Book report-Secrets of Droon

The Secrets of Droon series is my current favorite of books.  It is about adventure, travel, kids about my age and it is funny.  The characters in the book are Galen, Max, Keeah, Eric Hinkel, Julie,  and Neil. and the evil guys, Ninns-the warriors of Lord Sparr, Lord Sparr, They were friends ever since they got stuck in a tree together in preschool.  Ever since then they have been in the same camps, same school and even the same class. And the evil guys, Ninns-the warriors of Lord Sparr, and Lord Sparr. There is a magical rainbow staircase inside a tiny room in Eric's basement and takes them to a different place in Droon every single time.  They get special powers when they go to Droon.  Julie gets the ability to fly, Eric is turned into a wizard and Neil becomes a Genie King.  I like to read this book over and over again, imagining I am one of the people.

We watched a movie called "The Incredible Human Machine".  One of the most amazing things was the camera that was placed in a rock stars throat so that you could see his vocal chords.  His blood vessels were coming out (broken) and so the doctor used a laser to cauterize them.  All the parts of the body made more sense seeing them up close like that.  We also got a cool CD that has songs and videos about science.  Here is one of my favorites: 

The Bloodmobile

By: They Might Be Giants

Written: 2004

The Bloodmobile The Bloodmobile A delivery service inside us We begin in the heart's right ventricle And travel to the lungs Red blood cells get oxygen To take back to the heart Then from the left side of the heart And out to every cell Delivered by the Bloodmobile The food that's been digested Is waiting at the dock To be taken to the tissues In the body's grocery truck So from the small intestine It's carried everywhere Delivered by the Bloodmobile The Bloodmobile The Bloodmobile A delivery service inside us The white blood cells are soldiers That fight infectious germs They make the antibodies Their weapons in the fight The army is transported Wherever they must go Delivered by the Bloodmobile We need to send a message To tell a limb to grow Or speed the heart or regulate Your hunger or your sleep The hormones are the message They're sent from many glands The messenger's the Bloodmobile [Spoken:] Somebody's got to haul out the trash To the liver and the kidneys It's not a pretty job Carbon dioxide gets carried To the lungs to be exhaled And the garbage truck is the Bloodmobile The Bloodmobile The Bloodmobile A delivery service inside us To carry oxygen, nutrients, things that fight infections Do the trash collection and deliver the mail And we're all (and we're all) Delivered by the Bloodmobile

1. Tell me how you worked toward a health or P.E. learning goal this week.

I am currently a green belt in aikido and I just learned that I don't have stripes to earn for the next belt. All of the other belts at earlier levels you tested with stripes for each new move, and then you did all of those moves in the final belt test. I have 4 new moves to be tested on for my next belt, which is blue. The red belt which was the last belt I had before green belt had 5 stripes. So far I have 2 of the moves for my next belt down, one of them is the most dangerous move of all. You can actually dislocate someone's arm if you do it too hard. So it is important to learn this move very carefully.

2. Tell me about, or send me, a picture of your latest art project.

My favorite work of art lately was in clay class. 3 weeks ago I started a big project in this class, a cup with a big handle for my dad. I put some old designs on the cup, dwarven runes, a tree, a mountain and a dragon. The handle was in the shape of the dragon. There is a big thumb rest because my dad has big hands. I actually had to paint the inside with clear glass so that it would be better to drink out of for him. But I don't think it would be a good idea if he drank out of it when it was in the kiln because when it is in there it is actually liquid glass. I made this cup in 2 weeks-one week to form it and one week to paint it.

3. If you were stranded on a desert island, what three things would you bring with you and why?

A huge cruise ship, 50 men to pilot it, and a large basket of food and water. The cruise ship is to get across the water and get back to safety. The men are to help me sail the boat, because I don't know how to do it. The food is of course to feed us.

Happy April Fool's Day!

