Week 31: May 25-29

Religion & Bible

Reading

Writing

MaTh

Science

Astronomy (Usborne Discovery Internet-linked Astronomy)

*Night sky

Measuring space

Bright stars

Galaxies

Planets and moons

Our solar system

*Changing sky

spinning earth

different views

*Starting skywatching

binoculars 

telescopes

observatories

space probes

Language/Spelling/Grammar

History & Geography

Japan: c. 500-1500

Land of the Samurai

-Shinto and Buddhism

-the emperor's court

-nobles and shoguns

-Samurai armies

-Noh plays

-jobs in Japan

-map of Japan

Art & Music Appreciation

Music: Gioachino Rossini

Art: Pattern/Abstract picture study

"Simultaneous Contrasts: Sun and Moon" 1912-13 by Robert Delaunay

"Movement in Squares" 1961 by Bridget Riley

Project: Abstract Weaving

1. take three pieces of paper in different colors.

2. draw wavy lines across one piece.

3. cut along the waves. Don't cut right to the edge.

4. cut the other pieces of paper into strips

5. weave the strips under and over the waves. Turn the weaving over and tape the ends.

Physical Education

Boston

We spent a week in Boston and surrounding towns, visiting my sister and her husband.

Walked part of the freedom trail and saw the first church built in America, the oldest cemetary (some of the gravestones have stood for over 400 years!)

Paul Revere's house and the north church where the signal was posted: "one if by land, two if by sea."

The old town hall

Lexington, and Cambridge - made a quick stop at Harvard.

Talked with some delightful people.

Attended Jayme's graduation from the Boston Conservatory of Music

Week 30: May 18-22

Religion & Bible

Reading

Writing

MaTh

Science

Space exploration

-space probes

-first man in space

-men on the moon

-space stations

-the space shuttle

Language/Spelling/Grammar

History & Geography

China: c. 580-1500

Dynasties of China

-Tang dynasty

-Tang inventions

-adventurous traders

-Sung dynasty

-Mongol invaders

-Ming dynasty

-map of China

Art & Music Appreciation

Music: Felix Mendelssohn

Art: Outdoor art

"Hole in Leaves Sinking" 1987 by Andy Goldsworthy (photography)

Project: Temporary picture

1. collect things to use, such as pebbles or twigs.

2. draw a simple shape. Arrange the things around it.

3. be sure to photograph your design

Physical Education

Week 29: May 11-15

Religion & Bible

studying the Beattitudes

Reading

Writing

MaTh

Science

Space exploration

-optical telescopes

-radio telescopes

-space telescopes

-satellites

Language/Spelling/Grammar

History & Geography

Southeast Asia: c. 500-1500

Map of Southeast Asia

-Hindus

-Buddhists

-warring kingdoms

-the Khmer kingdom

-the kingdoms collapse

Art & Music Appreciation

Music: Robert Schumann

Art: Imaginary Places picture study

"The Mysterious Barricades" 1961 by Rene Magritte

Project: Painting your own imaginary place

Physical Education

National Day of Prayer

Today at noon we went to our community's observance of the National Day of Prayer. It used to be held at the courthouse but it has grown so much in numbers that we meet at a local community center. 

For an hour, from noon to one o'clock, we prayed with our local leaders, pastors, friends, business associates and strangers - unified in our desire to remain One Nation Under God.

Third Term, Week 28: May 4-8

Religion & Bible

The Beattitudes

Reading

Writing

short stories and journaling

MaTh

review place values

analog clocks for fun

addition: missing addend with whole hundreds

addition: four addends with a single missing addend

Science

Space Debris

-asteroids

-numbers and types

-trojans and apollos

-near encounter

-comets

-comet's tail and how it forms

-meteoroids

Language/Spelling/Grammar

compound words

word study skills: dividing words into syllables

History & Geography

India: c. 550-1500

Conquerors of Northern India

-map of India

-Muslim invaders

-sultans of Delhi

-Mongol raiders

Kingdoms of Southern India

-Buddhist teachers

-the Chola kingdom

-Vijayanagar fights back

Art & Music Appreciation

Music: Franz Liszt

Art: Places picture study

"An Organ Grinder" 1934 by Laurence Stephen Lowry

"Nichols Canyon" 1980 by David Hockney

Physical Education

Spring Break: April 6-May 3

Spring has sprung! Enjoy the beauty around you.

A Sure Sign

by Evaleen Stein

When you see upon the walk
Circles newly made of chalk,
And around them all the day
Little boys in eager play
Rolling marbles, agates fine,
Banded, polished, red as wine,
Marbles crystal as the dew,
Each with rainbows twisted through,
Marbles gay in painted clay,
Flashing, twinkling in your way,
When the walk has blossomed so,
Surely every one must know
None need wonder who has heard
Robin, wren, or Peter-bird;
Sure the sign as song or wing,
          It is spring!

A Prayer in Spring

by Robert Frost

Oh, give us pleasure in the flowers today;
And give us not to think so far away
As the uncertain harvest; keep us here
All simply in the springing of the year.

Oh, give us pleasure in the orchard white,
Like nothing else by day, like ghosts by night;
And make us happy in the happy bees,
The swarm dilating round the perfect trees.

And make us happy in the darting bird
That suddenly above the bees is heard,
The meteor that thrusts with needle bill,
And off a blossom in mid-air stands still.

For this is love and nothing else is love,
The which it is reserved for God above
To sanctify to what far ends He will,
But which it only needs that we fulfill.