The Zoo Crew - Homeschool Blogger

Been busy

Thu, 31 Aug 2006 13:04:00 -0500

Sorry I haven't posted in a while. We've been busy with the new baby and such. I promise to get back to this soon.

For now you can keep up with our homestead happenings at http://www.homesteadblogger.com/zoonana

Star of David shaped Challah for the Sabbath

Fri, 10 Mar 2006 22:22:00 -0600

This is my 14 year old daughter, Miriam's, specialty... she loves to make it this shape rather than the traditional braid.

Ingredients;

1 package yeast

� cup (110 degree F) warm water

3 cups of flour (plus extra if needed, and enough for flouring the kneading surface)

� cup sugar

1 egg plus one egg white

(reserve yolk from second egg and add 1 Tbs water to it for egg wash)

� cup vegetable oil

� tsp of salt or to taste

Also needed; aluminum foil.

In large bowl, dissolve yeast in � cup water and let stand for about 5 minutes until bubbly. Stir in half of the flour, the sugar, egg and egg white, oil and salt. Stir till combined and then add remaining flour and continue to stir.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for about 5 minutes until dough is soft and elastic, add more flour if needed. Shape into ball and place in a lightly greased bowl. Turn dough over once to grease dough surface. Cover and let rise for about 1 hour in warm place until double in size.

After first rise, punch down dough and divide in half. Let set for 10 minutes. Shape each piece into a long rope (about 30-32 inches). On greased baking sheet, shape one rope into a triangle and pinch ends together. Weave second rope over and under first triangle to make a second triangle opposite to the first and pinch ends together. Make six balls out of the aluminum foil and place in the holes that form the points of the star. This will help the Challah keep it�s unique shape.

Cover and let rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes until nearly double.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Combine egg yolk and 1 Tbs water and brush over Challah. Bake in oven for 25 minutes, covering the loaf with aluminum foil after 15 minutes.

Today is National Anthem Day and Alexander Grahm Bell's birthday

Fri, 3 Mar 2006 12:58:00 -0600

The Star Spangled Banner (written by Francis Scott Key) was made the U. S. National Anthem on this day in 1931.

Alexander Grahm Bell, inventor of the telephone, was born on this day in 1847.

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!

Thu, 2 Mar 2006 10:39:00 -0600

Yes, today is the birthday of one of America's favorite children's authors. Celebrate the day by reading some of your favorite Dr. Seuss books. This day also marks the start of the NEA's "Read Across America".
Here's a link that you might enjoy <a href="http://www.seussville.com">http://www.seussville.com"</a>

March is Women's History month and Craft Month along with....

Wed, 1 Mar 2006 09:11:00 -0600

Cataract Awareness Month
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Craft Month
Deaf History Month
Feminine Empowerment Month
Foot Health Month
Frozen Food Month
Furniture Refinishing Month
Gardening, Nature and Ecology Books Month
Hemophilia Month
Humorists Are Artists Month
International Hamburger & Pickle Month
Irish-American Heritage Month
Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month
Music in Our Schools Month
Middle School Month
Noodle Month

Nutrition Month

Peanut Month

Poison Prevention Awareness Month

Professional Social Work Month

Red Cross Month (American)

Rosacea Awareness Month

Science Month

Social Worker's Month

Talk with Your Teen about Sex Month

Women's History Month

Youth Art Month

Today is Tu B'Shvat

Mon, 13 Feb 2006 11:46:00 -0600

Today is the Jewish holiday Tu B'Shvat. The words Tu B'Shvat mean the 15th day of the Jewish month Shvat. It's also known as the New Year or "birthday" for Trees, kind of a Jewish Arbor Day. Tu B'Shvat is the new year for the purpose of calculating the age of trees for tithing.

The Torah states that fruit from trees which were grown in the land of Israel may not be eaten during the first three years; the fourth year's fruit is for G-d, and after that, the fruit can be eaten. (Leviticus 19:23-25) Each tree is considered to have aged one year as of Tu B'Shvat, no matter when in the year it was planted.

