Books and Movies from June

The summer is speeding past me filled with activities, swim team practice, swim meets, school prep, and movies!  One of my very favorite things to do is to go the movie theater.  I love seeing movies on the big screen.  In June, I went to the movie theater three times - a record high!  The definite highlight of my movie-going activities was attending the Twilight Trilogy with my teenage daughter!

 

Movies/Educational Videos from June
***The number in parentheses after the title is my rating of the film from 1 to 5 stars.

• Australia (3)
• Braving Alaska, National Geographic (5)
• Bright Star (3)
• IMAX Hidden Hawaii (1) - Yes, it was very disappointing for an IMAX film.
• Walt Disney Pixar Short Films Collection (4) - This is a really fun video to rent from the library.  It was amazing to see the visual improvements in the short films over time as they are presented chronologically.
• Armageddon (4)
• Ironman 2 (3)
• When In Rome (3)
• Invictus (3)
• Toy Story 3 (5) 
• Twilight (4)
• New Moon (4)
• Eclipse (4) 

Books from June

Well, I watched a lot more movies than the number of books I read this month.  In my defense, Jane Eyre was difficult reading for me and it took me a while to make it through all 400+ pages of the book.  I LOVED it, though.  I was able to finish 3 of the books on my Overcoming the Huge Whole in My Education With a List of Books to Read or Read Again Book List this month so I'm proud of that accomplishment.

• Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte (5)
• Call of the Wild by Jack London (3)
• Oedipus Rex by Sophocles (5)
• Glazed Murder by Jessica Beck (4)
• To Tame a Highland Warrior (4)
• A Place in the Sun by Jill Rubalcaba (3) 

A Night at the Movies With My Daughter

Just a quick post to share that I'm so incredibly excited for my evening plans!  My teenage daughter and I have pre-purchased tickets for a special showing of the Twilight Trilogy!  We'll be watching Twilight on the big screen, followed by New Moon, and then at midnight...we'll be seeing Eclipse! 

I've never been to a midnight showing before.  My daughter and I are so excited!  She took a nap for most of the afternoon after morning swim team and I just woke up from an hour nap.  Naps and movies - it's my kind of day!

I'm off to the video store to rent a stack of videos for my boys.  They're looking forward to their own night at the movies at home with their dad.

Enjoy your evening - I'll be spending the evening with my daughter...and Edward.
 

New Review Posted at Curriculum Choice - Buy It Right Math Game

I have a new review posted today at Curriculum Choice.  Please join me at Curriculum Choice to read about one of my favorite educational math games, Buy It Right from Learning Resources.

Favorite Educational Games - A List of 10

I've been doing so much school planning lately, I must just be stuck in list mode!  So, without further ado, here is a list of 10 educational games that my husband and I have enjoyed playing with our children over the years:

1.  Sum Swamp

Sum Swamp is definitely my very favorite early learning game to teach addition and subtraction facts.  You can read my full review of Sum Swamp at Curriculum Choice.











2.  Buy It Right

Buy It Right is my favorite game to teach children about counting money, making purchases, and giving back correct change.  I have written a full review of Buy It Right that will be posted on Curriculum Choice at the end of this month. 










3.  Brain Box - All Around the USA
Brain Box-All Around the USA is a fast-paced, easy-to-play game that helps children (and adults) learn facts about all 50 states and the District of Columbia.  I particularly like that the game takes exactly 10 minutes - we actually set the timer on the microwave.  When the beeper sounds, whoever has the most cards wins.  In addition to learning facts about the states, Brain Box also helps with paying attention to details and remembering them.Brain Box - All Around the USA is only one of several games in the Brain Box design.  While we don't have any of the others, I would like to get Brain Box:  U.S. Presidents when we study American History again.  














4.  Sequence for Kids
Sequence for Kids is a fabulous game to play with younger children.  Our box is so beaten up, you can barely see the top of it through all of the duct tape.  Sequence for Kids teaches strategy in addition to memory skills and matching skills.  Once children outgrow Sequence for Kids they can easily transition into one of the Sequence games for older children and adults. 












5.  Sequence States and Capitals
Speaking of Sequence games for older children, Sequence States and Capitals is played just like Sequence for Kids but the added dimension of working with the states and capitals is added to make the game more challenging and educational.










