Book Completed 12/6/10 and some favorable mentions...

At night, I have been reading poems from Robert Louis Stevenson's A Child's Garden of Verses.  The illustrations are by Brian Wildsmith and are beautiful watercolors which complement each poem.

Some of Lella's favorites are:
Travel, My Shadow, The Land of Nod, The Dumb Soldier, Nest Eggs, My Bed is a Boat, Looking-Glass River, The Cow ,Little Land
Time to Rise, and North-West Passage, Escape at Bedtime, Foreign Children, and The Moon.

Other books completed by Marcus and Lella:
On Beyond a Million, An Amazing Math Journey, David M. Schwartz
You are the First Kid on Mars, Patrick O'Brien
Megatooth, Patrick O'Brien

Marcus:
The Year at Maple Hill Farm, Alice and Martin Provensen
Encyclopedia Brown and the Case of the Jumping Frogs (69 pages), Donald J. Sobol
Go Figure, A totally cool book about numbers, Johnny Ball
***Marcus LOVED this book.  He learned some really neat math tricks.

Lella:
Why do seasons change?, Christopher Maynard
Encyclopedia Brown and the Case of the Treasure Hunt (91 pages), Donald J. Sobol
Encyclopedia Brown and the Case of the Mysterious Handprints (90 pages), Donald J. Sobol
Jenny goes to Sea (128 pages), Esther Averill
The Best Book of Dinosaurs, Christopher Maynard
Amelia Earhart, The Legend of the Lost Aviator, Shelly Tanaka
Fairy Tale Cookbooks, Fairy Tale Dinners, Jane Yolen
The Children on Troublemaker Street (99 pages), Astrid Lindgren
***Warning:  Astrid Lindgren is one of Lella's favorite authors (Pippi Longstocking, The Children of Noisy Village, etc...) and she enjoyed this book, however she came to me when she was finished and said that she thought she learned a bad word.  I couldn't imagine what the word was, but sure enough, one of the children says, "Damn it!"  This is the second book in this genre of literature from the early 60's that I have found unfavorable phrases in.  So, just be aware that it is in there.

Completed History Reading (both):

The children loved Eric A. Kimme's Sword of the Samurai, Adventure Stories from Japan.  The book is 120 pages and full of short samurai stories.
Food and Feasts in the Middle Ages, Imogen Dawson
The Girl Who Loved the Wind, Jane Yoland
Little Mouse and Elephant, A Tale from Turkey, Jane Yoland

Completed Books 11/20/10

History:
Bard of Avon:  The Story of William Shakespeare, Diane Stanley and Peter Vennema
Mary, Brian Wildsmith
A Medieval Feast, Aliki
Knights, Philip Steele
Food and Feasts in the Middle Ages, Imogen Dawson
Castle Diary (64 pages), Richard Platt

Lella:
Tumtum and Nutmeg:  The Great Escape (157 pages), Emily Bearn
Tumtum and Nutmeg:  The Pirate's Treasure (162 pages), Emily Bearn
Escape South (73 pages), Kim Siegelson
The Year at Maple Hill Farm, Alice and Martin Provensen
Jenny's Birthday Book, Esther Averill
I Love to Draw Dogs!, Jennifer Lipsey
Draw 50 Baby Animals, Lee J. Ames
If You Decide to Go to the Moon, Faith McNulty
The Big Book of Questions and Answers, A Consumer Guide Children's Book
Leonardo, Beautiful Dreamer, Robert Byrd

Marcus:
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (GIC-Great Illustrated Classic, 239 pages), Robert Louis Stevenson
***Marcus loved the ending.  He ran out and said, "So Mama, Dr. Jekyll IS Mr. Hyde!"  It was cute.

Both:
Bink and Gollie, Kate DiCamillo and Alison McGhee
Monster Math Picnic, Grace Maccarone
Fairy Tale Classics, Ziefert
The Fire Cat (63 pages), Esther Averill
A Day in the Life of Murphy, Alice Provensen
If you Made a Million, David Schwartz
Millions to Measure, David Schwartz

Great Math Pracitce Problems

My dear fried Jamy posted this site, so I thought I would share it.  All levels are represented (K-8) and the practice problems are based on the State Standards. 

IXL Math

How to use a semicolon...

From Susan Wise Bauer's blog....

"Best explanation of semicolons ever..."

How to use a semicolon - The most feared punctuation on earth

Warning:  Only look at this link.  The rest of the comics on the site are inappropriate for young eyes.

