Weekly Wrap-Up: The One Where She Meets a Famous Person

 

What’s Working/Not Working This Week…

It started off with the typical, and greatly unappreciated, pre-teen attitude.  Ugh!!!  It came to a head, as it often does, around Tuesday.  But, for whatever reason, this week’s lecture incited some change.  Usually I have to drag her out of bed and she’ll take FOR.EV.ER. to get ready to start her day.  Which always screws up the flow.  And annoys me.  A lot.  But around Wednesday she decided to do things differently.  I’d come downstairs after my shower and find her working on her school work.  A miracle!!!

And her doing that really set the tone for a better day.  She’d get praise and positive reinforcement from me and she’d finish school a lot earlier and have more free time in the afternoon and evenings.  I think she liked that.  We’re still continuing with our no computer Monday-Thursday and that is still helping her focus on her work and not on getting on the computer as fast as she can.  I have no plans to change that rule anytime soon. 

 

In Our Homeschool This Week…

There was a lot of science going on this week.  On top our normal study, Apologia’s Exploring Creation With Anatomy, we have two science items that we’re reviewing.  Thankfully, we like science. lol

We finished up our experiments and projects for Apologia.  We were supposed to check our pulse and heart rates and such.  For whatever reason, this freaks her out. lol  Funny how she did fine with the blood typing project. lol  Then we made a stethoscope out of rubber tubing, a small funnel, and a balloon.  Mackenzie was very skeptical that it would work.  Boy was she surprised when it did!

One of our review items also covers the human body, so we worked on a project from there.  Here’s a peek but I’m not telling you anything else until the review.

 

We are still enjoying our China study.  We just finished Young Fu of the Upper Yangtze and have started The House of Sixty Fathers. We have read several books by this author and, with her books, you either love them or hate them.  We’ve read some of both. lol So far, we’re really enjoying Sixty Fathers.  Yay!

To spice up our China study we played a couple of games that game with Sonlight’s Ancient China kit.  The first was called Piaji.  It’s similar to POG, which is played here apparently.  I haven’t heard of either game. LOL  Each player has 10 round disks made of cardboard.  You’re supposed to flick your disc at your opponents discs (which are scattered on the ground) and flip them over.  If you flip it, you keep it.  If you don’t, your opponent gets to keep yours. 

It’s really, really hard.  We didn’t play a competitive game, we just tried to flip the discs and we were only successful a few times. I even managed to catch a successful attempt on camera.  Good thing, otherwise we might not believe it really happened. lol

 

We also played a game called Tui-U which means “fishing.”  It’s played with this cards/domino like things.  The best was to describe it is as a complicated of “Go-Fish.” 

 

In Our Life This Week…

Well the weather was BEE-U-TEE-FUL this week.  So we took our friends out to see our “land.”  And it was exciting because they had staked off the area for the house.  Even the small things thrill me.  I can’t wait until October when we can move in.  Of course I took a picture for you. Do you like the SOLD sign?  If you look closely you can see the orange spray paint and, if you have really good eyes, maybe the wooden stakes with orange flags.  We let the kids “play in the yard” too. lol

In even more exciting news, Mackenzie got to meet someone she’s always admired….

The Pioneer Woman!!  She was so excited I thought she would pass out. LOL  Boy is P-Dub lucky to have met such cuties!!  And if that wasn’t enough, she then got to meet me.  Probably the best day of her life. =o)

 

Review: The Art of Argument

I don't know what the kids at your house are like but, for mine, arguing is as natural as breathing.  In fact, some days they partake in this method of communication as often as they breath.  For realz!  So one would wonder why I would even consider reviewing a product called The Art of Argument.  Seriously, that's the title.  What was I thinking, right?  But consider I did.  And, if I'm being honest, I might have employed a little shameless begging to get picked for the review.  Maybe.  Just a tad.

The Art of Argument: An Introduction to the Informal Fallacies is a logic program that is indeed designed to teach the student to argue.  Classical Academic Press strives to teach the student to think clearly and employ logic so that one may engage in a respectful manner.  I don't know about you but I would certainly prefer that type of an argument over the eye rolling, disrespectful toned, drama-filled kind that we currently endure.  Can I get an amen?

About The Art of Argument

From the publisher...

Junior high aged students will argue (and sometimes quarrel), but they won't argue well without good training. Young teens are also targeted by advertisers with a vengeance. From billboards to commercials to a walk down the mall, fallacious arguments are everywhere you look. The Art of Argument was designed to teach the argumentative adolescent how to reason with clarity, relevance and purpose at a time when he has a penchant for the "why" and "how". It is designed to equip and sharpen young minds as they live, play, and grow in this highly commercial culture. This course teaches students to recognize and identify twenty-eight informal fallacies, and the eye-catching text includes over sixty slick and clever, “phony advertisements” for items from blue jeans to pick-up trucks, which apply the fallacies to a myriad of real life situations.