6.  Scrambled States
Another favorite educational game that is focused on geography skills is Scrambled States.  This game has been such a huge hit with all of the children and the adults in our house.  One of my favorite aspects of this game is that through playing, children (and adults) learn about borders around states and the distance between states. 









7.  Stare Junior
I have to admit that I am HORRIBLE at this game!  My youngest can beat me soundly and completely every time we play.  My husband is a much better Stare Junior player than I am.  Regardless, this is an educational game that is enjoyed by all.
Stare Junior is wonderful for improving visual memory skills.  The game is simple enough - you have 30 seconds to look at a detailed image and then you have to answer questions about the image.  This game really makes you think.  I really like this educational game because the adults are not at an advantage simply because of their age.  Actually, I think age and failing memory may be a disadvantage!   








8.  Guess Who?
Guess Who? is definitely for the younger end of the age spectrum.  As well, if adults are playing with children, the adults really do have an unfair advantage.  Having said that, this game is great for building reasoning abilities in young children.  My children often played this game with each other (and sometimes still do). 









9.  Yahtzee
Yahtzee - definitely a classic - and still great for math skills, strategy skills, and pure fun.  Yahtzee is a great game for children and adults to play together since the aspect of luck factors in which helps to level the playing field between adults and children.










10.  Disney Scene It?

OK, so Disney Scene It? isn't incredibly educational BUT it is a game the whole family enjoys.  With the DVD component, it's also quite a bit different than the board games we usually play.  And, they do have to read some questions - that's educational!








So, that's my list of 10 educational games that we have enjoyed (and still enjoy) here at our house.  What educational games or just plain fun family games do you enjoy playing with your family?

10 Of My Favorite Non-Curriculum Homeschooling Resources

Some of my very favorite homeschooling resources are not curriculum.  Some of the items in the following list were purchased when we began homeschooling over 7 years ago and are still used to this day.  Others are new discoveries that I wish I had discovered years ago.  The following list of my favorite non-curriculum homeschooling resources are not my only favorites but are definitely at the top of my favorites list. 

1. Draw Write Now Books 1-8. 

I've never used the Draw Write Now books for handwriting curriculum but I have used them in so many other subjects!  I purchased the complete set our very first year of homeschooling when my oldest child was in 1st grade.  Over the years, they have been used for drawing pictures to accompany history, science, art, and language arts projects.  The books have also been used to make handmade cards, and numerous independent art projects.  These books are just delightful and I consider them to be a very good investment!

     2.  Crayola Twistables Colored Pencils.
These twist-up colored pencils are absolutely wonderful for coloring and drawing.  They never need sharpened and are always ready to go with a nice, rounded tip.  Crayola Twistables are definitely preferred here over crayons or colored pencils.   

     3.  1 1/2" Three-Ring View White Binders

I use these binders so much in our homeschool!  I usually pick them up rather inexpensively in packages of 6 at Sam's Club.  With front and back customizable slide-in front pockets, these binders are perfect for notebooking.  They are also great for holding lapbook project packs, curriculum materials, timelines, year-end portfolios, and art projects.  Really, the uses for these handy binders are endless.  I recommend stocking up!

     4.  Non-Glare Page Protectors

I use these page protectors constantly for notebooking pages, as a temporary lamination for papers that will be used often, and to protect small art projects.  I purchase them in packages of 200 at Sam's Club or Staples.

     5.  Sculpey III

Mason, my middle son, is an avid clay sculptor.  I have kept an assortment of colors available for him at a table permanently set-up in our living room for several years now.  He often sculpts figures to go along with topics in science or history.  For example, we have a whole set of people from the Middle Ages and a full assortment of different kinds of germs from our Germs Unit Study.

     6.  Legal Size Classification File Folders with Two Partitions

My daughter, in particular, likes these file folders for completing lapbook projects.  They do make a very sturdy and large lapbook to which extensions can be easily added if necessary.  These file folder are a bit pricey but I have been able to find them on sale and I use the coupons I receive for returning printer cartridges to Staples as well.

     7.  Prestwick House Literary Touchstone Classics

Prestwick House is my favorite publisher for classic books.  Not only are they quite inexpensive, the print is a size that is pleasing to my older eyes.  Even though I have been able to pick up many classic books for free or for pennies at library book sales, paying the extra money for a book with easy-to-read print and extra features is well worth it for me (and my children).  Prestwick House Literary Touchstone Classics contain notes and a glossary at the back which aids in understanding the text.  I just finished reading "Jane Eyre" and the glossary and notes in the back of the book were much appreciated by me!

     8.  Pattern Blocks

Our set of pattern blocks were purchased when my daughter was in first grade, over 7 years ago.  They were used nearly every day by each of my children during the primary years in their math studies and in a thinking skills course.  Even though my children do not use many math manipulatives anymore, we still get our pattern blocks out now and again for conceptual understanding of math problems.  They are also really fun with which to build!

     9.  White Board

I use our white board every single day in our homeschool - I can't imagine teaching without it.  Teaching completely aside, all of the children love to draw on the white board as well. 

     10.  Post-It Notes

Post-It Notes definitely have my vote for one of the best inventions that have come my way during my adult years!  I use Post-It Notes constantly - I find them so very useful.  I use them for jotting down assignment for my son's workboxes, as bookmarks, and to flag important information in books.  I particularly like that they come in all different sizes!  I usually purchase the store brand from Staples and have found that they work just great.

Week in Review - Extreme Adventure Week!

My three children and I were on an Extreme Adventure all week.  Where where we?  What did we do?  I'll provide some hints in the following pictures.

A memory verse for the week with treasure box crafts stacked in front.

Adorable preschool craft models hung on the wall for guidance for little hands and eyes.

A giant inflatable slide just waiting for eager children to climb and play.

Two middle schoolers with servant's hearts taking a quick slide for themselves between groups of younger children.

Three year olds waiting not-so-patiently for their turns in the Obstacle Course.

Quickly discarded little shoes from little feet eager to get to the inflatable bouncies to play.

The "writing on the wall" from the book of Daniel as seen through the eyes of three-year-olds.

A tree of thankfulness.

Crafts waiting for little hands to complete them.

My youngest son Duncan and his week's worth of great crafts to help remember the important points of each day.

Did you figure it out?  Do you know where we were and what we were doing on our Extreme Adventure?  I'm sure you've already guessed that we were at Vacation Bible Camp all week! 

Our church's theme this year was "Extreme Adventure:  The Search for God's Treasures."  I only have one child left who is still young enough to actually attend VBC (big sigh) but my two older children had just as much fun as youth volunteers. 

My older son was on the games committee so he spent the week helping with the games and the giant inflatables.  He had a wonderful time even though he was quite busy most of the day. 

My kind-hearted 13 year old daughter helped tremendously in the three-year-old class.  I was the lead teacher for 15 very excited, very sweet, very young children.  I specifically asked to not be given a leadership position in VBC this year.  I just wanted to show up and do something not-too-hard.  I didn't want to be in charge of anything or anybody but I guess God had other plans for me! 

On the first day, I found that the lead teacher for the 3s was sick and I took her place for the week.  It was a great week but I now remember clearly why I was always so tired when my children were younger!  I definitely could not have handled them without my daughter's help!

That was our Week in Review!  Two weeks of our summer break have escaped us already - two very busy weeks.  I'm looking forward to a more normal routine next week and some quiet days.  We do have some exciting things planned for next week:

• 
  
  Amber and I are attending the special midnight premiere of Eclipse.  We'll be watching Twilight, New Moon, and then Eclipse at the movie theatre.  We are both SO excited.  I've never been to a midnight showing before!
• 
  
  My good friend and I are attending a local homeschool convention.  I can't wait to hear all of the inspiring and educational seminars that I have chosen.
• 
  
  We're meeting friends at the zoo for a day of fellowship and fun.
• 
  
  We also plan to see Toy Story 3.
• 
  
  And, of course, lots and lots of swim team practice.

Hmmm, maybe next week won't have many quiet moments!  If you want to see what other homeschoolers were doing this week, check out the Weekly Wrap-Up at Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers.