Books Completed 11/9/10

Gabriella has been reading some of the dearest books lately.  Here are a few that she recently completed:
1.  Tumtum and Nutmeg (181 pages), Emily Bearn
2.  The Milly Molly Mandy Storybook (224 pages), Joyce Lankaster Brisley
3.  Homer Price (149 pages), Robert McCloskey

All highly recommended.

Other books she has completed:
Equal Shmequal (32 pages), Virginia Kroll
The Usborne Book of Creepy Poems (32 pages), various poets

Marcus and Lella have both completed:
The Greedy Triangle, Marilyn Burns
Somewhere in the World Right Now, Stacey Schuett
Oh Theodore! Guinea Pig Poems (43 pages), Susan Katz
*They laughed out loud reading this book together and have revisited it often.
What Makes a Magnet? (32 pages), Franklyn Branley
Wiggling Worms at Work (33 pages), Wendy Pfeffer
Floating in Space (32 pages), Franklyn Branley
How to Dig a Hole to the Other Side of the World (32 pages), Faith McNulty
*Marcus was so fascinated by this book.  He read it multiple times.
Small Potatoes Club (40 pages), Lon Levin
How Much is a Million, David Schwartz
*Both Marcus and Lella loved this book and requested the other two similar to this one.
Volcanoes (30 pages), Franklyn Branley
The Usborne Book of Fairy Tales, Cartwright and Amery
Jenny's Moonlight Adventure (32 pages), Esther Averill
*Both Marcus and Lella enjoyed this sweet book about a cat named Jenny.  Short, but written more like a chapter book with little pictures.

Marcus recently finished Encyclopedia Brown and the Case of the Two Spies (73 pages), Donald Sobol.

Completed History Reading (Both):
The North Wind and the Sun, Brian Wildsmith
The Miller Boy and the Donkey, Brian Wildsmith
The Master Swordsman and the Magic Doorway, Alice Provensen
East O' the Sun and West O' the Moon, P.J. Lynch
Puss In Boots, Marcia Brown
Saint George and the Dragon (32 pages), Margaret Hodges

Lella's book about dogs...

Gabriella is fascinated with dogs.  She recently checked out a book with dog facts and explanations of how to draw dogs.  The other day she had some free time and asked to do art.  I said, "Of course," and she worked for about an hour.  She handed me the book when she was finished. 

Great Typing Resource

The kids really enjoy this site! 
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/typing/

Lovely "Little" Books 10/25/2010

It's been way too long since my last post, so please bear with me as I talk about all of the wonderful literature the children have been reading.

To begin, the children and I finally finished Little Women (526 pages), Louisa May Alcott.  It was also my first time reading this classic novel.  I was able to instruct the children on so many godly principles throughout reading this book.  Marcus and Lella asked many questions throughout.  Some moments that stand out as I reminisce... Marcus and Lella were truly disappointed when Jo did not accept Laurie's proposal.  We all got teary eyed when Beth died.  I was able to share with them how I too had ignored Daddy when they were little (like Meg),  how it wasn't pleasing to the Lord, and how I changed.  We talked about how morals and principles are far more important than money (when Jo was writing racy articles to earn a living).  I could go on...  Needless to say, I highly recommend this book as a read aloud.  

Steve and the children recently finished Little Pilgrim's Progress (256 pages), Helen L. Taylor (adapted from John Bunyan's book Pilgrim's Progress).  Taylor keeps the original story line intact in her adaptation and simplifies some of the concepts and vocabulary.  Our Pastor recently asked a question about Christian from Pilgrim's Progress during evening instruction.  He asked what Christian's was carrying on his back, and the children answered, "A burden."  He then asked what the burden was, and they answered, "Sin."  The children LOVED this book and requested Daddy read to them every night.

Gabriella recently finished More Milly Molly Mandy (224 pages), Joyce Lankester Brisley.  This was such a darling book.  Each chapter is its own story, which makes for a great book to read at bed time, or to read aloud.  The protagonist in each story is Millicent Margaret Amanda (Milly-Molly-Mandy for short...if you consider that short).  More Milly Molly Mandy is a collection of old-fashioned stories about MMM and her adventures in her small English town.  Gabriella is now reading Milly Molly Mandy and enjoying it just as much. 

Marcus recently finished The Great Wide Sea (283 pages), M.H. Herlong.  I am especially proud of him for finishing this book.  There were quite a few sailing and nautical terms that were somewhat technical (Marcus has never sailed), and I think he may have been a bit young to full grasp the relationship dynamic of the two brothers and their father, but he persevered and in the end, said he enjoyed the book.  He especially liked the ending.

