SL Core F * Week 4 * Oct. 14-18, 2013

SL Core F *

Week 4  *

Oct. 14-18, 2013

Before I begin with our week---last weekend we went shopping, and I bought something *new* for myself---which I rarely do....but, this was so spectacular, that I just couldn't leave it behind!  I just thought I'd share my purchase with you all.  Some of you might know how I enjoy my tea---now I have my first cup and saucer that I bought new, not used, from a yard sale (although I love my yard sale sets).  It might look expensive--but it really wasn't--I just LOVE red poppy flowers---and here is a tea set with red poppy flowers---my favorite!  I actually almost cried!  I'm so sappy it is embarrassing!

I love red poppy flowers so much---and then to see this red poppy tea cup; I just about fell over!  I've never seen a tea cup like this before.  I held it in my hands and carried it throughout the store instead of putting it in the cart!

We had our special event for Heritage Builders Home Educators (HBHE)this week.  Let me explain; with this large homeschool ("hs" from this point forward) we have to host one event each year as part of our membership for this group.  With our smaller hs group; Lighthouse Home Educators (LHE)--I either teach an Art class or am a Helper for another teacher during her class (I've done both).  SO- this week Uncle Jeff (Dh's oldest brother) did his Civil War presentation--the whole event is posted on the post after this one (see below).

 Besides the Civil War presentation; we were going to go to Swim & Gym---but both Dd and I didn't feel good and so we stayed home hoping we'd feel better soon.  Then on Thursday we had our LHE Co-op classes.  I taught the art drawing class and did a special little side on Frida Kahlo.....

This week we had the problems of not feeling well---especially me, having a ugly bug and low grade fever---and Dd not feeling well either-- and it doesn't seem like I am getting over this bug quickly either.  I just keep feeling worse and worse and not getting better.

I have found 4 praying mantis's--the fourth one this week.  Before I took her in; I thought about it first---and figured that one of my LHE friends might want to have a few days with a praying mantis and that this might be thought of as a kind gesture; so I went ahead and took her.  Sure enough, one of my friends was delighted to have her and took her in!  It is such a joy to share a new experience with a family that might not get to normally.  This family also got interested in butterflies b/c of my sharing information with them.  This summer they took in caterpillars and feed them until they went into their chrysalis's and turned into butterflies---to their absolute delight!  They also did moth's --- just like me!  They really had a great time this summer trying their hand at entomology--I'm so glad!  My family definitely didn't do that with me---no way would my mother EVER let a bug live in our home!! Oh my! No Way!!!  I'm glad that somehow I have become interested in learning about ALL of God's creatures...great and SMALL!!!!  I've enjoyed it so much!

Our lessons:

Bible:

Veritas Press Card 13--Isaac & Rebekah

With our usual resources to help us along with this: 2 identical bible, Believer's Bible Commentary, Journey Through the Bible, Greenleaf History of the Old Testament.

Veritas Bible Genesis through Joshua Homeschool Kit with CD.

 

The books we used along with program are:

Believer's Bible Commentary   [BELIEVERS BIBLE COMMENTARY -SS] [Hardcover] by W.(Author) ; MacDonald, William(Author); Farstad, Arthur L.

The Greenleaf Guide To Old Testament History by Rob G. Shearer and Cyndy A. Shearer

David C. Cook Journey through the Bible by V. Gilbert Beers

Artist of the Week:

Frida Kahlo (Getting to Know the World's Greatest Artists) by Mike Venezia

Frida Kahlo

Getting to Know the Greatest Artists of the World: Frida Kahlo by Mike Venezia

Language Arts: (We had more of a science week)

All About Spelling: Level 5: Step 13: passed

I somehow turned the pages past Step 14, and taught Step 15, so we worked on Step 15 all week and will continue to work on Step 15 and then go back to Step 14 after we have passed Step 15.

First Language Lessons 4: Lesson 80--it is a big review; so we only got half of it done, and didn't get back to it.

