Snapshot Summary, August 10-16, 2012 Summer School, week 3

This week, more than any other this summer, we took a break from formal schooling. We did complete some notebooking, but mainly we just relaxed.

 On Friday, we went to the local homeschool Back-to-School picnic.

There were about 200 people there for food, fun and fellowship.

Scallops and Other Bivalves

We continued our study of mollusks this week with a look at various bivalves, starting with scallops.

Alex's (age 18, Special Education) notebook page
It swims by opening its shell and then clapping it closed quickly. this pushes the scallop through the water in short bursts of speed.

It is the hinge that makes this possible that ends up as the part of the scallop we eat.

 James noticed that the field guides use measurements as a way to help make identification for the various types of shells. We measured our shells and added this to our pages. If our sketches were larger than life, we just measured the actual shell and put it's actual measurement next to the sketch.

 If our sketches were larger than life, we just measured the actual shell and put it's actual measurement next to the sketch.

James' (age 11) notebook page
Giant Atlantic Cockle
They can jump several inches using their powerful feet.

James liked to try to identify them exactly, and not just the group his chosen shell was in.

Oysters and Pearls

Alex's (age 18, special needs) notebook Oysters spend their entire adult lives in one spot. A pearl forms when something like a grain of sand gets inside the shell. The mantle secretes layers of shell material around it, making a pearl.

They are getting more used to making their own notebook pages, knowing what things I expect them to include (picture and so many bits of information). Alex sketched the oyster in pencil, traced the outline with marker and then shaded the rest with colored pencils.

We tried, and liked, a few new recipes this week, many of them made in the crockpot.
Old Bay Chicken (pictured)
Saucy Asian Meatballs (pictured in collage)
Vegetarian Curry
Shrimp Po'Boys
Zucchini Cakes