Giving back

I've mentioned on many occasions the fantastic experiences Elizabeth enjoyed at the arts-based charter school that she attended from kindergarten through 8th grade. She still holds a great deal of fondness for that place and appreciation for her time there. Back in the summer, when I mentioned that she should find somewhere in the community to volunteer once she started homeschooling, her thoughts naturally turned to her beloved school. After considering the opportunities there, she asked her former 2nd grade teacher if she could assist in reading time once a week. 

Now, every Wednesday afternoon, while I otherwise engage myself, often photographing for the school yearbook,  Elizabeth returns to her old classroom and listens to burgeoning 2nd grade readers. They get to know a "big kid" who encourages their developing skills, and my teenager learns to slow down and listen to and care for younger students. When people ask what we're doing for "socialization", the age-old homeschooling concern, this is one of the activities I list. Socialization isn't limited to same-age interaction. (In fact, an argument can be made that socialization with only same-age individuals isn't generally the most positive socialization.) This year has been about stepping outside of our comfort zone and embracing new experiences. And although she won't get a high school credit for this, she will become a more well-rounded individual, which is ultimately the goal of high school, right?

ocean waves

After seeing this project on Ginny's blog back in the spring, I mentally tucked it away (ok, I used Pinterest too) as something fun to do with Finn this summer. This past week, Finn and I found that we had a couple of days to ourselves.  We headed out to buy cheap vegetable oil. (Am I the only one who doesn't want to use expensive high quality food products on experiments?)

After adding our oil and examining how it floats on top of the water and discussing what might cause that, Finn decided he'd like a few more drops of food coloring in his water. It was almost a science experiment of its own just watching the dark blue food coloring drops descend through the oil with the tiny flecks of color that stayed separate from the oil but took a long time to descend.

Eventually all of the color drops made their way to the water and the wave action began.

And he watched it settle, and noted how EVERY time ALL of the blue water would separate back out from the oil.

More wave action.

Eventually he took to practically shaking the bottle, calling it a "rough and stormy sea with violent waves". We read a bit in one of our books about waves and tides, the pull of the moon, and other weather and seismological events that would cause larger waves.

When Elizabeth returned home, she was unimpressed that we decided to experiment without her.  She commented how the wave bottle when it's shaken reminded her of a lava lamp which set her mind's wheels to spinning. She found a similar project on National Geographic for Kids on using oil, water, and salt to make a lava lamp effect.

Eventually, she found that the salt dissolved into the water and the lava lamp effect would cease unless she added more salt.  She also tried adding a bit of sand to the water which gave a similar effect.

These jars still see plenty of action every day. It's funny how, in our world of amazing gadgets and gizmos, simply mixing oil and water can captivate our attention and imagination.

the solar system

A little more than a week ago, Finn's obsession with sinking ships waned, but of course, a new passion immediately followed. I can't say that I know exactly what sparked this particular fascination, but he has been reading his few planet and solar system books regularly for a few months now. I scoured Pinterest and found a few projects that I thought might capture his attention over the 4-day weekend he had at home. 

The first project that we tried came from a lesson plan site and didn't have any instruction so we made it our own. I found a cut-out template of the planets, which Finn colored and cut out, then we cut sheets of black construction paper in half and taped them together length-wise and folded our book accordion-style into a flip book. Based on his reading, Finn came up with 3 facts for each of his planets, which I typed and he taped onto his flip book. This was probably his favorite of all of the solar system projects we made.

I also found this project on Pinterest, and knowing how Finn loves any project with brads, I just gave him 3 different sized bowls to trace and a thick piece of paper and he really did the rest.

(He thought he might need to demonstrate the moon orbiting the earth and the earth orbiting the sun for you to really know how it works.)

While he slept one evening, I decided to make a felted Earth, based on this model in Rhythm of the Home, only I decided to wet felt the Earth after a small amount of needle felting.  The Earth felted firmly, but the inside layers lost some of their shape in the process.  Finn can still identify the crust, mantle, outer core, and inner core.

After spending some time with his felted Earth, Finn requested that I make him a felted Jupiter, complete with Red Spot, and make Paulie a felted Mercury.  Both of these I needle-felted, and we have yet to cut them open to see if the layers remained intact.

