Advent 2009

The Advent "wreath"- dollar store candles and next year I think I'll add some greens so you know...it'll be more wreath-like.

Our Advent calendar, made by my mother in law, is an Advent staple. Throughout the four weeks of Advent, the kids pull out a part of the Christmas Story to put on the flannel section at the top. This week all the big deal players have come out to play. Mary and Joseph have showed up and now we await only baby Jesus himself!

We had to hit the special reserve field for our Douglas Fir from the tree farm- in the pouring rain we walked and walked to finally find a tree we all liked. I think we are about to become those people who get their tree the weekend after Thanksgiving. Last year we missed the chance the first weekend of December, don't remember why now but we had to hunt in the dark late one afternoon/early evening. This year Dan and I were sick and then sick again and missed the chance. We leave for the week between the holidays so we like to have our tree early to enjoy it. When we get home, we'll strip it and kick it to the curb! Anyway, we finally had our day and it rained. Blah.

Dan takes Christmas tree slaying very seriously.

We baked Christmas cookies using some vintage cookie cutters- and new ones too.

Cut out cookies are a favorite. Dan likes to bake with the kids.

Our Advent was somewhat wobbly this year because Dan and I getting sick and the van going crazy. We sort of fell behind and I definitely had trouble getting in all the fun things that I thought would be fun.

We did spend a lot of time talking about the birth of Jesus and answering all kinds of questions about it and the what was going on at the time. We are still looking forward to completely our Jesus Garland during the remaining portion of the 12 Days of Christmas. Liturgically, the season of Christmas really does last 12 days and ends on The Epiphany which is when the church year celebrates the arrival of the Kings to see the baby Jesus.

So, if you are like me and Advent got away from you, take advantage of the next 9 days of the Christmas season. We are away visiting with our families, but when we return home we'll still have time to finish the garland and prepare for the 3 Wiseman.

So Long to a Good Friend...

So, I hinted the other day that we were going to shop for a new minivan. We found one. But first, a little backstory...

We bought our 2001 Chevy Venture in January of 2002. Pregnant with our third child due in June, I declared that it was too hard to get my 1 and just turned 3 yo in and out of our Saturn SL. Besides, three car seats would never fit across the back seat!

I loved that van. It was so nice with a power door and all that room. I'd never driven anything so big and when I bought my Saturn after signing my first teaching contract my friends made fun of me for buying a four door. Said I'd never find a guy if I was driving around a family car. Let me just say that if I'd have known I was going to be driving that Saturn with 2 kids with a third on the way, I'd have bought the minivan as a single woman!!

So here's our 2001 Silver Chevy Venture- slick new snow tires with wheel covers, a remote starter, and aftermarket Sony stereo that will play our Rhapsody loaded mp3 players. Half power door (you can close it remotely but not open it any longer). Leaky head gasket. We've been faithful to service her every 3000 miles. Fixed everything including a bad back wiper motor. Exponentially growing NY rust on the side panels. You've been good to us trusty friend. But...it's time.

We bought it on December 23rd- our anniversary! Today we picked it up- washed, warmed up, filled with gas and yes...we took time for a picture. I have a picture next to every car I've ever bought. You've gotta do it. It only happens once every 10 to 15 years. Prayerfully, this will be the vehicle J4 learns to drive on!

Side by side- the old and the new and in case you are wondering I've never personally owned anything but a gray/silver or a white car. My first car was gray. My Saturn was white. The Venture was silver (a hot request at the time) and introducing The Odyssey- a light silver pearl. It's different enough and since used car buyers can't always be choosy, there it is!

It's a 2008 Honda Odyssey EX with 17,700 some miles on it. A dream.

It just needs a MOPS magnet.

I can hardly believe it! Here are some fun features:

• dual power doors- and they both function properly!
• heated driver's side mirror
• the middle windows open like the normal front ones do- very cool for getting air to the back.
  
• lots of pockets everywhere to store things
• very cool sliding middle seats to let people into the back of the van
• the seats in the back self store into the floor for extra cargo space
• the spare tire is inside the van not under it
• a cup holder console between the two front seats that can fold away and there's storage underneath it
• an 8th seat!
  
• captain's chairs in the second row
• aux input for our mp3 players
• amazing front console with a really BRIGHT display

Ok so it.is.amazing.