Another book I highly the kids and I are still working on is Art Fraud Detective (48 pages), Anna Nilsen.  Grab your pencil, paper, and magnifying glass!  A security guard at the Museum of Art (which houses a fine collection of 34 European masterpieces), asks young readers to play detective.  Readers are asked to determine which paintings are fraudulent by comparing them to the originals.  Each reproduction of the original painting is excellent, and the paragraphs of information about the paintings are well-written and entertaining.

Completed History Reading (both):
Easy Origami, Dokuohtei Nakano
The Enchanted Storks (32 pages), Aaron Shepard
The Duke and the Peasant:  Life in the Middle Ages (30 pages), Prestel
The Reluctant Dragon (40 pages), Robert D. San Souci
Mr. Pak Buys a Story, Carol Farley
The Rich Man and the Shoe-maker, Brian Wildsmith
Adventures with the Vikings (47 pages), Linda Bailey

Lella:
Encyclopedia Brown (87 pages), Donald Sobol

Marcus:
A to Z Mysteries:  The Talking T. Rex (85 pages), Ron Roy

Books Completed 10/5/10

History Reading (both):
The Wisdom of the Crows and Other Buddhist Tales (79 pages), Sherab Chodzin and Alexandra Kohn
The Boy Who Drew Cats, David Johnson
In the Moonlight Mist, A Korean Tale, Daniel San Souci
Exodus, Brian Wildsmith
Joseph, Brian Wildsmith
Maui and the Sun, A Maori Tale, Gavin Bishop
A Carp for Kimiko, Virginia Kroll
The Crane Wife, Odds Bodkin
The Pumpkin Runner, Marsha Arnold
Little Oh, Laura Krauss Melmed (Gabriella loved this book.)
Saint Francis, Brian Wildsmith

Gabriella:
Captains Courageous (GIC, 239 pages), Rudyard Kipling
Wild Horses (44 pages), George Stanley
Pioneer Cat (63 pages), William Hooks (Gabriella loved this book too!)

Marcus:
Encyclopedia Brown (87 pages), Donald Sobol

Both:
The Adventures of Ratman (62 pages), Ellen Weiss and Mel Friedman

The Red Pyramid and Completed Books 9/21/10

The kids and I just finished The Red Pyramid (528 pages), Rick Riordan.  Riordan's knowledge of Ancient Egyptian culture is superb, however I got quite bored with the story.  The kids seemed to like it though!  Basically, the two main characters are descended from the line of Pharaohs and must save the world.  In doing so, they encounter monster after monster, and must morph into different things to escape or defeat the monster... sigh.  Finally, "Oh god!" was used on and off when the children were in trouble.  Granted the whole story is about false Egyptian gods, but I still don't like the expression.  I will say that Marcus and Lella have a better understanding of Egyptians gods, who they are, and what Ancient Egyptians believed. 

History Reading (both):
Favorite Celtic Fairy Tales (84 pages), Joseph Jacobs - A collection of stories from Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and Cornwall.  Gabriella almost cried at the end of "Beth Gellert".  We loved reading this book.
Favorite Medieval Tales (72 pages), Mary Pope Osborne - We read these stories last year and loved all of them.  This year, we focused on "Beowulf".  Gabriella's favorite is "The Werewolf".
Cat and Rat:  The Legend of the Chinese Zodiac, Ed Young
Religions of the World - I am Muslim, Jessica Chalfonte - A simple book about the beliefs of Muslims.
Forty Fortunes:  A Tale of Iran, Aaron Shepard
The Three Golden Oranges, Alma Flor Ada
The Hundredth Name, Shulamith Levey Oppenheim

Marcus:
Mercy Watson to the Rescue (71 pages), Kate DiCamillo
Mercy Watson Goes for a Ride (72 pages), Kate DiCamillo
Tales from the Odyssey, Book One:  The One Eyed Giant (101 pages), Mary Pope Osborne - Marcus read this series last year and loved it.  He wanted to read this story again.

Marcus and Gabriella are obsessed with reading their dictionary (Scholastic Children's Dictionary).  They have also been reading The Dangerous Book for Boys and The Daring Book for Girls.  It's amazing the things they find and learn about in these three books!

Embossed Letters

This history project was super easy and fun.  The kids are studying illuminated manuscripts with Steve and since I am the art director of this family, I decided to help them make some embossed letters.  We printed out letters, cut them out of cardboard and then rubbed aluminum foil over them.  The whole process took no more than 30 minutes. Hmmmmm... I wonder whose is whose......

