Lesson 1 OM4 continued

We drew apples for Science today in OM4.

Trixie's apple, outside/inside

Gloria's apple, outside/inside

Gilbert's apple, outside/inside.

Gilbert read chapter 1 of Stuart Little, some out loud, some to me. All the middles did Fred. Faith and Abby are doing Dragon Box - and liking it - and also slogging through the papers. I gave them a deadline of tomorrow, Sunday at the latest.

OM4, Fred, Hero's Journey progress?

Life of Fred and OM4 for the kids today. It's definitely over Gloria's head - and maybe Trixie's - but it's a great fit for Gilbert. I'll scale it back a little for Trixie and not require anything for Gloria. Or, I could get them both OM2. Hmm. They drew trees for their MLB. Gilbert's, Trixie's Gloria's.

Faith and Abby are slogging away at House of the Scorpion final papers. I keep reminding myself that they have never been required to think this way, so the fact that it is taking much longer than I thought it would is OK. They have been doiing Dragon Box for algebra, and when they finish that we'll do some paper and pencil work. Still up in the air for geography, world history? Who knows.

Day 1 for Oak Meadow 4!

Finally finally Oak MEadow 4! Not much, but they liked it. We discussed old trees. We happen to live in the middle of an ancient growth forest, the Cross Timbers, so the idea of an ancient tree living outside their window isn't an abstraction. The trees here are hundreds of years old.

Also continued Paddle, and Life of Fred. Paddle is in Wisconsin, after 4 months! We remembered the turtles and fish and waterbirds we saw at Martin Park when we were talking about being stuck n a marsh, and Minecraft again made an apperance as the iron ore and coal was loaded onto boats and trains.

The teens are writing their House of the Scorpion papers. Abby is further along than Faith, as usual, but Faith finishes strong, so I expect they both will be done at about the same time. I told them I didn't expect 5 pages, but that 3 was a definite goal.

Paddle, Fred, Hero's Journey House of the Scorpion final lesson

Our school schedule has been a stop-start because of houseguests this summer, but I think we're done hosting for a while. Back to work! The middles are Life of Fred-ing still, and Paddling along, with plans to start OM 4, uh, soon. Faith and Abby are done with HOuse of the Scorpion and are writing their first long paper. It's supposed to take a week, but I'm stretching it to two, since they've never done anything like it.

Tomorrow we're going to the park with some other homeschoolers. If I remember I'll post pictures.

Faith is reading ahead in the next Hero's Journey book, Kidnapped.

Paddle-to-the-Sea, Life of Fred Apples, Hero's Journey 6

Continued PttS with the kids. Paddle is wandering around Lake Superior, after a close brush with a log saw. Also started Life of Fred: Apples with Trixie and Gloria. I love Life of Fred.

Faith and Abby are finishing House of the Scorpion this week. They both decided they don't like reading to a schedule, and plan to read the next book ("Kidnapped," by Robert Louis Stevenson) at a regular pace and then reread as necessary. Next week, unexpected houseguests again - it has been rather a extraordinarily houseguest-y summer, for us! - and then a final paper and evaluation of the curriculum. I'm sure we're going to continue.

The kids will start OM4 after the guests leave, so, say August 17. Let's do it!

Hero's Journey Illuminated Poem: Faith

Here's Faith's illumination. Her favorite is the bear.

Some Questions You Might Ask, by Mary Oliver

Is the soul solid, like iron?
Or is it tender and breakable, like
the wings of a moth in the beak of the owl?
Who has it, and who doesn’t?
I keep looking around me.
The face of the moose is as sad
as the face of Jesus.
The swan opens her white wings slowly.
In the fall, the black bear carries leaves into the darkness.
One question leads to another.
Does it have a shape? Like an iceberg?
Like the eye of a hummingbird?
Does it have one lung, like the snake and the scallop?
Why should I have it, and not the anteater
who loves her children?
Why should I have it, and not the camel?
Come to think of it, what about the maple trees?
What about the blue iris?
What about all the little stones, sitting alone in the moonlight?
What about roses, and lemons, and their shining leaves?
What about the grass?