Growing and Learning and Presenting

Change must come. Children don't stay little. And, learning is compounded upon past learning. I look around our small homeschool group, the ones my children grew up with, the ones they've loved, and been loved by. I steal candid shots when they're not looking, and when they are, a few straighten up and smile, while others hide their faces and bemoan yet another photo. There are a few newer families to our posse, but with most we've been presenting our projects since they could barely spell their names. A couple have moved onto high schools away from home. Nine years of homeschooling. My heart overflows. 

Day Five: Project Wrap-Up

I set up the paints while she watched with glee. She knew something fun was happening and as far as I know, she'd never painted before. Her meticulous brush strokes and joy of re-dipping back into the tempera over and over made it obvious this little artist was ready for the activity at only two years of age.

 

As much curricula as I purchase that is textbook based or even Charlotte Mason styled, we always end up having a few projects on the go that are related to some theme we are working on. I'm pretty sure I should just bite the bullet and realize we're a unit study, artsy type of family and run with it for the full year. Africa, Rivers, Frogs, Old Testament highlights, E.B. White books and other reader lapbooks are just a few of the themes we've been drawn to since September. Wrapping up the incomplete ones will be our May challenge. Painting is promised to be included as well. Molly will hold me to it, no doubt :)

 

 

so proud of her work

big sister help

 Molly presents her Trumpeter Swan project to her co-op class.

Emily presents hers.

exam practice for ballet

 Home economics--Mama taught Emily how to make herself a skirt.

 cousin sleepover 

ice cream for Papa's birthday

Galimoto races. Toys straight from Africa!

(very serious racers) 

 

Reading me her favourite part of her book.

(love these moments) 

Tomorrow is our project presentation day with a couple of other families. Looking forward to viewing all the children's hard work!

Presenting... Kids At Work

These are the days that inspire our children to achieve a higher standard and these are the days the mommas realize they are not alone in this home educating adventure. We gather every couple of months to present whatever they are working on and preschoolers to highschoolers listen intently to each bold demonstration and every quiet appearance. When these kids know this day is approaching, they work just a little bit harder so they can show off what they've learned. (excuse the phone pics)

Katie shows her alphabet work and we all sing 5 Little Monkeys with her. 

 Sara's project on whales was detailed and lovely.

 Oliver introduced himself like a professional and told how each of his winter art pieces were made. 

 Maysie read her book report on her favourite book, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane and held up props to help us remember. 

 Emily also showed her art, focusing on slightly different areas than Oliver.

 Eden opened up Magellan's suitcase from his voyage and she read from the perspective of a slave on the ship.

 Each piece was significant to the voyage.

 Emma Grace shared her fox chalk drawing.

 She confidently talked about how she created it and a homemade chalkboard too.

 Calvin read his research report on Hiroshima and told us of the true story of Sadako. 

 Samantha asked us questions about elephants then told us what she had learned about them. 

 Molly shared her beautiful winter art too.

 Auntie Lisa, Olivia and Mama came to be a part of our presentations. 

 Jack made a stop-motion movie with Lego people and told us how stop-motion is made.

 Caleb showed us the beginnings of his Tudor house from his Renaissance unit.

 Chris is making a mock company on cross-fit training. He showed a video of a Christian Olympian performing.  

 Brooke shared her Shakespeare section of her Renaissance unit...

 and the detailed Globe Theatre she designed to go with it. 

Jake had a book of drawings that were his renditions of Da Vinci's.

 

He did a great job.

 Jillian proudly held up her fox chalk drawing. 

 Some of our crew :)

Enjoying the presentations

 

I'm so grateful for these families who parent and teach intentionally and spur me on to be a better mom and home educator.



Rainforest Day!

Once again, my sister wins the best homeschool mom award. She created a rainforest room with her children, complete with croaking frog sound effects. They worked very hard and the rest of us did a little studying on the side and had the privilege of joining them for a Rainforest Day celebration. Created with tissue paper and butcher paperEden displays her papier mache chameleon and reads from her project bookMolly shares her lizardCaleb gives us some rainforest factssome details of the room and Mac kids preparing their projectsOliver marvels at the sloth made by CalebBrooke displays her gorillaMaysie explains the levels of a rainforestCalvin shares his work by the waterfalltribal hut and shieldsmore room detailsJacob sits by his caiman crocodileAuntie Annie shows us her African Grey Parrot!He talks and does tricksRainforest Coral Snake snack

God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground." Genesis 1:25, 26