Recipes from the World of Tolkien

2022-23 School Year–Week Three

We started the week with a field trip to the Missouri Botanical Garden, to take a look at the newly-opened visitors center and take a walk around the garden for the first time in several months.

It was a beautiful day to be out!

Ladybug reviewed scientific notation in algebra 2 (which also conveniently applies to chemistry, as well!). In creative writing, she practiced writing from the perspective of first person plural, which is pretty different from anything she’s done before. She had an introduction to The Periodic Table of the Elements in chemistry. In history, she read about Constantine’s heirs as well as Shapur II of Persia. She finished Act II of Romeo and Juliet. This week, we baked Bilbo‘s Seed-Cake from Recipes from the World of Tolkien.

Chickadee reviewed place value in math, as well as Roman numerals. She finished the second chapter in science, learning about different kinds of wild dogs including wolves, coyotes, foxes, and painted dogs. In history, she read about Cheops, the building of the Great Pyramid at Giza (as well as the Sphinx), and the mummification process. We continued to read Heidi, as well as The Fellowship of Ring.

I have another field trip planned for next week, and I’m really looking forward to it, because it’s to a place we haven’t visited since before the beginning of the pandemic!

2022-23 School Year–Week Two

I think we’re starting to feel comfortable with the new school year! Ladybug reviewed combining and simplifying fractions with variables. She finished both the first chapter in her chemistry text and the first act of Romeo and Juliet. In grammar, she worked on identifying gerund phrases. She read about the Jin in China and Chandragupta in India for history. At her request, I found a cookbook to go along with reading The Fellowship of the Ring, Recipes from the World of Tolkien. We made our first recipe from it this week, “Turin Turambar Tarragon Chicken,” and it was very good!

Chickadee reviewed simple equations and multiplication and division in math. She started learning about family Canidae in science. In history, she learned about ancient Egypt and Sumer, as well as hieroglyphics and cuneiform. We started reading my least favorite part of Heidi, when she goes to live in Frankfurt. She also got her very own library card this week!

I’m trying to make sure we get out of the house a little more this year…this week, we visited our local public library for the first time since before the pandemic started; next week, I’m hoping we might find time to visit the Missouri Botanical Garden and check out the new Jack C. Taylor Visitor Center!