Friday, April 15, 2011

Science - Fish

Exploring Creation With Zoology pages 87 - 92, Bony Fish

Types of Bony Fish Print out

Label the Fish Anatomy

FIELD TRIP: Take your kids to the local aquarium. If your city does not have one a fun and free alternative that we used was to go to the local Cabella's, Bass Pro Shop, or other major hunting and Fishing supply store. It is popular for these stores to have aquariums inside of them for people to walk through for free!

Exploring Creation With Zoology pages 93 - 96 - Fish Defenses

Exploring Creation With Zoology pages 97 - 100, Spawning

Salmon Life Cycle

Salmon Lapbook


Thursday, April 14, 2011

walk. Really?



walk.

This blog is funny, in general, but it is also kind of mean. I laughed a couple of times, but I also got a little angry. First of all the author doesn't know the story of why those kids are in strollers or if this is an everyday practice of an exception. The author says "When I have a baby of my own it will be strapped to me, as an infant and then it will be walking. No middle ground." While that is noble in concept, that isn't always practical. Once the author actually has a child, she might find that there are times when some sort of portable transportation is necessary for her child of walking age. Who gets to decide whether it is meaner to put a child in a stroller (because why, it makes them lazy?) or force them to walk the entire day at the zoo or amusement park, outdoor festival, etc.?

I personally do not put my 3 year-old in a stroller normally, but if we are somewhere that he might get tired then I bring the stroller. If a place is way too crowded for me to feel safe I have been known to use a leash because in the past I have suffered from foot problems that made me unable to catch him should he get away from me. Now that my foot has recovered I use the stroller if I want to take a walk for exercise, otherwise my 3 year old can't walk fast or long enough for me to burn any calories and I have my kids with me at all times. At other times I take family walks where he just runs along at his own pace and we do not go very far, so that he can still enjoy the pleasures of walking and being out in nature.

The decision to use a stroller, a leash, or neither, is a personal one. It isn't a decision that is really going to change who your kid is as a person. A child put in a stroller will not automatically turn into a sociopath, nor will one who is kept from strollers become the next president. So why do we feel so smug about our decisions as parents? If you feel that you are making the best decision for your child, then more power to you. But do you really need to make someone else feel bad about theirs if it isn't harmful? Also, I would step back a minute and realize sometimes the decisions you make before you even have kids don't end up being the ones you actually follow through with once the little bundle of joy is running towards a street screaming as you hobble after it, 6 months pregnant, trying to catch up to keep your little one safe.

Little House In The Big Woods - Chapter 9

Language Arts:


Vocabulary:

Muzzle
Wisps
Snarls
Bounded
Astonished

Spelling:

Fawn
Knob
Dreadful
Collar
Rumpled

Questions:

1. Could you imagine what it would be like to have never seen a store?

2. The town was 7 miles away. At the time that this story took place 7 miles was a long journey, but now we have cars and can travel much further distances in shorter times. What is the furthest that you haver ever gone in a car?

3. What details in the story lead you to believe that Laura is jealous of Mary?

Science:


 Chicken lapbook

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Little House In The Big Woods - Chapter 8

Language Arts:


Vocabulary:

Corsets
Venison
Bugle
Napes
Basin
Whether
Sprigged
Nestling
Scalloped
Waxing
Graining

Spelling:

Autumn
Knot
Straight
Coiled
Flounces
Nestling

Questions:

1. Laura couldn't decide whether to be scared of her wild Uncle George or not. How would you feel?

2. What did the two Laura's argue about?

3. Why do you think this was so important?

Science


 Pig lapbook




PE


Do a Square dance! Square Dance Lesson on YouTube


Home Ec:


Eat pancakes and maple syrup for breakfast! (Yum!)

Make Hasty pudding! Chocolate Hasty Pudding

Make a clove apple! Ma Ingal's Clove Apple

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Monday, April 11, 2011

Little House In The Big Woods - Chapter 7

Language Arts

Vocabulary:

Eaves
Trough
Sap
Skimmed

Spelling:

Trough
Eaves
Skimmed


Questions:

1. Why did you first think that Pa called the snow a sugar snow?

2. Grandpa go maple syrup from the trees, can you think of something else we get from trees?

3. Why do you think ma never wore her delaine dress?

4. Could you imagine going from store bough dresses and living in town to living in the big woods?


Activity:

Imagine how ma and pa must have met. Write the story.


Geography:


Locate Wisconsin on a map.


Science:


Sugaring Season: Making Maple Sugar


Squirrels (My Big Backyard)







Squirrel Printout












Home Ec:


Home made maple candy



Friday, April 8, 2011

Geography - China


We went to China for our geography last week and we really enjoyed it!

We used the Expedition Earth curriculum from Jen over at coahbutton

It is an awesome curriculum. With her curriculum we learned some geography, a little bit about the culture, did a couple of crafts, and learned a little bit of the language.



One of the fun crafts we did with the curriculum was to make a Chinese fan.

In addition to the curriculum we bought a kit to decorate Chinese lanterns. We made the paper lanterns as well, but I really enjoyed decorating these so that Bella could use them to decorate her bedroom.

At the end of the week we had crab Rangoon and orange chicken for dinner. It was delicious.

Asian Orange Chicken at AllRecipes.com

Crab Rangoon at AllRecipes.com

I also add garlic salt to my Crab Rangoon mix and I deep fry them, not bake them. They get nothing but rave reviews every time I make them! Try using this recipe and deep frying them and I promise you will be so happy with it that you will never even want to eat Crab Rangoon from a restaurant again!

Thursday, April 7, 2011