Posts at The Homeschool Classroom

I've been blessed to write for The Homeschool Classroom since December, 2009.  All of the monthly posts that I write for The Homeschool Classroom tend to be articles into which I have put a great deal of thought and time.  If you haven't read any or all of the articles that I have posted at The Homeschool Classroom, I encourage you to do so.  I've written about a wide variety of topics related to homeschooling over the past 7 months.  While there, I encourage you to read some of the other great articles by other homeschooling moms!

• Organizing and Displaying Children's Artwork
• Positives and Negatives of Homeschooling
• Letting Go of Curriculum Guilt
• "Oh, I Could NEVER Homeschool"
• Homeschool Portfolios
• Staying Encouraged About Homeschooling By Avoiding Discouragement
• A Well-Stocked Reference Shelf
• Hands-On Project-Learn, Review, and Assess With Homemade Board Games
• Homeschooling Through High School - Unexpected Questions

Pokemon Birthday Cake

My youngest turned 9 over the week-end.  To celebrate his birthdy we had a family cook-out complete with a homemade birthday cake.  I LOVE to make cakes but I do find it time consuming so I have to be sure to set aside time to make a cake before a birthday party.  Duncan wanted a Pokemon cake and my middle son, who is 11, helped tremendously with designing the cake.  The cake was simple but turned out really cute and Duncan adored his cake!

I tried something new with this cake.  Instead of making a single line of icing between the cakes, I made a double-stacked line of icing between the cakes.  In a cake-decorating class I took when I first got married about 17 years ago, this line of icing was called a moat.  So, I made my moat double-tall. 

The double-tall icing moat allowed me to add a thick layer of vanilla pudding in between the layers.  Yummy!

My middle son made clay figures out of Sculpey 3 for the cake.  He chose two of my youngest's favorite Pokemon characters, Tangela and Ditto.  Mason also drew the arena for me on a piece of paper and I copied the arena on the top of the cake using gel tinted black.  I piped a star border on the top and bottom and added a sprinkling of edible glitter.

Getting Real

Today I listened to an inspirational talk given by Todd Wilson titled, "Get Real."  The seminar was one of the many wonderful presentations given at the recent online The Old Schoolhouse Expo.  While I didn't attend the webinars live, I have been enjoying all of the talks that I downloaded to my iPod. 

The main point of Todd Wilson's talk was that, as homeschooling mothers, we believe that other homeschooling mothers are doing a better job homeschooling, have smarter/better behaved/more talented children, and have better marriages.  He posited that the reason that we believe these lies about each other is because we don't Get Real with each other and share our less than perfect moments.

I highly doubt that anybody who has read more than one of my blog posts would place me in the perfect homeschooling mother category but, just in case, here are 10 Get Real facts about my family and me.

1. Not one of my children knows how to play a musical instrument...and nobody wants to learn.
2. I rarely make breakfast.  My children all eat breakfast each morning but they are in charge of making it themselves.
3. I don't have a chore chart or any organized system for chores.  I can sometimes be found yelling orders from the kitchen.
4. My two older children can be very nasty to each other sometimes. 
5. I have felt so overwhelmed at times over the years that I locked myself in the bathroom and cried.  Hard, with a runny nose, blotchy face, and trouble breathing.  I've also cried in the parking lot at Super WalMart. 
6. I gave up on teaching my children Latin.  I still have the curriculum, though, and am hopeful that I will attempt Latin again with them...someday. 
7. I don't grind my own flour, make my own bread, grow my own vegetables, keep chickens, or avoid all processed food.  I think all of those things are really, really, really good things.  I just don't do them.  I sincerely admire mothers who do any or all of those things.  I would like to do some of those things. 
8. My oldest child struggles with spelling.
9. I'm not always calm and patient.  Just a few weeks ago, I lost my temper with my squabbling children during a geography lesson and yelled SHUT UP at my middle son.  The complete silence that followed and the look of hurt on my son's face filled me with shame.  I'm still ashamed.
10. I don't use a daily planner.  I would like to use a daily planner.  I don't even know why I don't use a daily planner.  I need to use a daily planner.

So, there you go - 10 Get Real facts about me.  While I didn't agree with all of Todd Wilson's assertions in the talk to which I listened, I do completely agree that mothers (homeschooling or not) are hard on themselves.  I also think that mothers can be hard on each other as well.  Perhaps by getting real, we can all extend a bit more grace to each other. 

