What new things have you been doing this week?
A: New school. Math is new. I don't know what else.
Where have you liked hiking?
A: Tryon
What has been your favorite thing we've eaten recently?
A: Cheese and mustard sandwiches.
What's been a fun thing to do with Felix?
A: Running
What's been a fun thing to do with Owen?
A: Playing
Is there anything you wish Mommy would do?
A: Make homemade cheese
Is there anything you wish I would do?
A: Umm....
Stop asking you questions?
A: No, but I'm not exactly sure.
Wednesday, April 22, 2020
Interview with Felix
What have you been doing this week?
A: <sneezes> I been playing with Baby George and Big George. Wockin' in the wocky chair. Just wockin' in the wocky chair. Not watching TV. Some TV make me sick. We sit in the wocky chair and wock. Yeah, you say that part.
Where do you like to go on hikes?
A: I like to go in hikes and and and and walk down there. I run down the hill and I bump into a rock. And I fell down. You pick me up and I cry.
What have you liked to eat?
A: I like to play football in Owen's bed. I do that. Owen said...<indistinguishable> Peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
Why do you keep on trying to lick the laptop?
A: Cause I tryin to lick it and lick the table cause it make me sick. It taste good.
What has been a fun thing to do with Owen?
A: Uhh....me and Owen run and me and James run and there some dinosaurs tryin' a EAT us. Yeah, it was an Allosaurus. I spin Owen all around.
What do you want Mommy to do?
A: Play wi' me and do in the kitchen and stand on the stool. That part is funny and Owen stand on it.
How do you help in the kitchen?
A: Mommy help me make a peanut jelly peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
What do you want Daddy to do?
A: Play soccer with dat cup.
A: <sneezes> I been playing with Baby George and Big George. Wockin' in the wocky chair. Just wockin' in the wocky chair. Not watching TV. Some TV make me sick. We sit in the wocky chair and wock. Yeah, you say that part.
Where do you like to go on hikes?
A: I like to go in hikes and and and and walk down there. I run down the hill and I bump into a rock. And I fell down. You pick me up and I cry.
What have you liked to eat?
A: I like to play football in Owen's bed. I do that. Owen said...<indistinguishable> Peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
Why do you keep on trying to lick the laptop?
A: Cause I tryin to lick it and lick the table cause it make me sick. It taste good.
What has been a fun thing to do with Owen?
A: Uhh....me and Owen run and me and James run and there some dinosaurs tryin' a EAT us. Yeah, it was an Allosaurus. I spin Owen all around.
What do you want Mommy to do?
A: Play wi' me and do in the kitchen and stand on the stool. That part is funny and Owen stand on it.
How do you help in the kitchen?
A: Mommy help me make a peanut jelly peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
What do you want Daddy to do?
A: Play soccer with dat cup.
Interview with Owen
What new things have you been doing this week?
A: I've been playing with Felix a lot. Lots of other things. I've been reading Frog and Toad and I'm almost done one of my school books already. We've been missing a Frog and Toad book. But luckily I found it last day. Ramona too. Mommy has been reading me Ramona.
Where do you like to hike?
A: The one when we have the hill. I like it because it has the hill. I like to go down the hill. Also to throw rocks in the stream and see the lake. Every water thing. Exspeshially when I run ahead from my family with James, and Felix tries to catch up.
What has been your favorite thing to eat?
A: How about learn to eat? Chicken Charlie pizza? I don't know. I didn't really like the salad last night. The worm pasta was okay.
What has been fun with Felix?
A: Here's why I've been spending a lot of time with Felix--because I want to have fun with him. We do lots of things. Like the play kitchen, but not much these days. James has been playing with them these days. And we don't have much customers anymore.
So the Coronavirus has hit the play kitchen restaurant pretty hard?
A: No. It's why we don't have a lot of customers. Because they just don't want to eat.
What has been fun with James?
A: Playing. Playing with his dresser and playing with Snuggle and Cute. Here's when we were running around: We were being chased by an Allosaurus. We were taking pictures of dinosaurs.
What do you wish Mommy would do?
