A Day At OurPlace

On Friday mornings, the kids get to write and draw in their journals. This is a challenge for me because I don't let myself correct grammar or spelling during this activity. I want it to be a time for them to just put their thoughts onto paper. I gave them a free day....I let them write about whatever they wanted to instead of giving them a topic. Patrick and Carter both wrote about particular video games. Madison blessed me with an entire page on why she loves to be homeschooled! What a blessing that was to read!Also on Fridays, the boys work on cursive handwriting while Madison learns/practices her touch typing skills. Now that she has finished the online program that she used to learn the skill, http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/typing/ I am letting her do fun things like write emails. She LOVES it!!!The boys are doing great with their cursive writing. I started them last year, but haven't really begun to make them use it during school time. I told them that, starting next week, they will have to choose two subjects to start using cursive writing in. Carter is okay with it, but Patrick is upset. I keep trying to tell him that it will be easier for him, but he doesn't like change. Hmmm...I wonder where he gets that from?

Ginger tries really hard to stay on task with our lessons! Being that she gets to lie around and listen...nothing expected of her...I would think that this would be an easy thing. However, she just can't help herself when there are interesting things to see outside. Who can blame her, really!?!

The kids did well with finishing all of their bookwork and tests today. Some days just go smoothly like that...some days don't!To end the day with a little fun, we did some Science experiments to help understand the concept of physical and chemical changes. I mixed water and epson salt and had Carter draw on black paper with the solution. Then, we held it above heat to allow the water to dry. They were able to see how the epson salt was left behind. This demonstated that, while a solution looks like it has undergone an irriversable change, that energy can be applied to reverse it. Then, we used two balloons to demonstrate a physical and a chemical change. In one, we put water and baking soda. In the other, we put water and vinager. While both of them went through a physical change, getting bigger, the one with the vinager also went through a chemical change. The vinager and baking soda combined to form carbon dioxide, which caused it to blow up even more. It was a fun experiment. Jeff came home just as we were starting, so he got to participate in it with us. That doesn't happen often. It was fun to have his input...he made it funner by being here!