'15/16 Week 14, Days 2 and 3

As we are going to have a busy weekend, I tried to pack as much school work into our days as possible. It was a short week with only three days of school, but it was still a very good one. We have been working hard for 14 weeks straight and taking some time off for friends before Thanksgiving and having a little break from academics is in order. 

Science. Learning about snowflakes and having fun at the same time.

Art. Pointillism and the color wheel. Reviewing our knowledge of primary and secondary colors.

A simple landscape in dots.

Science. Learning about resistance in wires.

After school, Andrew and I took a short walk in the woods looking for signs of fall.

This photo reminds me of impressionist style.

'15/16 Week 14 Day 1

This day started with another tornado warning for our county. Thankfully, nothing serious happened, neither lost we any hours of our school because of the warning. 

For Saara today was a big day. She started learning about multiplication. She has been looking forward to the multiplication table so much, and she has been so eager to learn it that I truly believe, she will memorize it in no time.

LA. Phonics: Making words with "r" consonant blends.

Math. Homework before dinner. While Andrew was finishing up some school work assignments, Saara was practicing her multiplication skills.

'15/16 Week 13 Days 3, 4, and 5

The three last days of our school week were very busy. The children worked hard during the day so they could have plenty of play time in the afternoon.

Thursday was our Park Day and we had lots of fun at a play ground in town. Friday after school, we got ready for the Nutcracker ballet. The children enjoyed it immensely, just like last year. The ballet venue was at a concert hall located on the university's campus. Walking the streets and looking at different campus buildings was an experience in itself. 
Saturday was a quiet school day. As we got home late the night before, we took it easy the next day.

Park Day! Saara has finally mastered the monkey bars.

Science. Andrew's favorite calss - TOPS. He is mapping, drawing, and building circuits.

At the Nutcracker ballet.

'15/16 Week 13 Days 1 and 2

I have enjoyed two rather quiet and uneventful days. The rest of the week is going to be very busy, we have a lot of things scheduled. 
Wednesday's classes, on the other hand, were not planned at all. It was Veterans' Day, and Dad was supposed to be off work, which means no school for us. But he was called in for a few hours. So, we did school for a few hours as well. 
And good hours they were. Andrew learned how to multiply with double digits, and later, he impressed Dad with his new skill. 

Andrew's last Fall Ball game.

Ending the season with a pizza party.

LA.  Learning to write about cause and effect.

'15/16 Week 12 Days 3, 4, and 5

These have been busy three days. We changed the clocks last weekend and we are not quite accustomed to it getting so dark so early. Rainy weather and cooler temperatures are making it feel like fall for real.

Our pace has slowed down a little and our school days are slightly longer than they used to be. Which is OK. We still are getting everything accomplished. 
Some highlights from these past three days: the children wrote short paragraphs about a restaurant they would open one day. Saara imagined an icy eatery at Elsa's ice palace. Andrew wanted a pizzeria at Naboo. Frozen and Star Wars have not got old yet for these two. 

Math test was not truly a highlight. Both children did not do their best (as I know they could have). It might have been the weather that made us all kind of drowsy that morning. The next day, the children finished their math problems fast and with ease and with correct answers. 

Andrew's science class with the new book we are reading is much more detailed on the level of atoms and molecules. We have taken our time to read and understand the text. Once we do, the tiny world of molecules becomes rather fascinating, like how forensic scientists detect alcohol or poison in blood. 

We finished our school week with a beautiful art project. Last time the kids learned how to paint different colors next to each other, like the impressionists did. Today, they used the same technique to paint their own sunsets. The results are worthy to frame, I think. 

Science. Saara has finished her chapters about human body. For a few days now, we have been learning about different kinds of birds. Here we read and watched a video about grebes.

LA. Our parts of speech card pack is growing bigger as we add new words to it. It takes us longer to sort through it as well.

A cultural experience. For lunch today, we had Polish pierogi. The kids helped me make them. It tasted good, but the dish was not a smashing hit with us.

Art. Painting an impressionistic sunset.

Love it!

'15/16 Week 12 Days 1 and 2

The coming weekend is promised to be rainy again. We are trying to be outside as much as possible. I even decided to postpone our art class until the rain arrives. Learning about artists and painting would be a perfect rainy day activity. 

School has been intense for Andrew, but not so much for Saara. She has been flying through her assignments. Andrew's work is a little more demanding, and we have been laboring hard on several fronts. I admire his perseverance. Although he grumbles every now and then, he accomplishes the task, and accomplishes it well. 

Scinece. Andrew on his own - mapping, drawing, and building different circuits.