as busy as the sprouts. One of the great things about Project-Based Homeschooling is that I'm not entirely out of the picture; my job just looks a lot different. Here are a few things I have been working on to facilitate the sprouts' project work:<br />
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<h3>
1) Provide an organized, well-stocked work space</h3>
This "job" came pretty easily, since I have always worked to make art supplies, craft materials, and learning tools accessible to the sprouts. It's a bit tricky to fit everything in our dining room where we have our project space, However, I really like having our work space centrally located and integrated heavily with our regular life.<br />
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<h3>
2) Document their learning</h3>
This one is a little trickier since I don't have the patience to write long, detailed records each day, but I'm not entirely sure that's necessary. Instead, I have continued my habit of taking anecdotal notes and photographing the sprouts' work into a dedicated "project notebook" that I make visible to them. I also keep a book list, quotes, and other snippets of ideas in my notebook for later reference.<br />
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<h3>
3) Practice what I preach</h3>
Modeling is a powerful yet under-utilized tool in education. I once read that "children will do as you do before they do as you say," and this is especially true with PBH. In this spirit, I have actually started my own project-- learning to crochet. I have tried to make my learning steps (goal-setting, research, practice, mistakes, more practice, more goal setting) visible to the sprouts. I like to think that the more I learn and self-motivate in their presence, the more they will pick up on those habits as well.<br />
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<h3>
4) Be a good listener</h3>
One of the practices I wanted to implement when we started PBH is conferencing. I was used to having conferences with parents and conferences with students in the classroom, but it never really occurred to me to have conferences with my own kids. I think I just kind of assumed that I was present enough to already know what they would say. To some extent that was true, but I was really taking away their agency by making that assumption. We have had two sets of conferences now (one at a time, at the local bakery, just for fun) and the sprouts are thriving on the undivided attention and opportunity to communicate their needs. We get to talk about what is and is not working, how they want me (if they want me) to assist with projects, and set goals for what they want to do. Knowing that I'm listening, focused, and taking notes has been really meaningful to the sprouts.<br />
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<h3>
5) Give them time</h3>
We are still working to make Project Time a part of our everyday life, but it's not always going to happen on my schedule. Even though we didn't plan Project Time specifically over the Thanksgiving holiday, we often found the sprouts working on their projects anyway. My husband remarked on how First Sprout was up and working on her projects first thing in the morning a few times. As a planner, this can be challenging for me. I want to be present during their projects, but I know that it's really important for them to be independent and work on their own time tables. So, I am working on finding a balance of setting aside specific Project Time for me to be present and available to help. Then the sprouts always have the opportunity to work on their projects independently and spontaneously, knowing that I maybe be busy doing something else and unable to help. The important thing is that they have the time to think their own thoughts, to dream their own dreams, to plan their own plans.<br />
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Overall, I have really been enjoying Project-Based Homeschooling, even if it has meant changing the way we do things. In some ways, it feels a lot more like summer when the sprouts were much more self-directed. It will be interesting to see how it goes as we gain more experience and more learning into the process. It's important to me that they know it is a process, and we will make mistakes. But we can learn just as much (if not more) from the mistakes as we will from the successes.<br />
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Until next time,<br />
<br />
<h2>
Happy Learning!</h2>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016762685356932921.post-66894714309266127112015-10-28T08:26:00.001-07:002015-10-28T08:26:11.828-07:00Art Theme, Week 8 (Space)We made it to the last week of our art theme-- huzzah! It was a really fun theme, but it was also challenging to finish because our homeschool day is undergoing a major shift toward more child-directed and project-based learning. The upshot of sticking through all eight elements of art is that we have a great foundation in how to discuss art moving forward.<br />
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For our final week, we focused on the element of Space, which involves creating the illusion of depth on a flat surface. First Sprout did a great job looking through pieces of artwork and finding the different techniques that could be used (to be honest, Second Sprout pretty much tuned out here-- probably a good sign that she wasn't ready for it). We also really enjoyed looking at the works of <a href="http://www.marycassatt.org/">Mary Cassatt</a> and talking about how she revolutionized art by painting pictures of women and children going about their ordinary lives. First Sprout is starting to pick up the threads on this sort of historical context, which is exciting for me.<br />
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We finished our "Art Smart" anchor chart, painted with perspective, and experimented with a new-to-us medium of chalk pastels. The sprouts LOVED blending with the chalk pastels, and I have a feeling it is going to be a new fan favorite. The only challenge was making sure that no one blew chalk dust everywhere, so I had to make that a one-and-done rule to keep everyone's lungs healthy. Without further adieu, I'm going to share a bunch of pictures from our adventures in art this week.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First Sprout's independently initiated painting using techniques of perspective. The dots in the background are people in the distance compared to the larger person up close.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI5ykoC-6wKehPgk_9cRgT3HCitowgPYMsGWRpBnFJDQyndJMrcc9JNRH8svovtTxYwlV_af5sof2goDKKyPvgj2lc2arKRvWAED6ogS4s6F6JKAqvYPs7B-SRS-YMXZTf1zn7yY_Sp2VK/s1600/IMG_20151022_103633.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI5ykoC-6wKehPgk_9cRgT3HCitowgPYMsGWRpBnFJDQyndJMrcc9JNRH8svovtTxYwlV_af5sof2goDKKyPvgj2lc2arKRvWAED6ogS4s6F6JKAqvYPs7B-SRS-YMXZTf1zn7yY_Sp2VK/s640/IMG_20151022_103633.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Third Sprout loved the bright colors and new texture of chalk pastels.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw20DGXr0RRg21r8sCZbE_-MTHBlscOfXv_AC_Jc5ywUya-9Q3KdmOKTwpbUqFMxrug7E98nrKiB55adXTeChMjuF8qdOw7dFx-47nqoY8ViwGIZORJOXcp_TCP6RwHzj5kNmalProUAel/s1600/IMG_20151022_103559.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw20DGXr0RRg21r8sCZbE_-MTHBlscOfXv_AC_Jc5ywUya-9Q3KdmOKTwpbUqFMxrug7E98nrKiB55adXTeChMjuF8qdOw7dFx-47nqoY8ViwGIZORJOXcp_TCP6RwHzj5kNmalProUAel/s640/IMG_20151022_103559.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First Sprout's still life in chalk pastels. She chose the subject independently.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH-gxvFe3V0fYBBxHdL4xEtZJX0PolKWninH588RvgB5i91gNV0dnnzLpUSmdpxSKoQ0sUGxsi_qKuAgGQmqG6qlZVA4xvXmey_iedNYGCBqPc3pACF52J_OsqpW890-CWPty827mMGIjM/s1600/IMG_20151022_103511.