Math:

Math U See: Zeta: 4 A,B,C,D,E,F

Skip Counting Family--8's

We worked on memorizing:

Kilogram: Kg: 1,000  Hectogram: 100: hg  dekagram: 10: dag

Science:

The Mystery of the Periodic Table (Living History Library) by Benjamin D. Wiker

The Mystery of the Periodic Table by Benjamin D. Wiker

Ch. 7-12

Khan Academy:

Elements & Atoms--video's on elements & the periodic table

 www.khanacademy.org/science/chemistry/periodic-table-trends-bonding/v/groups-of-the-periodic-table

Periodic Table of Video's-=--I misplaced the page that I wrote down which video's we watched this week.  This is a great site!!!

 http://www.periodicvideos.com/videos/074.htm

Basher Science: Chemistry: Getting a Big Reaction by Simon Basher and Dan Green

Chemistry:Getting A Big Reaction by Dan Green pg 4-9

Exploring Creation with Zoology 1: Flying Creatures of the Fifth Day -- Young Explorers Series (Young Explorer... by Jeannie Fulbright

Apologia: Zoology 1: Flying Creatures: Beetles: 183-190

**We watched some beetle & bug video's on youtube.com --especially Dung beetles; which were so cool!

Rosetta Stone: French:  2x this week

Core F materials:

Best-Loved Folktales of the World (The Anchor folktale library) by Joanna Cole

We were suppose to have started Best Loved Folktales of the World when we started Core F; but I had somehow forgot to order it--so, we finally got it last week and got caught up this week. 

Reader:

Homesick My Own Story Homesick by Fritz,

Homesick by Jean Fritz---completed

I gave away a praying mantis just like this one to one of our friends this week--we kept this one for a few more days...

Read Aloud's:

Young Fu of the Upper Yangtze by Elizabeth Foreman Lewis and William Low

Young Fu of the Upper Yangtze- I've found a very old copy--1934 printed copy, with GREAT illustrations inside; we are really enjoying this copy.  We started a first few chapters with a newer version, and quickly changed to the oldest copy we own....and are loving it!  Dd is really loving this book a lot and is always asking for "just one more chapter..."

Mission to Cathay by Madeleine Polland and Peter Landa

Mission to Cathay--I am really liking this book; it is slower to warm up for Dd.

etc. , etc.

This is the smallest, skinniest mantis we have--- It seems like it is a male.

Fun Stuff:

This has been a LEGO and PIANO week!! Yay!

The Castle has 2 stories--it is very cool!

 Audio's:

 

The Lost Hero (Heroes of Olympus, Book 1) by Rick Riordan

Lost Hero-Rick Riordan

The Quest Begins (Seekers #1) by Erin Hunter

 The Quest Begins---(The Seekers)

Lamplighter Audio's:

The White Gypsy Dramatic Audio (Lamplighter Theatre) by Annette Lyster and John Rhys-Davies 

 * Chelle---you asked for a review on The White Gypsy, it is another fine example of Lamplighter making me cry!!!!!!  Very good!  Dd has already listened to it TWICE!  I've listened to the second disc twice too--

Buried in the Snow Dramatic Audio (Lamplighter Theatre) by Franz Hoffman and John Rhys-Davies

(This is the second time -at least- that she has listened to this)

 

 

Teddy's Button Dramatic Audio (Lamplighter Theatre) by John Rhys-Davies 

 (This is the second time -at least- that she has listened to this)

 

The Unexpected Return : Lamplighter Theatre (Dramatic Audio) by Christoph Von Schmid and John Rhys-Davies (2010)

(This is the second time -at least- that she has listened to this)

 

 

Fun Books:

Thea Stilton and the Prince's Emerald

Big Trouble in the Big Apple

The Cloud Searchers

Fun Movie's:

Soul Surfer Starring AnnaSophia Robb and Dennis Quaid

Soul Surfer

Outside:

Catching crickets and grasshoppers for our praying mantis's---she has helped me out some--but it is hard work considering our weather has been awful this week.

Dd has taken a big, red pepper that we grew and turned it into her bulls-eye for her Archery target--she had a lot of fun doing Archery with Pappa this weekend.

