Recent Teen Events

Here are some pictures from our teen field trip to a glass blowing studio:

Oh Mercy, was it hot in there. We were pretty up close and personal -with the 2100+ degree furnace and the blow torches.

Wow!
Glass blowing is really a fascinating process to watch. We enjoyed watching the artist make a gorgeous bowl. She gave us three wonderful demonstrations. It was really a quality field trip.

Tonight we had a political issues event. First we played a game to see who could list the most presidents names in 3 minutes. Then the kids gave speeches on the election issue of their choice, told us where each candidate stands on the issue and then gave us their own opinion about it. It was neat!
Then we played charades...
Which was too funny! We had lots of laughs!
It was a great evening!
~Becky

"Shouldn't you be in school?"

I love Diane Hopkins' answer to this question!
Her web site is http://www.lovetolearn.net/ and her homeschooling catalog is one of my favorites!

Diane's answer:
"The question will certainly come to you as you are out and about with kids during the school day. Know that your children will soak up your attitude. I never try to hide the fact that I home school from anyone, from the librarian to the store clerk. I volunteer the information and follow it up with how blessed we feel! I am on my own one-person campaign to change the world's perspective of homeschoolers!
When someone asks my kids why they aren't in school, I jump in and answer for them (as I think it is unfair for others to impose their prejudice on my children) and I say, "We are so lucky because we home school, and have so much fun together! We love it and are learning so much!" and the kids look up and smile. Or, I say, "We home school and I feel so happy to be with my best friends learning—they are so smart! And they teach me so much!" As my children have grown, I hear them answering in a similar way to those awkward questions, and expressing their enjoyment of being home schooled. It is really hard for people to have a hurtful comeback to that kind of confidence and enthusiasm. Attitude really is everything!"

Isn't that great?I love the part about adding how blessed we feel!
I think that attitude will help my own kiddos who sometimes feel self conscious if we are "out and about" during school hours.

~Becky

By the Great Horn Spoon

By The Great horn spoon is a great book except for the front cover and the illustrations. We all said that Joy could do better drawings. It's kind of predictable but has a great ending and some parts are weird. But it's a great book and I think that every homeschooler should read it.

~Andrew

A Homeschooling Day in Pictures

Mom to Five Kids did this once and I enjoyed seeing someone else's homeschooling day in pictures so here is one of ours!
(when our camera was actually cooperating. I think its dying a slow death..)

I usually get the kids up at 7:00 AM, and its time for breakfast!
Nothing fancy as you can see.











Then we have devotional. Some days we have a Bible study together and on other days the kids read their Bibles on their own and we pray together.











Next, Joy and Andrew study for Junior Bible Quiz and Nathan studies for Teen Bible Quiz.










Joy and Andrew are working on learning 30 point questions this year. We don't always get out the box but today they wanted to. Their first match is next Saturday.

Nathan is memorizing the book of Mark in TBQ. They have their first match this Saturday on chapters 1-5. Its awesome to hear him quoting a gospel. We loved the epistles but there is just something special about reading what Jesus said and quoting it. One thing we remarked on yesterday was, when did Jesus get a break?! No wonder He was sleeping in that boat! : )





Our high schooler works on his own all day for the most part.
I took this picture of the back of Zach's head because that is what we see most of him. : )



Last year I really missed having him involved in our studies, but I'm getting used to it. This is life in high school! -He has two classes on c.d. rom and one online so he spends a lot of time at the computer everyday...
He's a diligent student.


Joy, Andrew and Nathan do their math, spelling, reading etc...next and I help whoever needs it.










Then I got distracted by some emails and found this happening. -A certain somebody blowing bubbles in the house! : )










We did some more work and then it was lunchtime! Which I forgot to get a picture of.
We stop for one hour which we all need and enjoy.


Then I do our unit study work with those three and we use Learning Adventures: A New World of Adventure (for grades 4-8) It includes everything but math. But we have substituted some things that suit each of the kids better.











At the present we are studying New Jersey, the Revolutionary War and doing a unit on the different sections of the newspaper by writing our own articles. We finished the section on inventors and are about to start a study one on electricity.
(Nathan has started a high school science course so doesn't do science with us anymore)
I'm so glad this curriculum has a read aloud time because that is one of my favorite things to do with my kids!!! We just finished Sign of the Beaver and since we've already read Johnny Tremain (love that book!) we substituted By the Great Horn Spoon because of our recent trip to San Francisco and our study of the gold rush. (fun story!!!!)

Around 3:30 or 4:00 PM, we usually call it a day. This school day ended on a grumpy note. (just keeping it real!) : )

The kids have a little free time until we do chores and after those are finished they get 15 minutes each of 'electronics.' That's a privilege and sometimes they loose it...


Tonight Nathan had Teen Bible Quiz practice, and so we did more quoting of Mark...
Then I made dinner.
Our favorite part of the day is when Dad comes home!!!
Since it was a Tuesday, he had 'family band practice' with the kids after dinner and I went to pick up Nathan from his TBQ practice.


That's about it for that day!

If you do a homeschooling day in pictures, let me know. I'd love to come and visit! : )

~Becky