Saturday, April 27, 2013

Ancient History, Week 25

Ancient Greece - Gods & Great Thinkers

Tessa is quickly falling in love with Greek mythology, just as I knew she would. She hasn't stopped talking about the various gods and goddesses we learned about this past Tuesday. So far, her favorite myth is of Persephone and Hades. She tends to favor the goddess Aphrodite as well...not so much for her story, but because Tessa thinks she's pretty! We also studied about a few great Greek thinkers. I was a little taken back when Tessa asked me to read the book about Socrates again. You would think such requests would no longer surprise me, but this one did. Who knew?


Monday

Tuesday

Tessa was captivated by the Greek myth of Persephone and chose to illustrate it for her draw and color. Persephone, the beloved daughter of the goddess Dimeter, was stolen by Hades, god of the Underworld, to be his queen.
Tessa was captivated by the Greek myth of Persephone and chose to illustrate it for her draw and color. Persephone, the beloved daughter of the goddess Dimeter, was stolen by Hades, god of the Underworld, to be his queen.

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Other Resources of Interest
  • "Ancient Greece: Ten Famous Greeks" (pages 8-9) from Look, Find & Learn: World History - Jerry Tiritilli
  • 14 Greek Gods and Goddesses coloring sheets - Education.com (There are many other coloring sheets in various styles as well, but they aren't housed together. Run a search within worksheets for "Greek gods" and/or specific gods and mythical creatures by name.) 

Friday, April 26, 2013

It's Owl Week!

Before we started our study of the animal kingdom, I asked Tessa for a list of specific animals that she wanted to learn more about. One was owls. I was super excited to hear this because I have long wanted to dissect owl pellets. Owl pellets are essentially dried owl vomit. Owls often swallow their prey whole. Since they don't have teeth to grind up bones, fur, etc. and their digestive systems can't safely pass these parts, they must "gag" them up. Dissecting owl pellets is a fun, inexpensive and accessible way to study what owls eat. Doing so also reiterates the importance of predator-prey relationships and food webs.

I had the idea of tracking down appropriately leveled nonfiction readers for several of the animals on Tessa's previously mentioned list and designing lapbooks around them. I wanted Tessa to have the experience of completing research and the lapbooks themselves with minimal parental guidance. Unfortunately, I grossly misjudged the amount of time and effort it would take me to design said lapbooks. The owl lapbook shown below is the only one I was able to complete in time. I hope to get a couple more done in time for her to complete this summer.


Monday

Tuesday

Blue House School - Owls: A Little Learners Lapbook - Creating a woodland habitat for an owl was one of Tessa's favorite components. She opted to color it after assembly.
Creating a woodland habitat for an owl was one of Tessa's favorite components. She opted to color it after assembly.

Wednesday


Thursday

We ran short on time earlier in the week, so we decided to wait until all components were completed before gluing everything down.

Tessa's nearly completed Blue House School Owls: A Little Learners Lapbook. (She wanted to color the cover art after lunch, so we waited until then to glue it on.) This was her first lapbook. It's not perfect, but I think she did a pretty nice job. She's very proud of it. I especially love her drawing of a common screech owl.
Tessa's nearly completed Blue House School Owls: A Little Learners Lapbook. (She wanted to color the cover art after lunch, so we waited until then to glue it on.) This was her first lapbook. It's not perfect, but I think she did a pretty nice job. She's very proud of it. I especially love her drawing of a common screech owl.

Friday

Our Northwest Medium barn owl pellet right out of its foil packet.

Tessa used wooden probes and tweezers (and her fingers!) to dissect her owl pellet. It was like unwrapping a little furry present with lots of teeny treasures inside. I think she had more fun with this lab than any other this year.

A sampling of the bones we found. We ended up with three complete skulls, numerous bones of all sorts and a few pieces of what we think are insect exoskeletons. After comparing the bones to bone charts provided on Owl Brand Discovery Kit's Web site, we concluded that they are either mouse or rat bones...I'm guessing mouse.
A sampling of the bones we found. We ended up with three complete skulls, numerous bones of all sorts and a few pieces of what we think are insect exoskeletons. After comparing the bones to bone charts provided on Owl Brand Discovery Kit's Web site, we concluded that they are either mouse or rat bones...I'm guessing mouse.

Other Resources of Interest

Friday, April 19, 2013

Ancient History, Week 24

Ancient Greece - Daily Life

Tessa learned about daily life in ancient Greece, the origins of the Olympic Games and Greek theater.


Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday
Reading the first two books together was overkill...way too much for a subject Tessa has minimal interest in. If I had it to do over, I would just read the first book. Also, Hour of the Olympics wasn't really about the Olympics...it touches on several different aspects of Greek life. It could be read/listened to any time.