A: I wish everyone could come up to our kitchen and eat food up there. Just so you know, here's what you do in the play kitchen when you're eating something. First you have your drink, then you have food. Third you have dessert, which we have a lot of ice cream. We can make soup AND fry things with a fryer.
What do you wish Daddy would do?
A: I wish you would play with me more than doing jobs.
I'm very sorry if I've been neglecting you. What would you like to play?
A: Lots of things. I like to play cars, I like to play everything in our house. Everything where we go to. Even my cheetahs. I decided that my cheetah is a cub but a cub big enough to climb and hunt.
Should we play after lunch? You and me?
A: I was wanting to play with Felix after my blog.
A: I've been playing with Felix a lot. Lots of other things. I've been reading Frog and Toad and I'm almost done one of my school books already. We've been missing a Frog and Toad book. But luckily I found it last day. Ramona too. Mommy has been reading me Ramona.
Where do you like to hike?
A: The one when we have the hill. I like it because it has the hill. I like to go down the hill. Also to throw rocks in the stream and see the lake. Every water thing. Exspeshially when I run ahead from my family with James, and Felix tries to catch up.
What has been your favorite thing to eat?
A: How about learn to eat? Chicken Charlie pizza? I don't know. I didn't really like the salad last night. The worm pasta was okay.
What has been fun with Felix?
A: Here's why I've been spending a lot of time with Felix--because I want to have fun with him. We do lots of things. Like the play kitchen, but not much these days. James has been playing with them these days. And we don't have much customers anymore.
So the Coronavirus has hit the play kitchen restaurant pretty hard?
A: No. It's why we don't have a lot of customers. Because they just don't want to eat.
What has been fun with James?
A: Playing. Playing with his dresser and playing with Snuggle and Cute. Here's when we were running around: We were being chased by an Allosaurus. We were taking pictures of dinosaurs.
What do you wish Mommy would do?
A: I wish everyone could come up to our kitchen and eat food up there. Just so you know, here's what you do in the play kitchen when you're eating something. First you have your drink, then you have food. Third you have dessert, which we have a lot of ice cream. We can make soup AND fry things with a fryer.
What do you wish Daddy would do?
A: I wish you would play with me more than doing jobs.
I'm very sorry if I've been neglecting you. What would you like to play?
A: Lots of things. I like to play cars, I like to play everything in our house. Everything where we go to. Even my cheetahs. I decided that my cheetah is a cub but a cub big enough to climb and hunt.
Should we play after lunch? You and me?
A: I was wanting to play with Felix after my blog.
Thursday, April 9, 2020
The Good Idea; A Social Experiment
The Morning Breakfast Table
The Presentation
R: Well, I have a good idea.
O: What is it? Is it ordering a Chicken Charlie pizza?
R: No it's an idea about moving something around in the library.
J: What are you thinking about moving?
R: This is just an idea, so I'm not saying we have to do it one way or the other. What would we think about moving the desk out (this is currently against the windows at the west end of the library between some shelves and our pantry area) and putting the spinny chair (currenty up against the eastern wall) on the laminate floor over there.
J: No, of course not.
James: Yeah, it wouldn't fit.
R: Are you sure about that? Look at that space and imagine it with the desk out, and I think it would fit back there.
Everyone walks over and looks at the space where the spinny chair might go.
Argumentation and Debate
James: I don't think we should move it.
Owen: PLEASE can we move it? Daddy, we should definitely move it.
J: Okay, even if it did fit back there, how would I be able to put groceries away in the pantry? There would be no room for be to get between the pantry shelves and the edge of the chair.
R: Well, how much room would you need? Would you say 4 inches? 8?
Felix: YEAH! (He generally shouts agreement with whoever has spoken last and spoons large glops of oatmeal onto his person, his hair, and Big George.)
James: But it wouldn't even fit back there.
R: We don't know that it won't fit until we measure it.
Owen: It will definitely fit. James, let's measure it. (They get up and attempt to make a human tape measure by holding hands and holding out their arms, but can't coordinate to move from the chair to the desk without tripping over each other.)
J: What would be the advantage of moving the chair, anyway?
R: Well, there would be several-
James: Yeah, why does Daddy always want to change everything?