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH-gxvFe3V0fYBBxHdL4xEtZJX0PolKWninH588RvgB5i91gNV0dnnzLpUSmdpxSKoQ0sUGxsi_qKuAgGQmqG6qlZVA4xvXmey_iedNYGCBqPc3pACF52J_OsqpW890-CWPty827mMGIjM/s640/IMG_20151022_103511.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Second Sprout's still life in chalk pastels (she liked First Sprout's idea and replicated it in her own style).</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuMw5vGE6jrZafD7QF5DNhs7EM-nPSRoO1OI0lOJbsWetn9dzFuJAPMU2C6e9K-UNG707oxw4S8dZvbhQtG5tjigEabMP-tde1t8zUFg46CGTUxecXvBZu-V92zpTAdseWrGODuZOwtenG/s1600/IMG_20151022_102535.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuMw5vGE6jrZafD7QF5DNhs7EM-nPSRoO1OI0lOJbsWetn9dzFuJAPMU2C6e9K-UNG707oxw4S8dZvbhQtG5tjigEabMP-tde1t8zUFg46CGTUxecXvBZu-V92zpTAdseWrGODuZOwtenG/s640/IMG_20151022_102535.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Everyone hard at work exploring their new art tools.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrFIIysy9DPLBfZEGPIyU4zTDQYYcgD7oUHWWqszCxEeXAgVs5nTxDXMJVFgKKXqIrUW_aq9S39L3R8_tdxUCTp2Wlrje4N_IgCPSmJsfik-UsL4UPcEwmRgqmFOpFdMY7-hYpNEyyXIYr/s1600/IMG_20151019_110332.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrFIIysy9DPLBfZEGPIyU4zTDQYYcgD7oUHWWqszCxEeXAgVs5nTxDXMJVFgKKXqIrUW_aq9S39L3R8_tdxUCTp2Wlrje4N_IgCPSmJsfik-UsL4UPcEwmRgqmFOpFdMY7-hYpNEyyXIYr/s640/IMG_20151019_110332.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Saving the least exciting for last, here's a look at our final "Art Smart" anchor chart.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Thanks for sticking with me for the last few weeks of our Art Theme. It's been a lot of fun and very informative, but it's definitely time for us to take what we've learned and move forward. We are devoting more of our school day toward Project-Based learning, which the sprouts and I are really excited about. Although I had considered using this week to wrap-up and do a "final" sort of art project, the sprouts have fully-embraced <a href="http://project-based-homeschooling.com/">Project-Based Homeschooling</a> and taken up their own things. First Sprout is immersed in designing and sewing doll clothes, while Second Sprout has embraced building. I am mostly tasked with sitting back, observing, and recording the proceedings. That sort of active watching is challenging for me, but I know it will be worth it in the long run to give the sprouts some more independence.<br />
<br />
Eventually I hope to have some more things to share about our journey with PBH, but the weekly blog posts will probably cool for awhile. Until next time,<br />
<h2>
<br />Happy Learning!</h2>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016762685356932921.post-33659453914864781462015-10-19T10:40:00.001-07:002015-10-19T10:40:31.324-07:00Art Theme, Week 7 (Form)We are nearing the end of our Art Theme, and thankfully we've managed to maintain our interest! First Sprout is back to enjoying the projects a lot more, especially since I've loosened my expectations and allowed her more freedom to simply explore the materials. For week 7, we took a look at the art element of Form and the work of artist <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_Warhol">Andy Warhol</a>.<br />
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We were fortunate enough to find a neat book at the library featuring work of many artists contemporary with Warhol. (I believe that it was titled <i>Art In the Time of Andy Warhol</i>.) It had a wonderful array of painting, sculpture, photography, and performance art that were perfect for us to use in our discussion on form. We also read <i>Josefina</i> by Jeannette Winter, which is gorgeous book about Josefina Aguilar, a real-life Mexican folk-artist who sculpts and paints clay figures. We were inspired by Josefina to work with some air-dry modeling clay.<br />
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Later in the week, we looped back to Warhol with a narrower focus on some of his pop art prints. I found this <a href="http://www.theseedsnetwork.com/seeds/search_result.php?i=304">super cool activity from Seeds Network</a> that uses highlighters over top of printed photographs to re-create some of the funky, pop-art vibe of Warhol's work. I printed photos of each of the kids out on cardstock and let them go to town. It was lots of fun!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_7jWhNEaGAUVrKb977dX0EeSMSoS-VHNYQ8C6sZ-0gDJqm3LyQXwvpu9MOZXqo7cW2Va3wCWQGuPvCe5AkARud3M7CDGLoFUgz9q3w1HPjsBd9f3Y4LtBU3lPNMTghZHOKekcb7wEpm34/s1600/IMG_20151015_112319.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_7jWhNEaGAUVrKb977dX0EeSMSoS-VHNYQ8C6sZ-0gDJqm3LyQXwvpu9MOZXqo7cW2Va3wCWQGuPvCe5AkARud3M7CDGLoFUgz9q3w1HPjsBd9f3Y4LtBU3lPNMTghZHOKekcb7wEpm34/s640/IMG_20151015_112319.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lighter-colored markers and highlighters were great tools for the pop-art photo project.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz85MB_2m8mjh_O6bw8w_EkGxsnCbOYQrCWb2nM8tNQqSoL2mVbe0rG3j6YvyX7TJe5KQyY-yiuirtShhDcL5wxPSgF5VMj_o0HyslSTJOyEsFUJm34UONvWIsyIzUrgyRyMThm6-KHt2k/s1600/IMG_20151015_112653.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz85MB_2m8mjh_O6bw8w_EkGxsnCbOYQrCWb2nM8tNQqSoL2mVbe0rG3j6YvyX7TJe5KQyY-yiuirtShhDcL5wxPSgF5VMj_o0HyslSTJOyEsFUJm34UONvWIsyIzUrgyRyMThm6-KHt2k/s640/IMG_20151015_112653.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First Sprout shares her funky, finished photo.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCSLv3Axmh9CmpXVg0Qy5nj9EyPZSCJYiCP3wORY4_VIODhmb5iWBDWYIlyVBG0q3ysC9QL4TyyGFF362Mk-jMCFj1rkd-P8VIFPYll2UmJt6qbvxx8P78tKx1J27zayfFj99-EpPPAsKB/s1600/IMG_20151015_113356.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCSLv3Axmh9CmpXVg0Qy5nj9EyPZSCJYiCP3wORY4_VIODhmb5iWBDWYIlyVBG0q3ysC9QL4TyyGFF362Mk-jMCFj1rkd-P8VIFPYll2UmJt6qbvxx8P78tKx1J27zayfFj99-EpPPAsKB/s640/IMG_20151015_113356.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Second Sprout works to fill in her big blocks of space with color.</td></tr>
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<br />
Overall we had a great week with our Art Theme (although some of our other subjects were still tough!). This will probably be the last theme that I plan for awhile since I want to give the sprouts an opportunity to explore some more Project-Based learning and self-directed studies. I'm excited to be moving in a new direction, but the planner in me is completely anxious. I know that Project-Based Homeschooling will be a big learning experience for all of us, and I'm super motivated by pouring over <a href="http://project-based-homeschooling.com/camp-creek-blog">Camp Creek Blog</a> for ideas. The sprouts have already been kicking around plans for what they want to study next, so I might be able to start sharing some of that process soon. In the meantime, we are on to our last (official) week of Art Theme by learning about the element of Space and the works of Mary Cassatt. We make have a wrap-up project or two for the following week to give us some closure, but we should be ready to move on by November. Ch-ch-changes ahead.<br />
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Until next time,<br />
<h2>
Happy Learning!</h2>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016762685356932921.post-41322036579882854942015-10-13T11:03:00.004-07:002015-10-13T11:03:59.400-07:00Art Theme, Week 6 (Texture)We did indeed end up taking a week off in between parts 5 and 6 of our Art Theme; however, it wasn't quite the relaxing break I had anticipated. As usual, life threw us a curve ball and we would have needed the week off to handle things anyway. But rather than take a second week break, I decided that perhaps we were better off trying to press forward and wrap things up before we switched gears.<br />
