2021-22 School Year

2021-22 School Year–Week Twenty-Four

This was a big week, because Ladybug started doing proofs in geometry…so far, she has learned SSS and SAS. In history, she read about the ancient philosophers Confucius and Sun-Tzu. We finished the chapter on fungus and protists in biology, and did one of my favorite experiments…we took a sample of water from a pond in our neighborhood and looked at it under the microscope…we think we might have seen a volvox! She also read about Jupiter in astronomy and finished second act of Henry V. We learned about the Seventh Day Adventists and the UCC in her study of denominations.

Chickadee added and subtracted mixed numbers in math, and learned how to rename a fraction as a decimal. We finished the chapter on mollusks in science. We also finished her literature study of The Blue Fairy Book…next, we’re going to read some of the fairy tales in the book that weren’t included in the literature guide. We moved on to New England in her study of geography. We read the stories of Daniel and Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in her overview of the Bible. She also finished memorizing Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Bells,” which means I’ve had a constant refrain of “Bells, bells, bells, bells, bells, bells, bells” stuck in my head!

Next week is spring break!

2021-22 School Year–Week Twenty-Three

March came in like a lamb…we’ll see how the rest of the month goes!

Ladybug worked with corresponding parts of triangles in geometry. She read about the Mennonite faith in our study of denominations. In biology, she learned about different types of algae (luminescent dinoflagellates are really cool!) and fungi. We read the first part of the second act of Henry V.

Chickadee added and subtracted unlike fractions in math. We started the readings for our Lenten Jesus Tree. She learned about scallops, conchs, and whelks in science. We read a few less common fairytales from The Blue Fairy Book, including “Why the Sea is Salt” and “Felicia and the Pot of Pinks.” We also visited a new walking trail this week since the weather was so nice!

One more week of school until spring break!

2022 Beijing Winter Olympics Wrap-Up

Beijing 2022 certainly did go by quickly! We can never dedicate as much time to the Winter Olympics as we can to the Summer Games, either in school, or just watching for fun. We did try to fit in as much Olympics as possible though, which always begins with trying new recipes that reflect the cuisine of the host nation, starting with our dinner for the Opening Ceremony and continuing through the events with special meals here and there:

  • Scallion pancakes
  • Sticky ginger shrimp with scallion rice
  • Bok Choy
  • Don tot
  • Mango pudding
  • Congee with mustard greens
  • Chinese crullers
  • Xiao long bao
  • Chinese snowflake cake (raspberry and coconut)
  • Potstickers
  • Chinese noodle soup
  • Nai Wong Bao

We also managed to fit in a few crafts…Chinese plum blossoms, unique medals for the Winter Olympics, and an adorable dragon made out of cupcake liners:

Here’s a look at our completed medal chart…I was really hoping that by some miracle, Jamaica would win one medal, but no such luck! At least every other country we were following made it to the podium.

This was a complicated Olympics, and I’m left with a feeling of ennui about the whole thing, but I think we still managed to enjoy ourselves, and I know we liked trying new foods! I will say that I hope this is the last Olympics I see competed in front of empty arenas…here’s hoping for better from Paris 2024!

2021-22 School Year–Week Twenty-One

We’re over halfway through February! Since this is always the month of the school year that is the biggest struggle, I consider that a victory!!!

Ladybug worked with 30-60-90 triangles in geometry. She started learning about scientific classification in biology, beginning with bacteria, and learned how to use a biological key. We discussed the Salvation Army in her study of denominations. She read about Ashurbanipal in history. Her astronomy study took her to the moon. We finished Sir Gawain and the Green Knight…Henry V is up next!

Chickadee reviewed fractions in math, and learned how to find the greatest common factor of a pair of numbers. We finished the chapter on crustaceans in science, reading about shrimp, horseshoe crabs, and trilobites. We continued our trip through the midwest in geography. She got to read one of my favorite Bible studies…Jonah’s misadventures. We finished Greek mythology, and next week we’ll start reading The Blue Fairy Book.

We also completed a few Olympics crafts this week. We reimagined the medals for the Winter Olympics, starting with the shape, and also made cupcake liner dragons, which are just too adorable!

Ladybug has been working on some oil paintings in her free time…I’m very impressed with her work!

I imagine next week we’ll feel the full impact of the February blahs because we won’t have the Olympics to distract us, but maybe we can arrange a field trip soon!

2021-22 School Year–Week Twenty

It’s so hard to fit school in when the Olympics are on!

We did still have a busy week of school, though. Ladybug did more work with the Pythagorean Theorem in geometry, this time with 45-45-90 triangles. The first subject of the school year has been finished, as she completed the last lesson in vocabulary. We talked about Darwin and the difference between macroevolution and microevolution in biology. She read about Sargon II in history. We started fit four of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.

