Spring Science

Since the talk around our home is about gardening, we thought it would be a good idea to post some of our favorite books on the topic! These have been checked out of the library, so hint, hint grandparents--we don't own them and would love to! No pressure or anything.

Roots Shoots Buckets & Boots ~ a great book on gardening together with our parents! Fun and informative as well. We really like this one.

Up, Down, and Around ~ wonderful for preschoolers! Here we learned about veggies that grow underground, some that grow above ground and others that grown all around the garden.

The Vegetables We Eat ~ a good source of info on how various veggies are grown and then the process of how they get to our grocery store. We learned much about how botanists catagorize veggies--by the part that we eat: tuber, leaf, stem, bulb, flower bud, root, seed, or fruit.

A Seed is Sleepy ~ this is Mom's personal favorite, you can find her looking through it on her own! This book has gorgeous illustrations and information on seeds and their 'abilities'. Such as...a seed is clever: it knows to seek the sunlight, to push itself up, up, up through the soil.

In all of this talk and reading, Mom has also explained that God planned for seeds to do their job from the very beginning of creation. Isn't that amazing? He made every tree, every plant, every fruit with the ability to make more of itself. That way, He wouldn't have to keep speaking words of creation every time we needed more fruit or another tree somewhere. In one word, He planned for it to go on, and on, and on....Wow! How super-duper intelligent of God!!

Oh, one more book: One Bean, which inspired this project:

We're growing beans! A bean is a seed that we can eat; and we started it off by placing two between wet paper towels. Their hard skin will get soft and wrinkly and begin to sprout. We'll update as we go along!

The Week in Review

Hello all,

We've been working this week at catching up some on academics since being sick for a long time earlier this month had us off track. Now that we're definitely healthy, Mom has instituted BOOK camp (very similar to boot camp!).

I (Janelle) finished my Math curriculum this week and am taking a break before starting the next one. I've improved quite a bit in my accuracy and in following directions! Before, I usually just jumped in and started my work without giving much thought to what they were actually asking me to do {hehe}. Seriously not okay with my mother. I've read several books in the last two weeks and also worked through lots of reading comprehension & thinking skills exercises in my language curriculum. Yesterday I wrote a Spring acrostic poem. Want to hear it? Of course you do:

Beautiful things sitting on trees

Unravel a story to no one told

Dipped into beauty, they hold a

Secret we will soon see.

Alongside of academics I've had rehearsals this week for the show I'm in at a local theatre. Opening weekend is coming up! I'm nervous, excited and ready all at the same time. Oh, and achievement testing is on Monday...but who wants to talk about that?

Alright, I (Jordyn) have been busy as well. Mom and I are working on basic phonics and reading now that my interest has resurfaced. I'm really enjoying my Word Whammer and also a reading site that Mommy found to reinforce what we learning. I finished Psalm 27 and am starting on Psalm 8. Of course, Mom reads to me daily. Other than that I keep myself occupied with building things, which I LOVE to do! Blocks, Legos, K'Nex, Lincoln logs or items around the house such as straws, plastic cups & masking tape and such are all tools for me to use. Oh, and I work on writing skills, which is not my favorite at all so I don't have much to say there.

Why am I left at the end?? I (King Josiah) would rather be first next time. I've been up to...well, let me just show you what I've been doing:

Who spilled those Cheerios on the floor?

Oh yeah.......ME!! Guess I better go and help clean up.

Jackie will post her own senior update in a while so stay tuned!

Thank You!

Thanks Nana and Grandad for the Easter treats! We really like Beatrix Potter's books and characters, so the animals will be fun to use when retelling the stories. And of course, the candy was a good idea too!

Sweet Moments...

Valentines for Others

Last week our church homeschool group got together to make valentines and enjoy a little party. Instead of thinking of those in our family or close friends, we took on the project of assembling cards for the residents in a local nursing home. With a list of names in hand, the children were able to address the cards specifically to a person in the home. We also included scripture verses that had a reminder of God's love. Today was the scheduled date of delivery, but too many of us were sick! The cards were dropped off and then distributed, unfortunately not by us though. Another time!