Week in Review - First Week of Summer Break and I'm Exhausted!

The children and I enjoyed our first week of summer break which was overflowing with activities.  Actually, I'm quite tired and am looking forward to going to bed as soon as I can this evening!

Last week-end found all of us at a swim meet for the entire week-end, about 15 hours over both days.  Since my boys competed in the early session and my daughter was in the afternoon session, we were there all day.  Although the days were long, we loved seeing all three of our children swim.  We also enjoyed seeing and talking with some of our "swim team parent friends." 

Monday morning at 7am began double practices for my daughter.  We left our house at 6:15 Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday to get to the pool on time for practice.  No leisurely summer sleeping in around here!  Evening swim team practice has been bumped up for the summer so we leave here at 3:30 for evening practice.  So, basically, double practice days are mostly spent at the pool! 

A huge bonus for me, though, is that the morning practice location is too far for me to drive home so I just wait for my daughter in the car...with a big stack of homeschooling planning materials and books.  I seriously delight in the uninterrupted time to plan and read. 

This week I've been working on scheduling and planning Amber's literature analysis course.  I am using Skills for Literary Analysis from For Such a Time as This.  I am very excited about this curriculum - it truly was exactly what I was looking for in a literary analysis course.  I'm breaking the course up over two years so I've been working out the scheduling for each day of the school year.

When my brain starts to fizzle with too much planning, I've been reading Jane Eyre for the first time.  The book is a true treasure and I've been enjoying the book so very much.  While it has not been an easy or quick read for me, I have been delighting in the beauty of the language and the character of Mr. Rochester.

On Tuesday my niece and nephew arrived from Colorado to spend a week with my mother-in-law.  Ever since they arrived, the week has been an absolute whirlwind of activity added on top of our already busy schedule. 

• Tuesday evening was pizza at my mother-in-law's house to greet and welcome them. 
• Wednesday was a matinee in between morning and evening swim team.  We saw Iron Man 2 and it was enjoyed by all.
• Thursday was Cedar Point (a very big amusement park).  I spent most of the day with my youngest, Duncan in kiddie land while the older kids rode the big roller coasters.  All of the kids had a fabulous time.  I am very tired and sunburned today.

• Friday was a trip to a local water park.  I was excused from the outing to prepare for the big birthday cook-out at our house tomorrow.  

Tomorrow is Duncan's birthday!  I better get back to the kitchen and decorate his birthday cake!  The cake should be cooled and ready to frost now.  I am making a simple Pokemon cake at his request.  Actually he requested a Pokemon cake but a simple Pokemon cake is all I have the talent to prepare.  I'll be sure to post a picture when I'm all done. 

That was our first week of summer break Week in Review.  If all of our summer break is as busy as this past week, I'm going to need a break to recover from our break!  If you want to see what other homeschoolers did this past week, check out the Weekly Wrap-Up at Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers!        

New Post at The Homeschool Classroom

Like a competitive swimmer poised to step up onto the starting block for an important race, my daughter is poised to step up to the starting block of a different kind of course – the high school years. When we started homeschooling over 7 years ago, not everybody that we knew was supportive of our decision nor did we expect them to be. But, over time, the supportive became even more supportive and the naysayers either gave up on us or were convinced that we weren’t ruining our children by homeschooling them.

The years went by and I became quite used to the lack of questions about our decision to homeschool our children. But now lately, particularly within the last year, the questions and concerns from others have started drifting our way again.

Please join me at The Homeschool Classroom to read the rest of my article, "Homeschooling Through High School - Unexpected Questions."   

Writing Menus - A Tasty Way to Encourage Children to Write

Writing Menus are a great way to encourage children to do more writing!  I learned about Writing Menus through a wonderful book by Melissa Forney called The Writing Menu. 

The basic idea of a Writing Menu is that a list of writing choices are prepared for children to correspond with a unit study, academic subject, or a number of academic subjects.  Just like a menu in a restaurant, a Writing Menu is divided into three parts-appetizers, main courses, and desserts. 