This holiday is one of the minor holidays so it does not require fasting or other observances that the major holidays require. Tu B'Shvat is usually observed by planting new saplings and having a ritual meal similar to the Passover seder, with the focus of the seder being fruits and nuts that come from trees.

The proper blessing before eating any fruit is:

Baruch Atah Adod-nai Elohai-nu Melech HaOlam boray pri ha-aitz.
Blessed are you G-d, King of the Universe, Who creates the fruit of the tree.

On Tu B'Shvat, it is also customary to eat a new fruit (a seasonal fruit that you have not yet tasted this season), and to say the following blessing:

Baruch Atah Ado-noi, Elohai-nu Melech HaOlam, sheh-he-che-yanu vi-kee-yimanu vi-hee-gee-yanu laz-man ha-zeh.
Blessed are You G-d, King of the Universe, Who has kept us alive, sustained us, and brought us to this season.

Today is a great day to taste a new fruit, and plant a tree. Bring home a fruit that you've never had before and enjoy.

DD finished her crocheted blanket for the new baby

Wed, 8 Feb 2006 23:53:00 -0600

Not all school projects require a pencil and paper. My 12 year old has taught herself to crochet. My mom tried to teach me for years and I was a lost cause, I just couldn't get it. About 2 weeks ago my DD started a blanket for her soon-to-be new brother and she finished it today. We are all really proud of her and I thought I should share her accomplishment with you. We rewarded her with some new crochet books, new hooks and more yarn to continue with her new found hobby.

Feb 4th

Sat, 4 Feb 2006 13:41:00 -0600

We got a little distracted the last few days. One of our chickens was killed so we needed to get the new coop ready for the rest of them so they would be safer. I put off our Feb. curriculum for a few days since we were busy with that.

The kids enjoyed a little candy making project the last two nights, they made gummy candy. Unfortunately it's gone as soon as it's done being made LOL!! They want to know how to make lollipops next so I'll need to dig up those supplies. I'm too tired to make candy for Valentine's Day this year, so maybe making the lollipops will make up for it.

I'm working on adding a little lesson in a few days to my homestead blog on making Challah. I think I'll post it here too.

February Curriculum at the Zoo

Mon, 30 Jan 2006 23:51:00 -0600

This month we'll be working on planning our garden. Each child is going to design and plan a 1/4 acre plot for fruits and veggies. Best design will be the one planted. We'll work on the herb garden separately as well as the other crops we'll plant separately from this plot, like corn, sunflowers and more.

*Math: area of 1/4 acre, plotting the garden, measure how much fencing etc. we need (we have a rabbit problem out here, so the garden will need to be fenced for protection), how many seeds/plants/seedlings needed for that area, and how much the plants/seeds/seedlings and other supplies we need for their garden design will cost in total. Also for math they will have to determine how many of each plant is needed to produce the right amount of food for our big family.

*Science/Chemistry: Soil testing (got the kit today). Learn what pH is. Learn what we need to add to our soil to get it ready for planting.

*Science/Weather/Geography: find our altitude, find our zone

*Biology: hybrid vs. heirloom, how each fruit or veggie plant they pick for their garden grows, where, when and how to plant them.

*Reading: Lots of seed catalogs, and books on planting and growing.

*Writing: Report on what they want to grow and why.

In the beginning

Mon, 30 Jan 2006 20:39:00 -0600

I am a homeschooling (unschooling) mother of 6. We are expecting another in May. My oldest child is a boy and he's 16. We have 5 girls, ages 14, 12, 10, 5 and 2.5. New baby is a BOY!! We'll be having another UA home waterbirth.

My kids have a very unstructured school day. I feel learning life skills is more important than vomiting information. I do have one child that attends public school. My 10 yr old is LD and has sensory integration disorder. I was finding it very difficult to teach her at home and decided that a public school would be best for her because they have access to tools and resources I just can't provide for her at home.

My son has Tourettes and homeschooling has been a blessing to him. It's hard to learn in public school when you have a disorder that is quite obvious and distracting. He has a great interest in computers and graphics design, especially video game design.

I'll be back to start blogging about our "school" activities.