Rejoice with us! We are so thankful to find something we could get that is as new as possible.

Now...we are preparing to take our trip to Maryland in our Odyssey!

Merry Christmas!!

Happy Anniversary!

14 years today!

Dan I love you more with each passing year! Truly...we were chosen for each other.

(photo by E11- how do you like my mom to fourth tee?)

Who knew stamped metal could be so romantic?

He also managed to be sure all the kids were represented. Many letters for many initials.

Here it is! I'm sporting the Dan side today. If you like my new necklace it's a Lisa Leonard Design custom necklace. So fun!

For my part, I replaced Dan's Timex Expedition watch which I washed twice in two weeks and for the record, it's still ticking but it's missing a knob and I can't get the backing back on. I felt slightly responsible, though after 14 years and washing watches multiple times you'd think he'd stop putting them in his pocket. I seriously considered a cheaper water proof version, but you know...there's only so many times a wife can wash one, two, well ahem...three watches in a man's life time. Here's to hoping the next 14 are more kind to Dan's timepieces!

Today we'll have yummy jambalaya- a favorite of Dan's and we'll shop for a new minivan...What?! More on that one later...

Dan, I love you!

Story of the World- Relaxed Style

Many of you are probably familiar with Susan Wise Bauer's Story of the World history books. I've been acquiring them over the last few years to use with our Five in a Row books. I am not a classical homeschooler whatsoever, but the stories are well suited to give the kids an insight into a topic we are already studying with our unit studies.

This summer I was able to get a used copy of volume 1 at a great price which included the activity book. E11 and R9 requested that we do the stories so we started this fall with the introduction. I figured we could start at the beginning and learn a little something about ancient cultures- a topic not largely visited in the volumes of Five in a Row.


There is an activity book that accompanies each volume. It has quite a few activities that match the topics discussed in the text. In addition, there are questions and dictation exercises for each chapter.

We started with the introduction and talked about what history is and how we learn about history. The kids did the Life Time Lines from the activity book.

The idea is to use one or two lessons spots per week to a Story of the World chapter and one activity. Sort of a light approach to Story of the World. I am NOT a believer in chronological history for younger children. The unit study approach to learning that prevails in our home is quite the opposite actually, but it works very well and as our children get older they are absolutely able to place the various stories and topics we have learned into their proper context in the chronology of history. I don't for a minute believe it has to be taught in order for kids to get it.

Still the history is valuable and the activities are genuine. The plan is to work slowly through this as long as it fits with our studies in other areas. Of course, I'm still going to use it as an extra resource when we come across history in our Five in a Row.

I'm working on a new "schedule" to begin after the new year which of course I will share. It's taking me a while because I'm trying to align it with our activity schedule. The idea is that a carefully thought out plan will be easier to maintain long term. I've got a lot of big ideas on streamlining preschool and making sure we hit the passion pursuits in the afternoon.

TOS Crew Review: Maestro Classics

The Crew was sent a sample of the Maestro Classics story retellings and I was able to share The Tortoise and the Hare with my family. To be honest, I wasn't expecting a whole lot from yet another rendition of The Tortoise and the Hare.

However, I was VERY pleasantly surprised with this product! The retelling was very entertaining and extremely high quality. As the name suggests, the story included orchestra music. At the end of the initial telling, the creators explained that the story is one of Aesop's Fables. My kids learned that Aesop originally told this story in 600 BC and that fables are used to help people learn lessons without actually telling them what they need to learn.

The composer shares how he chose the music for the score. In this case, the kids learned that since hares don't hop or move evenly with one set of legs longer than the other, the composer chose a jumpy sort of music to relay this idea. The tortoise was represented by low and slow tempo music.

I loved the Pretzel Vendor song and the music is included along with a couple of single tracks of this fun song alone.

The narration was fantastic and even my older kids were enjoying this one as it played.

I can't wait to check out some of the other titles including:

• Peter and the Wolf
• The Story of Swan Lake
• Sorcerer's Apprentice
• Casey at Bat
• Juanita the Spanish Lobster
• Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel

I'm especially going to seek out Mike Mulligan since it's a Five in a Row book. Don't hesitate to check this product out if you are looking for more audio CDs or some music appreciation material in your school at a cost of $16.98, these classical music CDs would be a fantastic addition to your homeschool.