The Appetizers section of the writing menu should include easy projects that can be finished quickly.  These are small bites of writing designed to just get a child writing a little bit in a fairly painless fashion.  Here is an example of an appetizer option from a Writing Menu that I prepared during our Middle Ages unit study:

• Choose one of the highlighted words in the Glossary of “How Would You Survive in the Middle Ages” (pgs. 46-47). Write down the word on one side of an index card and the definition on the other side. (2 points) Add a picture to the definition (1 point). Use the word in a sentence correctly (1 point).

The Main Courses section of the writing menu should include projects that take several days or weeks to complete.  These writing options are designed to be large writing projects that will involve all the steps of the writing process (planning, drafting, revising, proofreading, and publishing).  Options in the main courses section of a writing menu should be big projects that cannot be easily or quickly completed.  Here is an example of a main course option from a Writing Menu that I prepared during our Middle Ages unit study:

• Make an ABC book of the Middle Ages. Think of a fact about your topic for each letter. For example:  T is for Torture - Ghastly Medieval torture chambers were used to punish those people who had committed crimes, both real and imagined. Include a picture for each letter. (50 points)

When one is eating a meal, dessert is often looked forward to with anticipation.  Dessert is the fun part of the meal!  In a Writing Menu, the dessert options are the fun and particularly creative projects.  These projects might involve art, music, photography, dance, or movement.  While they are fun and creative projects, they do typically take several days or more to complete.  Here is an example of a dessert option from a Writing Menu that I prepared during our Middle Ages Unit Study:

• Create your own magazine cover for a magazine that could have been published in the Middle Ages. Come up with a name for the magazine related to the Middle Ages. Next, come up with at least five catchy article names to advertise on the front cover. Include an eye-catching illustration on the cover. (15 points)

One of the best ways to understand a Writing Menu is to actually see one.  I've included two Writing Menus that I created for use in our homeschool.  One is for a unit study we completed on the Middle Ages and one is for a Reptiles and Amphibians Unit Study.  In Melissa Forney's book, The Writing Menu, she encourages educators to make exciting writing menus fashioned after menus in restaurants.  While I think this is a great idea, the writing menus I created were simply printed on white paper and kept out as reference for my children throughout the unit study. 

The Middle Ages Writing Menu

Reptile and Amphibian Writing Menu
You can learn a lot more about Writing Menus and teaching writing to children in Melissa Forney's book, The Writing Menu.  In her book she includes the following chapters:

• Why Young Writers Need Writing Menus 
• Planning Writing Menus
• Target Skills
• Introducting Writing Menus
• The Point System
• Writing Menu Layout
• Sample Writing Menus
• Narrative Handout Sheets
• Expository Handout Sheets
• Special Helps for Little Writers
• Guided, Layered Revision
• Ending a Writing Menu Period

In my next post about writing menus, I'll discuss how I handled the points and the rewards to go along with those points in our homeschool.

A List of Visiting Birds

During the month of May, I made an extra effort to pay special attention to the birds that visited my bird feeder.  As I saw different birds at my bird feeder, I kept a list of all of the different birds that I saw.  I used a wonderful little field guide, Birds of Ohio, to identify any birds that I did not know.

I was pleasantly surprised by the variety of birds that visit my bird feeder.  I had 18 different kinds of birds visit my bird feeder in May!  I enjoyed seeing:

1. Brown-Headed Cowbird
2. Downy Woodpecker
3. Red Winged Blackbird
4. Mourning Dove
5. House Sparrow
6. Common Grackle
7. Blue Jay
8. Northern Cardinal
9. American Robin
10. Red-Bellied Woodpecker
11. Rose-Breasted Grosbeak
12. Purple Finch
13. Black-Capped Chickadee
14. American Crow
15. Tufted Titmouse
16. American Goldfinch
17. White-Breasted Nuthatch
18. Ruby-Throated Hummingbird

As well, a pair of Canadian Geese visited our front yard during the month.  I was also able to identify the owl that I hear each night behind our house as a Barred Owl.  So, we enjoy at least 20 different kinds of birds right by our house!

I was also pleasantly surprised by the way in which my simple project inspired interest in my children and husband about the birds that we see.

During the month of June, I will continue to pay attention to my bird feeder whenever I am in the kitchen.  I hope to add to my list with a new bird sighting in June.     