Conor

This week has been all about swimming.  In my current swimming class I have been working on my crawl and getting stronger every time.  I am very proud that I can pass the swim test at open swim easily now.  And then this week we went to Great Wolf Lodge, the whole Homeschool Group was at GWL, (Great Wolf Lodge) and they had the largest water park in the world!!! They had a certain kind of waterslide that used floaties to go down a long tunnel that went out of the building in a cluster and landed in different pools.  The big ones had a float that was towed up to the top and held 4 people.  One of my favorites was the Howling Tornado.  It is a short ride where it starts with a turn and an almost straight drop and then it goes into a huge, circular room like a funnel on its side.  Then the raft goes up, back down and dives into a short turn into the final pool.  The rafts are a cloverleaf design.  The worst spot to be on the ride is the back, it is like being flung out of a catapult.  We did a really fun Magi Quest with a group of friends.  You run around the whole resort looking for clues and runes and you fight a dragon at the end of the adventure that we did.  I can't wait to go back there again! 

The best parts of this last week were my classes at the community center-most especially marine biology, math games and today's Wilderness Awareness.  I love being outside and today learned about sit spotting.  Sit spots are a place you go regularly-in the woods, on our porch, where you sit and listen and observe.  Today an eagle passed right over me while I was doing this, it was amazing.  I am going to find a spot in my yard to practice this every day.  I love to watch the world around me, there is so much you miss when you are moving but when you are still it comes to you. 

Back to mom.  Wilderness Awareness is a classic example of why we homeschool.  So little true learning happens by textbook or curricula, so much of it stifles the real joy of learning.  Conor's love of learning comes from real experiences, from many teachers not necessarily certified, the best of whom function to inspire and fire him on.  This has been our best year ever with leapfrogs of learning in science and math, and this is the year we have taken full advantage of community center classes and group classes with homeschool friends.  Sure, Conor still soars through fractions in our Singapore math, but I see much more going on with the fraction games he plays with his homeschool friends.  Our curriculum was a lovely springboard, but mainly inspired us to learn more ourselves.  I know now next year that will be our focus more than ever, and oh, it gets even more fun as his interest grows!

In this last week I started Marine Biology class at the community center.  It is very fun and I learn a lot in it. We learned in this first week about plankton and what water is made of.  We got to look at plankton with a microscope after we caught them using a pipette.  The word "plankton" means to drift or wander.  Animal plankton are called zooplankton and they eat smaller plankton called phytoplankton.  My favorite kind of phytoplankton is a chain diatom because it is chained together which to me are like lifelines.  Another favorite was a sandworm or polychaeta, which I also liked because it has spikes with 2 eyes in the front, we acted this out in class and I acted the part of the eyes.  I very much look forward to this class every week! 

My next class that I started is a math class, using games or manipulatives.   We built towers with blocks and used multiplication to count the numbers of blocks on each tower.  After great fun in the open gym games with many friends, we ended the day with a swimming lesson.  It was a long but rewarding day. 

Boeing Future of Flight

Conor starts this up:

Yesterday morning I went to the Future of Flight museum.  The best part was the engine.  It was a fan that pushed air into a 10 part compressor then the compressed air went into a fuel  tank where it explodes.  Then more turbines extract the energy and push it out the back.  Another strange part about the tour was that the building where they build the planes is the largest building in the world.  You could fit all of Disneyland and enough parking into the whole building!  It even has its own weather conditions.  It actually rains inside the building, warm air rises and causes condensation. 

Back in the gallery they had a 42 foot tall tail of a plane.  It was from the "Dream Lifter" which carries half of one whole plane at a time.  The whole back of the plane opens up, then lifts and scaffolds carry the parts inside.  It is taken to the Boeing building center and they assemble by welding the front and the back together.  Then the two wings are built on the side of the place.  There is a huge crane that picks up the wings and take them to the other side where they put on landing gear and other parts.   I also learned that the planes' wings is where the fuel is stored. 

Mom:

Yes, we are definitely on an engineering path right now.  We were very sorry to have our last math class with our fun group of boys, but schedules just could not work out for us.  What we will probably do is add a math manipulative class at the community center-one that focuses more on games and patterns.  We have also still been plugging along in Singapore 3B, I think if we wanted to we could move quickly on up to 4a since this is mainly review, will see how it goes.  Having the added challenge of doing assigned work that others are doing, being able to show off what he knows to someone else has been a huge hit for Conor.  Hopefully we can start up another course like this at a time and place that works. 

