Latin

We have decided to teach the kids Latin. We started last year with Minimus but I got more out of it than the kids. Now we are trying again with Getting Started with Latin. I love the approach that GSWL takes. Each lesson takes a whole 5 minutes and reviewing previous lessons is still in the under 15 minute range. We have knocked though the first 5 lessons on the drive home from speech (10 minute drive).

I love that each lesson is on one thing. Not tons of words or lists of words with topics and confusion but literally 1 thing. Lesson 1 introduces "Nauta," which means sailor by the way, and that is it for lesson 1. By lesson 3 you are making sentences, not great huge things but simple stuff like "Sum nauta" (I am a sailor.) When we combine lessons 1-5 with a couple words I remembered from Minimus we were able to make more sentences.

We are not teaching the kids Latin so that they will get a better grasp of grammar (though it won't hurt I guess) or so they can have an easier time when they move to Spanish (still a good thing). We are teaching them Latin so that they will have a bigger vocabulary and score better on their SATs. Well that and it is more fun to hear Paene advenimus? rather than Are we there yet?

To go with our Latin, I made a notebook page to keep track of the words we learn. It is designed with 2 sheets on one page. I printed off about 10 pages worth of sheets (10 words) and cut them into half sheet pages. Then they were bound into a small book that the kids decorated to give them a sense of ownership. You can do as I did or keep them 2 on a page and just hole punch and put into a binder. Whatever works for your family.

The link to the Notebooking Page:
http://www.docstoc.com/docs/6533417/Latin-vocabulary-notebook-page

Please if you use my stuff. Leave me a comment so I know it was useful to someone. Thanks!

Home from Sapphire Joust

First a thought about today- As the Baroness of Care Bear (not the real name but funnier) mentioned yesterday. As a Medieval recreation society, we play at war. But there are those who are fighting the good fight and serving far from home and loved ones. Let's give them a moment in prayer or good intentions or thought that they may be safe and protected. May they come home whole and hale. May they be forever remembered if they do not.

Now to the playing at war...

We were at Sapphire Joust this weekend to some fighting, camping and general good times. This was the first camping trip for both kids that wasn't Pennsic and they both loved it!!!!!

Boyo authorized and fought in his first tournament. He is in Red.

He fought double sword the entire tournament and did exceptionally well with them.

And he won the division!!

Boyo with his prize, a treasure box full of chocolate. There was a bit of a mix up at the first court but it was all straightened out and Boyo had a large cheering section with Heads and Anglesey there to support him. The populous made funny comments when he walked down to the Baron and Baroness. Silly things like "Awww, he's so little" "look how cute he is!"

Then when Boyo took a knee in front of the Excellencies (he all but disappeared from sight given his size, hopefully Ursas got a picture of that) There were more Awws.

It was a wonderful presentation for Boyo and he was so proud!!

Some of the mix up was because Boyo wasn't identified as Hubby's son. All the paper work on him was under my name so Boyo is trying to decide on a medieval name.

His choices...

A. Boyo of Headclan

B. Boyo Borsson

C. Boyo the conqueror.

Personally I am voting for A or B as Girlie could be Girlie of Headclan or Girlie Borsdotter.

Log your vote and I'll try and convince the boy.

Birds Lapbook

Sick kid is better so here is the bird Try-it lapbook I have been working on. This one is a bit different from the Chemistry one in that it is more fleshed out for a homeschool unit. I added some minit books based on Konos activities in addition to the activities for the try it.



For the try-it requirements- http://www.gsvsc.org/pdf/ourowncouncil/ooc_tryit_birds.pdf

and http://www.gscwm.org/pdfs/OCO_ForTheBirdsTryIt.pdf



For the lapbook- http://www.docstoc.com/docs/6163781/Bird Lapbook for unit and try-it

I hope you like it and please leave feedback if you pick it up. It is nice to know that someone else is using my stuff.

More bird related good stuff- http://notebookingnook.blogspot.com/2009/04/freebie-bird-notebooking-pages.html

http://www.notebookingpages.com/index.php?page=Free-Science-Experiment-Notebooking-Pages Part of the way down the page.

http://abcteach.com/free/b/birdnotebook.pdf

http://www.notebooklearning.com/2008/04/bird-mini-books-for-notebooking-or.html

Lapbooks and sick kids

Well I was hoping to put up the birds lapbook file to go with the Birds try it that I have finished planning but life got in the way. Girlie started yesterday with a 103 fever and after a trip to the doctor today (I hate that the Dr. isn't open on the weekends) we find out she has a UTI. This is not her first one by any stretch of the imagination but it is the worst one she has had so far. So hopefully she will be herself again tonight or tomorrow so I can post the lapbook for you. Please send good thoughts Girlie's way, she isn't much fun when she is sick.

