Nov. 2, 2009 - Russia
And we're off to Russia for a week or so. We're reading chapters 17 and 26 in Story of the World, Vol 3; learning about Peter the Great and Catherine the Great.
Russian Coloring Pages with a paper Matroyshka craft
Lots of Russian links
TIME for Kids Russian Teacher Guide
Russian flag coloring page
Enchanted Learning Russia printables
Play Durak - a Russian card game
Make a salt dough map of Russia. My kids love doing them and we rarely do.
2 parts flour
1 part salt
1 part water.
Put an outline map onto cardboard, and use a physical map as a reference to form the country. When it dries in a day or so, then paint it.
Cook Russian food.
Print out a map of the polar regions; color, talk about arctic circle and why Peter the Great needed to find a warm water route to the west.
Listen to Peter and the Wolf - Classics for Kids Lesson Plans
Russian music from library
Some DDS numbers for Russian books:
JF Meyer
E Robbins
E Metaxes
E Tolstoy
J 398.2 SIL
J 947 CAT
J 947.31
J 394.26
J 914.7
947 M
Diane Stanley - Peter the Great
movies: PBS Catherine the Great, A&E Peter the Great Biography, and Peter and the Wolf movie (after listening to it).......and since it's so close to Christmas, Nutcracker ballet and other Russian ballets from Netflix
Oct. 29, 2009 - Grammar worksheets
I've scaled back a little to just Reading, Writing, and Math for the time being. Here are a bunch of grammar worksheet links that I've found...a lot of them go along really well with First Language Lessons, Level 3. I don't have the student workbook, and even if I did, I think I would still need some more reinforcements, so this is what I'm using and it works great!
1,025 noun worksheets (and more)
6th grade grammar worksheets - yes, I think they could be used for 3rd grade *cringe*
Daily Grammar - these are great, short little sheets, perfect for quick review
a blog with a bunch of grammar links....maybe they're the same as what I'm putting up, lol. I haven't looked through it all yet, but there's a lot! Very helpful!
Gigglepotz - ??? about the name, but a bunch of different worksheets
Language Arts worksheets
Fantastic worksheets - this is the site I go to first.
April 8, 2009 - Full Calendar Update
Life as a missionary in Romania had it own set of stressful situations. We had busy days. But for the most part, whatever was going on, I was at home. The kids were younger. John was at home. We did things - family things, ministry things - together. Now I am a "single mom" whose husband comes home on the weekends. The busy-ness of my life is stressing me out.
Life for the past several months has been a countdown until April 24th - Family Day at the State Police Academy and the end of phase 1 for John. I posted this entry on my other blog a few weeks ago and thought I'd update it here. That blog has issues at the moment. My dad thinks it has to do with a password which sounds rather simple. But it hasn't been a priorty during John's 48 hours at home on weekends.
Here's what is on my calendar. This does not include routine housework, homeschooling and regular activities like church, skating, meal preparation and sleeping.
Gabriel's dentist checkupYearbook committee meeting for HannahDentist appointment for me to get a fillingAmerican girl party for Holly - KirstenUltimate blog party- My second dentist appointment for a second filling – postponed until June due to busy schedule
Gabriel's 18th birthdayGabriel's drama performanceHolly's other book club with some girls from churchGabriel and Hannah take the ACTOur 22nd wedding anniversaryMoms' homeschool meetingHolly's 11th birthday- Easter egg hunt for Holly with our homeschool group - tomorrow
- Dermatologist appointments for Gabriel, Hannah and me – postponed Hannah’s appointment until May due to scheduling conflicts
- Visit a friend that I haven't seen in many years in Williamsburg – Tuesday!!
- Easter
- Sing a solo at church on Easter Sunday
- Clean house because company’s coming!!
- Attend Family Day at the State Police Academy
More later with an update on phase 2.
April 5, 2009 - Ants
We have a problem with ants in this apartment. Actually, it seems like we've always dealt with ants here in Virginia. If Holly leaves wrapped candy in her purse, the ants find it quickly. And we are on the second floor of an apartment. Talk about industrious! Anyway, I don't leave food on my desk but it seems daily that I find a little ant searching just the same. The poetry prompt for day 4 was to write about an animal. I don't know if I have ever written poetry about any animals before. I thought I would try a non-rhyming form called Shadorma. Shadorma is a Spanish 6-line syllabic poem of 3/5/3/3/7/5 syllable lines respectively. Here is my attempt:
Small black ant
searching for some food
on my desk.
Go away.
The kitchen’s the place to eat.
Better yet, the park.
April 5, 2009 - The Problem with Dishes
Have you ever written a poem and couldn't decide if it's finished or needs more? Well, that's where I am with this one. But, like housework that's never quite finished, so is this poem.
Today's prompt: Take the phrase "The problem with (blank)" and replace the "(blank)" with a word or phrase. Make this the title of your poem and then write a poem to fit with or juxtapose against that title. For instance, you could have poems with the titles of "The problem with government," "The problem with advanced mathematics," or "The problem with bipolar penguins." You know the drill: have fun, be creative.
The Problem with Dishes
The problem with dishes -
My family wishes
That they would be magically clean.
But after we eat,
That thrice daily feat
Leaves a mess that shouldn’t be seen.
© Karen Woodward 2009
April 5, 2009 - An Outsider
Today's prompt: Today, I want you to write an outsider poem. You can be the outsider; someone else can be the outsider; or it can even be an animal or inanimate object that's the outsider. As usual, get creative with the prompt and don't be afraid to stretch the limits.
My Poem -
Outside the box
Understanding what others do not
Thinking original thoughts
Sharing ideas
Imagining great accomplishments
Daring to be different
Excelling
© Karen Woodward 2009
April 2, 2009 - Gabriel as Quasimodo
Tonight was Gabriel's end of the year drama performance. Disney was the theme this year. Each class did a 10-15 minute episode from different Disney movies. Gabriel's class did The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Gabriel was Quasimodo. He did a spectacular job. I know. I am his mother and I am supposed to say things like that. Aside from that, his performance was excellent. He loved the role and his acting ability, especially his facial expressions, rival Jim Carry.
I am thankful that he has been able to participate in this class for the past two years. But honestly, I believe that 95% of his talent is natural, not learned. My hyper-active, extremely loud little boy has found an outlet for his energy. Meet my son, Quasimodo:
For more show and tell, visit Mary at Raising 4 Godly Men.
April 1, 2009 - A New Day
Because my life is not quite busy enough (please hear the sarcasm), I thought I'd join in on the April Poem a Day challenge. Robert, at Poetic Asides will give a prompt each day and then we can be as creative as we want and run with it. Here is my very short poem for day 1.
Today's prompt: I want you to write an origin poem. It can be the origin of a word, person, plant, idea, etc. Have fun with it.
Sheets crumpled
Covers rumpled
A good night’s sleep is done.
Bed made
Pillows laid
A new day has begun.
© Karen Woodward April 2009
March 30, 2009 - Another Prayer Request
Today, he put in a request to be reassigned to a place just outside of Richmond. This would enable him to live at home and make family life much easier. Please pray for God's will to be done in this.
March 27, 2009 - To Gabriel
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