Finn has also immensely enjoyed spending a bit of time, in addition to his reading his planet books, on 2 different solar system iPad apps. One, geared for elementary age children, is called Montessori Solar System and the other, pictured below, is just named Solar System.

This Solar System app is just amazing and so comprehensive and interactive. It includes every named moon and dwarf planet with information about each. I'm not inclined toward purchasing many apps or letting my children spend much time on electronic devices, but both of these are solid, not over-stimulating, and very informative, almost like researching online with a bit more interaction.

I found a set of free Montessori card printables, which we made into 3-part cards.  Finn tends to get tired of the 3-part matching relatively quickly, but he will endlessly play with the cards with the names attached, comparing the planets in various books and on these cards.  He has great attention to detail!

Elizabeth also helped Finn find a placemat that one of the older kids used years ago and which now happily sits at his mealtime spot.

And that is about the entent of our solar system unit so far.  He is disinterested in branching out into stars and constellation. He adamantly wants to include Pluto in any project or discussion, to the extent of spewing vitriolic contempt at the scientists that reclassified Pluto as a dwarf planet. And he's still voraciously reading and absorbing new information about the planets.  If you know of any more solar system projects dealing directly with the planets, please send them our way!

6th grade filmmaking

You never quite know how things will go when you decide to be a guinea pig for something.  And letting your child become a guinea pig is a whole 'nother ballgame.  But when we signed Elizabeth up to be in the inaugural 6th grade class at her arts-based charter school, we knew a bit of what we were getting ourselves into since she'd been at the school since kindergarten. There have been a few bumps in the road, as new projects often have, but largely this first year of her middle school experience has been wonderful, an arts-rich extension of her elementary school experience really.

Yesterday I had the privilege of helping Elizabeth's class take a trip to the local arts center to work on the claymation portion of their 6th grade project. Each of the group has a figure and event relating to a historical conquest or invasion and they worked together as a team to figure out which section each of them would tackle to form the cohesive claymation scene.

The entire project is quite amazing. The arts coordinator explained so eloquently in the school newsletter that I'll let you read her take on the project.

Shooting History

The new core and essential standards adopted by the state of North Carolina require that 6^th graders study key historical figures and events, conquests and invasions, technology and geography of the pre 1940s. Maps, charts, graphs, physical environment and economic activities of various civilizations are to be studied, but the standards require that they “should not be taught in isolation, but woven together in an integrated study that helps students better understand the ancient world.” The standards do not, however, suggest how this might be accomplished. ABS has chosen the platform of film-making for this complex, integrated study. Our sixth grade students will create documentary films about leaders of major world invasions prior to the First Global Age (1450.) To prepare for a red-carpet movie premiere on April 10^th at a local theater, the students must manage many interwoven strands of learning.
Film-Making: A skill that transfers into everything from advertising to doctoral theses, film-making is the ultimate in collaborative art. Directing requires a blended and visionary understanding of visual composition, sound and music, acting, writing, light, psychology, management of human and physical resources, time management, computer technology for shooting, storing, and editing, and marketing.
Social Studies: Each student film crew of 4 or 5 students focuses on the life of one of the following leaders: Genghis Khan, Alexander the Great, Ramses II, or King Richard the Lionhearted. They study events and challenges that motivated each leader, the innovations that helped them lead, the social significance of events precipitated by their invasions, the geography of world regions and how this impacted their decisions and technology.
Writing and research: The art of documentary film-making requires considerable research and writing, pulling facts and distilling meaning from various written sources. Each film team selects a documentary “voice”. They write narration, scripts for live-action sequences and simulated clay animation battle scripts. Every student participates in the research and writing.
Science: Introduction to atomic science through direct instruction, hands-on metallurgy class, and computer animation classes help students understand and diagram what happens to molecules as they are subject to heat and cooling. Films will include footage about how this science applies to the creation of ancient weaponry.
Geography and geology: Research into regions where ancient battles took place help students understand strategy and development of technology. Students draw and paint maps and landscapes to be used in the film. They are introduced to the  importance of examining topography when strategizing for battle.
Drama: Through dramatic portrayals, students learn that even ancient invaders were vulnerable humans, and that some of their struggles reappear in the world today. They study the art of stage combat, using replicas of period weaponry. The quality and diction of the spoken voice is coached for each scene or recorded narration.
Visual Art : Clay animation scenes reconstruct pivotal battles. Students study watercolor technique, research and paint landscapes for backdrops, maps and portraits for still shots. Students also draw storyboards for the overall film and the clay animation battle.
Music: Students select and edit soundtracks music. They record and edit their own dialogue, voice-overs, and sound effects at Ovation Sound, a professional recording studio, where they will also review previous learning about soundwaves.