Public Apology

I would like to make a moderately public apology to my wonderful, loving and understanding sister.

I am horribly, terribly sorry that your birthday gift (that had problems right from the get go) is suffering from SSS.

For those of you not in the know, this is Second Sock Syndrome. It is what happens when you try a new pattern that can't be done 2 at a time and while it is a fun and interesting pattern, it is tedious the second time though.

So, sister dear, even though I love you and cherish that you took time out of your busy week to visit Girlie when she was in your neck of the woods, your gift has been set aside for the quick feel good of ribbing on the monster sweater for hubby. My hope is that I will get bored of ribbing soon and the second sock will revive my interest. If not, I set the goal of completing them by Pennsic.

So next stop Amazon. Thank you for setting up a wish list for those of us who have SSS and planning issues.

You loving sister

Chemistry Try-it

I am so please to announce I made a lapbook to go with the Black Hawk Council's Chemistry Try-it.

As I told you yesterday, Brownies can earn try-its at the national level or from different councils. The Chemistry try-it I found is out of a council in Wisconsin and is a great introduction to chemistry. Since I plan on using try-its as my homeschool curriculum I need a way to record and document what Girlie and Boyo learn. I have found Lapbooks are a great way to do this.

So without further ado...

Chemistry Try-it lapbook

For the council's requirements- Chemistry try-it Requirements

Scouting - Homeschool style

Since Girlie is moving up to Brownies. (yay do a happy dance!) I have been checking out the try-its that she can earn. This past year we used Boy's beltloops for parts of our history and science curricula. As I research the different try-its I feel confident that I will be able to do the same thing for Girlie.

Plus I discovered some really cool stuff! There are 60 try-its available through GS-USA. There are at least that many available through the different councils around the country.

Huh? you ask. Well there is the national over-group. Then each area has its own council. This area is usually a couple counties. For instance the nation's council is for Washington DC, Montgomery, Frederick, Charles, Calvert and PG county in Maryland and some other counties in VA. I have to say I think that is a really big geographical area except for the fact all the highways are centered around DC so it is pretty easy to get to the different areas.

Anyway, the GS-USA has try-its and each council can develop their own try-its also which are sometimes made available to troops outside of that council area. So using what I have found online for the different council try-its Girlie (and by extension Boyo since they will both do the work even if Boyo doesn't get a try-it) should have lots of variety and learn so much stuff next year.

Since the homeschool troop is small and just starting out, I will end up paying for the try-its but I have found there are tons on ebay and since each patch is only $1 or so plus shipping, I still figure that it won't be too high a cost for all the knowledge the kids will gain plus it is cheaper than some of the boxed curricula I looked at.

graphics from www.scoutmom.net

Bridging to Brownies

It is getting near that time of year. Bridging time. Boyo will soon move to Bears in Cub Scouts and Girlie will move to Brownies.



In Boyo's old pack they gave the boys new handbooks, kerchiefs and slides. We only had to buy the hats. I hope they do something similar in this new better homeschool friendly pack.


Since Girlie is moving to a new troop (yay this one is just homeschoolers and I am not the leader!!) I get to fund the change in uniforms.

This is where I get to have fun. It is like a huge treasure hunt. I try to find some of the stuff on Ebay so I can get a deal. I also check freecycle and then I comparison shop the online stores for the rest. I love the hunt! So sue me I don't get out much.

I am so pleased that we are moving to a homeschool troop, plus Girlie will be with BFF so we will be able to move at "homeschool pace". But best of all BFF's mom will be the one planning the meetings so that will be one stress off me.

The only child

This week while Girlie is at Oma's (being a much adored only grand) Boyo is home with Mama being an only. So lacking the need to rush off to speech or Girlie to get her brother up and moving at 8 am, it has been a slow start. We do have some stuff on the list to do today, like the library and work but so far other than breakfast this is what Boyo has accomplished.

Yep, he is gaming. Diablo to be exact. I jumped on the computer to print off a lapbook for him to work on this week and he jumped on too. On the plus side he did get dressed and now that I have everything together for schooling, he will save and log out before we hit the library. I have a feeling that Boyo will be doing schoolwork at work today.