Summer to fall

I hate to say it but it seems as though summer is ending in NH. It's been so cold for the last 3 or 4 mornings. Today felt cold until after noon time. There's a frost warning just (like a very few miles, basically the next county north) north of here and above for tonight. Summer seemed to pass so fast.

We have stayed busy since the boys got home from camp. Lizards and salamanders have been caught and released. This big one below was so cute!








The boys have been making bows and arrows.

Colin shot an arrow through a window and it broke, sigh!

Colin and Tristan decided to start a fish tank together. The very day they bought their fish, just two fish and a catfish, the two fish had babies! So the kids had to spend that evening fishing baby fish out of the tank so the parents wouldn't eat them!


baby fish!


Then suddenly it is time to start a new year of homeschooling.





These Mini Offices seem like a great idea. They have various helpful things in them such as maps, abbreviations, math charts, writing charts...depending on the age of the child.

In the afternoon we tried to install the Switched On Schoolhouse discs and had some trouble with 2 of the three computers. It was frustrating.We also did some yard work and then the kids played for the remainder of the afternoon.

Planning for non planners or Wild Homeschool 2009-2010

I don't usually plan to this extent but this year I need to be organised! The kids are older and doing more. I'm planning to work this winter. Animals will feature in the extra activities this year, we just can't help that.

Trevor
Math U See Algebra & Teaching Company Algebra
Teaching Company Chemistry (with our own labs and extras)& Chemistry 101 DVD's(would love to buy, is it out yet? need to check)
Teaching Company American History (plus topical history movies and documentaries from netflix as desired)
Teaching Company-London a Short History(also add netflix documentaries and movies about Great Britain)
British Literature and Shakespeare (Fall/Spring one each)
Together Time- Geography only, just the short family meeting time the other days of the week.

Hayley
SOS 7th grade- math and LA each day other subjects 2-3 days wk alternating.
SOS Earth Science elective- daily
Together Time- Spanish, Drawing basics, Geography (science and latin if desired)

Colin
Together Time- Geography, Spanish, Drawing Basics, Science, Latin
CLe Math (might switch to SOS math winter time when I work)
LA- clicknspell, Galore Park, something for handwriting (SOS LA- start in winter)

Tristan
Together Time- all Geography, Spanish, Science, Drawing, Latin
Phonics- Explode the Code online and clicknread
LA- something for handwriting & might try 3rd grade SOS LA in winter
Math CLE and fun computer math games

Together Time
Together Time is a block of time each day to have a short family chat about the day/week and any issues or news, maybe have a bible verse or story then work together on one subject...together! Tristan and Colin will participate each day, Hayley most, Trevor one subject only. As most of our activities fall on Wednesday and Thursday this year I put the lightest/shortest number of lessons two subjects on those days. Monday is geography (country a week, my own plan), Tuesday science RS4K, Wednesday-Drawing Basics, Thursday-Latin, Friday-Spanish. This will be done fall and spring but not in winter if I'm working then. I do not mind if the curriculum I've gotten for these subjects takes 1.5-2 years to work through. I think this will help us transition from doing most homeschooling together to doing some on their own independantly. We have Together Time first in the morning then kids work seperately on their own levels afterwards.

Outside Activities
Animal Academy-
Monthly on Thursday.
Through Family Resource Center. Hayley, Colin, Tristan, out of State no other work will be expected to be done this day once per month.

Mixed Class day-
Monthly on Wednesday afternoons.
With Homeschool group two towns away. Art (geography based art activities) each month- Hayley and Tristan, Michelle's menagerie-a geography and animals hands on course for kids. Hayley, Colin, Tristan (most months) Other science-Hayley, Colin, Tristan, the months the menagerie doesn't hold a class. Trevor is over the age limit for these classes and will have free time with a friend these afternoons.

Cub Scouts-
Monthly den meeting directly after Mixed Class Day. Monthly pack meeting 3rd Sundays.

Girl Scouts-
bi-monthly but varies
Hayley only, they haven't gotten their schedule up yet. Will be some 1st and 3rd Thurdays but some meetings will be held on weekends instead. We will get to what we can there will occasionally be a conflict here.

Third Thursdays possible 4H for all
monthly
directly after girl scouts, still up in the air about this one.

Occasional activities through the mixed classes HS group and the Third Thursday group. These would almost always be on Wed. or Thurs.

Living History-Trying to visit many historical places this year as the younger boys are a good age for it. We did the same with Trevor and Hayley when they were around the same age. These are as a family when convenient or when special events occur, have a couple on the calendar now.


