Beautiful Day

So, today we only left the house 3 times for quick 15 minute assignments. I feel like we are never at home =( I also feel that I spend a lot of time un-schooling my children. So today we did this for school….

Burn, Baby, Burn… or is it Well, Done Joan!

So in honor of Joan of Arc and FIRE we decided to do a chemistry experiment…

First we mixed chemicals in water

Then we soaked pine cones in the chemicals for 24 hours.

We waited for 48 hours for them to dry and then

tried to burn them and see wonderful colors.

So, that didn’t turn out so well. We think it is because the pine cones were still so wet =(

We will burn them later and then post again =)

Joan of Arc

We met Joan the other day. She was fabulous! I would guess she spoke for about 30 minutes…straight! She was so beautiful and exciting!

The children loved seeing her, painting banners with a Fleur-de-lis, brushing a miniature pony, and roasting meat and biscuits over an open fire. I think we ALL agreed that we enjoy our modern methods of cooking to those of Medieval Times =)

We drew pictures of Joan in our journals today and have started reading Mark twain’s book on Joan of Arc. The first 2 chapters were great! I can’t wait to read more =)

Thinking Bigger…

Isaac will take the California State Testing this year for the first time. I don’t really care a lot about it, but I want the funding from the charter school, so he has to take the test. Anyway, I was showing him on the calendar when the testing was and he said he wanted to know when the COUNTRY testing was too =) Oh boy.. I hope NOT EVER!

Giotto and His Frescoes

During this last component, the children met Giotto and learned how to make a fresco.

    

Everyone had so much fun! Thank you Lopez Family!

Chemistry Class

This year we are studying about he elements of the periodic table. We are learning about the Alkaline earth Metals. The chlorophyll in leaves contains magnesium (an Alkaline Earth Metal).

First we tore spinach leaves and put them into a jar. We then covered the leaves with rubbing alcohol. We covered the jar with aluminum foil and then shook the jar every 10 minutes for 1 hour. Then we taped a piece of paper towel on the edge of the jar. After about 30 minutes, you can see the color of the chlorophyll from the leaves.Spinach leaves have yellow-green chlorophyll.

    

    

From Fizz, Bubble and Flash. Next we would like to use different leaves like Red Leaf Lettuce, to see what color chlorophyll it has!

Neumes

Another reason I love to homeschool! I am not teaching the boxed curriculum. Instead I am teaching my 9 and 6 year olds about Neumes. I know, you don’t even know what they are. Well, neither did I until 2 days ago. Well, if I had been a better listener (but I am more visual and kinesthetic than audio) I would have remember learning the word on our trip to the Benedictine Monastery (again another reason why I love homeschool especially with my fabulous group). So, when the monks would write their chants, they used a four lines (yes ours is 5 because that was what was inside their piano book) with boxes to show when to go up in notes and when to go down. We took the word Alleluia and made our own chant. So much fun! I am hoping one of them is brave enough to sing it for the group on presentation day =)