One exciting week of school!

As mentioned in my last post, we had one busy week this week at school!  I have to say it has been one of the funnest weeks yet! Here's the scoop...

Tuesday--22nd

A.M.=Science Fair--John Gannon investigated what makes hot air balloons fly.  He conducted the experiment at home and then did trials using 2 different toasters and 3 different sizes of balloons.  At the science fair, I demonstrated his experiment while he told about the results.  Jackson's experiment consisted of putting 3 different types of soil in a box--we added 19 worms.  We checked it each day to determine what type of soil the worms preferred.  He picked out pictures to put on his side of the board about things that worms like and do not like.  He did a verbal presentation of his board.  We also learned lots from the other participants.  It was super fun!  Here are a few pictures:

P.M.=Brown's Dairy Farm, Oxford MS--That afternoon, we headed to Oxford to visit the dairy farm.  We watched the process as they prepared and milked the cows.  They also explained the pasteurization process.  We enjoyed being up close with the cows and the pigs too!  We got to enjoy some milk.  We bought a half-gallon and some hot sausage.  We had fresh whole milk, fresh sausage/biscuits, and eggs from our chickens for dinner--it was delicious!  John Gannon about exploded on the ride home--he kept saying, "If the plain milk tastes that good, I can't imagine what it is going to be like with some chocolate in it!"  When we got home and were pouring some milk to drink, Jackson kept saying, I don't want that cow's milk--I want that other kind of milk!  I am not sure he still understands all the milk we have comes from cows!  (You can purchase the milk at the Health Food Store on McCullough--the farm makes weekly deliveries there.  It comes in glass containers.)  Here are some visual memories...

Wednesday--23rd

Soap Class--I love homemade soap but rarely purchase it!  I have always wanted to learn how to make some.  So guess what...there was a class offered at the homeschool coop!!!! And better yet--it taught us how to make all natural soap--not the melt/mold kind!  I am too excited--oh, did I mention John Gannon attended--it is about the kids learning, right? :) I am in the process of getting the supplies together to start.  Can't wait.....

Thursday--24th

Party, party....party....party!!!  We hosted about 20-30 homeschool families at our house for a fun day!  The total count of people=a lot--most families had at least 2 kids! Everyone swam, canoed/kayaked, played all kinds of things in the yard, and we all ate potluck Mexican! It was one great day!  You would think with that many people there would have been some issues--fuses over things, whining...if there was any--I didn't hear it!  John Gannon and his rule following self-did have a moment of stressing over something he imagined might happened--but he recovered quickly.  So, you can imagine the cleanup afterwards, right? Yea-I didn't pick up a single piece of trash inside or out, all boats, paddles, and life jackets ended up all together in one place, AND nothing was broken.  Huh? That never happens when we have large groups of kids (or adults for that matter) over...And get this, I walked into the house and there were women sweeping my floor and had put all kinds of food up on the counter and in my fridge.  Honestly, when everyone left the only thing I had left to do--put a table back in our classroom.  Have I said already what a great day it was?  Get this--one girl came up to me and said she was going to remember this day for the rest of her life.  She proceeded to tell me a story about her not knowing how to swim around even with a life jacket on and that now, she could do it.  She said she had wanted to be able to do it for years!  I also watched another little 5 year old boy refuse to get in a boat or the water. His mom said he has never liked being in the water.  By the end of he day--he had tested out several of the boats and had been playing and splashing all around in the water!  Here are a few pictures from the day--I wish we had taken a large group picture!

Friday--25th

A.M.=Park & Dirt Cheap Math We went to Ballard park to hang out with a group from one of my favorite classes from back in the day when I worked full time...Has it almost been a year already? Wow...Since I have left the day job, we have made several visits to this class to check on some students.  My boys have made some friends with the students and really loved seeing them.  Come to find out--classes from all over the county and surrounding area were there for a picnic!  It was great to see many familiar faces!  Sorry no pictures--I have no clue who has photo permission signed :)! 

Afterwards, we ate at McDonalds and they played, played, and played with some children at the playground.  Then, we made a quick trip to Dirt Cheap--here...We proceeded to have a great math lesson! Since he has started his little business--we have been talking about percentages a little.  Today, John Gannon learned about 95% off!  He was quite impressed and decided when he shopped with his money he would frequent these stores with %'s off their things!

P.M. Reader's Theater  We then traveled to one of our homeschool friend's house for the initial meeting of the Reader's Theater group.  The facilitator introduced the script (about the American Revolution--John Gannon is quite excited about the subject) and some children practiced reading lines so they could be matched with appropriate parts.  John Gannon and Jackson are both participating--there are 19 children participating in all! Jack will be participating in some choral parts.  We will have weekly practice and then do a performance sometime in June!  Both boys are excited about it!  

Saturday--26th 

A.M. Special Olympics--Pancake Breakfast  Our family loves cheering for everyone at the Special Olympic events.  We got to help serve pancakes at a fundraiser to support the students from Lee County that qualified to compete in the state events in Biloxi on Mother's Day weekend. Jackson LOVED waiting on the tables!

A.M. Wildlife Program After the pancake breakfast--about 9:45, we headed to the Natchez Trace Visitors Center for a Wildlife Education Program.  And added bonus: our friends Ms. April and Zowie joined us! The boys enjoyed the activities.

P.M. Homeschool Park Picnic About 11:45, We met up with our homeschool friends for a day of playing and picnicking at Trace State Park.  Just another beautiful, peaceful day.  The kids get along great and the adult company is awesome!  I have learned so much from all the moms!  The boys even got introduced to the sport of cricket.  John Gannon picked it up quickly and loved it!

Well, after all this...I am just not sure Monday will be quite as exciting!  The good news-John Gannon is pumped about learning about the American Revolution!  So, I guess we will start there...loving the homeschool life right now! Live a Meaningful Life!