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So last week, we continued learning about the art element Texture and the works of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wassily_Kandinsky">Wassily Kandinsky</a>. I actually ended up creating my own book of photographs showing texture as a way to expand the sprouts' vocabulary beyond "bumpy" and "smooth." It ended up being a great photographic exercise that left me feeling a bit like one of my children's book idols, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tana_Hoban">Tana Hoban</a>.<br />
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After introducing the idea of texture and vocabulary, we used a macro lens attachment for my smart phone to go on a "texture hunt." The sprouts searched throughout the house for items with really interesting textures that we could photograph up close with the lens. The results were stunning, and we ended up printing the photographs the same afternoon.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8nTSVPVn1O2xvzgmHXwBknXJs3b8b8vJ63QJh3N5f190rECIm0Ni3Krkg7LMKftO7L65joPQ0fZx_2nPRhAnwttrMBpqDMS6VEpXXqVdlEvrm8l68laILahuBrxe0EWRkWfI14a9phpYw/s1600/IMG_20151007_110700-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8nTSVPVn1O2xvzgmHXwBknXJs3b8b8vJ63QJh3N5f190rECIm0Ni3Krkg7LMKftO7L65joPQ0fZx_2nPRhAnwttrMBpqDMS6VEpXXqVdlEvrm8l68laILahuBrxe0EWRkWfI14a9phpYw/s640/IMG_20151007_110700-2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First Sprout's macro photography of a dress-up dragon cloak.<br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibKOCdkY2_cYJPH-iRJIvkofHOM8eyHgWMqfksu5CaLq-J2F7B-BZtuOdeBgRlDzE8y_NWPprRps8j90pqT3TBxiygqY96BDGEDUk56jOuHVCjzWws4Reb9Eh1yKjE9m8BKBDxypH4-gu-/s1600/IMG_20151007_111334.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibKOCdkY2_cYJPH-iRJIvkofHOM8eyHgWMqfksu5CaLq-J2F7B-BZtuOdeBgRlDzE8y_NWPprRps8j90pqT3TBxiygqY96BDGEDUk56jOuHVCjzWws4Reb9Eh1yKjE9m8BKBDxypH4-gu-/s640/IMG_20151007_111334.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Second Sprout's macro photography of a bean bag.</td></tr>
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We also learned about the work of Wassily Kandinsky through viewing his art and reading <i>The Noisy Paintbox</i> by Barb Rosenstock (with illustrations by Mary GandPre!). The idea of painting what you feel rather than painting what you see seemed to resonate with First Sprout especially. She ended up being motivated to draw a Kandinksy-inspired work right away.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUfwXIRFpr_x-5Rrj7U5cE6qDF8-Qw2PgDdLdZZBU1MPI5ZDKdKwPrW9sPCLB48QRN4bgKMvVGSMI32upPp8ahPD0Hog-9NPLWcIip0GKyuhft-RxtI2Bq8LUspcdHtVwJEp1LdEQxHaVs/s1600/IMG_20151013_133947.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUfwXIRFpr_x-5Rrj7U5cE6qDF8-Qw2PgDdLdZZBU1MPI5ZDKdKwPrW9sPCLB48QRN4bgKMvVGSMI32upPp8ahPD0Hog-9NPLWcIip0GKyuhft-RxtI2Bq8LUspcdHtVwJEp1LdEQxHaVs/s640/IMG_20151013_133947.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First Sprout's Kandinsky-inspired artwork.</td></tr>
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I had originally planned to try this <a href="http://artprojectsforkids.org/kandinsky-circles-in-felt/">Circles in Felt</a> activity, but it turned out that regular old markers ended up taking precedence that day. It's a super neat idea though (and what a way to tie texture and Kandinsky together!) so I think I'll keep it in my pocket for a snowy day.<br />
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Next up, we are going to explore the element of Form and the works of Andy Warhol. The following week, we will be wrapping up with the element of Space and the art of Mary Cassatt. It's hard to believe that we are so close to finishing our thematic study of art and the first 9 weeks of school!<br />
<br />
Until next time,<br />
<h2>
Happy Learning!</h2>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016762685356932921.post-82080206263452683142015-09-26T14:52:00.001-07:002015-09-26T14:52:09.940-07:00Art Theme, Week 5 (Pattern)I've seen Pattern on some lists of art elements but not others. I decided to include it because: (1) it also hits math standards, and (2) it seemed like a good fit for our studies of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alma_Thomas">Alma W. Thomas</a> this week.<br />
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If I'm really, really honest though, it was a rough week for our art unit. I'm not sure if the theme is wearing thin, if I'm directing things too much, or if it was just one of those random off-weeks.<br />
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Some of the challenges started with planning. As it turns out, there is no children's literature based on Alma Thomas's work. I thought about writing my own thing but could not quite sort out how to go about that in time for our lesson. So I resorted to a brief bio and a digital gallery of her work, which didn't hook the kids at all.<br />
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We also did an art project, based on <a href="http://ourartlately.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/alma-woodsey-thomas-paint-chip-collages.html">this awesome post</a> I found.<br />
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I had visions of these beautiful, colorful mosaics with all of the white spaces filled in with bright paint chips.<br />
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I gathered beautiful paint chips, cut them into random shapes, and sorted them by color.<br />
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I made <a href="http://www.thekindergartensmorgasboard.com/2013/06/a-kindergarten-smorgasboard-how-to.html">glue sponges</a>.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjbuFWTeXC1NzCsCLcBasFg3GMwzfre2sKLxEEpQCdPilVC2S972KW6bdP3MiisGIrlk08pQZYd36O3pQ_oQMuiLUvXb-2Q7l4Nl174pxEjcVlta_TT0j4EEXnMiI4QUOUTyKVUYRjB09Z/s1600/IMG_20150924_113535.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjbuFWTeXC1NzCsCLcBasFg3GMwzfre2sKLxEEpQCdPilVC2S972KW6bdP3MiisGIrlk08pQZYd36O3pQ_oQMuiLUvXb-2Q7l4Nl174pxEjcVlta_TT0j4EEXnMiI4QUOUTyKVUYRjB09Z/s640/IMG_20150924_113535.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Paint chips and glue sponges!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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And when I shared all of this with the sprouts, their reaction was "meh." They felt that the glue was too messy and the pieces were too small and this project was taking too long.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRw-UOSdtgqxSieo_AG4n6Qi5OTHMyAJfUa2w3SyDx73yPEF1tVhp8QbDeS-AHnbM2UHEMTou1MtnD_hjuF9Gos12dE8c6qSC5J4Ea6-Lu5Wadu0E9QxsnpV3CY_dBwNjPRQ-RCWOQEbe4/s1600/IMG_20150926_171824.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRw-UOSdtgqxSieo_AG4n6Qi5OTHMyAJfUa2w3SyDx73yPEF1tVhp8QbDeS-AHnbM2UHEMTou1MtnD_hjuF9Gos12dE8c6qSC5J4Ea6-Lu5Wadu0E9QxsnpV3CY_dBwNjPRQ-RCWOQEbe4/s640/IMG_20150926_171824.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Second Sprout's paint compact chip collage.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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They still made some cool artwork and experimented with a new medium, but it wasn't quite the result I had envisioned. And therein lies the problem. I went into this project with too many expectations and too much investment. The sprouts have their own ideas and their own tastes that didn't mesh with mine. Which is all perfectly normal and (usually) perfectly fine, but just so happened to bum me out this time. A lot.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilBrNBM6BVyOtXoRdFbFvE6LY_4l0DsymGDrH-0pU8-an2ejPTZF73nguzCwAhjVAy5u3XnU_Vd_GZF6T7fSQy898pcdjWnu_ioZQDWeWJCNLJrsaQ24VRbRXODq7U_TBEIquhsveBkpBc/s1600/IMG_20150926_171836.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilBrNBM6BVyOtXoRdFbFvE6LY_4l0DsymGDrH-0pU8-an2ejPTZF73nguzCwAhjVAy5u3XnU_Vd_GZF6T7fSQy898pcdjWnu_ioZQDWeWJCNLJrsaQ24VRbRXODq7U_TBEIquhsveBkpBc/s640/IMG_20150926_171836.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Third Sprout's cool paint chip collage.</td></tr>