J: Because he's bored. Some people spend a lot of time clicking around on Facebook when they're bored, and your Dad likes to come up with crazy ideas.
R: ...and sometimes the crazy ideas don't work, but sometimes they DO work, and...
Owen: IT WOULD DEFINITELY WORK! We should DO IT!
Felix: YEAH!! (throwing his spoon)
J: We should probably hear him out, because sometimes it turns out his ideas are pretty good. I just don't see what the advantage would.
R: The advantages would be that we could free up some more carpeted play area for the kids, and also that since we don't use the desk area terribly much right now we could better utilise that corner of the house.
Julie: Would I have enough room to put a step stool between the chair and the pantry? Because I need a stool to reach up to the top pantry shelves.
James: It definitely wouldn't work. We should keep things the way they are.
Felix: Yeah, the way dey are.
R: Couldn't you just stand on the chair?
Owen: I STAND ON THE CHAIR ALL THE TIME!
J: That would be dangerous. And it would be even more dangerous if there was a gap between the chair and the pantry, because it could spin on me and I'd fall off.
R: Alright, well let's just measure and see if it fits.
Evidence and Verdict
Owen: Oh boy, I am SO excited! I KNOW it's going to fit.
J: Are you sure you're measuring from the widest spot?
R: 56 inches.
J: Alright, I'm standing here.
R: Yeah, it definitely fits this way.
James: HE'S MOVING THE TAPE MEASURE! HE'S CHEATING!
R: Okay, and then this way...well, I guess that's our answer.
J: It doesn't fit?
R: It wouldn't fit east-west on the laminate floor.
James: YES!
Owen: So when are we going to move it?
R: We aren't going to move it, O. Turns out it doesn't fit.
Owen: (collapses sobbing on the floor) But I wanted to MOVE the spinny chair!
Felix: OOohhh!!!
James: Phew, I'm going upstairs.
R: Nuts. I really wanted an excuse to put in more bookshelves.
J: I think you need to blog this. This seems like the perfect study of our personalities.
Owen: Please, please, can we move something or do something new?
R: Why don't you think of some more creative ideas of something new we can try? Maybe we can do one of them.
J: Your crazy creative ideas really are good sometimes.
R: Speaking of which, after the kids are in bed tonight...
J: I knew this was going to go there.
The Presentation
R: Well, I have a good idea.
O: What is it? Is it ordering a Chicken Charlie pizza?
R: No it's an idea about moving something around in the library.
J: What are you thinking about moving?
R: This is just an idea, so I'm not saying we have to do it one way or the other. What would we think about moving the desk out (this is currently against the windows at the west end of the library between some shelves and our pantry area) and putting the spinny chair (currenty up against the eastern wall) on the laminate floor over there.
J: No, of course not.
James: Yeah, it wouldn't fit.
R: Are you sure about that? Look at that space and imagine it with the desk out, and I think it would fit back there.
Everyone walks over and looks at the space where the spinny chair might go.
Argumentation and Debate
James: I don't think we should move it.
Owen: PLEASE can we move it? Daddy, we should definitely move it.
J: Okay, even if it did fit back there, how would I be able to put groceries away in the pantry? There would be no room for be to get between the pantry shelves and the edge of the chair.
R: Well, how much room would you need? Would you say 4 inches? 8?
Felix: YEAH! (He generally shouts agreement with whoever has spoken last and spoons large glops of oatmeal onto his person, his hair, and Big George.)
James: But it wouldn't even fit back there.
R: We don't know that it won't fit until we measure it.
Owen: It will definitely fit. James, let's measure it. (They get up and attempt to make a human tape measure by holding hands and holding out their arms, but can't coordinate to move from the chair to the desk without tripping over each other.)
J: What would be the advantage of moving the chair, anyway?
R: Well, there would be several-
James: Yeah, why does Daddy always want to change everything?
J: Because he's bored. Some people spend a lot of time clicking around on Facebook when they're bored, and your Dad likes to come up with crazy ideas.
R: ...and sometimes the crazy ideas don't work, but sometimes they DO work, and...
Owen: IT WOULD DEFINITELY WORK! We should DO IT!
