3rd Grade Graduation

We completed our schooling efforts about three weeks ago.  There wasn't much of a to do about it so I decided to throw Sofia and Marcelo a quick graduation ceremony complete with confetti and diplomas.

The graduation presents, kids kayaks. How fun. We have a tandem adult kayak but someone it seems it would be funner to be a kid with a kid kayak.

I'm so glad I caught these two moments on film digital.  

Between all the aggravation and darkness that children can cause [me], there are these moments of light and hope.

Sofia's reaction as I inform her of our summer homeschool plans.  Yes, learning is year round.  One of her summer school subjects, the 50 States using Little Passports USA Edition and selected books.

Regard her focus and careful deliberation as she reads the intro page.

And then ...

[High five to myself]

Some serious biking

This spring, we've taken quite a few biking trips. Here we are up Hobble Creek Canyon in Spanish Fork.  This was a bit of a tough ride uphill but super fun coming back.  Way to go!

Gymnastics Exhibition Meet

This year, Sofia passed off to Level 2 in gymnastics. Here she is sporting her hand made gymnastics leotard. She was sporting a rather serious look on her face throughout the exhibition. Her favorite part was clearly receiving a medal.

Mountain biking

Holi '13

STOW: Christianity

Oh yes, we did.

Why not visit the Mormon Temple with the Christmas lights and life size nativity set for our Story of the World: Ancient History studies on the beginning of Christianity.

Truth be told, this was a completely impromptu stop after Marcelo's dance performance at the Salt Lake County Fair Grounds. We didn't want to drive back in rush hour traffic, so to make the most out of our trip to downtown Salt Lake, we went to the new City Creek Mall and as I couldn't suffer through Ray's psychotic episode over figuring out where to park, I told him to drop us off at the temple so we could go see the lights while he figured out where to park in the gigantic city that is Salt Lake. (It's sad when people get old. It really is).

At first the kids were delighted. Then, exactly twelve seconds later, the incredible nordic cold hit them in the face and they were not so delighted anymore. Especially, Peter, whose little experience with the discomfort of the elements prompted him to take it as a personal assault.

The lights were not as enchanting as I thought they would be up close and I had completely forgotten about the nativity set at this time of year. Duh. So, when we walked up to it, naturally, I took it as an excellent opportunity to review the material we had recently covered in Chapter 39.

There were a couple of times when the kids where walking off a little too quickly and I had to refer to the Lord's name and it was quite refreshing that for once, it was an appropriate place to use his name.

When the mysterious voice started telling the story of Mary and Joseph, the kids were actually looking at each other like that was weird, while I thought it was completely normal.  I think they're overall impression was that religious temples are painfully gelid places and one must have the fortitude of body and mind to be able to visit one.

It was a successful little visit despite the cold. The fact that we were able to exit the premises of our own free will is a testament to that, which is more than I can say for Cookie Cutters of Lehi.

Then we went to the mall and had a very expensive meal without thanking anybody except the waitress and ourselves for having earned the money to pay for it. (Ok, that was unnecessary.  But it's true. It's a true story).

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In the mean time Sofia, please stop asking the population of Utah County if they are Christians or Jews.

Christmas Around the World

Field trip with My Tech High to BYU's cultural dances around the world.  Front row seats on the stage floor! Nice. Perks of homeschooling. AND you get to bring your Abuela along without riding on one of those buses back there. Awesome.

Halloween '12

I succumbed to Sofia's pleas since the spring that I dress up as the queen.  I didn't want to spend the time or money on an elaborate costume that would ultimately pull focus from her (she doesn't think about these things), but last minute, I pulled together this velvet cape and threw on my weird upholstery fabric prom dress on backwards. Ta-da!

In the end, I'll do it just to make you happy.

Beijing Dance Academy

First field trip with the Provo eSchool.  Purchased discounted tickets via e-mail.  Allowed to bring extra family members.  Showed up, got checked off list, sat down where we wanted.  Enjoyed the show.  Left in our own car: no long stinky bus ride. Awesome.

Mother nature

As she helps me weed the front yard, Sofia discovers a praying mantis.

Lego Robotics

The distance learning program with Sofia's charter school lasted just long enough for us to borrow a laptop, use it for two days and then take it back. Come to find out, there was another distance learning program available also through Quail Run and an online school, My Tech High, which would provide us with similar benefits, field trips and testing through Quail Run, but the added bonus of financial reimbursements for curriculum. So we switched to the new program. Sofia got to go on one field trip with Quail Run before Quail Run backed out of this agreement with My Tech High. Figures. So, now we are homeschooling with My Tech High whose sponsor school is the Provo eSchool. Yes, many switcheroos. We were sad that Sofia would no longer have any contact with her beloved third grade teacher and wouldn't be able to meet up with her old school friends occasionally, but the freedom from Quail Run's administrative headaches is a welcome relief.

