Math Pondering and Planning

Planning for next school year is in full swing. There are so many ideas and new things to consider; it takes me a while to ponder and decide!! Here are the tried and true favorites we'll continue to use the coming year.

Teaching Textbooks for higher level math has been wonderful. LittleE will continue on to Algebra 2 next year. LittleA has completed TT Geometry, which includes just enough trigonometry to answer questions on the ACT. She's completed all her high school math. YEA!

This year I'm switching over to Miquon Math for BigJ. I used this many years ago with the olders but thought BigJ needed something more concrete. I don't like how the "something else" is going so I'm switching back to this more hands-on approach. I'm hoping it will be the visual "glue" he needs to solidify the concepts.

I'm adding in the Get A Grip math lab from TOPS Science. I also used this years ago with the olders and am getting it back out. Yea! Math will be a lot more fun this year. This will work great for starting a math journal; a new idea I want to try this year with BigJ.
By the way, those brown things in the bottom of the box are lentils. They are great to work with. LittleJ loved scooping and pouring today as I tried to get my pictures.

The Ohio Caverns

We like to learn Ohio history, not by books, but by going places!! We've been to many sites in Ohio over the years, but this has been our most recent- The Ohio Caverns! It was well worth the price and travel time to get there, and the guides were great about answering everyones questions. Here are some of the pictures we took. Enjoy!!

The cave features stalactites, stalagmites, and columns. And these beautiful ribbon formations. This is a "wet cave" meaning water still drips from the surface so the cave is continually growing and changing.
It also includes some unique creations like this "soda straw" formation they call The Town Pump. Can you find it?BigJ and I studied about caves using an internet resource called Exploring Caves and many books from the library. The Ohio Caverns was a great end to our study.

Happy Birthday BigJ and LittleE

We had 2 birthdays this week which made for way too much cake! BigJ on Monday had a funfetti cake and LittleE today with a cheesecake. Yummy!

BigJ decided we were going to play a game of birthday baseball.

And here is BigJ with a new outfit, videos, and books.

Then it was off to an Akron Aeros baseball game on Friday night. It's always a fun time at the Aeros stadium, but unfortunately they played just like the Indians and lost 1-0. Boo.

LittleJ loved the cheese fries- as long as there was no cheese attached!!

Even though they lost the game, the fireworks after the game made up for it. They were great!

Summit Choral Society

We are so happy to have found the Summit Choral Society last year. LittleA auditioned in January 2008 and was placed in Training level 4. This year she was moved up to the Concert Choir, and hopefully next year she will be in the Touring Choir. Children can begin in the 2nd grade in Training level 1. They progress through the ranks as their skills progress. We only wish we had discovered them sooner, so she could have spent more time with them.

Here is the Concert Choir singing Come Ye Makers of Song. LittleA is in the back row.

After all 6 individual choirs have had a chance to sing, they combine into one.

This is the combined choirs of 250+ youth and children singing America The Beautiful.

Some Pirate Fun!

The home school band played music from The Pirates of the Caribbean! I thought I'd share this one with you as well.

The advanced band ranges in ages from 9 yo. (the very talented little guy on percussion) to 12th grade. You may notice there are some adults playing with the band members also. Since our band does not always have enough people to fill out parts, the director asks some of his college students to fill in a few. We have a Malone music professor helping with percussion, and his wife fills in the oboe part. We also have a college student filling in the tenor saxophone part. The home school band program continues to be a wonderful part of our education experience.

Stark Co. Home School Band

LittleE and LittleA had their spring concert last night, held at Malone University's Johnson Center for Worship and Fine Arts. They worked very hard and played beautifully. The program features all 3 bands; the beginners, intermediates, and advanced band. There were also several solos and ensembles. One of their favorite pieces was The Lord of Dance. LittleA is playing piccolo.

The Wilderness Center in Wilmot, OH

This year after our Mother's Day breakfast buffet on Saturday, we drove over to the Wilderness Center to do some hiking. We chose the Pioneer Trail, a new trail we hadn't trekked before.

Along the way we saw some beautiful wildflowers. I forgot to pick up a brochure for identifing them, but I'll give it a go myself.

Wild Geranium? I don't think that's right, but it's the closest match.

Something in the aster family? But still didn't find a perfect match.

Now, this one has been a stumper. I couldn't find anything to match it even though it is so unique. If you have an idea, please let me know. The next time we go out for a hike, I'll definitely have to find out their names .

Nearing the end, it was time for a break. We had such an enjoyable time that I'm sure we'll be back again soon.