Meet Civil War Soldier Pvt. Sam Watkins Oct. 16, 2013 (a.k.a.: Mr. I)

Uncle Jeff gave a hour long presentation to about 50 homeschoolers, and some parents.  The kids all got a chance to hold his musket and pretend to aim and fire.  They also got to hold minie balls, and other artifacts - they seemed to enjoy getting to touch and hold everything. It was a great presentation-- I only wish I would have held it in a bigger room and offered for more people to attend.

Dd and her Uncle Jeff---as Pvt. Sam Watkins!!  He gave a great performance as a civil war soldier to our HBHE (our larger homeschool group that we belong to) at our library.  He isn't carrying his gun in this picture; but he had his musket and everything---really a great event!!

Meet Civil War Soldier Pvt. Sam Watkins If you are interested in learning about the Civil War, have I got the man for you, Mr. I!!!!  This man is a walking encyclopedia!   He goes to all the battlefields for fun on his vacation time.  During the school year he is a history teacher, as history is his passion.  Mr. I will come in his full Confederate uniform ready to educate and probably surprise you with lots of information about the Civil War. Mr. I is re-enacting a real soldier from the past. If you would like to research the soldier before the event just Google "Sam Watkins, Confederate, Civil War" and you can be prepared.  Or you can just arrive at the Brownsburg Public Library and have Mr. Isom tell you all about him instead!  This should be a really great event!  But be prepared that we are talking about the Civil War and there will be some material that is not for the faint of heart. Mr. I’s introduction is: “ Pvt. Sam Watkins, the author of  "Company Aytch, Sideshow to the big show," was a Confederate soldier in the 1st TN volunteer infantry, 1861-1865.  His memoirs are considered the finest firsthand account of life in the Army of Tennessee.  Watkins fought in every major battle of the war in the west.  Of the over 1,200 men in the 1st TN, only 62 were still present at the surrender in Durham NC.  Watkins vividly discusses daily life in the army, equipment, leaders, food and loss.  The presentation involves pass around items such as minie balls, shell fragments and equipment made to the exact standards of the Civil War.  The presentation lasts about 45 minutes, with an additional 15 minutes for questions.”  This can be a drop and go event.  Or feel free to sign up to stay and listen if you can!

Where: Brownsburg Public Library 450 Jefferson St. Brownsburg, IN 46112 US Room A

Oct 7-11th, 2013 Sonlight Core F Week 3

Oct 7-11th, 2013  
Sonlight Core F  
Week 3

We had a good week and got some more things added back into our schedule.  We restarted our exercise dvd program with Leslie Sansone on the days we didn't have something scheduled.  She has a Swim & Gym class on Tuesday and a Gym class on Thursday; so she didn't need to workout on those days.

Dh celebrated his birthday during this week, so Dd had a lot of fun painting and cooking and working hard to make his birthday special with gifts made with lots of love and care.  I will try to get some photo's of her work....except the cake---I think it is too late to take a picture of that!!!

Bible--Veritas Press is really going very well!!!  It is really GREAT getting to really sink our brains into Genesis and not rush, rush through our bible reading for a change!!  I am really loving it!  We are completed Genesis Through Joshua- Card 11-Sodom & Gomorrah on Monday; and Tuesday through Friday we completed Card 12- Abraham & Isaac.

Who Is My Neighbor? (And Why Does He Need Me?) -- Biblical Worldview of Servanthood (What We Believe, Volume 3... by John Hay and David Webb

We finished Apologia's What I Believe- Who Is My Neighbor book-page 263-276.  This was a great book.  This was particularly appropriate to co-ordinate with Sonlight's Core E b/c they had a running story throughout the book of a family that had half of their family in the North and half of their family in the South.  The family voiced the thoughts, feelings, and concerns that were common during the Civil War and connected well with Core E.

Language Arts:

All About Spelling: Level 5, Teacher's Manual and Student Packet by Marie Rippel

AAS 5: Step 12-completed---but it was a hard lesson!

we had started Step 12 last week; and spent this whole week working on this lesson!