Audubon- checking their site now and then for occasional family days or homeschool days. So far planning to attend a couple activities through them.

Also for our geography theme, family movies will often be related to whichever country or continent we are learning about that week and recipes from those countries will be made some weekends.

So that is fall mainly. Winter the kids will work more independantly and focus on basics, their monthly activities will continue. In spring a lot will look like fall music or maybe just guitar will replace Drawing basics if drawing has been completed.

Lynn and Nahant Beaches Zoo and Beaches Part 2

The day we went to the Stone Zoo we had also planned to go to the beach. We knew the zoo would take only about 4 hours or so to see and that left a lot of day to have fun in! We had a hard time finding a really nice beach the day we visited Plymouth and settled for an OK one. I determined to do my research and surprise everyone with a fantastic beach for the zoo day. I did good and found out about Nahant and Lynn beaches. A Beach on a skinny peninsula? attaches Lynn to Nahant. You can drive on this stretch and on the other side is a long, nice beach with good surf. We first explored the island, which is not really an island since it's attached. There were some scenic rocky areas to climb and play on. Then we settled on the beach on the skinny area attaching the two towns. This beach was a definite winner.

Nahant "Rock"

beach time!

I didn't get many pictures because I was swimming too. Hayley had gotten out of the water and asked to use my camera. Later I found all sorts of pictures of seagulls. She had been FEEDING them and was at one point quite surrounded by them.

A very fun day.

We left when it started t get dark and got terribly lost. We asked for directions at 3 gas stations, one guy at a bus stop, the McDonald's below where they spoke very little English but a customer helped. We got the kids something to eat there even though McD's is not typically on our list of places to eat! There are a few vegetarian (if not healthy) options. Finally in desperation we pulled over by some police cars in a section of town that looked very ominous and they directed us to exactly where we needed to go.

Yes, a good day....except for the getting lost part! My DH is SO getting a GPS for Christmas (don't tell him!).

Stone Zoo- part one of Zoo and Beach Day

The day after the boys got home from camp we went to the Stone Zoo and then the Beach. I was going to cancel this trip but the boys really wanted to go. They said they could sleep on the way and the did, especially Tristan! Tristan fell asleep right after he woke up. We had to carry him to the car and bring along his fresh clothes for the day. He slept almost all the way to the zoo too. It helped though and he enjoyed the day. It was about 1.5 hours drive to the Stone Zoo. I am notoriously bad at taking pictures at zoos but the better ones out of the 200 I took are below.

Flamingo BABIES!

bats

I loved this goat in his bowl in the petting zoo area. So cute!

The Yak was sleeping in his house so I couldn't get a good picture of it. I do love Yak's because they remind me of MT. Everest- where I will go some day.

Dino Dig

Silly Boys

There always seems to be a penny press!

A good first half of the day, after this we went to the beach, an unusual one, which will be another post. The Stone Zoo is the companion Zoo to the Franklin Park Zoo which we visited last month. Neither is a huge zoo but both have a fun amount of animals and activities. The birds of Prey show at the Stone zoo was excellent and I would say be sure to catch it if you visit the zoo. They offer it three times daily.

Cub Scout Camp and Girls week together

Both younger boys headed off to cub scout camp last week. Colin happily, he remembered the fun from last year, Tristan reluctantly, it was his first year and although he wanted to go, he felt unsure.

Getting settled in. Colin sets up his tent.

Tristan's bunk:


I don't feel very happy right now, Tristan seems to be thinking.



Waiting for health talk, photos, swim tests....

34 boys, 8 leaders, 2 photographers, can they get a picture with everyone facing the camera!

Swim test, the boys must swim the length of the dock 4 times, it's a pretty long distance.

Colin passed.....

and so did Tristan!

Having both sides filled in means the boys can swim wherever they want. If the do not pass there are separate areas to keep the non swimmers safe.

Hayley got to Puppy-sit someones Labrador puppy while they helped their boy, she was happy to do so!

and while the boys were at camp.............

Hayley and her friend had a 5 day 4 night sleep over! I was watching the friend for her Mom who went to cub scout camp as a den leader and with her son.

the girls...played with animals, tie dyed shirts, painted pictures, did several craft projects, swam in the pool, and the lake, watched movies that their brothers wouldn't like such as Care Bears, made giant cookies, and individual pizzas and finally celebrated the week by making matching Build A Bear cats while wearing their tie dye t-shirts!