Thursday, July 21, 2016

Apologia General Science Experiment 11.1 Minerals in Bone

Apologia General Science Experiment 11.1 Minerals In Bone




This experiment was similar to the one we did a few months ago--where we put a limestone in a glass of vinegar and the vinegar ate the lime from the stone.  In this experiment the vinegar is eating the calcium/minerals and leaving the collagen behind.  The stiff bone will turn into a flexible/bendable bone.  
*Update: wow, is the bone like a rubber-band now!  It is completely bendy and rubbery.  

We had to specially buy a whole chicken to get a wishbone, to do the experiment how it was specified.  Easy experiment to do, once you have the bone!


After a week in the vinegar, the bone went all rubbery!
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Sparta Parade July 16, 2016 Northern Lights Homeschool Band Sparta, MI.

Sparta Parade 
July 16, 2016 
Northern Lights Homeschool Band

Patriotic Parade Sequence:

National Emblem:





Saturday was our fourth parade this summer.  Our band was in the Sparta, MI. parade.  We used their bleachers to take this years band photo.

There are over two hundred students in the marching band this year.  There was an announcer describing the band as we marched through the center of town, and she said that we are the largest homeschool band in the United States.  She also shared that there are three other homeschool bands---but, I don't know where they are located.  It is nice to know there are other homeschool bands out there!







It is hard to capture their dance routine in photo's, but this picture does a little.

Here is Dd marching along!


I always show the front, older color guard, so this week I wanted to focus on the younger color guard that brings up the rear.


This picture shows the comparison between a Tenor Sax and Dd's smaller Alto Sax.  Dd is on the right side, playing her sax.




After the actual parade, the band performed a "special" music program dedicated to patriotic songs.  I'm not sure who the special was planned for, but, all of us parents and families really enjoyed our special show.  Dd had been practicing for weeks, learning the new material.  It was one of my old Fleur de Lis Girls Camp songs: This is MY Country...Land of my birth...This is MY Country...grandest on earth!...


These six fellow's were jamming up a storm before the parade.  It was really great hearing them enjoy music so much.
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Monday, July 18, 2016

Sonlight Core G Week 31 July 11-17, 2016 (Middle Ages to Renaissance) 91st week on Core

Sonlight Core G 
Week 31 
July 11-17, 2016 
(Middle Ages to Renaissance)
 91st week on Core

We bought Dd a Tenor Sax this week.  She will play it in Beginning Band, and then play the super-big Baritone Sax in Intermediate Band.  She is playing the small Alto Sax in Marching Band (the Baritone isn't in this picture).

Hello Friends, 
another summer week with all it's 'a little bit of this' and a 'little bit of that.'  We invited the "V" family over on Monday--to swim and play.  Then the eldest daughter, "A," stayed on when the rest left.  "A" stayed with us until Wed's marching band class.  The girls planned to go camping in our woods.  Monday night they camped out--bonfire dinner and lots of music practice, as they are both in WMHFA together.  They each tried each other's instruments.  Tuesday I took the girls to the library and out for ice cream.  We ended up having a big storm in the late afternoon, which put off their camping / sleeping out on Tuesday night, but they had a lot of fun together.  Then on Wednesday I took them both in for their band class. I was polite enough to not take ANY pictures of the girls and their fun 'roughing it,' but, boy did I want to!  They borrowed our big hiking backpacks (as big as they are!) and loaded them up with all their supplies, and hiked down into the woods like they were going to be gone for months!    The other big highlight was the
Sparta Parade 
in Sparta, MI. on Saturday.  This was a special parade because the head of the band, Mr. Stiles, use to teach band there and was invited back especially.  He had the band learn a small concert of patriotic music and do a little special show after the parade to a few of his old friends.  

Chickens:
Dh is on the last steps for the "Nest Box" construction.  I've already stepped on one hidden egg this week.  This week we had a few days where we had TWO eggs per day.  On Monday, Alpha, our top rooster went home with our friend, Michele.  Now, Beta is crowing up a storm in his place...ugh.  Speaking of Beta, his wound is SO much better.  I pulled out the tin of Bag Balm and applied it at least once per day, and that really did the trick.  He still doesn't want to let me pick him up, and runs to the other side of the tractor, which makes getting him his ointment rather difficult.

