Education Update for November 16-20, 2009

A-M:   This past week A-M's freshman project was chosen as an example project.   What exactly this means--we're not sure!   But I have been informed by said freshman that it is good news.   She has worked hard on her project and deserves this extra recognition.   Her very first report garnered a GPA of 4.2!   

N:   N continues to work hard on his Japanese class.   He is also working on extra labs for his Pyscology class so he can count it as a lab science class.   N's report card also pleased us with all As. he also helped put together another great fun night as part of a great leadership team!   I exspecially enjoy hearing his voice on the school's call-outs.

At home this week, we had a laid back relaxed kind of week.    PJs were the uniform of the day as we adjusted to the cooler fall mornings.    We bathed like cats in the sunshine to warm up.   

History:    This week we learned about the cultures spread throughout Ancient Africa.    Littles wrote paragraphs about the changes camels brought to Africa.   We also worked on mapwork and timelines.   As a treat, we watched a DVD about the first rivertrip from the start of the Nile to the Mediterranean Sea.   We are reading aloud People of the Ancient World: The Ancient Kushites.

Math:   E was feeling under the weather a few days this week and skipped Teaching Textbooks two days.   He completed lessons 68-70---topics stock, calculating with a calculator, and checkbooks.   He also continued to work on Life of Fred.    Currently Fred is working on fixing his mistake of paying WAY too much for a bike.    I-E and E-R continued working in the first book of Key to Fractions--I am hoping they can finish it this coming week.   In Primary Mathmatics, this week constisted of reviewing estimating and multiplying.    We also worked on mental math problems.
            My favorite part of math this week was when J started Math in Everyday Life with everyone.   They learned about wages, gross pay vs net pay, deductions, exemptions, social security tax, and minimum wage laws.   I really enjoyed listening from the kitchen. :)

Soaking in the Sun while Working on Math Smart Game in PJs

Language Arts:   We finished chapter 17 and started chapter 18 in Shurley English.   This week we focused on irregular verbs and verb tenses.   E-R and I-E are really enjoying Island of the Blue Dolphin.   We have read it outloud within the past year.   E-R told me, "I forgot how good it was."  Ethan has added alot to his Hobbit display.  

In writing this week, topics were chosen for our research papers.   E chose Gorden B. Hinckley, E-R chose Ramesses II, and I-E chose Abraham Lincoln.   We hit the library to get some experience with real live encyclopedia and started the process of taking notes on those time trusted index cards.   I hope to have these research papers completed by Christmas break.

Art:   Lessons 2 and 3 are completed.   The project for Lesson 2 explored lines and different ways to create them.   Lesson 3 had a practice with contour lines and looking at things as they are instead of how one expects them to look.  

This is titled Knives by I-E.

We had a good week and are looking forward to a very short week of school and a long relaxing break with family!   Happy Thanksgiving, all!