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Thankfully, I don't think this particular frustration affected the kids. And in the grand scheme of things, this is a very mild thing to be frustrated about. But we had an off week in general, and the only day everyone was really happy was the day we took off to <a href="http://goldendeliciouseducation.blogspot.com/2015/09/autumnal-equinox-2015.html">celebrate the autumn equinox</a>. So we're going to take a break from our Art Theme next week and see if that improves everyone's perspective on things. I'm always so grateful that we have the flexibility to pause and breathe when we need it.<br />
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After our break, I think we'll try to pick back up with our theme by studying Vasily Kandinsky and the element of Texture. I'm hoping that the sprouts will enjoy the change of pace-- I know I will! Until next time,<br />
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<h2>
Happy Learning!</h2>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016762685356932921.post-32039857855788310752015-09-23T08:50:00.001-07:002015-09-23T08:50:03.186-07:00Autumnal Equinox 2015Fall is pretty much my favorite season. I love the weather, the clothes, the food, the colors, the holidays.<div>
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Everything about fall is amazing.</div>
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So we are making it an annual tradition to take our break from our usual school routine to celebrate the first day of fall. Last year, <a href="http://goldendeliciouseducation.blogspot.com/2014/09/autumnal-equinox.html">we took a walk on a nature trail</a> to make observations and enjoy the signs of a changing season. This year, we are sticking closer to home, but we are still marking the changes anyway.</div>
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First Sprout designed and sewed her own felt owl.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpkNyF8rf2mfBIbS2JKl5qjhQLrMwc3SiU6VjAil7isygH97tj4RRzO17C1pasCgNIujm8ynRJWRqU-Dd35T_OgkKJ-d1975QAIDqjukb6Zob7jyuiP02iGj6UGj78pkjPZSsZngNClcZU/s1600/IMG_20150923_112814.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpkNyF8rf2mfBIbS2JKl5qjhQLrMwc3SiU6VjAil7isygH97tj4RRzO17C1pasCgNIujm8ynRJWRqU-Dd35T_OgkKJ-d1975QAIDqjukb6Zob7jyuiP02iGj6UGj78pkjPZSsZngNClcZU/s640/IMG_20150923_112814.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First Sprout's super sweet felt owl, named Pumpkin Pie.</td></tr>
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We colored <a href="http://alisaburke.blogspot.com/2015/09/a-fall-coloring-page-for-you.html?m=1">these delicious fall pages</a>.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_umbvXwJnkQ7WmEcwLs8YWLkA1MAD0dJK5u6LDRq4LtGbF43yQLCr0SttUte8LDv7hUZyosyHFlt9Jg2PtfqCNzdbfzoG5LtQiip1gNWU4-Re_aF6fkBNtnQNsoODOhthAZvqDZxzJoZj/s1600/IMG_20150923_092740.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="504" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_umbvXwJnkQ7WmEcwLs8YWLkA1MAD0dJK5u6LDRq4LtGbF43yQLCr0SttUte8LDv7hUZyosyHFlt9Jg2PtfqCNzdbfzoG5LtQiip1gNWU4-Re_aF6fkBNtnQNsoODOhthAZvqDZxzJoZj/s640/IMG_20150923_092740.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Second Sprout enjoys coloring our cool art pages.</td></tr>
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Zucchini bread was baked and devoured.<br />
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And our <strike>Halloween</strike> fall decorations are hung.</div>
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All-in-all it's been a successful day, and it's scarcely even lunch time. We have lots of time left for going outside and playing in the afternoon. I know for a fact that we have black walnuts to pick up out of the yard, and we might have just enough leaves on the ground for a moderately-sized leaf pile. It never ceases to amaze me how much still happens even on our "slow" days. I'm looking forward to tucking in and enjoying more slow days in the months ahead.</div>
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<h2>
Happy Fall!</h2>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016762685356932921.post-1119297825662808402015-09-19T10:10:00.002-07:002015-09-19T10:10:52.600-07:00Art Theme, Week 4 (Shape)So far, we have covered <a href="http://goldendeliciouseducation.blogspot.com/2015/09/art-theme-week-1-color.html">Color</a>, <a href="http://goldendeliciouseducation.blogspot.com/2015/09/art-theme-week-2-line.html">Line</a>, and <a href="http://goldendeliciouseducation.blogspot.com/2015/09/art-theme-week-3-value.html">Value</a> as part of our Art Theme. Last week, we also added Shape to our repertoire of art elements, and we studied the work of Jackson Pollack. It ended up being one of the more fun (and messy) weeks so far!<br />
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I introduced the elements of Shape through a few read alouds (most notably, Tana Hoban's <i>Shapes Shapes Shapes</i>). We talked about regular shapes and irregular-- or organic-- shapes. We also read about the process of action painting while reading <i>Action Jackson</i> by Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan. Then we incorporated the element of Shape into some action paintings of our own.<br />
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Our first project for the week was to create circle prints. We used a variety of circular objects from the recycling bin and our junk pile as the media for painting. The sprouts' favorite tools were probably the <a href="http://alisaburke.blogspot.com/2012/06/i-cardboard-rolls.html">cardboard rolls wrapped in bubble wrap</a>. <a href="http://www.coffeecupsandcrayons.com/twisty-cd-action-art/">Using an old cd for printing</a> was also very popular. It ended up being a great way to explore how regular shapes could still be used to make dynamic artworks. The project was extraordinarily messy-- because, well, action art-- but it was also extraordinarily fun. We ended up with a few prints that I will seriously frame!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDvEUHdfSp1pRs-C2eUB_HkYWcpFM_GyQFYd1lllKXJ1xCRIbS6jBx0gJGR_n_ZPUAgqI_4NQTpGQbLPE6RDQBdoz0xgmgdcpxTsX_SB_1vKjoJBiHBIvSIqDO26K6_EGWwmp-xedDyOy6/s1600/IMG_20150915_090858.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDvEUHdfSp1pRs-C2eUB_HkYWcpFM_GyQFYd1lllKXJ1xCRIbS6jBx0gJGR_n_ZPUAgqI_4NQTpGQbLPE6RDQBdoz0xgmgdcpxTsX_SB_1vKjoJBiHBIvSIqDO26K6_EGWwmp-xedDyOy6/s640/IMG_20150915_090858.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A selections of tools that we used for creating circle prints.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBtE8HlrCQ8mn2081dW_TYB2MSgejRAO7jBICkhN31onDrTnlUmbuDSJBadAoo97o6MVDjxulNNHMhl7t4_2Do-GC6K_joYIcy3XvsONw7fn-OzfGsD35S5IVvOW9pfG0iY0jsTVAuxhXG/s1600/IMG_20150915_110819.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBtE8HlrCQ8mn2081dW_TYB2MSgejRAO7jBICkhN31onDrTnlUmbuDSJBadAoo97o6MVDjxulNNHMhl7t4_2Do-GC6K_joYIcy3XvsONw7fn-OzfGsD35S5IVvOW9pfG0iY0jsTVAuxhXG/s640/IMG_20150915_110819.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Second Sprout in action. This was a challenge she ended up really getting into.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8imoyFmKDLYJochNshGDuHp0OIrIP8GIaRVFryBUInSdsA9-yTMA_kz0xpqblxAADUfwSTINeJuVsOjzOfSCtxm4XVtPOLcq2nSrBkI04sD_z44SPUtt3P8p3Oa22rUXoCkDy2Pej5t3W/s1600/IMG_20150915_111007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8imoyFmKDLYJochNshGDuHp0OIrIP8GIaRVFryBUInSdsA9-yTMA_kz0xpqblxAADUfwSTINeJuVsOjzOfSCtxm4XVtPOLcq2nSrBkI04sD_z44SPUtt3P8p3Oa22rUXoCkDy2Pej5t3W/s640/IMG_20150915_111007.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First Sprout experimented with a lot of layering and color mixing for this project. It worked out well to use primary colors.</td></tr>