In addition to the instruction they receive from their teachers, the students will have access to the following local venues, accomplished artists, and college level instructors.

Film Director: documentary filmmaking, writing, and editing. 

UNCSA Film School, Cinematographer: intro to cinematography and filmmaking. 

Local art center: clay animation and metallurgy. 

Fight Director: fight choreography, historical combat and weaponry research.

A local sound studio: recording and sound technology. 

Another local arts center: the use of their theater. 

Art Professor: computer animation. 

Drama Instructor: acting.  

U.S. Army National Guardsman: intro to topography and military strategy. 

UNCSA School of Drama – loan of period weaponry for viewing only. 

UNCSA School of Film – visit to observe college filmmaking in process

Being a guinea pig may not always be everything we wish it could be, but in this case I feel very fortunate that Elizabeth gets this experience and an opportunity to help develop this program for other 6th graders behind her. Lights! Camera! Action!

sinking ships

We have a new obsession; well, actually Finn does, but it has spilled over to most of the members of our family to some extent.  What began as an art form, constant drawing of various ships sinking, has now become an obsession with real life ill-fated ships.

A few weeks ago, Finn asked if we could look up "sinking ships" on the computer.  Once he saw all of those images, he was hooked. Now, each morning begins with a new search for a sinking ship that we haven't learned about yet.

Soon he began compiling them in a report folder: Lusitania, sunk by German U-boat; Hamburg, sunk by a mine in WWII; Centaur, hospital ship sunk during WWII; Explorer, tourist ship sunk in Antarctica by inexperienced captain; Andrea Doria, sunk by striking another boat...and the list goes on. He can flip through his little homemade book and tell you quite a bit about each of his sinking ships.

When I found this book on Submarines at the local used book store, I wasn't quite sure if it would be a hit since, well, submarines sink on purpose.  He found several pages on the use of submarines during both world wars, which also had a few sinking ship pictures.

And after scavenging our local library, he found a book about boat wreckage that includes a few sinking ship pictures. You wouldn't believe how hard it is to find books purely about ships that are sinking.  Clearly this is an untapped market!

And I found this weekend that Finn's siblings are even indulging his obsession.  Philip made him this little sinking ship on a brad which amused Finn to no end.

It's completely fascinating to me which topics children become interested in, or even obsessed by. I hope to always pay enough attention to their whims and fancies to be able to indulge and encourage this specific kind of learning that consumes them from time to time. It's how passions are formed and such a fun process to watch and support.

visiting Ancient Greece

Now that we're home for a few weeks this summer, we decided to spend some time visiting Ancient Greece!  I found a few books at our local used book store and the library and bought one textbook (that I intended to use when I planned to homeschool Elizabeth this year).  In addition to spending some time every day reading aloud Ancient Greece: An Interactive History Adventure (my kids love those choose-your-own-adventure books), we've also been working on some interesting projects.  We've kept the flow flexible and the activities fun because I really want the kids to enjoy what they are learning.

The first project that we made together were some vases, pitchers, and bowls modeled after the ancient Greek ones that we saw in a few of our books.

We used sculpey so that we could bake our projects and they would harden into sturdy vessels.

When the projects were finished baking, the kids decided to paint them with tempura paints.  The colors weren't exactly in keeping with the ancient Greek models, but they sure are beautiful! The vessels belong to (from the left) Finn, Philip, Elizabeth, and Paul.

We also have spent several hours, together and individually, reading Greek mythology.  I found it funny that when I sent the kids to put on togas, they immediately started acting out a myth.  Paul is Zeus, and he's being bowed to by Aphrodite, Poseidon, and Dionysus.

