Monday, September 27, 2010
It's Fall! Time for Apples
Fall is my favorite season for SO many reasons, cool weather, crunchy leaves, cute sweaters and boots. Although I am not a big fan of apples, or apple pie for that matter, my husband LOVES it. SO yesterday after church I made him a deep dish caramel apple pie. It came out so good I even impressed myself and the mess in the oven was ALMOST worth it. How are you celebrating Fall?
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Narragansett Bay Science Class
Every day I feel blessed that I am able to homeschool my children. On days like yesterday I especially feel it. We were so fortunate to be able to take a science class, once per month, for the school year at the Narragansett Bay Campus University. Yesterdays class was fabulous and here are some of the highlights..lots of pictures.
Campus Sign
This was our classroom today, Narragansett Bay. The Bay is actually a mix of fresh water and salt water.
The students were told all about the bay and how important it is to preserve it's inhabitants. Did you know that 1 out of every 4 breathes we take is created by algae in the oceans?
The students were then given a bottle to layer sediment and water from the bay in and make water columns
They also found some starfish
I'm glad I put rain boots on Jadyn, but the rest of her ended up getting wet
But she had fun and learned SO MUCH, so it was all worth it
The Bay
Jadyn emptying the water out of her waterproof boots, so much for that idea
The children then gathered together on the shore and were taught about water columns and the trophic level in ecology, very interesting
question and answer time
Then we all headed back to the classroom to let our water columns settle and relax a bit
We then proceeded to the science center to learn more, first we saw some amphoras that had been recovered from the ocean floor
Jadyn's feet were wet and she was not amused
The campus view of the bay
More amphoras
Then on to the inner space center where there were live feeds of undersea exhibitions are broadcast on huge screens as well as highlights of past exhibitions
This is a live feed from the nautilus in Turkey where Dr. Ballard is exploring, Dr. Ballard is the man who found the wreck of the Titanic.
This is the studio where the undersea explorers are interviewed for the National Geographic Explorer show, almost everything in this studio was donated by National Geographic, the pictures just do not do it justice. I expecially LOVED the floor.
A bigger live feed of the nautilus in Turkey
This is Meagan who is working with Dr. Ballard and is watching his live feed, What an amazing job!
This was a fascinating class and we cannot wait until next month when the topic will be Underwater Volcanoes
Campus Sign
This was our classroom today, Narragansett Bay. The Bay is actually a mix of fresh water and salt water.
The students were told all about the bay and how important it is to preserve it's inhabitants. Did you know that 1 out of every 4 breathes we take is created by algae in the oceans?
The students were then given a bottle to layer sediment and water from the bay in and make water columns
They also found some starfish
I'm glad I put rain boots on Jadyn, but the rest of her ended up getting wet
But she had fun and learned SO MUCH, so it was all worth it
The Bay
Jadyn emptying the water out of her waterproof boots, so much for that idea
The children then gathered together on the shore and were taught about water columns and the trophic level in ecology, very interesting
question and answer time
Then we all headed back to the classroom to let our water columns settle and relax a bit
We then proceeded to the science center to learn more, first we saw some amphoras that had been recovered from the ocean floor
Jadyn's feet were wet and she was not amused
The campus view of the bay
More amphoras
Then on to the inner space center where there were live feeds of undersea exhibitions are broadcast on huge screens as well as highlights of past exhibitions
This is a live feed from the nautilus in Turkey where Dr. Ballard is exploring, Dr. Ballard is the man who found the wreck of the Titanic.
This is the studio where the undersea explorers are interviewed for the National Geographic Explorer show, almost everything in this studio was donated by National Geographic, the pictures just do not do it justice. I expecially LOVED the floor.
A bigger live feed of the nautilus in Turkey
This is Meagan who is working with Dr. Ballard and is watching his live feed, What an amazing job!
This was a fascinating class and we cannot wait until next month when the topic will be Underwater Volcanoes 
Bread and Butter Lesson
Last week we studied the effects of yeast and why it works and we also studied milk and all the wonderful things you can make with it. Below is a picture of yeast in a bottle, the resulting carbon dioxide is blowing up the balloon, the kids thought this was amazing, notice the bottle of benedryl at the ready, just in case LOL.
