'17/18 Week 21

      We have not had so many hands-on science classes in a while. It was pure Providence that we happened to have a number of blooming flowers in our house to illustrate Andrew's lesson on plants. He had many new terms to learn, and it was neat to not only to look at the pictures and diagrams in the book, but also dissect a flower and find the actual parts. 

      In Andrew's chemistry experiment we tried to separate chlorine gas in the household bleach. We did see the gas bubbles forming, but there was not enough of the gas to discolor the damp spots on the cloth - something that was supposed to happen. Oh, well, we can always try again.

Science. Identifying and naming the different parts of the flower.

 

We cut one of the blooms open to see the seed-making parts inside.

Now that Saara's done with experiments with electricity, she takes on experiments with magnetism. 

An experiment we conducted showed that not all metals are magnetic.

LA. We are in week two of our Texas research. The kids spent a whole morning learning how to write a perfect outline.

Science. Although household bleach is not dangerous when handled correctly, Andrew took no chances when he read that chlorine gas is poisonous. 

Dissolving our catalyst (aspirin) in the bleach.

The small bubbles of chlorine gas.

The gas was supposed to react with water in the moistened cloth, but it did not happen in our case.

'17/18 Week 20

     The flu decided to visit us and forced us to take a week off to heal and get better. Once we were over the horrible disease, we dove into our studies. Both children finished their Math Book 1 and started on Book 2. Saara also finished her TOPS electricity book and started a new science book about light.

Science. Saara's last experiment with electricity.

A new experiment showing oxidation. 

The rust started appearing right away.

The same pigs, the same place.

LA. Playing hangman with new vocabulary words.

Science. Looking around corners. A fun little experiment from a new science book about light.

Learning about umbra and penumbra shadows.

We finished our week on a musical note. The children entertained us with an evening of beautiful piano music.

'17/18 Week 19

Vultures warming themselves in the morning sun.

      2018 started off very cold. I do not remember ever having such a long cold spell. We did not go outside much. Thankfully, there was plenty to do indoors. Also, the children's after-school activities started up this week. Back to the busyness of it all. 

She has been begging me to start the typing course. 

LA. One of the language activities asked the children to draw words as pictures.

We kicked off a four-week research project about our state.

'17/18 Week 18

Morning visitors

      The last week of school before break, we alternated a lot of fun holiday stuff with serious schoolwork. We got it all done. Also, 18 weeks of half of our school year is behind us. 'nuff said. Time to relax for a little while.

This was the kids' seventh Christmas concert.

We had time to bake traditional gingerbread cookies.

Of course, we spent a whole evening decorating the cookies.

Beautiful weather invited us outdoors on short hikes in the woods.

Science. Andrew's science project had us separating hydrogen from oxygen in the water. 

Hydrogen started to collect pretty fast. Oxygen, however, did not do so well. 

Another morning visit.