As part of the enrollment with My Tech High, Sofia is required to take a minimum of one online, technical course. Her tech class is Lego WEDO, and here she is building one of her first projects. When she's done, she will connect it to the laptop where she will utilized the included software to design a robotic program. Pretty darn cool!

Preparing for robotics

In anticipation of the arrival of her Lego WEDO kit, Sofia warms up her constructing muscles with building the robot from her Erector set.

And we're off

We're off with the new school year.

Here's our class photo.

She cleans up well, but not without protest.

After some last minute decisions and re-shuffling things are finally set. Sofia will be homeschooling this year and taking one or two classes outside the home for leisure.  We will be working through a company providing distance learning resources which are connected to Quail Run Primary School.  In this way, she is still considered a student of the charter school for which they receive funding, although she won't be participating in any of their programs.

Here's Sofia's homeschool lineup for the 3rd grade.  (We may dial it back a bit if the ADHD, or the Kindergartener, orrrrr the drunken midget, starts to intefere with our time.  This is just the initial plan).

• Language Arts
• Reading:  Who Was ... biographies, books associated with history and science studies
• Manuscript:  D'Nealian Cursive 3rd grade workbook
• Writing:  Writing With Ease Level 3
   Tin Man Press Write Ups
   (may supplement with Winning With Writing and other programs)
• Grammar:  First Language Lessons Level 3
• Spelling:  All About Spelling Level 4, 5
• Latin:  Finishing Song School Latin
• Math
• Right Start Math Level D
• (Summer review with Singapore Math 3 Extra Practice Workbook)
• Logic
• Logic Safari Book 1
• Tin Man Press: Listen Up
• Tin Man Press: Cut Ups
• History
• Story of the World Vol. 1 - Ancient History
• Geography
• Expedition Earth
• Top Secret Adventure
• Science
• Real Odyssey Science Level 1 - Earth & Space
• Language
• Rosetta Stone Spanish
• Salsa episodes
• Song School Spanish
• Art
• Meet the Masters
• Draw Write Now
• Music
• Classical Music for Kids
• Extra-Curric.
• Gymnastics (Lehi Legacy Ctr.)

Self portrait

For the first day of school, we started off with a drawing project, a self portrait.  Sofia and Marcelo really enjoyed being "class mates".  Immediately, I can see a bit of competitiveness ignite in Sofia's eyes, but mostly I think she will enjoy, showing her little brother the ropes.  Homeschool is so tough.

Fishing #2



How to Catch a Fish

 This was our second time attempting to fish with the kids.  Only one fish was caught.  Sofia's reaction: "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!  Get away from me, you fish!"  It was a bit accidental.  I don't think she noticed she had caught him until she had reeled him in and he was smacking her in the face.  When we put it back however, she expressed her disappointment with these words, "But I wanted to eat him".

She was very patient.  We sat there for a couple of hours.  When we decided to take a break, she sat on a bench, pulled out her "Science & Nature" notebook from her messenger bag, and began to document the process of how to catch a fish.  You know, now that she's an expert and all.

I absolutely loved this!  Why?  What's the big deal about this, you say.  Because!  This is one of those weird, nature-loving, homeschooling things to do that I would love for my kids to do, but how to get them to do it? The difficulty of convincing a child to take on such a habit feels akin to convincing them to eat brocolli for breakfast on their own free will.  Sofia's weakest area in school is writing  (only because she's so freaking awesome at everything else).  I've suggested nature journaling in the past but haven't tried to push it on her in any kind of organized way because, like a hermit crab, I figured, she would recoil.  But. I planted the seed.  And the seed sprouted all by itself!  That's why it's so exciting to me.

She brought the messenger bag loaded with her newest "Science & Nature" notebook, plus a bird book and some other nick-nacks all on her own which in and of itself is a big deal.  ADHD kids can forget to bring their shoes on their feet if not reminded several hundred times.  It's these little moments of quiet and tiny victories that make my day.

She don't mess around with no jump roping

And to think the neighbor boy down the street didn't want to play with you because you're a girl!

Go back to your Ken dolls, boy.

Javelin Throw ...

... and Alexander the Great. Current obsessions.

This outfit is not accidental. It is her official warrior outfit. After several suggestions, this is the only kind of javelin I would allow her to wield.

What a cutie



[Hat: Janie and Jack, top: Land's End, pants: home-made Ottobre; shoes: Saltwater Sandals]