Thursday, December 03, 2009

SCIENCE FUN

We are using Apologia's Zoology 2: Swimming Creatures of the 5th Day. Along with this we use the Learn N Folders from Live and Learn Press that correlate with our science. We really like these. This combines lapbooking with notebooking and provides an easy way for us to review our science.

Today was the first time we've pulled out the scissors and papers to work on our Learn N Folders. Here's another example of using one text for three grade levels.


Question from our Learn N Folder: What are neuromasts? How do lateral lines and neuromasts confirm creation?

Zander - 7 yo/Super 1st grade - "Only God could make this up!"

Nolan - 10 yo/4th grade - "Lateral lines go from the gills to the tail. It has a group of millions of little hairs called neromasts. The neuromasts sense movement and change the movement in the water to electrical signals for the fishes brain. Scientists can't make one. Someone smarter, bigger and in charge had to create lateral lines and neuromasts." Zander piped in with, "THAT WOULD BE GOD!"

Arielle's is much the same as Nolan's...a bit less wordy as SHE wasn't dictating. ::snort::

Question from our Learn N Folder: What is the usual way a fish produces - how is a sea horse different?

Zander - Super 1st - "Wives lay eggs that float or sink in the water. Husbands find the eggs and put sperm on them. That leaves babies in them. " Seahorses - "The mother puts them in the daddy's pouch (more like pants). The daddy takes care of them until they hatch. They explode out of his pouch, like daddy is giving birth himself. Strange."

Nolan - 4th grade - "Females lay eggs which fall or float. The male finds eggs and fertilizes with sperm. Baby fish form inside the eggs." Seahorses - Female puts eggs on male and leaves. Male takes care of eggs. They hatch and shoot out of his pouch. It's wierd."

Arielle - 7th grade - "Female fish lay eggs that either float or sink to the bottom. Then the male finds the eggs and fertilizes the eggs and the fish develope inside the eggs." Seahorses - "The female lays the eggs in a special pouch on the father and then leaves. The father takes care of the kids until they are ready, then the come out of his pouch."

Note the progression of thought and vocabulary. I found it intersting that the kids translated the whole process to kids, mommies and daddies. One text, interesting to all levels (Stacia - 4 yo - listens too) with each student interacting with the material at their level. It really IS possible to be "fair" with all multiple age levels using the same material...easier on mom and cheaper too.

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

I LOVE THIS SEASON!

Last night's clue was, "I'm down, I'm up and I'm cool". The kids discovered a bag of multi-colored balloons (hu u sen) on top of the AC unit mounted high in the living room.

Tonight, after our dinner of Japanese veggies and chicken, we read our devotional and began our hunt. It was Stacia's night to pick the clue.

From 09 December

Here she "reads" the clue - memorized from last night. ::snort::
From 09 December

Clue: "It's a cubby for metatarsal containers."
From 09 December

This was the quickest find. Appropriately enough, tonight's find was a cache of funky local socks.
From 09 December

Yes, the men here DO wear toe socks. And check out Nolan's brown socks, he has the "split hoof" look. ::snort::

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Food From Afar

Another box of food arrived...this one had almonds peeking out the bottom...horrors.
From 09 December



All items seem to be in the box. Our hot chocolate is STILL backordered....
From 09 December
This is a test. I've loaded the photos directly into Picasa (instead of Photobucket) and I've been able to embed them with a link (bypassing the frustrating spacing issues and drag feature of loading from blogger). This may work. Gone is the buxom lady bidding us to "play now" and promising the Lord of the home to do her bidding. I'm tired of telling PB to remove the ads only to have them back a week or two later. I think the Picasa pricing is less than I believed.

Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Grass is always greener....

Stacia and I were having a discussion.

Mom: "In the G family we choose joy even when we'd rather complain."

"In the G family we show initiative and do our chores without being asked."

"In the G family we respect and obey our parents."

"In the G family we do all that we do wholeheartedly for God."

Stacia: "Hmmmm....How about the S family?" ::snort:: ::gasp::

Note - I'm back to "G" family...we'd figured after our summer adventures in the news our name was posted everywhere....but we'll make em dig...and go back to trying to remember....This story sounds much funnier with the G and S family spoken out loud. LOL


Choosing Joy!
©2009 D.R.G.

~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...