Busy, BuSy, BUSY

Good evening! I hope all have enjoyed your holidays an are all doing well. I don't know about you, but from September through January, it feels like it's been one big blurr! But now, it's time to get back to our normal routine.

School is going well for Kiddo. He is excited that this is his last year and has even mentioned the word "college"....YIKES! For someone who puts up a fuss everyday when it comes to completing his assignments, it was quite a surprise. We'll just have to wait and see if he feels the same way in a few months.

We are focusing a lot lately on practical living skills that Kiddo will need when he decides to leave the nest and be out on his own. Some days I have a very hard time wanting to teach him things he will NEVER use in everyday life and just stick to the basics that he WILL need to succeed and function in society . Do any of you ever feel like that? Sometimes I just want to chuck it all in the trash can and forget about it! lol

I hope 2012 has started off to be an AMAZING YEAR for all of you.  For us, it has proved to be very interesting, however, I know that God has a plan for our family and we are very excited to see in what direction, our Heavenly Father leads us.

Praying that the new year brings you all much love, and our world much peace!

Spelling List Week 4

Sorry....forgot to post week 4's list!
Our spelling words can be found on WordlyWise3000.com ~ grade 12

Our spelling list for Week 4 was:

approbation
benighted
bourgeois
credo
empirical
eschew
expatiate
iconoclast
indigence
laudable
mandate
ostensible
recalcitrant
regurgitate
risible

Parts Of Speech Rhyme

Here’s a little rhyme — by David B. Tower & Benjamin F. Tweed —that teachers used in days gone by to help students learn the parts of speech.

Three little words you often see
Are ARTICLES: a, an, and the.

A NOUN‘s the name of anything,
As: school or garden, toy, or swing.

ADJECTIVES tell the kind of noun,
As: great, small, pretty, white, or brown.

VERBS tell of something being done:
To read, write, count, sing, jump, or run.

How things are done the ADVERBS tell,
As: slowly, quickly, badly, well.

CONJUNCTIONS join the words together,
As: men and women, wind or weather.

The PREPOSITION stands before
A noun as: in or through a door.

The INTERJECTION shows surprise
As: Oh, how pretty! Ah! how wise!

The whole are called the PARTS of SPEECH,
Which reading, writing, speaking teach.

What We're Working On Today

This morning we worked on some Life Skills - making breakfast and the PROPER way to do the dishes. LOL!   We just finished our Science lesson for today.  We are doing a unit on Fossils using "The Fossil Book: Wonders of Creation Series" by Dr. Gary Parker.  We purchased this set a few years ago and it has been an EXCELLENT Science resource, from a Biblical perspective.   Next week, we are going to make our own fossil dig using chicken bones and plaster of paris.....I can't wait!  Right now we are working on Vocab and Spelling now, then Consumer Math (budgeting).

In History, we will continue learning about The Homestead Act of 1862 and learning about life on the frontier.  A GREAT resource has been PBS' "Frontier House" that was made back in 2000. It's a great reality program that we thoroughly enjoy watching together as a family.  A great way to make learning FUN!

Going to take a break in a few with Kiddo....he's working hard today! WOO HOO!

Spelling List Week 3

Our spelling list for Week 3 was:

1. beneficent
2. amalgam
3. savant
4. flora
5. putative
6. ascetic
7. doyen
8. perennial
9. antediluvian
10. denizen
11. apothecary
12. obviate
13. nostrum
14. charlatan
15. imbibe

What We're Working On Today

Today we are learning about different forms of art and various artists. We found a site, Albright-Knox, that lets you play games to learn about them.  One form of art is called a collage.  We went to NGA Collage Kids where they can design their own collage using a huge selection of clip-art.

In Math, we are reviewing different ways to measure things, whether it be for length, weight, height of an object, and even being able to measure the height of a kite. COOL!  To do this, you need what is called an inclinometer. Below, you can see Kiddo with the one he just made.

If you'd like to join us and make one of your own, you can get a list of supplies and directions, HERE!

 

All I can think of  when I look at this pic is,
"AHOY, MATEY!"  LOL!

Spelling List Week 2

Our spelling list for Week 2 was:

Week 2
absolve
adumbrate
apothegm
aspersion
coadjutor
congenital
elan
germane
hiatus
immure
ineluctable
internecine
invoke
prototype
quadrennial