GERD:
I haven't mentioned my reflux problems in a few weeks---my update is that I am still taking my supplements (Marshmallow Root, Super Enzymes, Licorice Root....papaya chewables...and drinking Kefir daily...and Kombucha, here and there...and exercising...no gluten and trace dairy...and I'm still not without some problems.  I'm not sure what I will do.  I've decided to try to work this out for a year, and then decide.  From some of the online reading of other people with digestive issues, when they went to supplements and off their heavy medications (GERD meds/proton prohibitors) it took them a fairly long time before their body was able to heal and recover.  I'm trying to be patient and give my body a real chance at healing before I go back to those meds.

House:
This was a very full week, I didn't get any painting or work done on the house.  

Music:
Dd has been processing quite a few different options regarding next years music opportunities.  VIOLIN: She wanted to be in the intermediate orchestra (violin), but doesn't feel she is strong enough to try out yet.  So we will continue her violin lessons, but every two weeks instead of every week.  That will give her more time to process the new material, and hurt our wallets less too! 


As far as Band goes--Mrs. March had offered Dd to play their Baritone Sax (super big sax) in the Intermediate Band class.  That is a done-deal, and Dd loves the "Bari."    



A few weeks back, Dd went to a "band instument fitting," where ALL the band instruments were introduced and tried by the kids wanting to try these things out.  Well, Dd had never tried the Tenor Sax before, and fell in love with it.  It is similar to the Alto Sax (what she plays now), but the Tenor is bigger and plays lower notes.  Mrs. March told Dd, at her private lesson on Wednesday, that someone brought in a Yamaha Tenor Sax for her to sell.....guess who now owns a Tenor Sax?!!  So---Dd will be playing that Tenor Sax in the Beginning Band next year.  Dd will play the Baritone Sax in Intermediate Band, and the Tenor Sax in Beginning Band.  Right now she is playing the Alto Sax in Marching Band.  



Dd will just have TWO band classes on Wednesday's next year.  Last year she had two classes too--only one was a Choir class.  She will have to practice both instruments each week, but she usually doesn't have a problem with this.  So, our band/music dilemma is over and we have a plan!  She will try out for orchestra next year (violin), and we will have to figure that problem out when it comes around again!

Our lessons this week:

Bible:
Veritas Press: Gospels: 1:30 hrs
card 118: completed
Lazarus Rasised From the Dead, John 11
read with Bible and Believer's Bible Commentary
(this week's Believer's Bible Commentary was very long and detailed.  This was the last public miracle that Jesus did before He was crucified.)
Dd completed the Student Notebook pages for this card.

Journey Through the Bible
pg 292-293

Do Hard Things by Alex and Brett Harris ( 45 min)
pg 199-209
Purposefully re-reading this book very slowly--like a devotional book because it is so full of good ideas/concepts for us to think on.

Math:
 Teaching Textbooks Algebra I: 3 hr
Monday and Tuesday were off---"A" was here
Wed-Lesson 43, Thur-Lesson 44, and Fri she re-did the questions she got wrong on 43 & 44.  SLOW and steady.

Sonlight Reader:
Shadow of a Bull by Maia Wojciechowska: completed

Sonlight Read Aloud:
I, Juan de Paraja by Elizabeth Borton de Trevino: completed

new Sonlight Read Aloud:
Leonardo da Vinci: in process

SL History: 45 min
Kingfisher History Encyclopedia & Favorite Poems Old and New: completed Week 31's assignments
also
Story of the World: Middle Ages: Ch. 31 & 32 

SL Timeline and Mapping: 45 min
I had fallen behind, as I write out an assignment sheet for each weeks specific timeline and mapping items.  This week Dd had some catching up to do!  She did "Weeks 28-31."

Foreign Languages:
Sign Language: 45 min
ABC's of Manual Communication (my high school sign language book):
Lessons 7, 8 & 9.  Tested & passed Lesson 7

Rosetta Stone: French: 1 hr.
instead of doing 5, 10 minute lessons, she did an hour in three days (friend over on Mon & Tues)

Science: 
Apologia General Science: 4 hrs.
Module 11 (week 1 of 2): Human Body
Experiment 11.1 Minerals in Bone: in process, as our chicken wishbone is in a glass jar of vinegar.  We decided not to do the experiment 11.2: Phototropism & Gravotropism, as we have experienced this for years with all my growing plants and grow-lights--we really already "get" this!
Experiment 11.3: Skin Color: another experiment to pass on--Skin Color--they wanted Dd to put a watch or a band-aide on, then get "a lot of sun" and notice the difference between the white un-burnt skin and the red of her now burnt skin...no thank you!  We haven't passed on hardly any experiments, so I don't feel too bad about these two.

