Schooling at home--an update

Tomorrow we will begin our sixth week of homeschooling.  We are absolutely loving Williamsburg Intermediate!  Nathan and Maren are happy, dedicated students.  They have enjoyed making new friends from all over the U.S.  They've completed several books and are writing more than ever before.  Their classroom projects are meaningful, educational and fun!  Above all, the kids are rediscovering the joy of learning. 

This week Maren finished the book "Hatchet" by Gary Paulsen.  She was given the assignment to build a man-made shelter.  We walked through the reserve behind our house and built a hut using branches and leaves.  Maren completed the project by writing a paper on what life would be like if she had to live in the shelter.    

They've conducted a variety of messy science experiments (in the kitchen)!  They are currently  studying the process of food decay.  For thirty days they've been working on a photo documentary comparing organic and processed foods.  Here is a snapshot of cheddar cheese...yuck.  The kids are also reading a fascinating book on food, "Hungry Planet."    

organic

processed

Humanities has opened their minds to many around the world adventures.  They created exposition journals they use to document their discoveries of different countries, cultures, etc.  They are also studying the election process in depth, learning about the electoral college, comparing views of Democrats and Republicans and writing and videotaping their own campaign speeches.

Their Leadership course is inspiring!  They have studied and written papers on exemplary leaders past and present.  They are also researching different kinds of animals and how their characteristics relate to good leadership qualities.  For example, the alligator named RESPA...

Relax, Evaluate, Strategize, Patience, Act

Maren was given the assignment to create a piece of eagle artwork (another animal they have studied).  She had a lot of fun making this patriotic paper collage. 

  

Mathematics is a self-paced program.  They view math workshops, participate in labs, complete daily assignments and weekly assessments.  They also read books about the practicality of math in our lives.  My personal favorite is "The Man Who Counted" by Malba Tahan.

For a math project, Nathan created his very own geodesic dome!