TOS Crew Review: Mathletics

Mathletics is a subscription math website for kids K-8. We were given a 45 day membership to try out Mathletics. Some of the features of subscribing to Mathletics include:

• It is safe. There is no communication with your student or between students on the site.
• Weekly reports are emailed to parents.
• It covers all aspects of mathematics.
• Step by step animated help is available when your student needs it.
• Kids challenge each other real time in speed and skill.
• It includes access to Rainforest Maths- lots more problems for practice
• Curriculum information is provided and there are forms to download.
  

Mathletics has some features that appeal specifically to homeschoolers:

• a personal mastery dial that tracks a student's daily progress
• access to live mental challenges with students of similar ages and abilities
• intelligent adaptiveness with most concepts with questions getting harder as a student answers correctly
• immediate feedback on questions with help if the student needs it
• students can work at their own pace through curriculum content
• lots of rewards and certificates and the chance to be on the wall of fame
• available anytime as long as their is internet access

Even my 4yo enjoyed the kindergarten level questions with some reading assistance.

Easy to read even for my 2nd grader.

Cost:

• The regular cost is $99 per student per year.
• There is a special running right now if you follow the directions for $49.95 per student per year.

Mathletics appealed to my kids because it's a novelty to spend time practicing math at the computer. They've had ample chances at it due to all of the products we've looked at through the Crew reviews.

The subscription to Mathletics includes access to Rainforest Maths. Anyone remember this free little site for math practice? Some time ago it was wrapped up with Mathletics and no longer free and my kids loved it. E11 loved the competition aspect and really enjoyed seeing his name up there on the wall of fame representing Team USA. He really enjoyed the algebra section of problems. R9 like the competition and the Rainforest Maths. I signed J4 up for the Kindergarten section and I'm happy to report he did really well. He said his favorite part was counting the money.

As the parent, you are able to switch around what grade level your child is in within the Mathletics curriculum so if they are moving ahead quickly or it's too easy or difficult, you can change which program they are using.

I think the biggest negative for Mathletics is the price. $99 per year per student is simply cost prohibitive for a homeschooling family particularly for a supplemental practice type program for kids. Great program, it's one of the ones I would love to use long term, but certainly not worth the cost of $400 a year for my family. Some folks thought that perhaps they would carve out that price so one student could participate. In my family that simply would not work. All of my kids want a chance to try their own problems.

TOS Crew Review: Tektoma

Tektoma is a tutorial service that provides the information and directions on how to use GameMaker which is a software program for kids to make their own video games. Once you purchase a subscription to Tektoma, you can watch tutorials on how to make lots of games.

Tutorials include:

• How to Make a Racing Game
• How to Make an Arcade Game
• How to Make a Memory Game
• How to Make a Platform Game
• How to Make a Fantasy/Adventure Game

Shorter Tutotorials include:

• Using Tiles Build a Racetrack
• Using Tiles to Impove the Looks of a Platform Game
• How to Create and Use Custom Icons
• How to Create a Stand Alone Version of the Game
• How to Make Your Game in Full Screen Mode
• Adding an Inventory System for Your Game

Each tutorial is in a video format and shows the screen so it's easily followed. You can pause the video during its run and build your game as you go.

E11 made an arcade style game. It challenged him in a fun way and was a bit different from the programming he's done before. He's still working on finding backgrounds and sounds for his game.

Cost: $14.95 a month or $140 a year gets you full access to all the tutorials in Tektoma.

In the spirit of full disclosure, Tektoma is a tutorial service for a free basic download of the software called Game Maker 7.0. In other words, you can access and play with GameMaker regardless of using Tektoma's tutorial service. However, if you are inexperienced with programming, then Tektoma's service is a great way to learn the basics of making a game. They have a tutorial on making games of all kinds depending on what your child is most interested in. I think Tektoma would be an excellent choice for kids who would love to fiddle with programming games and for kids who have no programming experience to get a little taste of it. It's not the only way out there, but it's certainly a compelling way to get kids interested in elements of computer programming!

Google Earth for Earth Science!