This also fits into the practical projects components of a 3rd grade year.  We are getting our workshop area prepared so that we can start some wood projects.  I would like to see this be something both dad and I can do with Conor at different times.  First to get that mess of a carport cleaned up, then to decide what to build!

Pres Day week

From Conor:  Starting swimming lessons back up again was the highlight of this week.  This was the first week of lessons at our community center only 3 blocks away.  It is fun to be with my homeschool friends but it is like starting lessons all over again because I have taken higher level lessons before.  My math class just ended (since we start marine biology next week) and mom is looking for a new one. I liked this math class because sometimes we got pretty silly, my friends did funny things, and my teacher taught me new things.  I even liked doing the homework.  On the weekend I went to the Science Center with dad.  It was the last day of the Harry Potter exhibit so all the tickets were sold out.  One of the things I always do there is go to the computer room and play the games.  I like going there, but I want to learn more about how things work and it feels like the Science Center is for younger kids.  I also learned a game called Stratego and a new game that uses lasers and mirrors called Khet.  The mirrors have colored sides for each team.  You have to move the mirrors to hit another persons pharoah.  If you are hit that is a point against you.  It is a fun game that teaches you about angles and strategy, sort of like chess. 

Back to mom:  Of course, add to all of the above with drama class, clay class, and aikido, so the mama van continues to make the Seattle rounds.  I had to work 3 12 hour shifts in a row so by Tuesday I was a bit exhausted and had much to do.  We also were in frantic prep mode for his birthday party the weekend of the 26th.  The theme being Secret Agent school, there were prizes and games to plan.  Conor baked the cake almost by himself-mom just stands by in case the absent minded professor forgets a step.  (It was prounounced very tasty by all at the party!)  Now that the party is over, back to work!

The Cultural Festival was fun!! my friend Luke put up a table of the Ancient Romans and he dressed up as an Ancient Roman as well!  There were different foods to try, things to make.   We helped people make medicine bags at our booth, I taught all the little kids and even a dad!  Today is Thursday and tomorrow i'm going to do both marine biology and swimming and soccer and math class and piano!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!(:0

Back to mom, actually not as crazy tomorrow as he says, but almost.  We have our weekly math class on the north end, then we come back to W Seattle to kick off the new SW community center homeschool program which is going to be just awesome..especially the 3 blocks away part.  But no marine biology yet, that starts in March, and soccer has been delayed, so "just" swimming tomorrow, then down the road to piano. 

The final prep for the festival last week was a great history lesson.  Conor was quite dedicated to completing his authentic Cherokee summer house-grace of the wood scraps and weeds in the yard.  We also watched "An American Experience-We Shall Remain", which dedicated one episode to the Trail of Tears.  And we emailed back and forth with Jerry's aunt who researched the family several years ago for a book.  John S. Panther was mentioned on a volunteer enlisted in 1838 in North Carolina as part of the Indian removal.  As we learned, many of the more northern Cherokees volunteered or agreed to assist, as did John Ross-the Cherokee leader-to help guide the people the safest way possible.  Others probably to save some land, since it seems that John Panther stayed and was rumoured to be a Civil War scout. 

It also seems that I might have killed my laptop tonight blowing the dust bunnies out, just thankful my husband's old one was not yet trashed by our son.  So getting online could get difficult for a bit.

Family tree

This week we are preparing for a Culture Festival our homeschool has put together.  This is the second year our group has done this.  We rent a big hall and have families put together projects about either their culture of origin or a particular favorite one.  Last time there were various displays, crafts, foods, music, we had performances, it was wonderful.  This year we are participating, Conor will tell you how.