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Our second project for the week was intended to use a different form of action painting that would result in more irregular shapes. I found this <a href="http://www.havingfunathome.com/2012/04/straw-blown-painting.html">neat idea for using straws to blow paint across the page</a>, so I though we'd give it a whirl. I should have paid more attention to the author's caveat on using tempera paints because we ended up not being able to blow the paint very well at all. Instead, we ended up improvising and using the straws in a more, um, direct fashion. We still got in some fun action painting but it wasn't quite the huge success we had hoped for.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpLoWga_bWDHzBdpYJYPag5s9iXFTtYkN9_woi5VbVJ2U46GZZry_wZM9eJzaVKmuVEsdSGFcR1t_IzYR0saSIxFiKWBxcT-a5gnRNvi6xjF77ni6VJs2_pyDKegFVm0Gzrfj86zPpxKLR/s1600/IMG_20150917_103616.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpLoWga_bWDHzBdpYJYPag5s9iXFTtYkN9_woi5VbVJ2U46GZZry_wZM9eJzaVKmuVEsdSGFcR1t_IzYR0saSIxFiKWBxcT-a5gnRNvi6xjF77ni6VJs2_pyDKegFVm0Gzrfj86zPpxKLR/s640/IMG_20150917_103616.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Third Sprout mixes colors with a straw during our action painting project.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy5DSBFQC0iV37W7o-zyEeNPPgeH2o-MJw8dWbybe9e_buKJ4X2pLHJN6-P2S8OAtFsxu-rzQMBnbRT75KgdluxJNNltWHavYC45mtsm0_XbeRFrznFazAq3EVdHGn0m_bAPXyl_0lFLIC/s1600/IMG_20150917_103628.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy5DSBFQC0iV37W7o-zyEeNPPgeH2o-MJw8dWbybe9e_buKJ4X2pLHJN6-P2S8OAtFsxu-rzQMBnbRT75KgdluxJNNltWHavYC45mtsm0_XbeRFrznFazAq3EVdHGn0m_bAPXyl_0lFLIC/s640/IMG_20150917_103628.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Second Sprout loves painting blocks of color.</td></tr>
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Although the straw painting didn't work out as planned, it was still an opportunity for improvisation, which is completely valuable in it's own way. I think it's good for the sprouts to see that my ideas don't always go as planned! Next up, we will be studying the work of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alma_Thomas">Alma W. Thomas</a> and the element of Pattern. I'm looking forward to trying out some different media with the sprouts for Week 5, so please stay tuned. Until then,<br />
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<h2>
Happy Learning!</h2>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016762685356932921.post-35346197604681752462015-09-14T08:48:00.000-07:002015-09-14T08:48:07.038-07:00Art Theme, Week 3 (Value)It's hard to believe that we've already made it through the first three weeks of school. Hopefully the time is passing so quickly because we are having fun!<br />
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Our Art Theme is still going strong. Last week, we studied the element of Value and explored the work of Georgia O'Keefe. While reading <i>My Name is Georgia</i> by Jeannette Winter, the sprouts studied the illustrations for examples of Value (shades of a color from light to dark). We added a new item to our "Art Smart" anchor chart.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGr2bRyArl8ofWxInMG-3_k7cIAyFsCwCLgzmTuNS7MRjE8ZxLpgwsxx5-CGjZbtiXWdILR8w_qBtQ_XpUZZlP2wDDXKNgozbUtMgHYT4SEM_IyjcpVNrxkudZmNepPD5aCy_cn7WUZXT2/s1600/IMG_20150910_104243.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGr2bRyArl8ofWxInMG-3_k7cIAyFsCwCLgzmTuNS7MRjE8ZxLpgwsxx5-CGjZbtiXWdILR8w_qBtQ_XpUZZlP2wDDXKNgozbUtMgHYT4SEM_IyjcpVNrxkudZmNepPD5aCy_cn7WUZXT2/s640/IMG_20150910_104243.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our "Art Smart" anchor chart for week 3 of theme.</td></tr>
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Then, we spent the remainder of the week looking at examples of Georgia O'Keefe's work and experimenting with using value on our own. It turned out to be a really natural pairing because there example of value EVERYWHERE in her work. For example, we used colored pencils to create value in a copy of <a href="http://www.education.com/worksheet/article/blue-and-green-music-georgia-okeeffe/">Blue and Green Music</a>.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgokZPCRJRT4PID0x7HNUtBRDcrZU1Tww1FOPZnX1Tz2w8pVlycXZCavMZ7iUYlZmvjz1VyyvZTMIESx1c5xhM6_dsrIBSNKudeAsW24Q-h9hOVhP7zukB_tgo4NqOtrW0E9cDLxhkK1K2E/s1600/IMG_20150910_104211.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgokZPCRJRT4PID0x7HNUtBRDcrZU1Tww1FOPZnX1Tz2w8pVlycXZCavMZ7iUYlZmvjz1VyyvZTMIESx1c5xhM6_dsrIBSNKudeAsW24Q-h9hOVhP7zukB_tgo4NqOtrW0E9cDLxhkK1K2E/s640/IMG_20150910_104211.jpg" width="514" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First Sprout discovered that adjusting pressure of your strokes with colored pencils could change the value of colors.</td></tr>
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Our other big activity was loosely based on <a href="http://pinkandgreenmama.blogspot.co.uk/2010/01/art-in-schools-gorgeous-georgia-okeeffe.html#.VfbopperSM-">this art project</a> designed to emulate Georgia O'Keefe's style. Since I wanted to incorporate value into the lesson, I switched our medium from watercolors to tempera paint ( I still used our thick watercolor paper as a base though). I had First Sprout draw a big flower using permanent marker. Then, I had her choose a color for her flower and dab it on the outer edge of the petals. Next, I had her dab white at the flower's center and blend the two colors together. First Sprout had free reign with the background,so she chose to experiment with color mixing to create the perfect shade of green for the leaves.The result was was a really great Value painting in the style of Georgia O'Keefe.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyW-iiC8iRqCuBFUPVoRGoxIZ851ZhB-K_7re60qr8fq4aiSR95IET5xdMyMgwK48OsAY8dlMVrfHU6jLrvu03i06eNH3EOifLjk6LpEU72bVNLt7btTI0sduk_VJCsAT1alc6syNuqQRq/s1600/IMG_20150910_104321.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyW-iiC8iRqCuBFUPVoRGoxIZ851ZhB-K_7re60qr8fq4aiSR95IET5xdMyMgwK48OsAY8dlMVrfHU6jLrvu03i06eNH3EOifLjk6LpEU72bVNLt7btTI0sduk_VJCsAT1alc6syNuqQRq/s640/IMG_20150910_104321.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blending purple and white to create petals with value.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBoP8T9IJKB29qZY-QXOpg5V5awpFMW4tltQVK9f-Tx12i6OrOmnUWlJ-CTE3iPdX6VPDigNnQwo6XYvRJCbGlSYG-yqUBQQyBJwTS7eitzyKtGgO5fyK3QT5a-KmNyeCP5WfPDu4a8crG/s1600/IMG_20150910_112842.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="468" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBoP8T9IJKB29qZY-QXOpg5V5awpFMW4tltQVK9f-Tx12i6OrOmnUWlJ-CTE3iPdX6VPDigNnQwo6XYvRJCbGlSYG-yqUBQQyBJwTS7eitzyKtGgO5fyK3QT5a-KmNyeCP5WfPDu4a8crG/s640/IMG_20150910_112842.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First Sprout's final product.</td></tr>
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Second Sprout chose to do a different art project on this day, which was okay by me. Even though I want to encourage experimentation with the various art elements during our theme, I want art primarily to be something fun. First Sprout is at the point where she enjoys the challenges more, whereas Second Sprout would rather go her own way (most days). I am primarily introducing these concepts as a way to learn about artists and art, without exerting pressure to perform.<br />
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I'm definitely loving this Art Theme and all of the wonderful conversations and art works that are coming out of it. For week 4, we are going to learn about the element of Shape in art and explore the works of Jackson Pollack. The sprouts already know a little bit about action art, and they are super excited! Until next time,<br />
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<h2>
Happy Learning!</h2>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016762685356932921.post-16155134271537463882015-09-08T10:09:00.002-07:002015-09-08T10:09:16.155-07:00Art Theme, Week 2 (Line)Last week we continued our Art Theme with an exploration of Line and the works of Vincent Van Gogh.<br />