Then we went on to milk, as you all know milk is poison to Jesse, so when our curriculum suggested we make butter I panicked! I put Jesse's cream in a baby food jar and then made sure it was safe and secure in a plastic baggie so none would get on him and he shook it and shook it until.....
.....BUTTER! The kids were amazed that it actually worked, Jadyn decided she would not have liked to live in colonial times because it was too much work
The resulting buttermilk found a new home in my coffee, it was SOOOO sweet
along the lines of yeast and dough we made some play dough to play with
Jadyn said "this isn't play dough! It's bread!"
Jesse said it was fun to squish even though he had to wear plastic on his hands to play with it
That was our lesson on bread and butter
Then we went on to milk, as you all know milk is poison to Jesse, so when our curriculum suggested we make butter I panicked! I put Jesse's cream in a baby food jar and then made sure it was safe and secure in a plastic baggie so none would get on him and he shook it and shook it until.....
.....BUTTER! The kids were amazed that it actually worked, Jadyn decided she would not have liked to live in colonial times because it was too much work
The resulting buttermilk found a new home in my coffee, it was SOOOO sweet
along the lines of yeast and dough we made some play dough to play with
Jadyn said "this isn't play dough! It's bread!"
Jesse said it was fun to squish even though he had to wear plastic on his hands to play with it
That was our lesson on bread and butter I am the proud owner of a Girl Scout!
Jadyn started Brownies this past Monday and already is loving it! She already wants to go to sleepaway camp =(. I don't think mommy is ready for this growing up stuff yet..so bittersweet.Thursday, September 9, 2010
Got Crayons?
Recycle them! We bought the kids new crayons to start off the school year with, but we were left with lots and lots of old broken ones that I just didn't have the heart to throw out. So we recycled them, into new chunky crayons. Now we have new crayons and new chunky crayons! Less trash in the landfills, more fun for us! 
we took our old crayons, peeled them and chopped them up, then we put them in mini muffin tins and put them in the oven at 250 degrees until the were all melty
You can use all one color and make solids or mix the colors up to make rainbow crayons.
After the wax is all melty put the muffin tins in the freezer for a while until they are all cool and solid again. Then just pop them out and you have funky chunky crayons!
we took our old crayons, peeled them and chopped them up, then we put them in mini muffin tins and put them in the oven at 250 degrees until the were all melty
You can use all one color and make solids or mix the colors up to make rainbow crayons.
After the wax is all melty put the muffin tins in the freezer for a while until they are all cool and solid again. Then just pop them out and you have funky chunky crayons!
Friday, September 3, 2010
Native Americans
This week we studied Native Americans. We learned about Christopher Columbus and made little wigwams, read Squanto, and the kids made dinner one night from a Native American cookbook I found..lots of pictures in this post so I hope you enjoy them!
Memory Verse for the week
Making Wigwams was an ooey gooey mess, Jesse LOVED it, my kitchen, not so much
More glue
...and more glue
Finally done! Now they have to dry, so we made candles while we were waiting
Decorated with salt
Dry wigwam! SO CUTE!
Now to make dinner...Maple Roasted Chicken, Indian Pan Bread and Red Rice!
Measuring raisins and sunflower seeds
Jesse did a good job supervising the procedures
Jadyn just liked the cooking part
...and the mixing of course
Indian Pan Bread all done!! It came out great and the birds loved it too!
Red Rice! Nutty, Crunchy, Yummy the kids did a great job and they did it all themselves!!
Memory Verse for the week
Making Wigwams was an ooey gooey mess, Jesse LOVED it, my kitchen, not so much
More glue
...and more glue
Finally done! Now they have to dry, so we made candles while we were waiting
Decorated with salt
Dry wigwam! SO CUTE!
Now to make dinner...Maple Roasted Chicken, Indian Pan Bread and Red Rice!
Measuring raisins and sunflower seeds
Jesse did a good job supervising the procedures
Jadyn just liked the cooking part
...and the mixing of course
Indian Pan Bread all done!! It came out great and the birds loved it too!
Red Rice! Nutty, Crunchy, Yummy the kids did a great job and they did it all themselves!!
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