Our display is going to be about the Cherokee tribe, because my great, great, great, great grandfather-John S Panther, was Cherokee.  He lived in North Carolina and is believed to have stayed there after the removal of many Cherokee during the Trail of Tears.  We have read many books about the Cherokee and watched a PBS series about the Cherokee Nation.  Our display is a diorama about Cherokee life with a wooden summer house against the backdrop of the Great Smokey Mountains.  I am very excited to learn about my ancestors and imagine what life was like for them.

Pictures to follow after the event this weekend!

The highlight of our last week was the trip to Breitenbush Hot Springs-a wonderful place to relax AND learn science.  Breitenbush is entirely off the grid, being remote in the Santiam mountains and generates its own hydroelectric power and heats with geothermal.  We were able to take a tour with one of the engineers.  We started with the fish ladder where river water is diverted for drinking and for heating.   The hot tubs, pools and sauna, clothing optional, are in site of the river and so wonderfully relaxing.  Meals are also provided, wonderful vegetarian buffets that Conor pronounced "the best ever!" each time.  We even had a sack lunch that we were able to request for our day of nordic skiing.  Evenings we passed also in the cozy library reading quietly, or playing checkers, or reading in our sweet, little cabin.  Sunday we drove another hour or so up the mountain to Hoodoo Butte for some lovely nordic skiing in the sun.

Conor is going to tell you about the tour:

Geothermal energy is heat produced by the earth.  At the resort they drilled wells about 700 feet down and send the river water down to the bottom where it is heated up and used to provide heat everywhere.  The river water also runs through turbines to provide hydroelectric power.  The hot tubs are filled with the water from the earth that has to be cooled.  It is filled with many different minerals and smells pretty stinky.  I liked to think about whether it may also have gold in it also.  

Before we left for Breitenbush we had our weekly math class.  Homework was assigned and was actually done before we got on the road that night-once Conor gets into something he is committed to finishing.  We also brought along a Brainquest workbook which inspired some wonderful writing exercises, including one about idioms.  Conor filled the page with literal drawings of all the idioms he could fit on the page, it was a delight.  This week was his 2 days with the sitter, which were wonderfully sunny and therefore mostly spent outdoors.  Whitney, the sitter, inspired an interest in photography and gave him a camera and set him free  It was fun to see what he had been doing while I was sleeping, and so fun to see his enthusiasm.  

Mom has officially become merely a chauffeur.  We have outside classes most days of the week now and keep adding more, yikes!  But that is the beauty of homeschooling-getting to follow new interests, try new directions of learning to spice it up and fit our learning to our current path.  New on the list, "Clay Class", which happens at the community center where we take drama on Thursdays.  All his friends are in the class, they get their hands dirty and get to act silly, and quite inexpensive for a class due to a scheduling snafu.  At least that added no more driving.  But soon we add 2 new ones-"Marine Biology" and swimming.  Now both of these are at another community center only 3 blocks from our house, there is a gym mama can use while class is going on, so it is a win-win.  We may even have a soccer class in between that, which may burn off some of that silliness before piano that day.  

Conor is loving his math class and wants to tell you why:  

I like this class  because I am with my friends, other boys I know from homeschooling these last few years.  Today we measured in meters, centimeters and kilometers.  I learned how to measure with my fingers which are about 1 cm apart.  We also play with Logic Links, which are like tiddly winks, at the end of the class.  They are puzzles that give you questions and you need to create the shape, order and color that they direct.  It makes me feel good to take this class, I am learning math in a fun way.  

I am also very excited because we are going to a cabin near a hot springs and during the day go play in the snow!  That is, we are hoping for snow!