Felix: YEAH!! (throwing his spoon)
J: We should probably hear him out, because sometimes it turns out his ideas are pretty good. I just don't see what the advantage would.
R: The advantages would be that we could free up some more carpeted play area for the kids, and also that since we don't use the desk area terribly much right now we could better utilise that corner of the house.
Julie: Would I have enough room to put a step stool between the chair and the pantry? Because I need a stool to reach up to the top pantry shelves.
James: It definitely wouldn't work. We should keep things the way they are.
Felix: Yeah, the way dey are.
R: Couldn't you just stand on the chair?
Owen: I STAND ON THE CHAIR ALL THE TIME!
J: That would be dangerous. And it would be even more dangerous if there was a gap between the chair and the pantry, because it could spin on me and I'd fall off.
R: Alright, well let's just measure and see if it fits.
Evidence and Verdict
Owen: Oh boy, I am SO excited! I KNOW it's going to fit.
J: Are you sure you're measuring from the widest spot?
R: 56 inches.
J: Alright, I'm standing here.
R: Yeah, it definitely fits this way.
James: HE'S MOVING THE TAPE MEASURE! HE'S CHEATING!
R: Okay, and then this way...well, I guess that's our answer.
J: It doesn't fit?
R: It wouldn't fit east-west on the laminate floor.
James: YES!
Owen: So when are we going to move it?
R: We aren't going to move it, O. Turns out it doesn't fit.
Owen: (collapses sobbing on the floor) But I wanted to MOVE the spinny chair!
Felix: OOohhh!!!
James: Phew, I'm going upstairs.
R: Nuts. I really wanted an excuse to put in more bookshelves.
J: I think you need to blog this. This seems like the perfect study of our personalities.
Owen: Please, please, can we move something or do something new?
R: Why don't you think of some more creative ideas of something new we can try? Maybe we can do one of them.
J: Your crazy creative ideas really are good sometimes.
R: Speaking of which, after the kids are in bed tonight...
J: I knew this was going to go there.
Wednesday, April 8, 2020
James's School Day
MacGuffie Lesson XXXVI
All the MacGuffie stories are a little preachy, but this one had some charm. It was about a boy who found a lost pocketknife and could only enjoy it once he'd made an effort to locate the original owner. New words included "critical," "anxiety," and "breathless."
First Language Lessons, Lesson 3
We just did the first half of a very long lesson in James' new language book, a review of material he did in the third grade text about the rules for forming plurals. ES after s, sh, ch, x, and z; y to ies in words with y following a consonant, straight s in words where y follows a vowel.
Writing With Ease Week 30 Day 3
Took down the following dictation exercise
"The Spartan girls, who were brought up by the women, were, like the boys, taught to wrestle, run, and swim, and to take part in gymnastics of all kinds."
Saxon Math-Assessment 26, Lesson 135
Math is the longest part of James' day. He starts by recording the date and temperature outside, then solves a function line (+8 today), solves for the composition of a sum of change (29 cents) and makes the change for a dollar from that amount, solves a word problem (about the difference between two jumping toads) and recites a couple of multiplication counts. (12s to 120 and 8s to 80 today.)
His new material today was learning PEMDAS and solving a bunch of long multiple-operation problems. Then he took a speed test on 100 division problems, did his assessment, and a worksheet with a bunch of material from previous lessons. He had to measure line segments in centimeters, do a division word problem with a remainder, label acute/obtuse/right angles, show digital and analog times on a clock, solve a multiplication problem about wait times, solve for some three digit numbers divided by single digit numbers, solve for some squared and cubed numbers, and to write in the missing numbers (and rules) for four more function lines.
Gulliver's Travels
We just finished The Last Battle yesterday, so we are starting a new read-aloud book. Today was Chapter 1-Shipwrecked!
Latin
We also just finished the Latina Christiana course that we started at the beginning of the year, so we are doing Wheelock now but starting over from the beginning and reviewing everything that he already knows. Today we went over the present active indicative verb endings again, did ch. 1 vocabulary (there were a few new words) and did some examples of active/passive voice and introduced the concept of imperative and subjunctive moods.