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We looked for ways to use line by reading the book <i>Follow the Line to School</i> by Laura Ljungkvist. We also added some examples of Line to our growing "Art Smart" anchor chart. Then, the sprouts used a <a href="http://artipelagoteacher.blogspot.com/2013/01/bad-hair-day.html?m=1">crazy hair day prompt</a> to experiment with the different types of line we discovered. As usual, they made the project their own, and it turned out even cooler than expected.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5kz74V2yTMUUazBrfUD8x-MF_9c08_Ds21TAt7DMK35jfJblsU1vlWeikyQR67nBxhyTMxSmuh7xpKJmr5uNS9lgp9tSOqTquyZX2T3CK0Lhg4Bid313D-zdmfxPaOMajVhstX6cSCYd4/s1600/IMG_20150831_104723-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="432" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5kz74V2yTMUUazBrfUD8x-MF_9c08_Ds21TAt7DMK35jfJblsU1vlWeikyQR67nBxhyTMxSmuh7xpKJmr5uNS9lgp9tSOqTquyZX2T3CK0Lhg4Bid313D-zdmfxPaOMajVhstX6cSCYd4/s640/IMG_20150831_104723-3.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(From left) Second Sprout's "Crazy Hair Day" and First Sprout's "Crazy Hair Day."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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To learn more about our artist of the week, we looked through a compendium of Van Gogh's work. We ended up being about to draw a lot of comparisons between Van Gogh's self-portraits and <a href="http://goldendeliciouseducation.blogspot.com/2015/09/art-theme-week-1-color.html">Frida Kahlo's self-portraits</a>. We also read <i>Vincent Van Gogh's Cat</i> which is a super cool book written and illustrated by Second Grade students from East Washington Academy in Mucie, Indiana. I picked it up years ago at a Scholastic book sale, and it turned out to be a perfect read aloud for our art theme!<br />
<br />
To incorporate our element of Line into a Van Gogh-inspired art project we used oil pastels to fill in a blank template of "<a href="https://practicalpages.wordpress.com/2010/02/13/van-gogh-starry-night-art-appreciation/">The Starry Night</a>". I encouraged the sprouts to fill in the spaces using lines rather than blocks of color (First Sprout was much more willing to experiment with this part of the assignment). The results were some really bright and beautiful "Starry Nights."<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiazjso71uFQQJJ98b0p9ehWlm2WVQ5VSNisEgMdUR3brIh6NUGgJpEysWqkqoudpJ_MDEQDUv1iXmf4z50f4fDzZT8TgTZkOZgjBrNqFfv-CAsn5MNgM2bKuxGze8eP19fQNhxvW1qeWK3/s1600/IMG_20150908_083457-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiazjso71uFQQJJ98b0p9ehWlm2WVQ5VSNisEgMdUR3brIh6NUGgJpEysWqkqoudpJ_MDEQDUv1iXmf4z50f4fDzZT8TgTZkOZgjBrNqFfv-CAsn5MNgM2bKuxGze8eP19fQNhxvW1qeWK3/s640/IMG_20150908_083457-2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First Sprout experiments with swirly lines in her version of "The Starry Night."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrwt6iIgSzjt9CO2dqkIQye_F4cmlmYkLhfIRdYD6eR3ESbs5NiZx-8sZjA1QJDEycqDXCqMKSXY7HOcNTRQVRAHEiDbSrs33VK04NUQ07bB45V30qGYJUxR17n4GlMlnBGmmHUHruWU0r/s1600/IMG_20150908_083517-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="470" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrwt6iIgSzjt9CO2dqkIQye_F4cmlmYkLhfIRdYD6eR3ESbs5NiZx-8sZjA1QJDEycqDXCqMKSXY7HOcNTRQVRAHEiDbSrs33VK04NUQ07bB45V30qGYJUxR17n4GlMlnBGmmHUHruWU0r/s640/IMG_20150908_083517-2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Second Sprout's bright and bold rendition of "The Starry Night."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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I felt like it was another successful week for our Art Theme, since I have heard the sprouts discussing color and line outside of our theme time. I am really looking forward to exploring the element of Value and the work of Georgia O' Keefe for Week 3. Stay tuned for a post on that next week, and until then...<br />
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<h3>
Happy Learning!</h3>
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016762685356932921.post-1005634820152800552015-09-01T11:52:00.000-07:002015-09-01T14:38:21.837-07:00Art Theme, Week 1 (Color)I managed to make it back for a post this week! Small victories, amiright?<br />
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I wanted to start-- and hopefully finish-- a series over the next few weeks describing some of the projects we are doing for our current thematic unit on Art. We got into doing a lot of art projects over the summer, and I wanted to keep that momentum going into the school year. I also wanted to find a way to introduce famous artists and bring in some exploration on the elements of art. Our art theme has the added bonus of requiring lots of the fine-motor practice Second Sprout needs for Kindergarten without miles of piles of worksheets.<br />
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We kicked off the first week of our new Art Theme by exploring color. I read a <a href="http://alisaburke.blogspot.com/2015/06/kids-markers-tips-and-tricks-for-adults.html">neat tutorial</a> that recommended using old, washable markers to create homemade, liquid watercolors. I thought we'd clean out the marker bin and use the primary colors to create and mix our own set of watercolor paints.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6ylhpqO7_-CYaRStpiykbGkSkruJv64pMQMHGSwCSZ3122ZFCZHUbscVyVDCkYNWe8KG_GI4BZZfZhWPsE6k9NCz8fG0tN4DXZZ2FcXURSFatMw774MPAeNjI8vNk2hiQ3oLYXNUSZJmf/s1600/IMG_20150826_084510.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6ylhpqO7_-CYaRStpiykbGkSkruJv64pMQMHGSwCSZ3122ZFCZHUbscVyVDCkYNWe8KG_GI4BZZfZhWPsE6k9NCz8fG0tN4DXZZ2FcXURSFatMw774MPAeNjI8vNk2hiQ3oLYXNUSZJmf/s640/IMG_20150826_084510.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Mouse Paint</i> by Ellen Stoll Walsh was the perfect read-aloud for color mixing.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The color mixing was a huge success, but unfortunately, I accidentally thinned the watercolors out just a bit too much. They were still completely usable, but the colors were very subtle and the kids got frustrated with the muted palette. We'll know what to do differently next time!<br />
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The second component of our Art Theme for the week was learning about the work of <a href="http://www.fridakahlo.com/">Frida Kahlo</a>. We read the book <i>Frida</i> by Jonah Winter, and we studied several of her self-portraits. While we looked at her self-portraits, we came up with a list of characteristics that made them interesting. Here are the three big ideas we came away with:<br />
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1) Frida filled the page, whether it was with her whole body, her upper body, or her face.<br />
2) Frida used lots of detail.<br />
3) Frida used lots of color.<br />
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Our culminating project for the week as a self-portrait incorporating the things we had noticed from Frida Kahlo's paintings.It tied in nicely with our discussion of color, and the kids really enjoyed experimenting with the vibrancy of watercolor pencils for their portraits. We loved the results so much! The sprouts are more than happy to lead their portfolios with the self-portraits, which was <strike>all part of my evil plan</strike> exactly what I was hoping for all along.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidcZr-Byvl4RNLDxu4GrIfKgrucgSrHJNz780c5O5FcXl_-VM-83OQm_IMbguIuhPK1nwk3kjwYpRZbhIZoJkvLAXEhhiLaBYNdtJTEOLzbiM0RPR-SH4dk9R967z62Yt_pMB4UsknKg4A/s1600/IMG_20150827_101934-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidcZr-Byvl4RNLDxu4GrIfKgrucgSrHJNz780c5O5FcXl_-VM-83OQm_IMbguIuhPK1nwk3kjwYpRZbhIZoJkvLAXEhhiLaBYNdtJTEOLzbiM0RPR-SH4dk9R967z62Yt_pMB4UsknKg4A/s640/IMG_20150827_101934-2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First Sprout's self-portrait (watercolor pencil and dot marker on watercolor paper).</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZmDebDYHucE6wGxDEqtQ2nFYiTYoHBajvfHOoAbVrBfcPx2rFb2QHBrpYYxXVpVdpILKPQQaFxQGyisOmxua_YOd3VVPyhSCH-btv2uAJr58OWKMe7O4-LuqmPF2zllYhCpSdOeRi8Guf/s1600/IMG_20150827_101912-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZmDebDYHucE6wGxDEqtQ2nFYiTYoHBajvfHOoAbVrBfcPx2rFb2QHBrpYYxXVpVdpILKPQQaFxQGyisOmxua_YOd3VVPyhSCH-btv2uAJr58OWKMe7O4-LuqmPF2zllYhCpSdOeRi8Guf/s640/IMG_20150827_101912-2.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Second Sprout's self-portrait (watercolor pencil and dot marker on watercolor paper).</span></td></tr>