Still no rhythm, but enjoying the ride

Well, the only constant around here is change.  We are only doing drama class on Thursdays now, but the free time after class means more free play-a win and cheaper. We had a marathon day last Friday starting with our new math class-wow, Conor really enjoys it!  Four boys, one fun mom/teacher, still reviewing Singapore 3a so pretty easy for him.  They reviewed some division and multiplication, did puzzles, he loved it.  We then raced south to join other friends at a writing class.  Here is what he started so far in his fill in the blank autobiography:

If I were President of the US, here are three things I would do:  i would have day nightmares without sleeping!
I was born in ??? and now I live in Seattle.  Someday I'd like to visit the following places:  hawaii and canada
My best friends are isaac Gabe orlando Gerome i love them!
These are the qualities I like in a friend: they don't cheat in game
My favorite foods are:  ice cream cows that aren't corn fed.  The food I hate most is roasted crickets.
My favorite animal is a elephant.  (adding a pic for those reading at the website)

From there, with a painful transition, we raced to piano.  Conor discovered on the way that his favorite song was in the new book-"Somewhere Over the Rainbow".  He proceeded to ask his teacher to work on that and before they got to the page was already playing it by ear.  Interestingly, singing in the car he was adorably off in just a few places so I sang the melody for him all the way through. When he sat down a hour later he had the melody almost spot on first time!  Loving that his every other week sitter (post my 2 night shifts) has a baby grand and he is getting some practice in there!

But the rhythm of our day is not quite back yet, we need to do more on our days home to get into a better rhythm, maybe back to a real circle time of songs and play.   We have let the recorder slip, and the creative side is way lacking.  This is partly the holidays, partly the work I have needed to do to start the process of moving my mom cross country, and where Conor's focus has been also.  I am hoping to draw us more together soon and make sure his hands and heart are getting equal time.

Getting into the flow of the new year

Conor is going to tell you first about our week:

Last week I started going to a math class with 3 other homeschool friends-it was a blast!  Oh yeah, the math was cool, too, I surprised I was better at multiplication than some of my friends.  I even taught them all about lattice multiplication, and yesterday I did it in my head!  We did some chemistry work last week, learning about the first 10 elements.  Drama class started and I love the vocal exercises my teacher does-the poems are so silly.  In piano I am learning the James Bond theme music.  Aikido is great now that we can go on Mondays we can go 2 or even 3 times a week!

Back to mom:

We aren't quite in a new routine yet, what with new outside classes our home routine is really off.  Our friends are putting together an awesome homeschool program at a community center 3 blocks from the house, so soon we will likely add some classes there that will make all this commuting so much easier.  Today we try out a writing workshop and see how that inspires the man.  When he writes, it is amazing.  He is journaling on his own a bit, and writing penpal letters, but writing is still his weaker area-just something he feels less confident at just yet.  Interest in sciences continues to be strong.  We recently did a major archeological dig of his room, i.e. cleaned out ancient toys and dust with our new Dyson vac-which uncovered and renewed an interest in constructing the complicated marble maze he got last year.  This year he picks up the diagrams and runs with it, hardly coming to me for help at all-what a change!

The Holiday and Birthday Recovery

Conor is going to tell you about our time off:

One of the things we did on our break was watch the movie "Food, Inc.".  It has started me thinking more about our food and where it comes from and what they do to it. I think I would like to try to be vegetarian.  It made me think more about what they do to animals, how they feed them, how they make our food.

For Christmas and my birthday I got a Harry Potter Hogwarts game.  You have to build the game first-at least 2 ways to get into each classroom- and then play the game.  I got lots of Lego for Christmas and have been building lots of things.  I also got a water powered engine kit.  So far I built a water powered truck with it and a cutting machine, but too much water force exploded the pipe and sprung it open in my face.  That was a lesson on the laws of physics-a lesson for me and for the people who built it.

Back to mom:

This week we are starting out slowly since it is my work week, and still recovering from flu.  Conor is back to weekly French lessons, this week focusing on the words for weather and ending with a rousing game of hide and seek en francais.  We are back to 2 or more aikido classes a week and taking his role as a green belt, or advanced student, very seriously.  And this week we will start meeting with friends weekly for a math class with a goal of the Math Olympiad next year.

Despite a week or so down with flu, we had a nice, quiet holiday mainly at home.  We watched some good films, read some good books, made good food.  Conor expanded his cooking skills from cookies-hazelnut chocolate drop cookies and date and raisin filled cinnamon rolls.  We had friends over and got down to Tacoma to see the big train show at the museum of history.  It was a memorable and sweet holiday.