History ch. 27 pt 2
The great Boer migration following the fall of Cape Colony to the British. Conflict with Dingane and the Zulu kingdom. The founding of Natal, the Orange Free State, and the Transvaal Republic
Science Lesson 5.4
The construction, parts, and different types of bridges. James is now interested in visiting the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway.
All the MacGuffie stories are a little preachy, but this one had some charm. It was about a boy who found a lost pocketknife and could only enjoy it once he'd made an effort to locate the original owner. New words included "critical," "anxiety," and "breathless."
First Language Lessons, Lesson 3
We just did the first half of a very long lesson in James' new language book, a review of material he did in the third grade text about the rules for forming plurals. ES after s, sh, ch, x, and z; y to ies in words with y following a consonant, straight s in words where y follows a vowel.
Writing With Ease Week 30 Day 3
Took down the following dictation exercise
"The Spartan girls, who were brought up by the women, were, like the boys, taught to wrestle, run, and swim, and to take part in gymnastics of all kinds."
Saxon Math-Assessment 26, Lesson 135
Math is the longest part of James' day. He starts by recording the date and temperature outside, then solves a function line (+8 today), solves for the composition of a sum of change (29 cents) and makes the change for a dollar from that amount, solves a word problem (about the difference between two jumping toads) and recites a couple of multiplication counts. (12s to 120 and 8s to 80 today.)
His new material today was learning PEMDAS and solving a bunch of long multiple-operation problems. Then he took a speed test on 100 division problems, did his assessment, and a worksheet with a bunch of material from previous lessons. He had to measure line segments in centimeters, do a division word problem with a remainder, label acute/obtuse/right angles, show digital and analog times on a clock, solve a multiplication problem about wait times, solve for some three digit numbers divided by single digit numbers, solve for some squared and cubed numbers, and to write in the missing numbers (and rules) for four more function lines.
Gulliver's Travels
We just finished The Last Battle yesterday, so we are starting a new read-aloud book. Today was Chapter 1-Shipwrecked!
Latin
We also just finished the Latina Christiana course that we started at the beginning of the year, so we are doing Wheelock now but starting over from the beginning and reviewing everything that he already knows. Today we went over the present active indicative verb endings again, did ch. 1 vocabulary (there were a few new words) and did some examples of active/passive voice and introduced the concept of imperative and subjunctive moods.
History ch. 27 pt 2
The great Boer migration following the fall of Cape Colony to the British. Conflict with Dingane and the Zulu kingdom. The founding of Natal, the Orange Free State, and the Transvaal Republic
Science Lesson 5.4
The construction, parts, and different types of bridges. James is now interested in visiting the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway.
Owen's School Day
Reading
Reading Practice-
"Little Duck did not come closer. He was not 'Little Duckling.' He was Little Duck. And he would not eat bread crumbs if he was not called by the right name. 'What's the matter, Little Duckling?' asks the boy. The boy bends down and pats Little Duck's soft head. 'Wow. You have gotten big,' says the boy. 'I will call you Little Duck from now on.' Little Duck quacks three times. Then, he eats bread crumbs from the boy's hand.
Finding the ending sounds of TEN, SLED, and CAR
Classifying objects that belong together. (School/student/teacher/doctor, bird/frog/human/dog, and circle/two/eight/six)
Circle the correct sentence: There are four birds/there are five birds, there are 5-2 toads/there are 1+3 toads)
Writing
If I found a cat, I would...
If I found acat dog I would take care of it, feed it, give it bones to chew on, all that good stuff. The End.
Sequencing pictures to make a story
Math
Using addition to solve subtraction problems from 15-20.
Using crayons for counters.
17-3 trains, 20-5 peaches, 19-5 cats, 18-1 frogs, 15-4 fish, 14-2 giraffes, 16-1 cows, 20-6 goats, 13-0 hippos
Spelling
Find the beginning sounds of the following pictures:
Candle, Jump rope, Seven, Turkey, Mop, Tiger, Jelly, Carrot, Moon, Sock, Top, Jar, Map, Six, Cat
Reading Practice-
"Little Duck did not come closer. He was not 'Little Duckling.' He was Little Duck. And he would not eat bread crumbs if he was not called by the right name. 'What's the matter, Little Duckling?' asks the boy. The boy bends down and pats Little Duck's soft head. 'Wow. You have gotten big,' says the boy. 'I will call you Little Duck from now on.' Little Duck quacks three times. Then, he eats bread crumbs from the boy's hand.
