QUESTION TIME!

My friend, Jana, is doing a 30 Days of Knitting Questions. (her blog: Knitting in the red )

I decided to adapt this for myself. I do not want to be held to making sure I do them every single day, so I'll do a few at a time, when I have the time.

And I may add a Homeschool Question in there, too....... I know. I'll ask for questions from readers.

DOES ANYONE HAVE A HOMESCHOOOL QUESTION for me? anything you wonder or want to know about what we do or about homeschool in general??

SO, ON WITH THE SHOW:

Day #4 Knitting Question is: How Did You Learn To Knit?

I learned using this video: VideoJug:How to Knit the Knit Stitch

I loved it because the lady sounds like the chick on the Orbit Gum commercials. I did pretty well, but later found out I have twisted stitches. People told me that, but no one explained what that meant at first. My friend Cindy explained though.

I learned to knit with both my left and right hands. It keeps my hands from getting bored. Sometimes my left hand wants a chance to lead, too.

Day 3: Do you have any other WIPs (works in progress)?

I have a coffee cup sleeve on sz 3 DPNs, using my left over sock yarn. It is thin, I wanted to see how well it works. I am just barely started on that.

I have a Christmas Present on size 7 DPNs

and my DNA Double Helix Scarf on size 3 straight needles.

HOMESCHOOL NEWS:

The boys have been too lax about things lately, so this week is 'boring school' Sometimes we need a break from all the Quasi-Unschool. So it's reading books, reading History Texts, some writing, and doing math this week.

School is done on the hour this week. A 9-9:50 session. then 10-10:45, then 11-11:45. Then Lunch, then another hour of school followed by housework...... and no computer game time. I told them if they do an excellent job they might be able to earn their computer time back by Wednesday.

Sharing Plans

I thought I'd post what I have so far for our Forensics J-Term Class. Maybe you might want to do forensics with your kids and will be able to use some of these ideas/plans:

these are the Books I will be using for experients/demonstrations/activities:

http://www.amazon.com/CSI-Expert-Forensic-Science-Kids/dp/1593633122/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1290569290&sr=8-1

http://www.amazon.com/Crime-Scene-Investigations-Real-Life-Science/dp/0876281358/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1290569386&sr=8-3

FORENSIC SCIENCE

IDEAS:

· --- BOOKS Encyclopedia Brown. 39 Clues, CSI books {Some books for them to read on their own-not part of class}

· -------- Make fake Blood : http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/experiment/fake-blood-recipes?utm_source=101020&utm_medium=email&utm_content=exptxt&utm_campaign=eow

· ----- Obtain Typewriters (3 or 4 hopefully)

I have broken the class down into Sessions. About 1 week per session.

Se · http://www.forensicmag.com/

---- * Session: Overview of Forensics & Jobs in Forensics

o General Videos

o Occupations

§ http://www.ehow.com/facts_5418966_different-occupations-forensic-science.html

§ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forensic_science SEE: SUBDIVISIONS

§ http://www.computer-forensics-recruiter.com/index.html

§ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forensic_anthropology

§ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forensic_odontology

§

o vocabulary

o word-roots (latin/Medical Terms)

o Medical ASL

· ---- Session: (other) Evidence

o Blood Splatter

o Impression (shoes, teeth)

o Gun/bullets/GSR

o Things left behind (cigarette butts, food wrappers, ticket stubs, etc)

o Lip/palm/etc prints

o Insects

o Fibers

o Collect fibers at the ranch?

o GROUP CLASS: “Follow The Evidence”

---- · Session: Documents

o Typewriters/printers

o Handwriting

o Codes Morse Code/Sign Language

o Paper/Ink Analysis

o Notepad rubs to find clues

o Double Doodles/Left-hand Writing

o

---- · Session: Biological IDs

o DNA

o Genetics

o GROUP CLASS: Phlebotomy

o Blood Types

o Hair

o fingerprints

o Biological Profile

---- · Session: Bones

o Full skeletal

o Odontology

o Anthropology

o Clues in bones

o Watching BONES

· Session: Reconstruction/Art

o Suspect drawing

o Skull/face reconstruction

o Crime Scene Drawing/Graphing

o Court Room Artist

o C.S. Photos

· Putting it ALL together

· GROUP CLASS: Fickle Forensics (Pickle Gang Autopsy)-

· I This will be a big project- finding a crime scene. marking evidence, Identifying "bodies" (large dill pickles), doing autopsies

**I then use the Sessions Ideas as a Skeleton Outline and fill in week by week with specific things to do for each of the sessions- here is what I have so far:

WEEK ONE JANUARY 3-7 EVIDENCE

Monday: VHIP (Our Homeschool Group- I'll do a group class/activity on Mondays)

Ø Crime Scene Clean-Up. Making Fingerprint Powder. Making Evidence Markers. The Scene: take pictures, make documentations/measurements. Collect/ID evidence. back to Lab. Crime Scene Reconstruction.