Computer Typing:
 45 minutes 
(letter to the "L" family)

Physical Exercise: 
 8 hrs minimum 
Swimming:
2 hours on Monday, 1 hour on Sunday

Sparta Parade: Marching: 9:30-2pm

Hike with "A": 2 hours

Music: 
a very musical week!
Band Class (Wed. 9:30-11): 1:30 hrs
Piano Lesson w/ Mrs. March: :30 min
Practices:
Alto Sax: 30, 5-10 min, parade: 4 hrs, :30, 1:00 :30= 7:30 hours
Tenor Sax: :45,  3:00= 3:45
piano: 45, 2:00, :30 = 3:15
"A's" piccolo= 2 hrs
violin: :30, :30, :30 (plus 30 min lesson)= 2 hrs

Fundamentals of Piano Theory by Keith Snell & Martha Ashleigh:
weekly assignments from Mrs. March.  For the past 4-6 weeks, I've  forgotten to list these assignments each week.  Dd really enjoys this workbook and wants to get more after she finishes this one.


Activities:
Library 2x, Ball's Ice Cream with "A," Sparta Parade, hiking in woods with "A," Swimming, Chickens....

Busy Hands:
making a doll, sewing: 2 hrs
drawing- 2 hrs
made "A" dinner: spaghetti and chicken- 1 hr
bonfire and grilling out: ham, baked beans, and S'Mores

Fun Reading:
The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak

Hardy Boys Chaos at 30,000 Feet

(Timeline highlights, as we are ending the Middle Ages, and beginning the Renaissance: Henry VI becomes king of England, Richard III is king of England, War of the Roses, Ferdinand and Isabella marry, Jews expelled from Spain, Prince Henry the Navigator, Mansa Musa of Malli has pilgrimage, Ibn Battuta visits Mali, Byzantine Emporor Justianian defeats vandals in N. Africa, Teutonic Knights conquer Prussians, Stephen makes Hungary a peaceful Christian nation, Pope asks German king to defend Europe, Sonhay Empire expands under Sunni Ali, Portuguese begin trade in W. Africa, Babur the Turk invades India, Christopher Columbus, Vasco da Gama, Ferdinand Magellen, New World, Pope sets Line of Demarcation, Leonardo da Vinci, Tenochtitlan is built, Huana Capa rules Inca's, Aztecs arrive in Mexico and build Tenochtitlan on Lake Texcoco, Toltecs are powerful in Mexico, Francisco Pizarro conquers the Incan Empire...)

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Saturday, July 9, 2016

Richland Parade - July 4th- The Northern Lights Homeschool Marching Band July 4, 2016

Richland Parade
The Northern Lights Homeschool Marching Band 
July 4, 2016
Here was our Fourth of July parade pictures.  Dd was really hot, but made it through.  Dh took the pictures this time.


















Here is the local high school band going by.


Here is what the street looked like before the parade started.  The streets were full of awaiting folks ready for the parade to start!






We bought Giz and Grampy some "Northern Lights" t-shirts for them to wear to the parade.  Grampy said he got a good picture of Dd as she marched by.



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SL Core G Week 30 July 4-9, 2016

SL Core G 
Week 30 
July 4-9, 2016
Agnes being sweet.  She ate a hair rubber band and has been a little in-active this week.  Hoping she feels better soon.  Glad she threw up most of it. 

Hello Friends!  
We had another parade this week--Richland, MI on July 4th.  Giz and Grampy got to watch Dd in her marching band for the first time. Giz cried so was so emotional seeing Dd's band.  I'm so glad that once or twice a year Dd has family that will come support her, I sure didn't have that, and I know how much it means to Dd.  Giz and Grampy left on July 5th (Tuesday) and we got back to our normal schedule, though we have all been really tired this week.