Finding the ending sounds of TEN, SLED, and CAR
Classifying objects that belong together. (School/student/teacher/doctor, bird/frog/human/dog, and circle/two/eight/six)
Circle the correct sentence: There are four birds/there are five birds, there are 5-2 toads/there are 1+3 toads)
Writing
If I found a cat, I would...
If I found a
Sequencing pictures to make a story
Math
Using addition to solve subtraction problems from 15-20.
Using crayons for counters.
17-3 trains, 20-5 peaches, 19-5 cats, 18-1 frogs, 15-4 fish, 14-2 giraffes, 16-1 cows, 20-6 goats, 13-0 hippos
Spelling
Find the beginning sounds of the following pictures:
Candle, Jump rope, Seven, Turkey, Mop, Tiger, Jelly, Carrot, Moon, Sock, Top, Jar, Map, Six, Cat
Friday, April 3, 2020
Manners Practice
There was no school today. Instead, we were having manners practice.
This has been long overdue. At this point in the quarantine it's way more important than school.
Not going to name names, but one of the children used a bath towel as toilet paper the other day. We aren't even out of toilet paper. Owen is just that gross.
We talked about manners that they are already good at (saying Please and Thank-You) and why manners are important. We talked about adults being polite and impolite, and how good manners are both character-forming and a sign of respect.
And then we practiced.
Oh, did we have fun practicing. First, J and I demonstrated some "poor manners" scenarios. They were all set at church. James hid under the table and said "I can't watch this." Owen yelped nervously and kept on ducking.
All of the enacted scenarios were based on true events. No names were changed in the retelling of these little dramas.
I played a running child who ignored adult greetings, refused to make eye contact, mumbled under his breath, and grabbed his crotch. (And sucked his fingers.)
J only responded to adult greetings by asking if there was candy out yet. She poked busy adults repeatedly. She did not answer questions. She was painfully shy when she didn't know someone's name.
At point Owen was almost underneath his chair.
"How does the crushing burden of guilt feel, Owen?"
"POOR."
The kids practiced each of the "scenarios" and did okay. James still needs to make eye contact. Owen needs to give a little more personal space. Felix needs to not thrust Big George in people's noses.
I told an amusing story of a certain little boy who wouldn't answer any adult questions directly but would have his own "George" answer on his behalf.
James: "And that boy doesn't like hearing stories about himself."
This has been long overdue. At this point in the quarantine it's way more important than school.
Not going to name names, but one of the children used a bath towel as toilet paper the other day. We aren't even out of toilet paper. Owen is just that gross.
We talked about manners that they are already good at (saying Please and Thank-You) and why manners are important. We talked about adults being polite and impolite, and how good manners are both character-forming and a sign of respect.
And then we practiced.
Oh, did we have fun practicing. First, J and I demonstrated some "poor manners" scenarios. They were all set at church. James hid under the table and said "I can't watch this." Owen yelped nervously and kept on ducking.
All of the enacted scenarios were based on true events. No names were changed in the retelling of these little dramas.
I played a running child who ignored adult greetings, refused to make eye contact, mumbled under his breath, and grabbed his crotch. (And sucked his fingers.)
J only responded to adult greetings by asking if there was candy out yet. She poked busy adults repeatedly. She did not answer questions. She was painfully shy when she didn't know someone's name.
At point Owen was almost underneath his chair.
"How does the crushing burden of guilt feel, Owen?"
"POOR."
The kids practiced each of the "scenarios" and did okay. James still needs to make eye contact. Owen needs to give a little more personal space. Felix needs to not thrust Big George in people's noses.
I told an amusing story of a certain little boy who wouldn't answer any adult questions directly but would have his own "George" answer on his behalf.
James: "And that boy doesn't like hearing stories about himself."
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