Multiple things from school!

We're wrapping up our "Owl Moon" week today with the boys working on their Owls. They enjoyed the beginning of building it, but time got the best of us and a week later we're working on them again. Alls well that ends well. At least the starting point, today, is easier than the starting point last week. We know how finicky the owls can be AND most of the remaining parts are very similar, so it should be a breeze to put together (If only I hadn't starting typing this post prior to working on the Owls the second time. Thing Two has given up on his. Thing One's is almost finished. The are just a pain to put together).

Also, on tap are the Owl Pellets we have to dissect. Once again, Thing Two had a blast with this kind of activity, where Thing One couldn't be bothered. Two totally different kids, two totally different interests. Here's Thing Two and the biggest bone out of his pellet. Being so small, it was hard to photograph well. Probably took about 50 pictures and this was the best. It looks like it might be a skull of a small bird. Thing Two was pleased with his find.








Last, but not least, our newest school tradition ~ Mad Lib Monday. Enjoy your reading . . .

REVIEW OF A MONSTER MOVIE
(the words in bold were filled in)

A new movie has just opened called “The Teenage Printer Meets the Blue Vampire from Outer Space.” At the opening, we see the teenage here, played by George Lucas, who is a green scientist. He is trying to build an orange monster out of old Thing Ones and used Thing Twos. The monster has Silver skin and 20 gazillion arms and is played by Scooby-Doo. Suddenly, the monster comes to life and kidnaps the beautiful heroine, played by Carrie Fisher. Then he begins to destroy Springfield. In the end, the monster is destroyed by the vampire, who is played by Mark Hamill. And the hero and the heroine live quickly ever after.

End of a

Sunday evening, we're vegging and watching "Bugs Bunny" streamed through Netflix's. Made the decision to row "Owl Moon" one more day and wrap things up tomorrow. This weekend got away from us and who really wants to do homework on a Sunday anyway (or chores, but some had to get done, hence the need for vegging). We'll wrap things up tomorrow, I'll take some photo's for the blog, and get back on track for lesson planning. Now to get back to my family.

Happy Sunday everyone!!

Is it the end

or is it the beginning? Of the week that is!!

Just realized I hadn't posted much about school this week. Well, practically nothing other than my intro to "Owl Moon" last Sunday and our mad lib this past Monday.

Hope to wrap up a couple fun things today for "Owl Moon", dissecting owl pellets and making owls, and then lesson plan for next week. It's been a crazy week with extra activities, kicking the kids outside to play as we had a day in the 60's, followed by late nights, all day activities being canceled by snow half way through, and trying to catch up on sleep.

This coming week maybe a bit more calm!

Beginning of the week

It's a rainy Monday morning as I type out the first blog of the school week. Coffee is ready, boys are still sleeping (although Thing One may be up before I am finished), chores are started (Kevin started the dishwasher ~ Thank You!!!!), and I'm just getting to introducing our school week. Madlib Monday will still be here, just later today.

We are reading and rowing "Owl Moon" by Jane Yolen, illustrated John Schoenherr this week. It's another winter favorite of ours. To begin our study of owls, we went to a local county park Friday night for an "Owl Pondering". We got a quick introduction to Owls, dissected an Owl pellet (good starter for me as we have two for each boy here), went on a hike "to see" nocternal animals. Unsuccessfully I might add.

At Hidden Pond Nature Center, there is a barn and garage for office space and garage type stuff. There, an Owl usually likes to hang out. The staff a few live mice, that they would throw onto the garage roof, so the owl would come and get it. Very cool to see it swoop in and hear the talons scrap the roof. The birds are very quiet. Neat opportunity for the boys.

Well, we've had a number of rainy, above freezing days lately. It got me thinking that prior to when we left, that boots would definitely be in order for the hike. My thought proved wise. The boys and my boots after hiking:

There is a lot more fun stuff to come, this go around of Owl Moon. I'm not sure who will enjoy the book more, the boys or me. Guess we'll find out on Friday!!


P.S. Our oldest is still asleep, at 7 AM, as I get ready to post.

School this week!

Sure has been a hoot! We're not even rowing "Owl Moon" yet. Okay, so that maybe a bad joke if you don't know the Five in a Row books.

Ferdinand has probably given me the most giggles and time to think. There is one portion of text that says "Well, if you were a bumble bee and a bull sat on you what would you do?" While reading, I'd typically pause after this, to which Thing Two would respond, "I'd fart!!" Really don't know where this came from, but today he actually said something along the lines of "sting the bull" which is close to what the text said. I was almost disappointed. The story makes me think of my oldest, Thing One, as well. In the story, Ferdinand the bull, is content to do his own thing, under the cork tree, sniffing flowers. He isn't lonely or anything; he just doesn't have a desire to but heads with other bulls, run around and snort, or anything else a bull might do. The story reminds me of how God makes each of us so different from the next and just because you don't fit society's view of normal doesn't mean you don't have something to contribute.

Anyway, I took a few pictures yesterday, of their Art projects for the day. Yesterday, I choose to post a Wordless Wednesday, so I'm writing about Art today instead of Math. The boys had fun with figuring out balance with stuffed animals - a lesson from Hanna's Cold Winter. Thought it was cute that Thing Two used his own hippo in the picture. Both boys did well on that task. For Ferndinand, we discuss drama and how to express yourself given a few different cue cards; things like sitting on a bee when you are the bee, sitting on a bee when you are the bull, running and snorting like a bull, and a few others. That was fun to see the boys getting their wiggles out.

The boys acting out bulls running and jumping,
hence the blurriness of the photo's even with the
camera being on sports setting.

Learning about balance with using their stuff animals;
an art assignment from Hanna's Cold Winter.