Snapshot Summary November 8-13, 2009 {week 10}

9
Monday
Started the morning off by watching The Prince of Egypt one more time before we send it back to Netflix.

We added Thyreophora dinosaurs to our lapbooks with a Stegosaurus to represent them. We dissolved some Rainbow Crystals in colored water, and discussed the Sphinx as a work of art. Katie helped Quentin make a fishing game with letters. In time our crystals absorbed water and grew. We learned two lines to our Spanish song for this week, and looked at what rocks the different sediment layers develop into. Using a lamp and a aluminum foil ball, Dad showed us moon phases, why the moon can be seen during the daytime (a question Quentin had), and how eclipses work. Our crystals continued to absorb water and grow. On to watch Building Big for the 4th time. It is about building bridges and James loves it. We took the Rainbow Crystals out of their cups as they had absorbed all of the water. We put layers of the three colors in a large test tube. We will check on this in a few days to see what happens. They feel squishy and when you add pressure to them they release some of their water.

10
Tuesday
Sam worked in his Greek workbook, labeled a map of Greece, completed chapter 1 of a new math book, Number Sense and Nonsense, vocabulary in Lord of the Rings and drew this map freehand of Mesopotamia. Quentin and James played with their volcanos. Quentin and James played with Quentin's  Letter Puzzle tiles.  They played with Playdoh. James read a book. We played a math game with candy pumpkins. Katie taught Quentin how to make fingerprint creatures. James and Quentin played with the molecule model set. Sam and Katie went square dancing.

11
Wednesday
We layered lots of yummy things, to represent the different kinds of stones you can find. We added pressure and then heat by baking it in the oven to represent factors that change rock to Metamorphic Rocks. We dropped stones into a bowl of smooth flour to compare factors that might affect how craters are made on the moon such as the size of the rocks or the speed at which they hit. We held the rock at different heights to test different speeds. We painted on damp plaster like the Minoan Frescoes. We played with Instant Snow. It was flaky, soft, fluffy and cool to the touch. Very cool stuff! We snacked on the Metamorphic Rock bars. They made very nice bar cookies, and showed nicely how metamorphic rocks change from their original rock beginnings, but not so much that you cannot tell where they came. They retain some of the qualities of their original form, but change some of their qualities as well. We looked at these changes later on this week.

12
Thursday
It has rained practically every day for the last month or so and the boys are restless and tired of inside-type games. It hits Alex especially hard because he is loves to do the same thing each day, and his going-outside habits are being curtailed. He also has a harder time coming up with things to do. It doesn't help that this winter we won't be going to the gym once a week like we have most winters. We will have to come up with something to keep them out of cabin-fever. Anyway, the day had a slow start and a dip in the middle, which meant one of those days where not much of anything to speak of was accomplished. We made plans for Thanksgiving activities to do Thanksgiving week. Also made plans to learn Jacks and Hopscotch games from around the world. Sam refuses to learn hopscotch games as they are too girlish...but jacks are okay. I am not sure of his logic, but willing to go along with it. Katie and I are making secret plans to spend at least one afternoon a week learning/brushing up on sewing and then making a Christmas present for Sam. Want to try to make a few gifts for them this year.  I worked with Alex on personal stories and added some new people to add variety to the sentence patterns he is working on. We are starting to work with thermometers, and continuing to work with word math problems. He wrote some on how mummies are made. Sam worked in his Greek workbook, his math book, and wrote about Pharaohs. We discussed Lord of the Rings. He sketched freehand a map of Egypt and labeled all the geographical features, etc. I am surprised how much he seems to like drawing his own maps rather than using already printed ones. He read about Science in Egypt to me. Quentin completed a worksheet of mixed Kindergarten skills and finished up his J is for Jellyfish worksheet. He was in a worksheet-type mood. He seems to enjoy coloring with watercolors right now, and likes to take his time with them. James worked on reading mostly today. Since everything is math to him, I don't have to worry too much about his math skills. Memorizing the times table was just natural for him. Reading, on the other hand, is work. A lot of work. He keeps plugging away at it. We took beads that change color in sunlight and mixed them with regular bead to make bracelets. More instant snow play. Katie made another dragon.

13
Friday
We started the woodwind section of our music lapbook. We made up cards on rocks and minerals. We colored Crete and Knossos on a map of Greece. They battled the Minotaur. Katie made Quentin a ABC's bowling game. We added another layer to our Sarcophagi. (They need at least 3 layers.)