This year we’re trying something new. Instead of a taking a full week for spring break, we’re taking a day or two off here and there spread out over the course of several weeks. This week, we had three days of school. In algebra, Chickadee learned how to show inequalities on a number line and learned what conjunctions are outside of grammar. We discussed the Korean War in history, which gave me an opportunity to bring up several examples from M*A*S*H. Chickadee finished reading As You Like It. In science she learned about the difference between refraction, polarization, and scattering of light. We baked Southern Tea Cakes inspired by Addy from the American Girl Sweet and Savory Treats Cookbook…they were light and buttery and delicious, and we also added some lavender, which gave Chickadee the opportunity to practice muddling.
Chickadee also got to go to the teen craft night at the library this week…they did a really cool art project based on Monet’s paintings!
And speaking of the library…the chicks hatched this week!
I have something really fun I’m hoping we’re going to be able to do in two weeks…stay tuned!
This week Chickadee solved more word problems in algebra, and also worked with direct and indirect variations in equations. In science she started a chapter on light and learned about the spectrum of light waves…we were really hoping that with all the rain we’ve been having, we might get a good lesson in the different colors of light in the visible spectrum, but we didn’t find a rainbow. She read about the Suez crisis, Marshall Plan, and apartheid in South Africa in history. In religion, we walked through the Divine Service, talked about the architecture of church buildings, and looked at the different visual symbolism found in churches. She continued to read As You Like It. She wrote another short paper, this time about FDR. This week’s recipe from the American Girl Sweet and Savory Treats Cookbook was a super-moist “Chocolate-Caramel Bundt ‘Election’ Cake” inspired by Felicity and the presidential election of 1788.
It’s almost field trip season, and I have a few exciting ones planned in the coming weeks!
This week in algebra Chickadee focused on word problems, especially those using the i=prt and d=rt formulas. She wrote another short paper, this time about WWII, in writing. In history we discussed the aftermath of WWII, focusing on the partitioning of India and Palestine. She continued to read As You Like It. In religion we discussed the history of education in the Lutheran church. She finished the sound on chapter in science. We also finished going through the amendments to the US Constitution, and also discussed the Equal Rights Amendment. Now that the Olympics are over, we’re back to making recipes from the American Girl Sweet & Savory Treats Cookbook. This week, we made a Fruit and Cream Pavlova inspired by 2021 Girl of the Year Kira. I’ve wanted to make a Pavlova for years, but was always afraid it would be too difficult. Not only did we discover it’s actually pretty simple, Chickadee got to practice separating eggs, which is a very useful kitchen skill!
Our library is incubating chicks again! Last year we missed the first candling, which takes place at one week, so we made sure to make it to this year’s initial candling…it so cool to see them developing and even moving around in the egg!
We’re hoping to visit the zoo soon…there are painted dog puppies that are going to be introduced to the public!
We had another busy Olympics week! In algebra, Chickadee learned how to use the equation for a parabola in the form of 4p(y-k) = (x-h)² to identify the vertex, axis of symmetry, focus, and directrix. In religion we talked about Lutheranism after the death of Luther and the Saxon migration. She used that information in writing as well, to write a short chronological narrative about Luther. In history we talked about the European Theatre of WWII, especially D-Day and the Battle of the Bulge, and also the Pacific Theatre and the atomic bomb. She read about the speed of sound, what a decibel is, and the difference between sonic, ultrasonic, and infrasonic waves in science. We talked about the Bill of Rights as we continued making our way through the body of US Constitution. She continued to read As You Like It. And of course we made our favorite every-other-year craft, Olympic medals. Chickadee chose to make hers in the shape of a snowflake for the Winter Games:
In addition to enjoying more Italian cooking, we also tried a few treats I picked up at the store:
And here’s a look at our medal chart, which is almost complete!
I can’t believe the Olympics are almost done already!
We started the week with our every-Olympics-year pilgrimage to the Olympic Spectacular in St. Louis:
And then we got down to our regular work. Chickadee graphed more quadratic functions in algebra. We read about General Franco and the beginning of WWII in history. She continued to read As You Like It. In religion, we spent several lessons discussing the Lord’s Supper. She started a new chapter about waves and sound in science, starting with mechanical waves. We continued our study of the US Constitution, taking a closer look at Article One and the legislature. But the highlight of the week was the Olympics, learning about Italy thanks to Rick Steves’ Europe, and our outing to the skating rink!
We also did a small craft. I found a cute unfinished cutting board, which seemed like the perfect item to paint in the colors of the Italian flag since Italy is known for its great food!
Here’s a look at our current medal chart:
We’re looking forward to more Olympics fun next week!