The Grammar Ace: Student Workbook by Duane Bolin and Dave Lilly

The Grammar Ace: Lesson 17

Fix it! Grammar and Editing Made Easy with the Classics

IEW: Fix-It: Week 23 

Math:

Math-U-See : Zeta Student Kit / Decimals and Percents by Miriam Homer

Math U See: Zeta: 3 A-E

Science:

Exploring Creation with Zoology 1: Flying Creatures of the Fifth Day -- Young Explorers Series (Young Explorer... by Jeannie Fulbright

Apologia Zoology 1: Flying Creatures of the Fifth Day: pg 169-182

The Periodic Table of Elements http://www.periodicvideos.com/videos/074.htm

University of Nottingham--Periodic Table of Video's

Ir-Iridium

Video's: "Super Expensive Metals", "Gold Bullion Vault, Bank of England"

The Mystery of the Periodic Table (Living History Library) by Benjamin D. Wiker, Jeanne Bendick and Theodore Schluenderfritz

The Mystery of the Periodic Table by Benjamin D. Wiker

Art:

"Bio" video on Georgia O'Keefe

Dd made a watercolor, a card, and a picture frame, and printed 2 photo's to go in the picture frame (exchangeable).

Baking:

She baked her Pappa a chocolate birthday cake!


SL Core F:
Our books coming along well!  Especially Where the Mountain Meets the Moon--we had to read ahead!!

All the Small Poems and Fourteen More by Valerie Worth and Natalie Babbitt 

 

Sing the Word - All Nations Shall Worship Steve Harrow by The Harrow Family

Praying through the 100 Gateway Cities of the 10/40 Window by YWAM Publishing, C. Peter Wagner, Stephen Peters and Mark Wilson

The EHN pages are slow; and Dd didn't do it each day.  I think the shine and newness is wearing off.  


Fun Reader:

Adopted Jane by Helen Fern Daringer and Kate Seredy

Adopted Jane by Helen F. Daringer - finished

Surf Drawing Classes--Update class 4 & 5

I have been updating my first post on the drawing class, which is located on Sept. 29th, 2013 but thought that perhaps someone might be interested to see the new material up-front too.  

 

Class Four: 10-10-13
We began with our prayer (we always do!) then I read the page I handed out on Georgia O'Keefe (I actually only read the high points since it was a little long and we didn't have time for every line.) and looked at the color print of the color print of Purple Petunia and discussed it.  Then we did our warm-up drawing exercises.  During our very first class I had the class answer a lot of questions regarding what we could do during the class; and one question was whether or not they would want to draw with paper taped up on the wall; and they had unanimously said "yes!".  Dd and I bought a big roll of brown butchers paper at Lowe's and some masking tape and put up 16 large pieces around the room for each student to have a station.  The students could use pencil, or black Sharpie, or black drawing pens.  They had a BLAST!!!!  So much so, that we are going to do it again this week. 

Georgia O’Keefe

One of America’s most well known female artists was born on November 15, 1887 to Ida and Frank O’Keefe.  She was the eldest of five girls in a family of seven children.  Her father was a successful farmer in Wisconsin.  She grew up working on the farm; learning to sew, cook, tend the vegetable garden, building her own doll house and spending hours creating make-believe worlds.   Her mother thought all her children should go to college and learn a profession to work outside the home.

Georgia knew by the age of 10 that she was an artist.  She studied at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago from 1905-1906.  She attended the Art Students League in New York City under William Merritt Chase.  Chase had a tremendous influence on her.  He taught the “plen air” method of painting, and often taught his students in outdoor classes.  Chase said to be “artistic in every way”.  To him, the process of painting was more important than the final work.  He made his students paint eight or ten pictures one on top of the other until the canvas became too thick with paint.  He insisted that his students should paint a new picture every day and experiment with painting the same things in different ways.  These lessons I’ve just mentioned of Chase’s are very much lessons that O’Keefe took to use herself!  When studying O’Keefe, you can clearly see how influential Chase was to her foundation.