Stories of our Faith

Wanting to focus some on the history of Christianity, last week we took time to read a story of courageous action in the life of Martin Luther. After listening to Mom read an excerpt from the book Trial and Triumph, the girls chose to act out the story of the posting of his 95 Theses on October 31, 1517. Jordyn was a poor woman buying indulgences and Janelle represented the church council. Dear Mom was Martin Luther ("because you know the story best Mommy"). Scenes switched as we rehearsed the ripple effect of one man's questioning and searching. We became the printers who spread copies of the theses throughout Germany and Europe; then we were the ones who threatened Martin not to speak out. Finally, we acted out the common German people who were happy to receive the Bible in their own language after Luther had translated it for them.

After the hulabaloo of costume changes and such, we took time to remember examples from the life of Jesus....another courageous man who defied the empty religious practices of his day to bring hope to others. We prayed for courage and strength for ourselves, that we too would not simply point others towards outward practices, but toward relationship with a real God.

Our time ended with a rousing rendition of one of Luther's hymns, "A Mighty Fortress is Our God". Janelle led by playing the melody line on the piano, Jordyn pranced & danced around, and Josiah tried to be heard above the music as he yelled for someone to get him his sippy cup.

It was a beautiful time. :o)

Just some pics

Simply Science

Okay, Janelle reporting here. I am here to tell you that I LOVE Science!! Mostly life science and anything having to do with the human body. Well, after almost a year of begging.....(drum roll please)....I have finally convinced my mother to let me dissect a frog! YES! I am so very, very excited you would think it was my birthday all over again. We ordered it this week, so it will be several more days for me to painfully wait. Mom says I should work on my skill of observation before then, so here is a simple project I completed.

If you take 3 apple pieces and place one in water, one in hydrogen peroxide, and one in white vinegar, what changes will occur after 1 minute? After 5 minutes? After 10 minutes?

Mom made me a chart to record my data. First, I made observations about the liquids. For example, they are all colorless. Can you think of others?

Then, I wrote a hypothesis for each of the three. You do remember what a hypothesis is, correct?

Then, with timer in hand and some help from Mom, the apples got dropped in as I kept a vigilent watch for any particular changes. One minute.....5 minutes....(nothing much happening, except the peroxide making sizzling sounds and bubbles around the apple).

Ten minutes....well, still no significant change for the water or vinegar solutions. Peroxide still bubbling. I guess some experiments are like that. Anyway, lastly I recorded all my observation on the chart and called it a day. I wonder if the apples changed in smell? Hmmm....

While I worked, Jordyn used an apple to paint.....

....and Josiah surveyed his kingdom.

Introductions

sweet little old Jackie

Hello folks! I'm the head of the group here at Westgate, though I'm attending another institution of learning at this point. :o) Hooray! for my senior year which consists of a half day of school and a half day of working at my father's office. I'm enjoying the work...ahem, *cough*...well, yes...the money as well. This year a big goal is to dig deep into my language studies--French 4 and Spanish 5. I also recently did an orientation to volunteer at our local crisis pregnancy center. My responsibilities will include helping sort and stack clothes and diapers then also providing childcare while the moms are in class or counseling. Of course I'm always doing something with my family and/or friends!

Janelle

Hi! I'll be quick because I'm much too busy to sit around and blog all day long. But, you'll hear from me often. This is my 3rd year with homeschool and I'm loving it! Outside of academics I enjoy soccer, piano, drama, sewing, ballet and reading, reading, reading. Playing with my siblings and coordinating my social schedule are top priorities. Gotta go...see ya!

It's me, Jordyn!

Hi there readers! I can't wait to be able to be able to read just like you, which is why I insisted that my mother include me into the program at Westgate this year.....it worked and here I am at my little desk. I am having soooo much fun so far and will have to let you know what all is going on around here (I'll tell you the good stuff). I enjoy Mom reading to me, coloring and cutting, play-doh, dressing up, cooking, eating and playing with my brother & sister. Tootles!

King Josiah

Hello everyone. I am King Josiah. And believe it or not, I'm in charge.

That's it, there is no more to say.