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This week (which will be next week's post), we are enjoying learning about the element of line and the works of artist Vincent van Gogh. Until then,<br />
<br />
<h3>
Happy Learning!</h3>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016762685356932921.post-64220575607381842142015-08-26T13:29:00.003-07:002015-08-26T13:35:49.704-07:00And We're Back<br />
It's been a long while since I wrote a post. Life put a lot on my plate, and I needed a break from blogging to work through it all.<br />
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The good news is that homeschooling, at least, is still going strong.<br />
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We are "back to school" as of Monday and winding up slowly. First Sprout is in 2nd grade this year, and Second Sprout is a Kindergartner-- whoa! It's a little daunting to be teaching both of bigger sprouts this year, but I am excited to be getting more face-to-face time with my middle child.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilxHqMOlIGEFW0cm4vWoFUHr6qv-SIeorB9lp5lAUIynEO7HqItG8onnCOmy5mt0pRXDIaHDyH21rZg3ajxDxpJWfAAowDWfzkE8R4uIsCGST3zTcZRKTlvsR-Sg6-o2hHGvv0PSZWSlgQ/s1600/Qualities+of+Learning.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilxHqMOlIGEFW0cm4vWoFUHr6qv-SIeorB9lp5lAUIynEO7HqItG8onnCOmy5mt0pRXDIaHDyH21rZg3ajxDxpJWfAAowDWfzkE8R4uIsCGST3zTcZRKTlvsR-Sg6-o2hHGvv0PSZWSlgQ/s400/Qualities+of+Learning.PNG" width="292" /></a></div>
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One thing I want to do differently this year is spend more time noticing and encouraging certain dispositions in my children. These are the qualities that I think will be helpful no matter where they are or what they are learning or who they are learning from. I spent a lot of time this summer mulling over what qualities I want to cultivate in my sprouts, and I came up with this list:<br />
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1) Focus: The ability to attend to a specific task without giving into distraction<br />
2) Persistence: Trying a task repeatedly even when it is difficult or the outcome is unexpected<br />
3) Asking Questions: Thinking critically about a situation, identifying gaps in your own knowledge or understanding, and then figuring out where to get that information<br />
4) Self-Motivation: Learning because you want to and not because you have to<br />
5) Problem Solving: Identifying problems and thinking about how to handle them in a productive way<br />
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Since I needed a nice way to post these characteristics for personal reference, I created a simple little poster to hang in our school area. I am hoping that this will help keep the qualities at the front of my mind so that I can reinforce them when I see them. The sprouts already think of themselves as problem solvers because of this strategy, so I know that pointing out the characteristics as they naturally occur will reinforce and strengthen these abilities.<br />
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If you'd like a copy of this PDF, I have made it available (for free) <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5AEVK2r32BZc1VtWnpucGxaTGc/view?usp=sharing">here</a>.<br />
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Hopefully, things will be calming down for the foreseeable future as we get back into our school routine. I don't want to make any promises regarding a blogging schedule though, because, life. Until next time (whenever that may be),<br />
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<h2>
Happy Learning!</h2>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016762685356932921.post-73116388260734435942015-03-19T09:02:00.003-07:002015-03-19T09:03:25.803-07:00Doubles Addition FactsIt's been awhile since I posted, but we've still been super busy with school. We've been experimenting with some new ways of doing things and trying to find a new rhythm. Winter was hard for all of us, but the sun is shining again and we are (slowly) thawing.<br />
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The improvement in weather-- and attitudes-- means that we are turning corners. Math was hard for us last month because of a few factors:<br />
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1) Our text started moving FAST.<br />
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2) We were trying to memorize FACTS.<br />
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3) Math was suddenly NO FUN for First Sprout, unless it was also easy.<br />
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The major sticking point was when our text introduced doubles addition facts (2+2=4, 3+3+6, etc.) and then immediately tried to springboard into near doubles facts (2+3=5, or 2+3=2+2+1). We were still focused on learning the original facts and weren't ready to move on yet, so I stopped what we were doing to re-evaluate the situation. After a lovely chat with some of my teacher friends and family on Facebook, I had a few new ideas on how to proceed.<br />
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One thing I decided to do was to make some posters for the doubles addition facts to create a visual reference. I wanted something that would be interesting to First Sprout, and I settled on bugs. Using a combination of hand-drawing and digital-editing, I created this set of <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Adding-to-20-Doubles-Facts-Bug-Posters-1729227">Bug Posters</a> for us.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkjLJZvrYrKbTAIjRGjfPDezPBWNYQhW4TWipUL1_e8KU3bZU2H9MyPXCiflso66ewXeocnsnRraPnzilnX6A_wl2VYFIfoti8WGgKSHLa9xTXiS6K9RNoyFS2wKQMjxCcEgvVJ8m_6vUh/s1600/IMG_20150223_110406.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkjLJZvrYrKbTAIjRGjfPDezPBWNYQhW4TWipUL1_e8KU3bZU2H9MyPXCiflso66ewXeocnsnRraPnzilnX6A_wl2VYFIfoti8WGgKSHLa9xTXiS6K9RNoyFS2wKQMjxCcEgvVJ8m_6vUh/s1600/IMG_20150223_110406.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Three legs plus three legs equals six legs.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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I printed out the uncolored posters, and let First Sprout customize the colors to make it hands on and personalized. Drawing and coloring the facts helped them to click into place, and we started using the pictures to help us remember. Now, whenever we see 4+4, we think about the number of legs on a spider while 7+7 is the number of legs on a roly poly. It ended up making a frustrating memorization exercise a lot of fun!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgArXSCy2Zlpax_fvIhAyaEptKYdBIhccWkO8hqht-noe3lrVaHdGnOlJ1G7YUIqRdZwks4mIk_zdWSC0m25AMA2XkeeLnC9TUbs_k0AaklfEvm5j7L8UTqvZfjvmV3XRzJqdbCLGCSGGOc/s1600/IMG_20150224_102153.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgArXSCy2Zlpax_fvIhAyaEptKYdBIhccWkO8hqht-noe3lrVaHdGnOlJ1G7YUIqRdZwks4mIk_zdWSC0m25AMA2XkeeLnC9TUbs_k0AaklfEvm5j7L8UTqvZfjvmV3XRzJqdbCLGCSGGOc/s1600/IMG_20150224_102153.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Perfect for spring!</td></tr>