Actually, the togas were for our Greek symposium.  Earlier in the day we read about Greek life and culture and discussed foods that ancient Greeks would eat.  We gathered some finger foods and had a symposium for our noon meal.

We also had a vessel of wine (or cranberry grape kombucha as the case may be).

Each of the children took turns entertaining us while we ate.  Finn chose to play the "lyre".

The older kids each picked out a poem from one of our children's poetry books.

Another project that the older kids worked on together this week was writing their own Greek myth.  They collaborated for the better part of 3 hours stretched over half a day and created Denias and the Lion.

After Heracles left the Nemean Lion, the people of the village found that the lion had a child.  They immediately sent for help. Knowing Heracles was off doing other tasks, the villagers called for the second best person, Denias.

When Denias got the message, he set out immediately for the village.  He soon came to the Canyon of the Two Cyclopses. Then Denias realized that to reach the village, he must cross the canyon! Denias threw a rope across the canyon, hooking it onto a rock that was half-buried in the ground. After a few moments of hesitation, he climbed across the rope, the cyclopses snapping at his feet.

After crossing the canyon, he saw the Boiling Sea in the distance. The Denias realized that he had to cross the sea as well.  As he neared the Boiling Sea, he thought that he might persuade Poseidon to lend him a boil-proof boat.  And Poseidon agreed.

When Denias finally got to the village, he asked for a helper to defeat the lion. A man named Daedalus offered to help build some wings to attack the beast from the sky.  After the wings were built, Denias made a plan to fly up into the sky, soar down toward the lion, and crush him.  But the plan did not go as they wanted.  As Denias flew down toward the lion, the lion jumped backward.  Denias slammed into the ground, forming a big pit. Denias flew out, disoriented and half-conscious, just as the lion fell into the pit. Daedalus quickly covered the hole with rocks, dirt, and other strong materials. 

Now the lion is still underground, throwing himself against the roof of his cave, trying to get out. His movements cause the earthquakes that we experience today.

We also enjoyed a meal of Greek food one evening, having some familiar, hummus with veggies and flatbread, and some less familiar, tabbouleh and Greek butter cookies.  We will continue this study for at least another week or two as we still have so many projects left that I think the kids will enjoy.  I'll be sure to update you later!

homeschooling in spring

Homeschooling has been a hit or miss kind of activity around here lately.  (It's a good thing that learning happens whether we make time for specific instruction or not!)  Volunteering has gotten in the way; swim lessons have gotten in the way; life in general has gotten in the way.

Over the last few days, however, we decided to make a bit of time to learn about ladybugs.  We've read our couple of books over and over until Finn is pretty handy with the life cycle terms and body part terms.

We've also made good use of these little ladybug life cycle stamps I picked up a while back.  Everything is more fun with stamps, no?

The coloring occasionally gets in the way of more stamping, so he tends to rush through that part.

His writing has been largely getting easier to read, even if the lines are more of a suggestion than a guide.  He's also started writing for the fun of it, which can be very tricky when he insists, "no, I want YOU to read it, Mama!"

And much of his education this spring has happened right here.  He's always so willing to help plant, water (or drown, as the case may be), and check up on our little plantlings.  The acorn squash and butternut squash he planted "all by himself" and are his favorites to examine each day.

Occasionally we'll evening find something other than plant life in the garden so we'll pause to study what we think is happening.  This spider came a bit too close to the new beet seedlings, which if you've followed our garden saga you'll know is dangerous territory.  "Mama! He's trying to be the next aminal to eat our beets!" (I'll be sad when aminal is no longer part of his vocabulary.)

His reading is still coming along as well.  He found a set of books at the library that he really enjoys reading.  They are Primary Phonics readers by Educators Publishing Service.  We get 2 new books on our bi-weekly trips to the library then try to read them 2-3 times each before returning them.

He's really responded to these sweet little animal stories.  They make him laugh, and they are the perfect level for his reading right now.  Although some days he'll read almost the whole book in one sitting, most days it's more like 5 pages.

What's happening in your homeschooling world this spring?