Why study logic?  (Also from the publisher.)


Logic is a fascinating subject for students in middle school or high school. As a fundamental part of the trivium, logic study will impart to students the skills needed to craft accurate statements and identify the flawed arguments found so frequently in editorials, commercials, newspapers, journals and every other media. We regard the mastery of logic as a "paradigm" subject by which we evaluate, assess and learn other subjects--it is a sharp knife with which we can carve and shape all manner of wood. Mastery of logic is a requisite skill for mastering other subjects.

In today's society, everyone has an agenda. I most definitely would like my children to be able to recognize a faulty argument as well as communicate a sound point of view.  That is on my top ten list of most important skills to teach my children.

The workbook style text covers the 28 most common logical fallacies.  In other words, how to spot poor reasoning using dialogues, real-world applications, worksheets, phony advertisements, discussion, and more.  There's even a skit to perform at the end. And it's pretty, darned funny.  And there's even a dvd set available to help you and your student dig deeper.

Our Experience

My daughter was a tad on the young side for the program, which is geared towards middle school aged students, but I thought  that she could get something out of it.  And she did.

First off, she loved it. It was definitely one of her favorite parts of the day. The humor was fantastic and it really helped her to make connections with a topic that was a little above her.  She is able to spot the fallacies that she has studied for the most part.  She gets a thrill when she spots something on tv that contains a fallacy.  (Wait til the election really gets going, dear.  You'll get an ear full of Ad Hominem Abusive then.) She hasn't quite reached the point where she can apply them to herself but I wasn't really expecting that as a fifth grader.

The program is really fun, easy-to-understand, easy to use, and gives lots of examples.  And I'm getting smarter.  =o)  The only real complaint that I have is that several of the dialogues use topics that I feel are inappropriate for middle school aged children, specifically abortion.  I get that it is a topic that lends itself easily to various arguments but it just isn't something that I feel is appropriate for this age group. Certainly not for my fifth grader.  It is for this reason, much to Mackenzie's dismay, that I am shelving it for the time being.  I'm thinking maybe seventh grade.  (If I allow her to get that old.  I keep trying to convince her that she's only 6.  Unfortunately my arguments are filled with fallacies.)

That aside, I do love the program, and it is definitely on my list of things to use for middle school.  I already have the assignments planned and loaded onto my Homeschool Tracker.  My Pinterest board for middle school and high school contains many items from their logic series.  I can't wait to get back to it.

F.Y.I.

Website: http://classicalacademicpress.com/
Prices:  Bundle (student text, teacher guide, DVD set) $88.95, Student Text $21.95, Teacher Guide, $24.95, DVD set, $54.95
Ages: Middle School
Check out the SAMPLE!


Click the Crew Banner to read more reviews on this awesome series.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this product for review purposes.  All opinions are my own.

Tot School: The Return of G

This week was another "fly-by-the-seat-of-our-pants" kind of week.  We finished up with G and then we just did whatever or sometimes nothing.  It looked like this....

She asked to do a morning message one day so she could find and circle her name again.

She finished up her All About Reading unit by playing a rhyming game with "Zecora."

And practicing her letters by tracing them in shaving cream by copying our Handwriting Without Tears letter cards..

She finished up her Raising Rock Stars unit.

She did some jigsaw puzzles and beat me at Zingo.

Practiced her letters on our Handwriting Without Tears chalkboard.

And her name too.  She traced on our GIANT HWT chalk board. 

She had fun with our balance scaled and bear counters.  

Since she was so interested in the word "go" last week, I took the opportunity to see how she liked some of 1+1+1=1 You Can Read activities.  First she made the words with magnets.

Then we played sight word bingo using our Education Cubes and printables from YCR.  I love how Education Cubes has inserts for RRSP, YCR, and Letter of the Week.

She did pretty well.  She hasn't memorized any of the words yet but she was interested and had fun.  So I think we'll continue working with these four words next week and see how it goes.   We 'll be moving onto H, which we've already covered in RRSP so she'll have a bit of a break from those activities.  It'll give us some extra time to play sight word games.

Weekly Wrap-Up: The One with an Adorable Video

In My Life This Week:

We had lots and lots and lots of paper work to sign this week.  First off we refinanced our current home. To the tune of a $400/month savings.  Woot! Woot!  This closing was a lot nicer than the last time I closed on it. My hubby was in Iraq last time so I got to sign for him too.  Which really means I had to sign every blessed spot 3 times.  Once for me and then for him I had to write "Stefanie blah blah blah, attorney in fact for Kevin blah blah blah."  Talk about hand cramps. I was so happy that he was able to sign for himself this time.

And if that weren't enough signing we put in a contract on another house that we want to build.   That was most exciting.  We'll have a yard, neighbors who smile and wave, and sidewalks for the kiddies to bike on.  I can't wait til October so we can move in!

