Homeschooling: November 9th - November 13th

Here's another look at a week of homeschooling at Robbins Academy for Him:

Highlights

* Another fantastic technology lesson with Daddy in which we created our own word document

* Writing in our journals about a special soccer game (Rachel) and a pet dragon (Nathan)

*Pretending to be geologist in science and doing more fun "rock-type" experiments

* Learning about Prairies (Rachel) and the Spanish colonization (Nathan)

* Math fun with Manipulatives

* Bike Ride to Grandpa Howards and Gram Cindys with Grandma Judy

Nathan picking out the "minerals"(chocolate chips and nuts) from the rest of the "rock"(cookie)

Geologist Rachel doing the same thing as her brother. The chocolate chip with nuts cookie represented a metamorphic-type rock. A rock which is changed into a different rock as a result of heat and pressure.

Showing the "sedimentary rocks" we created. Our rocks were made up of layers of sand, glue, gravel, and shells)

Testing and observing the hardness, streak color and other characteristics of different rocks

Rachel reading her report on her mineral choice -- "gold"


Nathan reading his mineral report on "silver"

Watching a video for History

Rachel and Isabel with the prarie dolls Mrs. Patchin made for them

Daddy teaching another terrific technology lesson

Rachel and her "all-star" soccer team (with Daddy as her coach)

Nathan working on his Pet Dragon story

Grandma Judy, Nathan and Rachel before they leave to go on a bike ride to Grandpa Howard and Grandma Cindy's house

Homeschooling: November 2nd - November 6th

Another fun week of Homeschooling and Celebrating Rachel's Birthday

Few of the highlights:

* Rachel and Isabel washing clothes by hand and in the washing machine (comparing the prairie times of washing clothes to the present way of washing clothes)
* Another fun Art Lesson with Gram Cindy (painting with bright colors)
* Science Fun: Melting Chocolate Chips and then pouring the melted chocolate out and observing how it cools, just like lava -- forming igneous rock. Comparing obsidian and pumice (igneous) rocks. They are both chemically the same, yet very different. Just like Egg Yolk before beaten (obsidian) and then after beaten (pumice). Observing how pumice floats.
* Sleepover and school with the Patchins
* Playing our Greek Game and learning more Latin (with our DVD instructor)
* Visit with Mrs. Johnston -- we read her our puppy and October poems and told her what we had been learning
* Birthday fun with family and then party at Encore with friends





Egg Yolk (smooth with no bubbles just like obsidian) before it is beaten. After it is beaten it is more like pumice













Observing lava (melted chocolate chips) as it cools and hardens -- just like lava as it becomes igneous rock













Washing Clothes by hand














Sleepover fun with Isabel and Victoria














Friends having fun with Legos


















Another great Art Lesson with Gram Cindy












We even learned how to "burp" with Gram Cindy. She's so much fun! :)















Uncle Chris and Alyssa stopped by with Rachel's birthday present --- Mouse Trap. Uncle Chris stayed and played it with us! (after we had pizza together :))











What a fun Birthday weekend! We had ice cream with Grandma Judy the night before Rachel's birthday. The morning of her birthday, Rachel woke up to breakfast in bed and a decorated home (Mom, Dad, and Brother decorated with signs, streamers and balloons) Here is Rachel with her birthday balloons from Encore and one of her signs as well as her T-shirt with a rhinestone "R" made with one of her birthday gifts! :)

Homeschooling: October 26 - October 30

Another Eventful Week of Homeschooling:

* Science Experiments -- Air Takes Up Space (Warm Air Takes up More) and Has Weight
* Cinquain Poems about our Puppies -- see below
* Play and Jeopardy for History
* Makeup Technology Lesson
* A little surprise "gift" wishing my science students a Happy Fall
* Taking it easy on Thursday because of feeling a little under the weather
* Spending time wtih Mrs. DeCarlo and her two precious kids
* Finishing early on Friday and seeing "Where the Wild Things Are" with Grandma Judy




Science Experiment where they learn that warm air takes up more space.

Playing Jeopardy while Reviewing History

Rachel and Isabel pretending to travel on their Conestoga Wagon through the praries.

Blake, Isabel, Nathan and Rachel acted out an explorer play in the Patchins back yard for History.

Rachel drawing a picture of Rox to go along with her Cinquain Poem

puppy

playful, cute

chewing, grunting, licking

a big ball of fluff

Roxey

Nathan's Drawing of Brownie to go along with his Cinquain Poem

puppy

stinky, playful

jumping, digging, begging

loves to be petted on her belly

Brownie

Dad doing a "make up" technology lesson on Saturday. Rachel wasn't feeling well on Thursday and Daddy had a lot of work to do. It was after Rachel's soccer game. Bonus of homeschooling: Can be casual and comfortable :)

Mom trick or treating with Jango Fett and Waldo at the Southhampton Shopping Center

Homeschooling: October 19 - October 23

Some Highlights from this Week:


* Art Lesson with Gram Cindy "Halloween Theme" Halloween (plastic glove) hands filled with popcorn and decorated with spider rings etc. Halloween feather masks made for Daddy and Mommy to wear when trick or treating with Nathan and Rachel.