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Once we have our visual reference in place, we moved on to games and other visual ways to reinforce the concept, such as graphing. It's nice to know that we can improvise and slow down when needed to really get a handle on our content. We're moving on to other math topics now, confident in our ability to tackle tough challenges together.<br />
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Until next time,<br />
<h2>
Happy Learning!</h2>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016762685356932921.post-23228208458259742412015-01-27T17:12:00.000-08:002015-01-27T17:12:11.704-08:00Once Upon a Word Problem<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVBZRYIS5t1g1ozpi20FRMQP-J8CDNOY_vj4vMrSVcGigFb64ms4Ny8kK-oQgllwT2YXaWVeq8zUa5KXqhz7nIEBkzZW0NMP0oyA239s69D6csQF-Am02AhRdQbZSAHgEC1rqHgYbG1Z0j/s1600/story+book.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVBZRYIS5t1g1ozpi20FRMQP-J8CDNOY_vj4vMrSVcGigFb64ms4Ny8kK-oQgllwT2YXaWVeq8zUa5KXqhz7nIEBkzZW0NMP0oyA239s69D6csQF-Am02AhRdQbZSAHgEC1rqHgYbG1Z0j/s1600/story+book.png" height="320" width="270" /></a></div>
I am going to keep my post short and sweet this week. I just wanted to let everyone know that I have a new product up in my Teachers Pay Teachers store; it's called <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Once-Upon-a-Word-Problem-Single-Digit-Addition-and-Subtraction-1672115">Once Upon a Word Problem</a>. This is a small packet (6 pages) of word problems for single-digit addition and subtraction that feature fairy tale and nursery rhyme characters.<br />
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I created this product to give First Sprout some additional practice in solving word problems. I also wanted the problems to be open ended so that I could see what strategies get used the most, since our textbook generally requires a specific strategy for each chapter. When I was teaching last year, I would use my students' names to create customized word problems, but I don't have many names to choose from this year. I thought the storybook characters would be a fun way to add familiarity and variety.<br />
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Also, since Microsoft has gutted clip art, this packet features my own graphics. It took some extra time, but I really enjoy how the product feels so much more like <i>mine</i>. I have a feeling that I will be using my own graphics a lot more in the future.<br />
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Until next time...<br />
<h2>
Happy Learning!</h2>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3016762685356932921.post-58725774872031208372015-01-21T11:52:00.001-08:002015-01-21T11:52:06.446-08:00Making Old Crayons New AgainThe sprouts and I needed to put a little color in our world to counteract the winter blahs today. Thankfully, I have been saving old bits of broken crayons and the random crayons kids get at restaurants that I can't stand to waste. I have also been hanging on to this <a href="http://www.instructables.com/id/MINI-MUFFIN-CRAYONS-A-New-Life-for-Broken-Crayo/4/">nifty tutorial</a> from Instructables that shows you how to melt old crayons down into a muffin pan to create funky, new-to-you crayon discs.<br />
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<h3>
The things you will need</h3>
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<ul>
<li>old, broken, and / or random crayons</li>
<li>a melting apparatus, such as a muffin pan or mini-muffin pan (NOTE: <i>I chose to use a silicone pan that we keep only for crafting-- theoretically the crayons are non-toxic, but I personally wouldn't chance ruining a good baking pan</i>)</li>
<li>a jelly roll pan or other shallow, oven-safe dish to catch potential drips</li>
<li>your oven, pre-heated to 275 degrees Fahrenheit</li>
<li>oven mitts</li>
<li>wooden skewer (optional)</li>
<li>your freezer</li>
<li>little helpers (optional)</li>
</ul>
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<h3>
Step 1: Prep </h3>
Gather your tired, your poor, your huddled crayons. Peel the papers off and break them up (if necessary) into chunks that are the right size for your chosen melting apparatus. Fill the cups well in a mini-muffin pan since the chunks will melt down into cups. A regular muffin pan provides some more leeway. Since we have been talking about states of matter, this was a great opportunity to discuss the properties of the solid versus liquid crayons!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSOnMBOfXrCI46drGMYnUsKAnmYXsgop2NQcqcgk-VTwRnGb3SnSaB4jQX3BBY5L1Ryfz62YaQnirlyc8f1QrwfRrLYz2TrKd4cv4uQraxfwgP7JTpPch4NmLseVdgdPT7frtmQulnIFcQ/s1600/IMG_20150121_121958~2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSOnMBOfXrCI46drGMYnUsKAnmYXsgop2NQcqcgk-VTwRnGb3SnSaB4jQX3BBY5L1Ryfz62YaQnirlyc8f1QrwfRrLYz2TrKd4cv4uQraxfwgP7JTpPch4NmLseVdgdPT7frtmQulnIFcQ/s1600/IMG_20150121_121958~2.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nearly three years worth of random crayons. I don't recommend saving crayons for this long because we ran out of steam long before they all got peeled.</td></tr>
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<h3>
Step 2: Melt</h3>
Pop your prepped muffin pan into the oven pan at 275 degrees Fahrenheit and let them melt for about 15-20 minutes. Watch them carefully, as different brands and types of crayons will melt at different rates. If there are some crayons popping up at odd angles or floating weirdly, you can use a bamboo skewer to poke them down again.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOnkh4M6cbrPApH7dmHwy6nQrJ6vxyH-hqA0CfcHHS4S8loE18nFYyLuuUdviFjqUJbbEaiOV-dhTfaVTmcgzIe_inyIxgt2AKkDL2XlM_WNjvjcYK99jCZQNEygLfPackUjZuj0xEgeJ_/s1600/IMG_20150121_122010~2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOnkh4M6cbrPApH7dmHwy6nQrJ6vxyH-hqA0CfcHHS4S8loE18nFYyLuuUdviFjqUJbbEaiOV-dhTfaVTmcgzIe_inyIxgt2AKkDL2XlM_WNjvjcYK99jCZQNEygLfPackUjZuj0xEgeJ_/s1600/IMG_20150121_122010~2.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Little helpers can be involved with the prepping stage. Peeling paper off of crayons comes naturally to some kids (ahem... Second Sprout). In general, it's a good fine-motor activity for preschoolers and up.</td></tr>
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<h3>
Step 3: Cool</h3>
When all of the crayons look melted, use your oven mitts to carefully remove them and place them on a safe surface to cool (like a trivet or a wire rack). Allow them to cool at room temperature for 20-25 minutes, or until they look fairly solid throughout (no jiggling when you tap the pan). At that point, the pan can be put into the freezer to cool for an additional 5-10 minutes. When they are ready, pop them out of the pan and enjoy!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1-Zc7FyoFDiZ7k9VIyVlrKS7QdhRD92l4AUFAhPMcLzMicMzrx8heAQ3Qk6QqUMWgCoPhfzyFt0eQFH3Jr7bIYRx6-5R-zyZBp9X4fsfF-j2A_ccwbpCuIlQao8Fe7Uu3VQA5ddNvy2cY/s1600/IMG_20150121_135546~2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1-Zc7FyoFDiZ7k9VIyVlrKS7QdhRD92l4AUFAhPMcLzMicMzrx8heAQ3Qk6QqUMWgCoPhfzyFt0eQFH3Jr7bIYRx6-5R-zyZBp9X4fsfF-j2A_ccwbpCuIlQao8Fe7Uu3VQA5ddNvy2cY/s1600/IMG_20150121_135546~2.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our finished product! We easily had enough crayons for another batch, so we will probably be making more again soon.</td></tr>
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The sprouts are loving the bright colors, and the co-mingling of art and science is always a lot of fun. Since these are inexpensive to make and easy for the sprouts to help with, I am thinking that we'll be whipping another batch to share as Valentines for our home school group.<br />
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<h2>
Happy Learning!</h2>
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