Thursday

Tessa thought these ancient Greek theater masks were a hoot. She was totally intrigue by the idea of comedy versus tragedy.
Tessa thought these ancient Greek theater masks were a hoot. She was totally intrigue by the idea of comedy versus tragedy.

Friday

* HO = History Odyssey

Life Science, Week 22

Vertebrates - Home Builders

We finished up Evan-Moor ScienceWorks for Kids: Animals with Backbones, Grades 1-3 this week. Now, I have to make a decision...move onto Animals without Backbones, Grades 1-3 or stop for a month or so and study specific vertebrates more in depth. I really want to do the latter, but I'm worried about time. Having said that, we are taking next week to study owls, complete an owl lapbook I designed and dissect owl pellets.


Monday

Wednesday

Friday
I totally flaked on "Check for Understanding." I knew I was supposed to be collecting recyclables for some reason, but I couldn't remember what. By the time I remembered, it was too late. We didn't have enough around the house for Tessa to construct a home for her imaginary animal, so I just had her draw a home. It was way easier and took less time anyway.

Tessa's completed "Make a Report" and "Check for Understanding" drawings. Most of the time, I go in another room while Tessa independently works on her drawings. It's always a big surprise to see what she comes up with. I thought she did a pretty good job on these two.
Tessa's completed "Make a Report" and "Check for Understanding" drawings. Most of the time, I go in another room while Tessa independently works on her drawings. It's always a big surprise to see what she comes up with. I thought she did a pretty good job on these two.

Other Books of Interest

Saturday, April 13, 2013

Life Science, Week 21

Vertebrates - Forms of Self-Defense

Tessa learned many weird and interesting ways that animals defend themselves. I think her favorite was that opossums and hognosed snakes play dead.


Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

After finding plastic sea creatures that I hid around our school room (some camouflaged, some not), Tessa placed the non-camouflaged sea creatures onto more appropriate backgrounds and then explained how camouflage works.
After finding plastic sea creatures that I hid around our school room (some camouflaged, some not), Tessa placed the non-camouflaged sea creatures onto more appropriate backgrounds and then explained how camouflage works.  

Tessa colored a paper rabbit for "Camouflage Capers" to blend in with the background of her choice.
Tessa colored a paper rabbit for "Camouflage Capers" to blend in with the background of her choice.  

Friday

Other Books of Interest

Ancient History, Week 23

Ancient Greece - Sparta & The Battle of Marathon

And, so begins our month-long study of Ancient Greece. History Odyssey schedules three weeks, but I am adding an extra week just to read Greek myths and other popular Greek literature. This week, we hit on Sparta, the Battle of Marathon and the history of the first marathon. Next week, we will study daily life. 


Monday
  • Read Usborne: Ancient World by Fiona Chandler (pages 50-51).
  • Completed HO map work for Lesson 20, Main Lesson.

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

* HO = History Odyssey

Sunday, April 07, 2013

Life Science, Week 20

How Vertebrates Move & Footprints Too

Swing, slither and swim...Tessa learned vertebrates move in various ways. She also learned ways to identify animal tracks and made castings of those found around our house.


Monday

Tuesday

Tessa and I designed a bulletin board for "The Race Is On!" After I set up the race track, Tessa arranged the animals from slowest to fastest around the track.
Tessa and I designed a bulletin board for "The Race Is On!" After I set up the race track, Tessa arranged the animals from slowest to fastest around the track.

Our completed bulletin board. The cheetah won, having sprinted to the finish line at 70 mph. The poor sloth never stood a chance. He crawled along at just 1.3 mph.
Our completed bulletin board. The cheetah won, having sprinted to the finish line at 70 mph. The poor sloth never stood a chance. He crawled along at just 1.3 mph.

Wednesday

Friday

We found deer tracks in our backyard.
We found deer tracks in our backyard.

And, a couple of dog prints along a nearby pond.
And, a couple of dog prints along a nearby pond.

Tessa carefully mixed and then poured plaster of Paris onto a deer print to make a casting.
Tessa carefully mixed and then poured plaster of Paris onto a deer print to make a casting. 

Note: After the castings fully dry and we knock the mud and dirt off of them, I will update with a picture of our final products.

Saturday, April 06, 2013

Ancient History, Week 22

The Persians

Just a quick dip of the toe into Persia this week. Then again, this was about all that I could churn up on the subject. Seems like there should be more, but I guess the great Persian empire didn't last all that long. No time at all really.


Wednesday
  • Read Usborne: Ancient World by Fiona Chandler (pages 48-49).
  • Completed HO map work for Lesson 19, Main Lesson.

Friday

Other Books of Interest

* HO = History Odyssey