Thursday, March 27, 2008

Weekly Report before Spring Break!




This week has been a huge blur! Not sure if it is because we have been spring cleaning our 2 attics and getting ready for a yard sale, the kids pending Spring camp they leave for at 5 today and not return till Tuesday evening, or just the busyness of Dr. appointments and life! Its just been a slamin week!

School went well. We got a lot done, and finished some things up so we can enjoy spring break next week. Did I mention Spring break next week? *Ü* Kids going to camp?? *Ü*

Honestly though, they know I am joking... I have never ever been one of those moms who waited for the big yellow bus to come get them or couldn’t wait to get rid of them.......The kids think this one is the best camp the youth group has, and they do a camp in each season. They will be missed...

On to the school work....

Science Happened once this week. :( Sad but true.... I figured we can handle Astronomy next week, even though its break... or if not... we will finish after... this sets us back further, but honestly... I’m not worried and don’t really care! lol We are so close... its all good. When we are done, I thought I would take it to Kinko’s and have it made into a book! That will be fun for RyLee to see all her hard work in a book.

Christian took this week off from science, so we don’t break the module up over spring break. *Ü* Could you here her cheering Monday? *Ü*

Math The girls did really well this week. Christian even did an extra lesson w/o my asking... go team! RyLee... I don’t think she is being challenged. She has not missed anything on her math for a few weeks now... not sure what to do about that?? Do I have her do more lessons each day? 2 instead of 1? Suggestions??

Bible study: Both girls are still covering Explorers bible study. They also have 30 minutes each morning reading their bible alone and have quiet time. RyLee was excited because she has finished her bible I had her read for quiet time. Its the picture bible. She loved it. After break, she will read her regular NIV bible for her quiet time and work through the bible best she can. I think I have forgotten to mention this in our last few posts...


Tapestry of Grace Monday we covered what was left from last week. Charles Finney, Martin Van Buren, and Daniel Webster. Just couldn’t fit it in last Friday.

I just realized I never changed our books over to our new week here on the blog... oops...*Ü* Its been a busy week.... We are now learning about Australia.. studding its History and geography through the 19th century. We took it light…… Again because of break... Christian read from Bob Jones p420-426 and 478-479 on Australia. Ry read from Streams of civilization pgs 211-214. They both wrote a narration of what was read. Other than this, that was it...

Literature: Christian is STILL on Emma.... she is so bored, but I refuse to let her stop. She is plugging away. She has next week to finish or else! Not sure what the for else is yet!lol I did let her watch the Masterpiece theater episode of Emma. I Tvod it.... it was pretty good...

yes I know it ruined the story for her, but I was trying to encourage her... she still has to finish. *Ü*

When we start up again after break we begin Les Miserables!! I can’t wait! We will cover this book in depth over the next 5 weeks. RyLee is supposed to read a Christmas Carol, but she did that at Christmas time, so I will have to pick something else....


Spanish!
We had fun with vocabulary this week. But honestly that’s as far as we got folks.

Sketch Tuesday was fun! Dan, RyLee and myself had something to show this week! Christian was not feeling well, so we let her slide. *Ü*

Nature study:


This can be seen over at Sticks and Stones, our 2nd blog. It sadly needed the update!! We sort of did challenge 5... and have not begun 6 yet. I know challenge 6 will be great! We just need to "do" it. Especially since 7 is coming up!




Art study


Yup! This is a new one! One I have wanted to add for a few weeks now! Almost 3 weeks ago, I bought an art study from Amanda at Hearts and trees.



We began the study with a painting from Van Gough. It was called Wheat Field Under Threatening Skies. I liked it! I never really liked Van Gogh’s work... like I "knew" his work, lol... but the paintings I have seen before, they never really appealed to me. I enjoyed this one, and a few other we observed in the books we have. They are Great Themes in Art by John Walford and The story of painting by Sister Wendy.

The other paintings I enjoyed were " The artists bedroom", "Farmhouse in Province" and " The Night Cafe at Arles"

The girls and I both decided we don’t care much for most of his work, but we did appreciate his passion for painting, and I think we all agreed that anyone who would continue in a passion and have so much disappointment... must be worthy of some admiration. He was a strange, sad man, disappointments through most of his life...mental illness... sad life really... and he only sold 1 painting while he was alive.

The only fact that I knew before we began this study was that he cut off his ear ( the lobe part)and gave it to the woman he loved, but was betrothed to some one else...how gross is that?

We completed the notebook page that Amanda created and then did a project she suggested at the end. I have my own notebook and made my own picture along with the girls. I am not the creative sort, so I just tried to copy... Here are our drawings though.

The idea behind this was to create our own cloud picture.... and we were to try and "do it" Van Gough style.... First is RyLees, then Christians and mine...





We all enjoyed this. I thought they might not like it, but it went great. Looking at the pictures in the books I had, then reading what the books had to say, made filling out the notebook pages more enjoyable for the girls, myself included... we knew more about Vincent and his style... a little more about him personally too.

I also used some other questions found at Looking at art and asking questions. This was linked on Amanda’s site. This added a lot to what we were doing, not only that, but it just got the girls looking at other artists and comparing the paintings and what they liked and did not like and why.

It really was a good time. it might have taken us an hour, maybe a little longer... but that’s it... We will use 1 painting and artist a week. Next time we will cover Monet. 2 paintings actually. This has been a gentle way to introduce us to studying artists and I think after this one, we can handle going on our own... maybe. *Ü*

RyLee also baked this week. She has not done that for a while. She made scones! They were so good! They didn’t last long. Her brother has been home during the day, due to spring break. *Ü*


That’s our week, it was long and its not even over yet! I still have to prepare our craft/project for Sunday School, finish pricing stuff for the sale on Saturday, organize my paper work and payments people are sending in for a field trip on an Amtrak train I organized for May, Make a flyer for the used curriculum sale I host each year with my family and friends help.... ( I need the flyer done by Sunday)finish school today and get the kids off to camp...

Is it Monday yet?? *Ü*

13 comments:

lori said...

I LOVE seeing what ya'll do in a week!! It really is COOL!!
I teach an Art History on Friday and I'm with you..Van Gogh, not my fave either....this week we cover Georgia O'Keefe...the BIG flowers...she is one cool lady!!

How about this....YOU come on over, enjoy the SPRING...all you have to do is bring some scones!!
We'll be waiting!!
hugs!
happy Friday!!
and NO SNOW!! :)

lori

Keys to the Magic Travel said...

Looks like you all had a great week - and the promise of an even better next week! You are making me nervous about Jane Austen. I have somehow managed to have never read one of her books...and I have two on my 888 challenge list. I hope I won't want to throw them against the wall ;-)

Tina in WA said...

Wow, what a week you had! Sounds like a lot of fun at your casa.

Great job on the pcitures everyone and those scones look YUMMY!

~Tina

Lori C., Texas said...

What a great week! You all got tons done! I am going to have to go and check out that Art Study. Sounds really good!

Those scones look so yummy!

Have a great busy weekend!:)

Lori

Paige said...

Sounds like a great week!

Rhonda said...

Lisa: It sounds like you had an incredible week-I really enjoy your weekly reports. :) The scones look delicious and I always enjoy seeing your art work.
I hope you have a great spring break. I am still spring cleaning too (will it ever get done? lol)
~Have a blessed week.
~Rhonda

Barb said...

We made scones this week too and Amanda wanted to make her own lemon curd but didn't get to it. I love having a grown-up daughter who loves to bake. (I trained her well.)

I love your account of your artist study. I can't tell you how it warms my heart to see families taking artist study and running with it. It is such an enjoyable part of our homeschool experience. I wouldn't trade those hours sitting around the table doing art together for anything. Last night Amanda and I did some watercoloring in anticipation of her upcoming blog entry. We had a great time playing with color.

Anyway, you did have a busy week.

Barb-Harmony Art Mom

Anonymous said...

What a great week! I love your Van Gogh-esque cloud pictures. We did that once with Monet, and the kids and I loved it, but for some reason we never did it again. We will have to try again soon. Thanks for the inspiration.

Anonymous said...

Whew! I'm tired just from reading about your week. LOL So glad you had a productive one though. Have a blessed weekend and get some rest while the kiddies are away.

Tonia said...

Looks like a busy week! You can tell your dd I'm having a hard time with "Emma" too. I tried to read it a few years ago and didn't finish it. I have since read all of Austen's other books, but I've left this one for last.

Love reading your blog! :0)

WisdomBuilders said...

Sounds busy! I love looking through art appreciation books with my own littles. They are only 5 and 2, but I let them make up stories with each picture they see. They have fun with that. What imagination!

Anonymous said...

You did a lot of work. You were busy, busy. I hope that you have a great break.

Blessings,
Karen
www.homeschoolblogger.com/testimony

Niall MacC said...

Wow, what a week! Well done.
Ruth