This week in algebra, Chickadee identified more conjunctions and also disjunctions. We read about Juan Perón in Argentina and the Belgians in the Congo in history…it’s really starting to sound like “We Didn’t Start the Fire!” In writing she analyzed a short story (“The Garden Party”) and a poem (“Death Be Not Proud”). She finished the chapter on light waves in science. In religion we talked more about the liturgy as well as the organization of the church year. We did one final review of As You Like It. We also got to see the 10 chicks at the library one more time!
This week’s recipe from the American Girl Sweet & Savory Treats Cookbook was “Almond Energy Bites” inspired by Maryellen. This was my first experience with flaxseed and I was a little nervous about it, but the combination with almond butter, almonds, oats, chocolate chips, honey, and coconut was addictive!
We have something fun planned for next week…stay tuned!
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 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!
It’s been a while since Chickadee and I visited the library…yesterday we took a wander through the non-fiction section and found a couple of cookbooks to try out!
We started the week by participating in the Illinois Heartland Library System’s “Library Crawl.” We had a lot of fun visiting a dozen libraries, and Chickadee also got some practice with maps and navigation!
The rest of the week we focused on our regular work. In algebra she learned about the standard form of linear equations, and practiced “reading” a graph to come up with a formula to go with it. In history we read about the continued colonization of Australia and Africa. We finished The Wind in the Willows…it was a charming book! In religion we read about the difference between the theology of the cross and the theology of glory. She finished the chapter on the introduction to the periodic table in science. And this week’s recipe from the American Girl Sweet & Savory Treats Cookbook was Apple Bread Pudding inspired by Kit. It might be my favorite thing we’ve made so far…it tasted just like fall!
Not sure if we have anything special going on next week, but we’ll see!
Chickadee and I had a great time visiting libraries as part of the Illinois Heartland Library System’s Library Crawl! We visited 11 new libraries plus our favorite location close to home!
Yesterday Chickadee and I went on a really fun and unique field trip…we participated in the Illinois Heartland Library System’s “Library Crawl,” which was the perfect outing for Banned Books Week!
This is the 7th annual library crawl for the system, but it’s only the second year I’ve known about it. I thought it sounded cool last year, but I just couldn’t find time to go, so when it came around again this month, I made it a priority. There are 197 participating libraries (!!!) across a good deal of the state (minus the Chicagoland area and some other parts to the northwest), but we decided to stick pretty close to home, focusing on Madison and St. Clair counties. We managed a dozen stops, including the finale at our home library, where we had our “passports” verified (the goal is to visit at least five other locations).
Our day started in Troy, IL, at the Tri-Township Public Library:
We then traveled to the Edwardsville Public Library, which might have the prettiest exterior of the ones we visited, thanks to a beautiful fountain out front:
Next was the Glen Carbon Centennial Library, which had a really cool interior that felt like a cabin and had a huge fireplace near the entrance:
The Maryville Community Library smelled brand-new and offered a craft option in addition to passport stamping:
I’ve been to the Mississippi Valley Library District Collinsville Memorial Library before…it’s a beautiful building:
The Caseyville Public Library seemed very new, and matched the elementary school next door in architectural style and color:
We’re regular visitors to Fairview Heights, because that’s where the closest mall is, but we had never even been down the road where the Fairview Heights Public Library is located:
There was some construction right outside the O’Fallon Public Library, but we still made it:
The Lebanon Public Library was so tiny, they didn’t even have a stamp for our passports, the librarian simply signed it!
Next up was the Mascoutah Public Library:
And then down to the Freeburg Area Library District, which had a really cool mural inside:
We wrapped up our trip at the Belleville Public Library Main Library, which is an original Carnegie Library:
Along the way, we collected small gifts from the various libraries, including lunch bags, tote bags, pins, bookmarks, stickers, magnets, snacks, candy, and water. One stop also offered flower seed packets, and our home library had fun scratch-off cards (Chickadee and I both won a magnet). We also got to see a lot of places that were new to us, and we even stopped at a new coffee shop along the way. It was a really fun way to spend a nice fall day, and very different from any other field trip we’ve ever had…next year, we might head to Monroe and Randolph counties to see some of the libraries down there!