So, I've been thinking of doing some earth science with the kids this year. Most of you know that I have an undergraduate degree in biological sciences and that I am certified to teach biology to 7th-12th graders. What you probably don't know is that I have often thought of using my continuing education requirement (for keeping my certification) to acquire credits in earth science with the ultimate plan of getting a second certification. Imagine the crazy power a science person certified in biology AND earth science would have in the world of education. Only a physics and chemistry certification could outdo that dynamic duo and well that will not be happening! My little dream though was sort of interrupted by the reality of No Child Left Behind. I'm not entirely sure what the deal is, but I do know that teachers are expected to have degrees in their area of certification. Biology- check. No problem. Earth science? Not worth another bachelor's degree. Sorry. The world of education will have to do without my amazing double certification. Well...at least I have my masters degree to fall back on- curriculum and instruction secondary education. You never know when coming up with creative instructional ideas and writing your own curriculum will be necessary to save the day. But I am prepared!

Earlier in the year...back in August when we were doing Nim's Island, we sort of fizzled out on the energy for Nim and her island science. We will get back to it, but I had plans for following an online earth science class through CurrClick and it was canceled and with it...my desire to hunker down and finish the unit in a tidy way.

Yet, I feel the earth science fire starting to flare after doing a slow smolder for a few months now on the back burner. Then I happened upon Google Earth Lessons while perusing some of my homeschooling bookmarks. Don't laugh...I know you all have some. How often do you go back and look at those again? I knew this one was worth keeping, but never really thought seriously about using it. Until now. While reading on the website I found this...

Google Earth User Manual for Earth Science Teachers Oh my. Just look at the table of contents and you'll see what I mean. Ok...maybe you won't. The science teacher in me is definitely making plans for this. Curriculum is being written in my head. Instructional gems just effortlessly coming to the surface as I think of how we could use this in our school.

I love physical maps. I really find the ocean basins fascinating to look at. Our boys have a National Geographic map of the physical world in their room and it is very nice to look at. Below is another Google Earth image. Check out the continental shelves surrounding each continent before the ocean gets super deep. River deltas like those of the Amazon, Nile, and Mississippi are interesting from satellite images as well.


I was especially amazed to see that the USGS has released its collection of topographic maps for free downloads as pdfs. What?! How did I not get this memo??? Seriously, I can hardly wait to find our area and download away.

So, what inspires you? I was just talking this morning with a MOPS mom (at MOPS of course) who heard a talk I gave to the group at the end of the year last year on Adventure Boxes. She was so excited to share with me what she had done last summer with her kids to keep them learning over the summer. It really made a difference for her girls and she told me that it was my talk last May that inspired her to go home and do "summer homeschooling" with her kids. By all accounts everyone loved it and the kids returned to school this year more confident and excited for what might be in store for the this coming summer. That made me smile.

Perhaps something I share here will inspire you to do something new with your kids...like Google Earth! Or downloading a topographic map of your neighborhood to interpret with your children.

The time we take off at the Christmas holiday is a good time for me to take stock in how our year is going and to tweak things that need tweaking mid-year. I've got 14 hours in a car (for the ride to and from with four kids and stops along the way) not including the run around time in Maryland (as if you didn't know!) and it's a good time to reflect and Dan as a school consultant is a trapped audience!

All that is to say I'm inspired! Inspired to rethink how I will fit in some earth science over the next few months. Maybe I can find a way to hit that topic along our trip west next semester.

As always, stay tuned.

Multiplication

R9 is still working with those pesky multiplication tables. Recently, we made some matchbook posters for her 8s and 9s with Jimmie's suggestion.

Last year we used Times Tales to learn the tables and she learned them, but now when you ask her what 8 x 8 is, she has to tell you a story! Well let's see...that's Mr and Mrs. Snowman and they had to eat 6 snowballs 4 times a day. Really? Can we not just go for 8x8=64? Sigh.

It's time to back up and see if we can do the conversion from story to facts again. She also tells me there is a template for making flashcards of anything on the American Girl website. I think I'll let her make some for the multiplication facts and then we'll USE them!

And an online pal was so gracious to recently send me her RightStart Math Cards because she never really got to using them and wanted to free herself from the guilt! So...we have the product cards to use to practice with and as soon as I can order the book with all the directions I'll be all set with those! Next month friends...staying debt free is not a glamorous affair.

Recently, we've also made judicious use of our computer math practice. This week we have a review due on Mathletics and we've tried Quartermile Math just for some fun drill.