Tuesday: 3T

Ø Puzzle of the Day (Puzzles/Challlenges are taken from/Inspired by: http://sciencespot.net/Pages/classforscistarters.html)

Ø Different jobs within Forensics

Ø Vocabulary

Ø Fingerprint bk5-8 pg 40-48. Make fingerprint powder. make a 10 print card. practice lifting prints. Balloon Prints for ID purpose.

Ø Super Glue Fuming in baggies. try film canister. cardstock. http://www.theforensicteacher.com/fingerprints.html

Ø iodine fuming. use crystals from Chem Class. http://blog.makezine.com/science_room/forensics/forensics_laboratory_82_revealing_l/

Wednesday:3T entomology

Ø YouTube

Ø http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Entomology

Ø http://www.forensic-entomology.com/

Thursday:3T

Ø Puzzle of the Day

Ø Book 5-8 page 59 Cracked Glass

Ø Burning Fibers book5-8 page 32

Ø MiniMystery (2)

Ø Possible Collection of Fibers from the Farm

FRIDAY: 3T

Ø Daily Puzzle

Ø MiniMystery http://www.theforensicteacher.com/mini-mystery.html

Ø CSI Kit (Evidence)

Ø Possible analyzing of fibers collected from farm

WEEK 2 January 10-14 Human Biology

Monday: VHIP

Ø (3T) Daily Puzzle

Ø YouTube

Ø Phleb Class

Ø Make a big batch of fake blood. if we need more

TUESDAY

Ø Puzzler of the Day

Ø Blood Spatter. bk 5-8 pg 112-127 do all 3 labs.

Ø Vocabulary

Ø YouTube

WEDNESDAY

Ø Mini Mystery

Ø Puzzle

Ø “CSI” kit for DNA.

I can do all things

Philippians 4:13 says; "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

But I just can't do All things at once. I sit here typing and wishing I could knit while I type. I was folding towels earlier and wishing I could write lesson plans while folding laundry. I often wish I could read a book while taking a shower. And to be able to knit, read, shower, fold laundry, and check the boys math ALL AT ONCE....... that would be amazing!! Priceless even.

But for now I am stuck justing doing 1 or 2 things at once. Luckily I can mentally plan out 3-4 other things in the process so I feel feel like just getting the laundry put away is a little more time efficient.

and yet, my house always seems to be a few steps behind.

Monday, Brian took the day off work to drive his parents to the Airport.I really forget what all we did with the rest of the day. I took the Connor & Ki to Acting Class. I thought Connor was feeling better, but he was worse when he woke up Tuesday.

Brian had a some medical stuff on Wed. I went with him. Then took Ki to acting while Brian took Connor to the doctors.

Between Brian being home during the week and Connor not feeling well, school has fallen by the wayside this week. And now Ki seems to be coming down with whatever Connor has.

I need to spend some time planning for next week. Failing to Plan is just like Planning to Fail in this house.

Ki is going to make French Toast for breakfast tomorrow. He said he wants to make dinner for the Rabes (a family/friends from church). He is going to make Pumpkin Cheese Cake for Thanksgiving. We had a talk earlier this week about our passions and our abilities and our goals in life.... and MATH. Basically we talked about finding out what we are good at and enjoy and working to be better at it. G&C are good in math and Science. Ki's strengths and loves like not in anything "Scholastic" but in cooking and acting. So that is where he should be going with his schooling. He thinks he'd like to learn about William Shakespeare and lead some Improv Classes for the homeschool kids. he also wants to cook more for our friends- having them over for food and games. I think Ki'd real passion is people. Getting to know people and help them. Acting Classes help him see and understand people, get a chance to pretend to be someone else and see things through their eyes. Cooking brings people together. Ki has always cared about people. Praying for people. Giving to people.

One of my jobs is to help him use his passions and strengths to "get an education". Homeschooling to his abilities and interests.

and now it is time to clean some more. And knit. And read. And lesson plan. And make dinner.

ChemClassDec2010

I have gone through their Chemistry DVD and browsed online to find experiments.

Reading through their DVD was a bit boring. This course NEEDS extra fun! Chemistry Class should be full of smoke, flames, color changes, etc. In fact, it is my personal opinion that numbers really aren't needed for anything else than a Count Down to Ignition!

I have my classes planned for December. All 3 boys will be taking the Apologia High School Course... which means the math portion is beyond Ki. So that part will be optional for him (but I'll tell him to give it a try first)

Here are the online links to the experiments I have added:

Week 1- has 3 experiments in the 'book- so no external experiment links

Week 2:[1] Make GOLD Pennies [2] Exploding Water! [3] Make Smoke Bombs

and as a special treat, I HOPE HOPE HOPE to be able to do the Igniting Steam activity, though the video says it should ONLY be done by Trained Professionals. Moms are trained professionals, right??

Week 3: [1] BREATH FIRE [2] Moving Permanent Molecules (Sharpie Pen ) [3]Gum Drop Molecules

Week 4: DVDs(netflix & Library) and they can find their own experiments to do and teach.

******************************************************************

I love when I can teach all 3 boys together! It happens less and less these days.

******************************************************************

and if you want to see the whole 'syllabus'- here it is: (using Apologia Chemistry DVD)

Nov 29 (Mon) CLASS

· Start with Experiments 1.1 & 1.2

· Have them define MATTER in their notebooks. Have them tell what the experiments showed. Air has MASS and takes up SPACE.

· (notes) Units of Measurement. Examples curtains 50x60. Mars Climate Orbiter. in science the standard set of units for measurement is the Metric System.

· (notes)The Metric System. units of mass are grams. For example, the mass of this course (including both CDs, the case, and the instructions) is about 120 grams. COPY Table 1.1 into notebooks.

Nov 30 (tues) CLASS

· (notes) Manipulating Units. Copy Table.

· (notes) Converting Between Tables. Teach thi s age. Do some problems. define: factor-label method. Watch Video.

· On Your Own- done as oral quiz.

· Converting between units of measurement. Have Ki try, but he can leave to go read if he wants. OYO. (on paper)

· For C&K- More Complex Unit Conversions. Use Calculators after a few without. OYO. On Paper.

Dec 1 (Wed) C&G + Class

· [C&G ]Derived Units. do on their own. Copy Sample. Watch Video.

· [C&G ]OYO- write score in notebook.

· Do the Making Measurements with actual ruler & graduated cylinder- NOT as notes/reading.

· (notes) Accuracy, Precision. Significant Figures. Example. OYO. on paper.

Dec 2 (Thurs)

· (notes) Accuracy, precision, significant figures (2). 6 cookies at 5 calories how much really?

· (notes) Scientific Notation. Go Through Examples. OYO (Opt for Ki)

· (notes) Using Scientific Notation in math

· Experiment 1.3

Dec 3 (Fri)

ü Finish Module. OYO. Hand out Practice Problems. Make sure Ki is not worried about the math part. Test on Monday.

Dec 6 (Mon)

ü TEST

ü PANERA

Dec 7 (Tues)

· Go Over Tests

· Module 2: Experiment 2.1 - Read Energy & Heat (notes)

Dec 8 (Wed)

· (notes) Nature of the Scientific Law. First Law of Thermodynamics (video). Units for measuring heat energy.

· Draw Figure 2.1 in notes

· ZENDO- science vernacular

Dec 9 (Thur)

· Science Zendo

· Units for Measuring Heat 2 & 3 w/ OYO-p. Ki-optional for math.

· http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/experiment/gold-pennies

· http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/experiment/exploding-water-in-the-microwave

Dec 10 (fri)

· http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9uvIhgVz04&feature=player_embedded

· (Notes) Calorie Unit. Measuring Heat. OYO-o

· http://video.about.com/chemistry/How-to-Make-a-Smoke-Bomb.htm

WEEK 3

Dec13 (mon)

· http://video.about.com/chemistry/How-to-Breathe-Fire.htm

· Calorimetry videos.

· Exp 2.2 Write-Up

· Measuring Heat 4. OYO-p

· Conclusion

Dec 14 (Tues)

ü Do Practice Problems

ü Finish Writing any Lab Reports

Dec 15 (Wed)

o TEST @ Panera

o Sharpie Pen Science http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/experiment/00000032

Dec 16 (thur)

· Early Attempts to Understand Matter. Law of Mass Conservation

· Experiment 3.1. Lab Report.

· Law of Mass Conservation 2. OYO-p

Dec 17 (Fri)

· Elements- The Basic Building Blocks of Matter. OYO-oral(answer cards)

· Compounds. OYO (answer cards)

· Gum Drop Compounds: http://www.sciencefairadventure.com/Candy_Molecules.aspx

WEEK 4

Dec 20-23(Mon-Thurs)

· The Law of Multiple Proportions. Dalton’s Atomic Theory.

· DVDs from Netflicks and Library