Chicken news:
I think it was Monday we put 1/2 the chickens in the coop---10 chickens from one chicken tractor.  They did just fine.  Then Tuesday we put the other half in with them.  There was a little arguing, but not too bad.  Then, in the evening, Dd heard a big fight---only to find out the two minor roosters had got in a big fight.  Alpha and Beta were separated and poor Beta got a big puncture wound on the back of his head/neck.  I've been taking care of his wound, and trying to figure it out.  So, I have been keeping the two roosters separated--one in each of the two chicken tractors we have while all the other chickens in the coop.  



I have been letting those free chickens enjoy a bit of free ranging this week.  Alpha is going to be going to my friend, Michele's farm, as their new stud.  Their other rooster had gotten really aggressive and attacked her; which led to his "downfall" (replacement).  I'm not sure what we will do with Beta, once he recovers, *if* he recovers...his wound is pretty deep.

This is the week our chickens started laying!

I cooked up our first egg for Dd

The chickens are laying in the straw, we haven't built the nest boxes yet!  I guess the chickens don't really "need" those boxes after all!



This is four days worth of eggs---so far only one egg each day.



Dd is using the computer/internet program, Smart Music, to help her with her violin practices.  She is sounding better!

Music:
This week Dd had the Richland parade (on Monday).  Wednesday she had her 1:1 piano lessons with Mrs. March, then marching band practice, and then in the late afternoon she had her violin lesson.  Dd has decided she won't be ready for the violin try-outs this July, and to stop taking private lessons every week, and switch to every two weeks and try out for the orchestra perhaps in January or next July.  She is really loving the violin, but wants to go slower.  I think she only has about a month left of marching band---three more parades.




Our lessons this week:


Bible:
Veritas Press: Gospels
card 117: completed
Death of John the Baptist

Product Details

The following sections read with Bible and Believers Bible Commentary:
Matt 14: 1-12 
Mark 6:14-29
Luke 9: 7-9
and Dd finished the VP worksheets associated with card


Product Details



Do Hard Things by Alex and Brett Harris
pg. 188-198
Taking it slow and enjoying this book again.





Journey Through the Bible: 
pg 260-261


Giz and Grampy *thought* they were buying a Star Wars poster, as a joke, for the chicken coop---but, once they opened it they saw it had been misplaced in the wrong tube.  Now we have some weird poster up in our coop.



Math:

Product Details
Teaching Textbooks: Algebra I
(Monday off) four lessons this week, 40-43




Sonlight (SL) History & Assignments for "Week 30:



Kingfisher History Encyclopedia



Favorite Poems Old and New


Product Details

Story of the World: Middle Ages
Ch. 28-31



SL Reader:



Shadow of a Bull: in process


Can you see the gray door on the right side of this picture?  That is the new door the guys got put up to finish up the coop.  The door handle still has to be put in, but this is good enough for the chickens to be moved in.

SL Read Aloud:


I, Juan de Pareja
I, Juan de Pareja: in process
We read this book back in 2010, but Dd doesn't remember it.  It is really good!  But, not a fast reading kind of book.



Giz gathered a bouquet of flowers as a house warming gift to the girls!



Foreign Language 1:

Product Details

Sign Language: passed lesson 5, reviewed 5 & 7



Foreign Language 2:

Product Details

Rosetta Stone: French: 55 minutes:
earned another prize!


We treated Giz and Grampy to ice cream before they headed back home.

Product Details

Science:
Apologia General Science: Module 11
pg. 265-277
We are putting off the experiments to do them next week.



Music:
piano, alto sax, baritone sax, violin

Dh and Grampy made a roost for the inside of the coop.


Busy Hands:

Dd made these soaps herself...without me, sniff!

Soap Making Kit:
pictures to be added later!

Helped Pappa change the tires on the Subaru


Drawing:
Did a really nice drawing of a Mockingjay; I'll post pix of it later this week.

Friendship Bracelet:
One of those knotted cotton colored embroidery thread thing-y's.

Haircuts:
Dd gave me a haircut, and then I cut her and Dh's hair.




Fun Books:

Product Details

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

Product Details

A Whole New World, A Twisted Tale of Aladdin by Liz Braswell



Rec Room:
Giz, Grampy, and Dd went out and bought a new green paint for the Rec Room.  Giz finished painting the last wall with Kilz so we could finish the walls.  






G&G brought some "mosquito plants" for us from Indiana,  I planted them behind my lavender and in front of the fence.  Hoping they adapt quickly.




Chelle---wondering how our snails are doing?


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