And we have already found renters for our townhouse.  God is so good!  Now we are on money lock-down as we have closing costs to save for and my hubbies car to pay off.

In Our Homeschool This Week:

We are working on so many review items this week, that I can't really remember what we've been doing for our normal schooling. lol  We're currently reviewing a history program, a writing program (how timely), 2 science add-ons, a logic program (so cool!), a literature guide (for one of my all time favorite books, The Cay. Woot!)  Shew!  We haven't had time to do our beloved Visual Latin or Composer study in a while.  Wah!

She has done a lot better with math and grammar this week.  I guess not having the computer to rush to is working.  She asked me whether or not she could start getting back on the computer since she's done better this week.  Uh...why would I do that when not being on the computer has improved your school life dramatically?  Bummer!

We finished Young Fu of the Upper Yangtze.  Soooo good!  If you're ever studying China or just looking for a good book....read it!  We're real close to being finished with Eric Liddell.  Also soooo good!  If you're ever studying China or looking to be inspired....read it!  We were also supposed to play this Chinese game but we haven't done it yet.  Today I hope.


Places We're Going and People We're Seeing:

This is really about where we're not going.  We're not going to cheer or basketball anymore because the last game is today.  Bitter sweet.  I'm glad to not have practices or games but I enjoy the kids.  My little cheerleaders are always so cute and I LOVE watching Mackenzie cringe when someone passes the ball to her. LOL

Last night the cheerleaders got to perform at the Alumni game for our local homeschooling league.  I always love when we cheer this game because the crowd really gets into cheering along with them.  This thrills the girls to no end and they grin from ear to ear.  Their cheesy grins crack me up so much that I often have tears in my eyes from laughing so hard.  Good times!

This year was also special because we have been working on a dance routine all season and this was their first performance. They were so adorable!  See for yourself.

My Favorite Thing This Week:

Mackenzie got her recital pieces for piano this week.  She was so excited because she was given two pieces.  And "this one is THREE pages long mom!  THREE pages!  Ms. Lewis said this was one of Josh's first pieces!"   Josh is another, much older, student at our school.  He is a brilliant pianist and Mackenzie aspires to play just like him and then surpass him. LOL  I guess it's good that she has goals.  At any rate, her excitement was my favorite thing this week.

She's been practicing her pieces non-stop. So much that I had to remind her to practice the other things on her list too.

Tot School: G is for Guinea Pig

Kayleigh is 4

 

I'm just going to confess it right up front.  We did not get much done this week.  I don't have a good reason.  I think it was partially because it was rainy and gloomy a lot so it was hard to get motivated in the morning.  And by the time we did get motivated, it was late and I HAD to get fifth grade finished.  So poor Tot School got pushed aside.  So sad...

Here's what we did do.  We started our Gg unit in Raising Rock Stars and All About Reading pre-1.  Since we were doing G, we decided to make Goodnight Moon a book focus this week.  We ate a "bowl full of mush" almost everyday.  We were having a slight obsession with homemade apple and cinnamon oatmeal so it worked out well. Yum!

I wrote her a little message on the mini-white board just for fun and asked her to circle her name.  Which she did.  Then I noticed that the sight word for our RRSP unit was "go."  Now I normally don't do anything with this words other than mention it to her in the beginning of the week.  But since "go" was in my little message, I decided to see if she could find it.   She LOVES matching things, so I gave her our RRSP "go" prop and she matched it and circled it.  Then she said that she could write that word.  So she did, much to my surprise.  Yes, the g was backwards but it was a good backwards g.  lol  She proceeded to write a billion more times.  With the g's all backwards because I didn't have the heart to correct her while she was so joyful.

The she decided to match her "go" prop with our RRSP.  She proceeded to circle all the "go's" on our Bible verse printable and on our application printable.  And the captial G's didn't even confuse her.  Maybe it's time to work on sight words a little bit.

She was enjoying the white board so much that I wrote her name on the other side and told her to copy it.  And she did a great job!

She was not as into coloring this week, as evidenced by her work on her Bible verse page and her AAR alphabet sheet.  I knew it was too good to be true last week. lol

Kayleigh was happy enough to work on writing G.

But the length of the Bible verse this week was not to her liking.  She didn't even want to hang it up on the closet door. LOL

We read Goodnight Moon a lot.  She also "read" it to me a lot. We always enjoy finding the mouse on each page.  We also talked a bit about pairs, rhyming, and did some of the Goodnight Moon printables from Homeschool Creations.

And since we were focusing on the letter G and talking about pairs this week.  Kayleigh played a lot with her favorite pair of G items.  The guinea pigs.

I guess next week, we'll be finishing up with G.  Hopefully, it will be sunnier so we can get started earlier. LOL

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