Chickadee learned how to calculate perimeter, area, and volume in math. We read about crustaceans in science. She started her study of US geography…we began close to home, with a few midwestern states. She is almost done with her study of Greek mythology…this week, we read the stories of Theseus and Oedipus.

While we don’t have as much time to dedicate to the Winter Olympics as I would like, we have managed to work a few things into our school days. Taking a cue from the Opening Ceremony, which focused on the coming of spring, we did a fun plum blossom craft. In addition to our Opening Ceremony dinner, today we also tried a recipe for congee, a rice porridge, topped with mustard greens…it was surprisingly popular!

We also took some time to recognize the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II this week. In addition to the tea party we had on Sunday, we started working on a fun yarn craft, which will hopefully turn into a bunting we can hang up in the school room:

I have a few more Olympics-themed activities planned to go with our school days next, too!

2021-22 School Year–Week Nineteen

Our school week was punctuated by a winter storm which left us with lots of ice, and finally snow (and three snow days for Turkey, Bunny, and Moose!)!

Ladybug learned how to move a radical out of the denominator of a fraction in geometry. We started discussing the Methodist church in her study of denominations. She did a great job on her biology test, which included a large Punnett square! We continued reading Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. She read about Homer writing the Iliad and the Odyssey in history.

Chickadee learned some geometry terms in math this week (line, ray, point, etc.), and also learned how to identify different types of angles. She started memorizing one of my favorite poems…”Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” (perfect for the weather this week!). We finished Another Trip Around the World with a visit to India, where we made lassi, a yogurt-based drink…next, we start US geography!

For the next two weeks, our school days will be mixed with the Olympics!

Tasty Tuesday–Cooking with “Another Trip Around the World”

Time for a look back at the dishes Chickadee and I made with Another Trip Around the World! I don’t know how authentic they all were in ingredients and preparation techniques, but we tried a lot of new recipes that included new flavors and combinations, which was kind of the point!

Here’s the full list:

  • Empanadas from Panama
  • Dessert Empanadas from Panama
  • Pan de Jamón from Venezuela
  • Butter Cookies from Argentina
  • Dulce de Leche from Argentina
  • Cheese and Apple Crumble from South Africa
  • Banana Fritters from Nigeria
  • Rugelach from Israel
  • Kourabiedes from Greece
  • Casse-croûte from France
  • Orange Granita from Italy
  • Malinoviy Kisel from Russia
  • Lassi from India

If you missed our first Trip Around the World, you can see those dishes here.

2021-22 School Year–Week Eighteen

We had another busy week! Ladybug solved problems using the Pythagorean Theorem in geometry. In her study of denominations, she read about the Anglican/Episcopal Church. She learned about genetic mutations and how hereditary conditions are passed down in biology. We started reading the third fit of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. She diagrammed sentences containing helping, linking, and/or action verbs in grammar.

Chickadee read about Elijah and Elisha in religion. She practiced time zone math. We read about all 12 of Heracles’ Labors in Greek mythology. We finished up the section on sharks in science. She started memorizing the list of prepositions in grammar. We were busy in our study of world geography…we learned about France, Russia, and Italy, and made Casse-croûte for lunch one day, Malinoviy Kisel (a raspberry drink), to go with a dinner, and an orange granita for dessert one night. I think we only have one country to go (India), before we move on to US geography!

I’m hoping to devote a little time to the 2022 Winter Olympics in the next few weeks, and we’ll also be taking a look at the reign of Queen Elizabeth II in honor of the platinum anniversary of her accession to the throne on February 6th!

2021-22 School Year–Week Sixteen

Is there ever a good time to get back to schoolwork after a vacation? I don’t think so, but at some point, you just have to jump in, and that’s what we did this week!

Ladybug worked on calculating the surface area of different solid figures in geometry. She started a unit on Calvinist church bodies in religion, beginning with Presbyterians. Her new literature study is Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. In biology, she began to learn about genetics, how different traits are passed on from parent to child, and how to create Punnett squares. She worked on using foreshadowing in a story in writing. We also took a break yesterday to visit the Beyond Van Gogh exhibit that is currently on display in St. Louis…it was really cool!

Chickadee got right back to working on long division in math…how thrilling. We backtracked in her overview of the Bible…after going through all of the Christmas and Epiphany stories, she’s back in the Old Testament with Kings David and Solomon. The new chapter in her science book is about rays and sharks. We continued to read Greek myths, including stories about Pan, Narcissus, and Daphne. After our break from world geography over the holiday season, we moved on to Africa, where we learned about South Africa and Nigeria, and made a a cheese and apple crumble and banana fritters.

Next week may be a bit bumpy, as Turkey and Bunny start a new semester of college, and we all learn our new schedules!

Chickadee Thursday

Back to school after a nice, long, Christmas break!

This week, Chickadee also had braces put on her four front bottom teeth to match the four she already had on top…she’s not necessarily thrilled about the extra discomfort, but she was really excited that they let her pick different Frozen colors for the top and bottom!