Sometimes you just have to dig in and get the work done. Miss R will get there...pretty soon she might be seeing times tables on manila folders on the kitchen wall. Alas, there is no chair rail to hold them. But Mom and Dad I STILL know those facts. Ahem.

Puppet Show

This afternoon we were able to go on a trip to the Open Hand Theater in Syracuse, NY to see A Christmas Carol performed by The Puppet People. It was the culmination of the puppet making class that R9 took as part of our homeschool co-op this fall. We took the whole family and it was a very nice show.

The set which the puppeteers made themselves. The white window areas were for the shadow puppet scenes used while Scrooge was being shown his past, future, and present- at least some of the time.

The main characters were marionettes. This is one of the husband and wife pair that make up The Puppet People. He hand sculpts all the puppets which were really well done.

Each of the spirits were in part costumes made for the puppeteers to wear. This was the ghost of Christmas future which was made from a back pack frame.

There is a window for him to look through the fabric. The fingers were really creepy!

The shadow puppets! And wasn't Michelle kind enough to pose for Dan when she saw the camera poised?

Great performance! Great story! The kids were familiar with the story from hearing it told by us, from reading it in What Your 4th Grader Needs to Know, and by listening to the Jim Weisse audio CD. They were ready for the performance and we were not disappointed.

If you visit The Puppet People show portion of their website, you can see the other shows they have made and there are videos available. They are out of Schenectady, NY so anyone who is near by can check their schedule. Rather than send you to a link, I thought I'd give you a sneak peak here. I really think their work is very creative. See what you think!



And R9? She was completely taken with the entire thing! She had questions for them at the end and one of the things she was so excited about is that these two people have made a career out of their creativity. She loves to create and she loves to perform. In fact, she has announced that she wants to audition for next semester's play. I guess I really need to get a hold of that script...

I think she really enjoyed seeing all the puppets and how they were put together. Something tells me we will be seeing a lot more puppet creations and puppet scripts coming our way. She would be in absolute heaven if I sat her at the table with a big bowl of paper mache so she could keep her hands in it all. day. The rod puppet she made pictured below was made with a paper mache made from tacky glue and toilet paper. Can you even imagine???

I think I will work on an assignment involving the Civil War, puppets, costumes (think sewing!), and a puppet script (think writing practice!). Hmmmm....this could be very successful for Miss R9 and I bet she could wrangle some help out of her brothers. Stay tuned...

The Puppet Theater

So R9 took a puppet making class at co-op this fall. Below is a shot of her final performance at co-op night on November 23rd. Throughout the class, the students made various puppets from different materials. All the while, they created puppet scripts to put on small puppet shows almost every week. R9 had the BEST time in puppet making class. Of all the puppets she made, I think the paper mache head one turned out the best. Dowel rods make the base of a fine puppet. She chose the character trait of courage to represent through a puppet. Harriet Tubman was her choice. The play turned out really well. She and her friend performed the skit for all the families that night.

About a week before co-op night I got the news that the teachers were giving away the puppet theater. I just knew R9 would absolutely swoon if this were to come home with us that night. I got first dibs and then let the news rest for a week before I said to Dan...uh....by the way honey...guess what we get to have!

Every 1400 sq ft home needs a puppet theater this size! The kids talked about it non-stop the whole week and have been enjoying it. R9's favorite attribute is the shelf for props.

So, now we have a place for these puppets to play! In case you avoid that link, here's one of my favorite puppets from our collection. I have a tie dye cow as well because a hint of color is always fun.
We went to see a live puppet performance of A Christmas Carol today- blog post to follow. It was really enjoyable. The Puppet People are really talented.

For now our Christmas tree will go just where the theater is so we'll need to stow it for a few weeks. After today though, I'm certain there will be a lot of puppetry going on at our house.

TOS Crew Review: All About Spelling

I wasn't so sure what All About Spelling would be like when I was asked to review it for the TOS Crew. In general, I am not a grammar/spelling "program" type person and I try to keep things consistent and casual with this area. However, as I get to know R9 more and more as a student, I can see she is the quintessential creative type who well...is a terrible speller! She's also very kinesthetic and auditory but not so much a visual type learner. If you've never experienced someone who is the opposite of your learning type, you really must see what that's like. I'm a very visual person and when I look at a piece of R9's writing in the raw form it is enough to make my visual mind crazy! Literally! (just look at my blog template and you can see how it would be pleasing to a visual person- I keep the standard rounders Blogger template because it keeps very clearly defined columns- not a chance for confusing the columns!)