This week Chickadee graphed quadratic functions (including parabolas) in algebra. We read about the Great Depression and the rise of Hitler in Germany in history. In science, we talked about how work, force, and energy are related. She read most of the second act of As You Like It. In religion we discussed the Sacraments including Confession and Absolution. We wrapped up the main lessons in our study of the US Constitution and read through the Declaration of Independence before we go amendment-by-amenedment through the Constitution itself. Our recipe for the week from the American Girl Sweet & Savory Treats Cookbook was “Mac-&-Cheese Cups” inspired by Kit, which is timely give our study of the Great Depression
We also began preparing for the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics by making our favorite edible Olympic torches…we did some other food prep as well, but you’ll have to stay tuned for the details on today’s full day of Italian dishes!
We’re looking forward to really immersing ourselves in the Olympics over the next two weeks!
This week started with snow, which was definitely a good beginning! And we needed it to put us in a good mood before we worked on algebra, which was all about quadratic equations including completing the square and the quadratic formula. Chickadee finally began her first Shakespearian literature study with As You Like It. In history we continued making our way toward WWII, learning about Chiang Kai-shek in China and Hirohito in Japan. In science we began a chapter on energy, learning about gravitation potential energy and elastic potential energy. We discussed the difference being being treated equally and being treated fairly by the government and how the US Constitution guarantees our right to both. We also discussed the amendments that deal with voting rights for various groups of people. For our recipe of the week from the American Girl Sweet and Savory Treats Cookbook we made “Peanut Butter-Chocolate Buckeyes” inspired by Kit, a native of Ohio.
And today we braved the cold for a trip to the Missouri Botanical Garden, because we really wanted to see it while it was still covered in snow! It did not disappoint!
Somewhat unrelated, but Ladybug finally had her first official snow day this week, because the weather cancelled college for a day!
This was another busy week! In algebra Chickadee did a lot of review of complex fractions and factoring, which I know is because the quadratic formula is looming on the horizon! She finished her movie review in writing. We discussed the role of women in church in religion. In history we read about the formation of the USSR and also Il Duce in Italy. She learned about Newton’s laws of motion in science. We finished Treasure Island! In our study of the US Constitution we discussed freedom of expression and freedom of religion. We made homemade Moon Pies inspired by Luciana from the American Girl Sweet and Savory Treats Cookbook…they actually weren’t terribly difficult!
Back to work following a nice (long!) Christmas break!
We got right back into it with adding and subtracting rational expressions with different denominators in algebra. In history we read about the Easter Uprising and Indian nationalism. We picked up where we left off in Treasure Island. In science we started learning about forces, beginning with gravity. We talked about different denominational beliefs regarding the Sacraments in religion. She began a two-week project writing a movie review. We continued our overview of the US Constitution (and also discussed some of the power given to state governments). For our first week back, I chose what I foolishly thought was going to be an easy recipe from the American Girl Sweet and Savory Treats Cookbook for Ice Cream Bonbons inspired by Addy. It was NOT an easy recipe, with every step being a different exercise in frustration, but we made a memory with the disaster it ended up being!
We also visited the St. Louis Zoo, and spent some time in the primate house, where the spider monkeys were very obviously interested in Chickadee’s hat!
We have one more week of math before the quadratic formula makes an appearance!
This year’s Christmas School is a lead-in to the 2026 Winter Olympics…we learned all about Christmas in Italy!
We started on Saturday, with a trip to The Hill, St. Louis’ Italian neighborhood. We used to attend Christmas on the Hill fairly regularly, but this is the first time we’ve been in several years (at least!).
We enjoyed the Nativity Walk, where we saw the various nativity scenes, or “presepi,” set up in shop windows, and listened to La Befana tell her tale:
And we got to do the activity Chickadee was most looking forward to…we toured the Herbaria, where we learned a little bit about the history of soap, and how they make their soaps right there in store, visited with the store dog, Bubbles, and made a cut-out soap to take home:
Of course we did a few crafts. This year we made cross-stitch ornaments, which was something very new for us. Chickadee also made an Italian flag ornament as a reminder of this year’s theme. We made a string art in the colors of the Italian flag (this was a true group project, as we had to call Bunny in for help!), and, in keeping with the presepi theme (nativity scenes appear to be the most common Christmas decoration in Italy), we made a lantern version to decorate our home.
We baked some Italian Christmas cookies…the classic Italian ricotta cookies, topped with sprinkles in Christmas colors (which conveniently also happen to be the color of the Italian flag), and Italian Rainbow cookies, which are gorgeous and delicious and a true labor of love!
I decided we should do some cooking beyond baking, so I taught Chickadee how to make risotto…pasta making will have to wait until the Olympics (but we are having an Italian-themed Christmas dinner this year, too)!
We met La Befana again at Christmas Tradition in St. Charles, MO:
While we were at Christmas on the Hill, we also got a small chocolate chip Panettone to share…it was delicious!
We also read lots of Italian Christmas stories, including several versions of the La Befana tale, each of which portrays her in a slightly different light. And to end what is essentially the first semester of the 2025-26 school year, we stopped at our new Dutch Bros. Coffee for a little treat!
This was a fun way to end school before Christmas break…Merry Christmas!