Books Completed 9/5/10

History Reading (both):
Across a Dark and Wild Sea, Don Brown
The Warlord's Beads, Virginia Pilegard
Marguerite Makes a Book, Bruce Robertson
The Holy Twins, Benedict and Scholastica, Kathleen Norris and Tomie de Paola
The Clay Ladies, Michael Bedard
Long is a Dragon, Chinese Writing for Children, Peggy Goldstein
Ali, Child of the Desert, Jonathan London
The Last Snake in Ireland, Sheila MacGill-Callahan
The Very Hungry Lion, Gita Wolf
The Story of Saint Patrick, James Janda
The Warlord's Fish, Virginia Pilegard
Saint Nicholas, Ann Tompert

Marcus:
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (GIC - 239 pages), Mark Twain
A to Z Mysteries, The Canary Caper (87 pages), Ron Roy
A to Z Mysteries, The Bald Bandit (71 pages), Ron Roy
Calendar Mysteries, April Adventure (69 pages), Ron Roy
Word After Word After Word (125 pages), Patricia MacLachlan

Lella:
Emily Windsnap and the Monster from the Deep (220 pages), Liz Kessler
Emily Windsnap and the Castle in the Mist (204 pages), Liz Kessler
Alice in Wonderland (Stepping Stones - 104 pages), Lewis Carroll
The Secrets of Droon, The Genie King (168 pages), Tony Abbott
The Goblin Baby (Stepping Stones - 120 pages), Berlie Doherty
Mercy Watson to the Rescue (71 pages), Kate DiCamillo
Mercy Watson Goes for a Ride (72 pages), Kate DiCamillo
Smasher (72 pages), Dick King-Smith

Both:
Ivy and Bean Break the Fossil Record (115 pages), Sophie Blackall
Ivy and Bean Take Care of the Babysitter (123 pages), Sophie Blackall
*I didn't like the tone of this book at all.  I forgot to return this to the library and the children read it without me realizing it.
The Monster Who Ate Darkness, Joyce Dunbar
Upstairs Mouse, Downstairs Mole, Wong Herbert Yee
Mouse and Mole, Fine Feathered Friends, Wong Herbert Yee
A Brand-New Day with Mouse and Mole, Wong Herbert Yee

Multiplication troubles?

Gabriella understands the concept of multiplication very well, however to recall multiplication facts quickly is not her forte.  We are working on it!

I found this wonderful site for her (it's free) and wanted to share it.  Just click on "Games" and scroll down.  There are quite a few!  Some incorporate art into the games as well (like Minko's Milkshake Shop).  You can pick the level and/or the specific fact you want your child to work on.  Enjoy!

Multiplication Fun

Curriculum 2010/2011

Math:  Horizons
History:  Story of the World (Bauer)
Language Arts:  1st Language Lessons for the Well Trained Mind (Bauer)
Writing:  Writing With Ease (Bauer)
Italian:  Rosetta Stone
Bible:  ESV Bible (historical books starting with Joshua)
Literature:  Recommended reading from SOW and other selections
Reading Comprehension:  Teacher Created Resources
Spelling:  Spelling Power
Piano:  Faber and Faber, along with jazz and classical
Science:  Finish Botany and do Physics (Real Science 4 Kids)
Geography:  Google Earth and various online sites, State and World Capitals

Summer is coming to an end...

Completed books 8/21:

Lella:
Toy Story 3, Woody's Wild Adventure (79 pages), Kitty Richards, Too Many Fairies, A Celtic Tale, Margaret MacDonald, Mermaid Tales from Around the World (77 pages), Mary Pope Osborne.  Lella really enjoyed Osborne's Mermaid Tales!

Marcus:
A to Z Mysteries:  The Absent Author (87 pages), Ron Roy, Smasher (72 pages), Dick King-Smith, Zelda and Ivy and Zelda and Ivy One Christmas, Laura McGee Kvasnosky, Louise, When I Grow Up..., Peter Horn.

Both:
King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table (137 pages, Hear It Read It), Benedict Flynn, Adam Sharp, Code Word Kangaroo (44 pages), George Edward Stanley, The Adventures of a Chicken, Kate DiCamillo, Can You See What I See?  Cool Collections (I Spy, 32 pages), Walter Wick, Can You See What I See?  Dream Machine (I Spy, 32 pages), Walter Wick, Zelda and Ivy, Laura Mc Gee Kvasnosky, African Critters (91 pages), Robert Haas:

Amazing photographs, written by Haas about his own adventures in Africa, all true.  You can feel Hass' excitement as he captures each animal on film.  Highly recommended!