Weekly Wrap-Up: In Which We Complete the First Quarter

Homeschool:  I feel better about the amount of schoolwork we covered this week, mostly because we managed to get back to something like a routine, and we started on time every day!  I sent off report cards for Landon and Kennady, and gave copies of those grades to all three kids.  Spencer and Kennady both have some subject areas that are not coming easily to them right now, but overall it seems like we are on track and everyone is doing well.

Spencer needs to pick up the pace in English, which is his least favorite subject.  Biology and Algebra aren't favorites either, but he is plugging through those, and as long as he keeps at them, he should finish on time (maybe even early?! dare we hope?) and with pretty good grades.  He is in great shape with World History/Bible/World Lit - even though I forgot to order the Shakespeare he was supposed to be reading this week from the library on time! - and got started on Practical Drafting this week.

Landon is well ahead of the pace in Math, and he will probably finish his current workbook by late January or February.  8-)  We've agreed that if he does finish it early, I will give him a couple weeks break from Math, but then he can start on the Grade 7 curriculum.  Since we switch from Modern Curriculum Press to Saxon for Grade 7, it will be an adjustment to a different type of workbook, so I think it will be great if he can get an early start on next year's work!  He is also on track in Language Arts (also his least favorite!) and Bible.

Kennady is enjoying her Language Arts, especially right now when she is working on some poetry.  She has written some pretty good haikus over the past couple days.  (although nothing quite as moving as the piece praising armpits that her dad had to compose extemporaneously for a game at youth group a couple weeks ago! LOL)  She is doing well with spelling and reading as well.  Math is her weak subject, as she is still stumbling over math facts and is too easily frustrated with it.  I'm seeing progress there, and thankfully the chapters on geometry, measurement, graphing and such offer her a welcome break from the dreaded division questions.  ;-)  She is eager to work on her Home Ec, and is doing well with that, so I'm finding that I can use baking and sewing as "rewards" for having worked hard on Math.

Social Studies this week focused on Australia, and with the exception of one DVD we plan to watch, we are finished that unit and will be moving on to Asia beginning next week.  This week we tried an art project based on Aboriginal Dot Painting.









In Science, we studied acids and bases this week.  We made a pH indicator by boiling purple cabbage, which is, frankly, the only good use *I* can think of for cabbage.  I don't much care for the taste.  LOL



We used the indicator to test several substances to see if they were acidic or basic.  The cabbage indicator is a dark purple color but turns pink in the presence of acid, and turns blue or blue-green in the presence of base.  It smells just as bad no matter what color it is though, in case you were wondering. 8-/

Our acids included lemon juice, vinegar, lemon-lime soda,  salt-n-vinegar chips, and even saliva.  I will spare you the picture of the saliva - you can thank me later.  Also, I suggested serving cabbage indicator punch (Sprite and indicator!), but the smell gave it away.  Oh well, it was worth a try.









The bases included:  soap, baking soda, antacid tablets, and toothpaste.









We also tested milk just to prove that it was pH neutral.  Then we talked about the chemical reactions between acids and bases, and how salts are produced in those reactions.  We also copper-plated a paper clip by putting it in a vinegar and salt solution along with a bunch of pennies.  I didn't manage to get pictures that showed a good before and after, but trust me, it DID work.



In Other News:  We are getting used to having a furry pet in the house again.  Everyone loves Pepper (or whatever they call him, that cat has so many names by now and we really haven't settled on just one) but he is quite the distraction during school! And at bedtime.  And when chores are to be done.  But he is awfully cute and entertaining, a real bundle of energy!





We finally got rid of the old deep-freeze that's been taking up space in our basement for so long! And when I say 'finally' I mean it - we inherited that freezer from the previous owner of our house, which we bought a little over NINE years ago.  At first he was going to come get it, but that never worked out, and we have spent about eight-and-a-half years trying to find somebody else who wants it.  It was a RELIC.  International Harvester brand - seriously.  And you thought they only made tractors.  Apparently they made freezer way back in the day.  And it was huge and heavy.  Big enough for several bodies deer, I'd say.  It was creepy and I'm so glad it's gone!! Now, of course, I will have to move a few things around in the basement and hopefully we will be able to make better use of the storage space down there.

I grabbed a couple of pictures on two mornings this week, just because. :-)  Morning sunshine + frost + fall colors = gorgeous.  Again, my photo skills and camera just aren't up to doing it justice.







On My Bookshelf:

• The Prophet by Francine Rivers


• Feed Your Family on $12 a Day by Rhonda Barfield


• Silent in the Grave by Deanna Raybourn


• The Constant Princess by Philippa Gregory

Visit CanadaGirl for other wrap-ups - and congratulate her on her 20th anniversary!

Parting Shot: