Mega Post

Well, homeschool has officially started. Here is our first field trip to help Soren learn some of the Principles and Elements of Design (the building blocks of aesthetics and creative endeavors). We went to the faculty exhibit at my Alma Mater and he was asked to take pics of examples of any principles and elements of design that he had learned so far.

Example of Balance (symmetrical):Example of Repitition (of Line and Texture)

Example of geometric Line:

Example of Organic Line:

Summer vacation is done but not before I spent some one on one with my fave preschooler. It's like having Becky as a friend in a smaller body. We made sponge boats and floated them in my tub. Claire had me turn on the orange LED lights. We had fun.

This is also how I know summer is about to end:

There are these few bulbs amidst my boston ferns by the garage that come out at the end of summer. Can anyone tell me what they are? I want to get more.

Honestly, I am overwhelmed with the broadness of material I have/want to teach Soren. Soren is really patient with me and says he likes it so far. He just wishes I were more available at night for homework help. He was worried I was sick of him--I need to figure how to remedy that this week. Here is our weekly schedule:

Mon/Wed

Music Theory

Math

PE (he goes to the gym with me)

Language Arts

Spanish

Tues/Thurs

Math

PE (Tues.)

History/Geography

Science

Art

Friday--any combo of the below as we see fit.

PE (he takes riding lessons)

Quizzes/tests

Presentations (Powerpoint etc)

Field Trips

Lifeskills (he is now comparing the price and nutritional info of a McDonald's quarter pounder with a home-made one. His poster presentation is due this Thurs during Math.)

Oral Recitations (last week he recited some D&C 89 WofW and a history quote, "To not know one's past is to forever remain a child." This week will be some Genesis verses and Maslow's hierarchy of needs.)

We can get done in about 4 hours not including gym time. I am sure it will be different when we travel (a travel journal will replace some lessons), but when we are home, the above seems doable. He loved learning how Hitler made the same mistake as Napoleon by taking on the Russians in winter. This week we are recreating a dragon-shaped ceramic tea set he saw at the art exhibit. We will use modeling clay and keep in mind some more principles and elements of design. He's learning how to take notes, summarize, and memorize. As he gets more info, we will start learning the best -ize in my opinion, synthesize. Putting info together to draw comparisons and contrast, that's when the learning kicks in!

PS. I have thought about why I have the need to package my life in this blog-fashion. It is such a highly edited, choreographed way of journaling. It makes my life look exciting and rich. I am concerned it's phony. But I need to include that I struggle--with self-confidence to do what I have planned this year, with what to put faith in, with the limits of my physical and mental abilities, with my weaknesses, with why my ass is, in terms of biological necessity, too big . Everyone's blog has a certain culture. I have chosen to highlight the exciting, fun things. It helps me get through the absurdity, the quiet failings of the rest of my life. Thank you for indulging me. . .