Week in Review - Pittsburgh Trip, Nature Study, Rousseau, Bowling, and We're Done for the 2009-2010 School Year!

Today was our last day of the 2009-2010 school year.  The day went by with very little fanfare as we have been winding down for the past few weeks.  I wish I could say that long, leisurely days napping in hammocks await us for our 8 week break.  Our summer plans include little napping, though. 

The past three weeks have been quite pleasant - relaxed but productive and filled with some wonderful treasures.  We enjoyed a fabulous overnight trip to Pittsburgh where we visited the Pittsburgh Zoo, ate dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe, rode the Monongahela Inclined Plane, and visited the Carnegie Science Center. 

My daughter and I at the Hard Rock Cafe - I love this picture of us!  Amber ordered one of the fancy non-alcoholic drinks in a souvenir cup which she was able to take home with her.  She was quite impressed with her first visit to a Hark Rock Cafe.

The children and I went for a nature hike one morning at a local nature center.  The day turned out to be much hotter than I anticipated.  My sweet children pointed out to me that I was sweating like crazy on the trail!  Our favorite part of the outing was listening to the sounds of the bullfrogs by a large pond. 

For our very last art lesson of the year last week, the children completed an Art Appreciation Lesson focused on Rousseau.  After reading, Getting to Know the World's Greatest Artists-Henri Rousseau, we watched the video portion of our art lesson.  The assignment was to draw a jungle scene in the spirit of a Rousseau jungle painting using crayons.  To complete their drawings, they used the most wonderful colored pencils in the whole world - Crayola's Twistables Colored Pencils.  While the assignment called for the use of crayons, we always substitute Crayola's Twistables Colored Pencils for crayons.  

      

After the children completed their jungle scenes which took a very long time, they painted over their scenes lightly with dark watercolors.  The colored pencils resisted the paint and the final results were outstanding.  

I adore my daughter's picture.  She used a darker watercolor wash over the top and a lighter watercolor wash over the bottom.    

While difficult to see, the detail in Mason's picture is incredible.  He truly created his own jungle world. 

My youngest child was so pleased with his picture.  He did a great job and thought very carefully about all of the elements of his picture.  He was particularly proud of his toucan!

  

This Tuesday we met some homeschooling friends that we haven't seen in quite a while for bowling.  Everybody had an absolutely wonderful time and I so enjoyed seeing my friend.  Talking with a like-minded homeschooling mom was such a delight.

Lastly, we completely finished our two year United States Geography study!  Yea!  I will definitely have to do another blog post showcasing their United States notebooks.  The highlight of completing our study was watching a National Geographic video, Braving Alaska.  All three of my children commented that they really liked the video and I highly recommend it as well.  All four of us sat spellbound during the entire 60 minute video.  The stories of those who choose to live in the wilds of Alaska were truly fascinating and inspiring.  

That was our past three weeks in review!  If you would like to read about what other homeschoolers have been doing, check out the Weekly Wrap-Up at Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers.     

Books and Movies from May

Since the end of June will mark the mid-point of the year, I should have read 25 books by that date in order to be on track for meeting the 50 Book Challenge again this year.  Right now, I've read a grand total of 21 books this year so I'm definitely on track to meet my goal. 

I read four books in May:

• The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien (5) (How did I ever go so long without reading this absolutely enchanting book?)
• Lord of the Flies by William Golding (5) - Reading this book a second time was definitely a different experience than reading it in high school.  The book was definitely just as disquieting as I remember, though, if not more so.
• Key of Valor by Nora Roberts (4)
• College-Prep Homeschooling:  Your Complete Guide to Homeschooling Through High School by David P. Byers (3)

Movies/Documentaries I Watched in May

• Birth of Civilization, National Geographic (4)
• The 5 People You Meet in Heaven (5) - I didn't think my daughter and I would ever stop crying during this one. 
• Egyptian Secrets of the Afterlife, National Geographic (3)
• Boston Legal Season 5 (3)
• Witness (5)
• Defiance (4)
• Shackleton's Antarctic Adventure (5)
• The Young Victoria (5)
• Couples Retreat (3)

My very favorite movie of the month was The Young Victoria.  The movie was a visual feast and an absolute treasure.  I highly recommend the movie.