So, that is Georgia’s education---why is she so famous that we are talking about her?  Well, I think if we were to walk up to someone on the street and ask “Who is Georgia O’Keefe?” they would say something about her being the lady that paints enormous paintings of flowers; and they would be right.  No one had ever painted flowers this way before; and LOTS of people had been painting flowers for a very long time!!!!  She changed the way people looked at flowers, and the way they painted flowers.  She found her OWN way; her very own unique style.  But, first she started out doing the basics just like everyone else. Georgia won her first prize for a still-life of a rabbit in a class under Chase, and it looks so perfectly perfect…(and kind of boring too) but eventually she kept drawing (with charcoals mostly) and one thing lead to another and her work got attention in New York City in 1916 when she was 29 years old.  Alfred Stieglitz was a well known photographer and art gallery owner was so impressed with her drawings that he put her drawings up in his gallery….and the rest, they say, is history!  I only have one page to tell you about her, so I won’t go into all the details of Georgia and Steiglitz…but they fell in love and married; but most importantly, he encouraged her to focus on her artwork instead of teaching art (which is what she had been doing).  O’Keefe thought that the purpose of art is to show a thought or feeling, and that parts of a painting must work together in harmony.  She remained independent from shifting art trends and stayed true to her own vision, which was based on finding the essential, abstract forms in nature.

Last class we learned about Caravaggio, and how it seemed like he took a spotlight to his figures in his paintings—to force us to focus on what he wanted us to focus on…Well, O’Keefe doesn’t use a spotlight; she uses a MAGNIGFYING GLASS!  She makes us see her subject matter how she wants us to see it—her way!  I’ve found a few quotes from her—so she can tell you about herself!  I thought this might be better than me trying to do it.  Last facts first though: She painted and sculpted and worked all her life; making some two thousand pieces of art until she died at age 98!!!  She is easily considered one of America’s most famous artists.

“Nobody sees a flower, really, it is so small.  We haven’t the time-and to see takes time, like to have a friend takes time.”  “If I could paint the flower exactly as I see it no one would see what I see because I would paint it small.  So I said to myself- I’ll paint what I see- what the flower is to me, but I’ll paint it big, and they will be surprised into taking time to look at it-I will make even busy New Yorkers take time to see what I see of flowers.”

“I hate flowers- I paint them because they’re cheaper than models and they don’t move!”  “I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn’t say any other way-things I had no words for.”

This Week:


Class Five: 10-17-13

Magdalena Carmen Frida Kahlo Calderon—a.k.a.-Frida Kahlo

Our painting is: Self-Portrait 1 – 1940 or Self-Portrait with Thorn Necklace & Hummingbird 16” x 24”

Was born in Coyoacan,  a small town on the outskirts of Mexico City, on July 6, 1907.  She died at the age of 47, on July 13, 1954.  In 1910 (she was 3 years old) the Mexico Revolution began and was a major influence throughout her life.  Her mother would usher her and her siblings back inside their home each time the revolutionary shots were fired in the streets where they lived.  To complicate her childhood further; she contracted polio at the age of six.  Polio left her right leg thinner than her left leg; so she wore paints or colorful, long skirts.  Finally, at age 18 she was in a major accident between the bus she was riding in and a trolley car.  Some of the riders died in the accident; Frida suffered many injuries: broken spinal column, broken collarbone, broken ribs, broken pelvis, eleven fractures in her right leg, a crushed and dislocated right foot, dislocated shoulder, iron handrail pierced her abdomen and her uterus which compromised her reproductive capacity.  She spent 3 months in a body cast; had 35 operations—mainly on her back, right leg, or right foot.  Understanding the extent of her injuries,  the amount of pain she was constantly in,  the amount of time she spent alone in hospitals or in bed is very critical to getting her perspective of her unique and painful life.  It was all this pain, and all this “brokenness” that caused her to become the artist that she became.  She needed a way to express herself and painting was a perfect outlet for her.

Unlike Georgia O’Keefe; Frida didn’t know as a child that she wanted to be an artist.  She doesn’t have thousands of paintings to her credit—or art school degrees.  She was a very curious child –always bringing home plants, rocks, insects, and small animals to study.  She was particularly bright and was admitted to the National Prepatory School of Mexico being one of only thirty-five girls admitted (quite an honor!).  Her father was a professional photographer and an amateur artist, who was curious about all kinds of things.  He taught her about photography; and this portal is how Frida’s paintings look----like photographs of herself!