* Weaving Lesson with Mrs. Moore

* Fun-filled Science Lesson with 5 "Experiments" (Shadow, Egg, Volcano, Styrofoam Globe, Balloon filling up with Gas from Baking Soda and Vinegar) and Brain Pop videos

* Doing Schoolwork in Halloween Costume

* Sleepover Wednesday night to Thursday with Blake and Isabel and then doing school all morning with them

* Reading The Westing Game (Nathan) and Little House on the Prairie (Rachel) with Mom














At the end of our Science Class, we watched a few "Brain Pop" videos on Earthquakes, the Earth's Structure, Volcanoes and Plate Tectonics. These are short 3-4 minute educational videos that reinforce and add to what we have already learned about the topic.

A dear friend from church, Mrs. Moore, taught Rachel and Isabel how to Weave and gave them each their own little weaving tool.

Eating our "Eggs"periment. The Different Part of the Egg represent different layers of the Earth. (Shell = Crust)(White =Mantle)(Yolk =Core)

Measuring our Shadows every 1/2 hour

Our Styrofoam Globes -- Inside we colored the Inner and Outer Core, Lower and Upper Mantle and the Crust.

Deluxe Volcano Experiment

(Materials: Volcano Structure, Baking Soda, Dish Soap, Red Food Coloring, Vinegar)

Homeschooling: October 12 - October 16

Some highlights from this week:

* Our first rainy day (inside recess with candles burning, reading and drinking hot chocolate)
* Explorer lesson with Mrs. Patchin -- Nathan and Blake both were given their own "explorer bags"
* Honey "taste test"
* Greek Game
* Visiting old Matthew Turner friends
* Starting our new science unit on Earth
* Rachel making up her own hairdo style for school
* Continuing to have freedom and flexibility with our schedule





Nathan enjoys doing work while standing (one of the advantages of homeschooling -- he is able to sometimes :))

Rachel running several laps around our yard with the puppies -- Great exercise!

Investigating information for our new science unit (Earth -- light, atmosphere, rocks etc.)

Rachel tasting honey (comparing store-bought with "straight from a beehive")

We played a Greek Game with playing cards and dice. Rachel is excited because she won! :)

Another technology lesson with Daddy. We love having him as our teacher!

Nathan and Blake are studying Explorers (California History)with Mrs. Patchin. Here they are with their "explorer bags."

Some additional thoughts:

* Homeschooling takes a lot of time, energy, patience and perseverance (I'm only in my 2nd month and am already aware of this). I am busier than I have ever been in my life. I feel as if I have more than a full-time job with teaching and preparing to teach --in addition to being a wife, mom and manager of our home. I need to lean on and look to God every day to give me what I need to accomplish what needs to be done.

* I am so thankful to have a spouse who truly loves and supports us -- without that I don't think I could do this.

* It is such a blessing having other wonderful influences in their lives, teaching and training them. (Mrs. Patchin -- every week with History, Gram Cindy -- every other week with Art and Music, Daddy -- every other week with Technology, Grandma Judy -- adventures a couple of times a month (not to mention sleepovers etc.). I am so grateful for each of them!

Thanks for taking an interest in our homeschooling adventure.

Week of October 4th

What a fun and busy week we had!


Some of the highlights:

* Our monthly visit from our CT Olivia Johnston
* Special Guest Teachers: Blake and Isabel's Grandparents (Rachel had a sewing lesson, Nathan had a knot-tying and compass lesson)
* Rachel losing her tooth
* Nathan starting Drum and Judo lessons
* "Light" Art and Music Lesson with Gram Cindy
* Field Trip to Chabot Space and Science Center




Nathan's First Drum Lesson

(We're waiting in the drum room for his drum teacher)

Nathan with his Judo Instructor, Hector Mandap

Rachel and Susie Harper, her dance instructor for 4 plus years.

Mrs. Olivia Johnston looking at and commenting on our work for Learning Period One

Learning how to use a compass (to find a treasure) and how to tie a special knot with Blake's Grandpa

Sewing a Skirt with Isabel's Grandma and then "showing it off" :)

Art and Music Lesson with Gram Cindy
Theme: Light "this is little light of mine....." and God said, "Let there be light"

Standing in front of Mars (the Red Planet)

The "Rachel" telescope

Outside the Chabot Space and Science Center

(We had a fun time exploring, investigating and reinforcing what we learned during our Solar System/Space Unit)


Some of the things I'm learning:

* I can't do everything.

* I can do all that needs to be done only by looking to and leaning on God.

* Prioritizing is a necessity.

* I truly love spending time with my children, but time to myself is important too.

What made my week: Daddy (spur of the moment) asked the kids, "So, after a month of homeschooling what do you think?" Rachel exclaimed, "Awesome!" Nathan stated, "I really, really like it!"