What's my point? Well, that admittedly R9 could use more purposeful help with her spelling and that All About Spelling seems to be a great fit so far. All About Spelling uses a multi-modal approach to teaching spelling. Multi-modal. I don't think I've actually used that word since graduate school! The idea is that All About Spelling appeals to all kinds of learners because you get to use many approaches to spelling.

I was given levels 1 and 2 as well as the Starter Kit which contains the letter tiles, magnet squares, phonogram CD, and tokens to review.

I'm using Level 1 with R9 which is going really fast because she is in 4th grade. It is a phonics based program that uses a multi-sensory approach. For example, she has to break words down into segments and move a token with her dominate hand at the same time. She does flash cards of the different sounds a letter can make- this I found really helpful because it covers more than just the obvious sounds as a reading program would. So, /s/ makes a ssss sound and a zzzz sound (as in was). This is crucial for a poor speller! It helps to identify that sometimes a letter will make a sound you weren't thinking about automatically.

Some other things to note regarding All About Spelling:

• taught in a logical order and each lesson builds upon the previous one. The sequence of the concepts has been tested for long-term results.
  
• nothing is left out. All the tips and helps for spelling are included in the program.
• the program is mastery based not grade level based so when a student masters a concept they move to the next one. The review is built in to each lesson and it's easy to keep track of what is mastered and what is not as you go along.
• concepts are taught in a clear manner
• scripted- the program is completely scripted so you don't have to guess at what to say or prepare lessons. It's all done for you.
• They have a one year learning guarantee.
  

Each lesson involves moving tiles and saying sounds. This is the set up for the first lessons in the level 1 book. Vowels are identified in red. The author recommends a good sized magnet board where you can leave the tiles. For now we are using our 4' x 8' magnet wall for the job.

Cost:

• Starter Kit $26.95
• Level 1 $29.95 ( all levels come with teacher's manual and student materials packet)
  
• Level 2 $39.95
• Level 3 $39.95
• Level 4 $39.95
• Level 5 $39.95
• Level 6 (coming spring 2010)

In general, All About Spelling is a great program for teaching beginning spellers and those who need extra help in spelling- those students who are the antithesis of the natural speller! In my experience so far with the TOS Crew, I have found very few products that I would continue to use or seek out to purchase. All About Spelling is one I will continue with and if I find it is successful for R9, then I will absolutely purchase the rest of the levels as we need them. I will begin level 1 with I7 as soon as R9 begins level 2. I wholeheartedly recommend it if you have a new speller or a struggling speller.

Technology Time

So, Dan and I were both sick last week. I've been sick since Thanksgiving Day and thankfully I think I'm really on the mend (after a trip to the dr to get some meds). Dan spent three days home last week with us. The second day, he helped to set the course for a morning of technology problem solving. It was a fabulous non-directed sort of unschooling day for the kids and they were able to do quite a bit of problem solving.


One Mindstorm creation from this day is below. The kids had two robots going. R9 built a really nice one that would use the sound sensor to tell of they were being too loud. If you started talking to loud the red light would blink and it would say, "Silent!" If you were talking at a good level for not waking young brothers in the morning, then the green light was steadily shining. Pretty clever. I wish I had taken a picture right away, but unfortunately that robot is already old news.

Below is the program E11 and R9 wrote for the Volume Detector. This one is a forever loop that has a switch that will be activated based on the sound level. If the sound level is below a certain point, it displays the decibel number and a green light blinks. If the sound level is above a certain point, then it displays the decibel level again and it shines a red light and says, "Silent!"

It's relatively easy to click and drag each programming block, as long as you know what each block means and what your goal is- what you are trying to get your robot to do. This is the NXT 2.0 software that comes with a LEGO Mindstorms kit. It's what the kids used to program their robot for the FLL Competition.

J4 was doing some building of his own. He used the Kapla blocks to make roof. Under the blocks making the roof are two rulers spanning the milk carton blocks. Very clever.
Do you ever have a room that looks like this? During a part of most days this is what our playroom floor looks like!