What makes Frida so special?  **Frida painted her real feelings in a way that had never been seen before.**  Frida painted about  143 paintings; which 55 were self-portraits; it is the self-portraits that showed all the pain, agony, love, joy, sadness, loneliness, and passion she possessed.   Right after the accident, during her recovery time, Frida began painting while being laid up in her hospital bed.  She had to learn how to deal with being in pain and being bored.  She turned into one of the most popular Mexican artists of all time as a result; being the first Mexican artist to exhibit her own work at the Louvre Museum in Paris, France.  Like with Georgia O’Keefe; Frida was married to a famous artist, and I could spend my whole page talking about him-Diego Rivera (a cubist painter and muralist – one of Mexico’s most famous artists also); but I don’t have time.  They had a very rocky relationship with many up’s and down’s; which gave Frida fuel in which to paint more paintings about her love and devastation regarding Diego.

Now for some quotes from Frida for you to hear about her, from her:

“I paint self-portraits because I am so often alone, because I am the person I know best.”  

“My paintings carry with them the messages of pain.”  

“I never painted my dreams, I painted my own reality.”

 “Painting completes my life.”

I had huge sorrow (paraphrase mine)….”but it learned to swim and now I am overwhelmed by decency and proper behavior.” 

“Taking in one’s sorrow means risking that sorrow to eat you up from the inside.”

“They thought I was a Surrealist, but I wasn’t.  I never painted dreams.  I painted my own reality.”

“I am not sick.  I am broken.  But I am happy to be alive as long as I can paint.”

I hope you all are interested in learning more about Frida Kahlo and will learn more about her and her artwork!!

Conner Prairie Interactive History Park Oct. 3, 2013

Conner Prairie History Park 
Oct. 3, 2013

In Process-----

 We spent the first hour inside the Welcome Center doing science projects like these---electricity, building a windmill...etc. fun and educational.

This is a idea of the beautiful grounds...pasture lands and sheep, horses, pigs, cows, goats...

I took a few pictures of each of the FOUR HISTORIC PLACES WE VISITED:

Our first stop:

Lenape Indian Village:

1836 Prairietown:

 

This woman did the best job creating a real life scenario for us---it was as if we really walked back in time.  She was really making a great meal.  You can see the eggplant, egg, and flour on the table that she used to make the dish she is cooking on the fire.  She had some bread dough rising; and another bread already done on the table. 

Here she is teaching the young girls how to knead the dough properly.

This is another home (not the kitchen/cooking woman).  Here the woman was really knowledgeable and happy to share with us how to make "ink" from black walnuts---pick up walnuts off the ground; peel off the soft green shells; wait one year; crack the hard shells; then boil the hard shells in water for hours until you get the darkness and consistency you desire.

As we walked into her home she had a large wooden tray of 'sun-dried tomatoes'.  She shared with me how to do this process: cut up the tomatoes in thin slices; sprinkle with salt, and lay out in the hot sun for a week.

The white/tan jar with the wood/paper/and rock on top of it is her batch of vinegar she is making.   She told us the process for making vinegar--which she was doing in that jar--is to cut up apples and put them in water; and cover the top; and stir them one time a day; and continue this process for six or seven months--and you have vinegar!

This boy was using a stick to write with the walnut ink.

 

Conner Homestead:

 Indiana's first brick home where William Conner lived with his family from 1823 to 1837.

Here is the candle making place--we didn't make candles this time; but we have done it here before.  You dip your string in the black cauldron of wax, slowly, layer after layer as you build up a nice candle.

This is the schoolroom--the teacher walked out as we walked in...so we taught ourselves...just like at normal!!

1863: Civil War Experience: 
We Hoosiers volunteered to defend the state from Confederate General John Hunt  Morgan and his raiders.  This place was so fantastic--each building had interactive media presentations....hard to explain...but, it was as if we had just arrived the day after the Confederates had attacked this small town.  One store was still smoldering; and there were live characters interacting with us, telling us what happened "yesterday".  Again, hard to explain how cool this was....and how they had walls and windows turn into screens that would have people "talk to us".

See the soldier sitting on the chair?  He is a mannequins, and inside the closet was a movie that was activated by motion that was like the soldiers were talking to each other.  They had a lot of these set-up's between mannequins and interactive screens.

What a great day!

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