A Plump and Perky Turkey Thanksgiving.

                 

Well it's that time again in Canada. Turkey time or Thanksgiving :). We spent the last week of homeschool working on botany as our theme. We made leaf collection books for each child and using Kidzone we made up pages to identify our leaves and make observations. Below are images from DD's leaf collection book. The second image shows her intrepretation on what happens during photosynthesis. The words on the cover are a fancy rose font she picked out as she loves flowers.

                              

 We haven't completely finished the books as we still need to find elder specimens. Not sure if they are local or not. And a few more entries need to be completed. Below are images of DS's leaf book. He is starting to forget to hold his pencil correctly and so again his letter formation is becoming fragmented. I sat with him through his writing last year to get him to use the tripod grip and saw a remarkable improvement. One step forward two steps back sometimes. Back to reminding him. And I am just letting DD be forming her letters how she wants so as to not instill a perfectionist attitude. Next term I will try to be more persuasive in getting her to hold her pencil in the correct grip. The second image below is son's diagram idea of his own creation to show the how photosynthesis is effected by the seasons. I am not sure if it conveys the whole message. But I was pleased that he chose on his own the idea of a diagram over a drawing as it shows a more mature understanding of analytical data.

 Because we are behind I have shifted my plans for lessons for the rest of the month from my original intent of a parliamentary lesson to just fall and Halloween. Yes we celebrate Halloween here. Anywho my original method of teaching my son last year is somehow not wpanning out with two kids to teach. Some days are a struggle to maintain order in the class. Maybe I need a gavel lol. And so I am finding that instead of small weekly units sometimes there is a bit more crossover of learning from week to week. Which I guess is ok. I find it can be a little tiresome having to remember all the lessons we have going on. For term two after the new year I think I shall have to find a more defined system so as not to get too off track from the main focus areas. So aside from the leaf books we also made leaf prints on canvas and handprint turkeys.

  
Our science experiment was chromatography. We are still steeping the leaves as the color 'packets' didn't get into the alcohol as it should have after a few hours. So if it was done for someone else I would recommend beginning the experiment earlier in the week and then returning to it later after it has time to sit more.



Leaves are sitting in alcohol and warm water bath.

 For our field trip we went to a local hiking trail and enjoyed a big walk through the fall leaves.

It was also week two of the homeschool associations swimming classes through a local rec center. They split the kids up according to age and level of comfort in the water. There are 30 or so kids all told and two classes a week :) Which means somewhere in this great city there are more parents who are taking the time to homeschool. I am liking to outing during the week as are the kids. Although this time I am going to consult the bus route map so as to not be stuck on the bus needlessly long.
And also DD continues with her weekly meetings with Sparks for little girls instead of Girl Guides which is for older girls. She is loving the interaction and comradery of the group. They have a camping trip of all the strange events to undertake in our cold fall clime coming up in two weeks. I am uncertain that she will enjoy being away from us for two whole days and one night. But she is so excited and insistent that she will be ok I am loathe to decline. I want the kids to have friends and independence. Granted at five I am leaning towards calling the whole thing off. But then I think back and think that perhaps I am too protective. And there is going to be over 15 kids attending. Soooo.. I shall let her test the waters of freedom for the sake of her self esteem. And I will also have both cell phones in one hand and the car keys in the ignition. Which is kind of funny since I don't drive. But that's why hubby will be sleeping in the truck. lol no not really. But I digress. DS still hasn't found anything to his liking. Although I am not certain he ever will he is such a independent fellow with a set of ideas in his head that sometimes it worries me that he is so unwavering in his opinions. However perhaps more time is all that will be needed to see him blossom in a more team oriented group.
DH is a great man. He works endlessly to make us all happy. And he worked really hard this weekend trying to get our front deck made. He still needs some more boards on top, stairs and railing but otherwise it is shaping up really nicely. I will have to give it a stain though as the lightness of the wood is rather drastic next to the brickwork on the front of the house.
And my kitchen will need painting in the next week or so. I am still uncertain as to what color to go with although I am leaning towards robins egg blue as I have always had a liking for the color but never been brave enough to use it.
But all of this blogging me is keeping me from organizing this weeks school lesson on bats. So I shall go with a wish for everyone in the world to have a wonderful weekend as we celebrate Thanksgiving here in Canada.