Week in Review, 8/26-8/31

Duncan is my 10yo son and this is an overview of our week.

This week Duncan completed green folder week 5. Last week Duncan declared Mr. Green Folder his favorite thing this school year. The material in the green folder is organized by subject, and, when the folder is finished, he has finished five days of work. I think he likes having this control over his schoolwork more than anything specific in his folder. Anyway, here are some folder highlights:

In the past, I have really enjoyed Tea Time Poetry, but I have to say I am not disliking E-V Read and Understand Poetry.

EMC Level 6 Write-in Reader- People have asked me where and when POV, conflict, and things are taught. Well, Here it is. :)

A am still not thrilled with Holt's Language Arts, but this week we looked at verbs and adverbs. Here is a page from the workbook.

This year Duncan is using A Message of Ancient Days and Readings in SocialStudies: Ancient Times. Both are used by Calvert- A Message of Ancient Days is their history text and Reading in Social Studies is part of their supplemental literature, Discoveries in Reading. His weekly schedule for these and a page to answer questions is in the green folder. This is purely a git-er-done situation. He doesn't like history, and, while I like the texts just fine, they are just texts. So, after this spiel I probably won't mention them again.

However, Doodle's required book list is tied to his history. So far this year he has read- Motel of the Mysteries by Macaulay (fun fictional story about an archeologist that got it all wrong), Maroo of the Winter Caves (easy read set in the ice age and Doodle enjoyed it), In the Beginning: Creation Stories from around the World (had to remind him the read, so definitely not a favorite), and the Gilgamesh trilogy by Zeman (at least I didn't have to remind him to read). This week he read the first 7 of the 28 chapters in Hittite Warrior. My oldest son and I loved this book, but Duncan hasn't gotten into it. :/

Of his own choosing, he has read children's biographies on Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and George Washington. I think working backwards through the first 3 presidents was a rabbit trail thing. He sort of did the same thing with scientists. He read a biography of Einstein which led to a biography of Isaac Newton and now he has one on Galileo that he hasn't started. Funny how that works! He has read a number of other biographies and several books on badgers and wolverines which he moved to after capybaras. Except for the book on Isaac Newton (and now the one on Galileo), these have all been easy reader type books. He is an odd one.

He finished reading about momentum and energy in Conceptual Physical Science and chapters 6 and 7 in The Story of Science: Aristotle Leads the Way. We are not as excited about these as I had hoped. I think I need to tweak my approach to Conceptual Physical Science. Not sure what to say about that.

This week Duncan wrapped up swimming lessons and started volleyball practice, and he is super excited. My middle son played volleyball, Doodle is so glad that he is finally old enough to play. This is a co-ed rec league, so it is noncompetitive and social- just lots of fun.

They were warming up in a circle outside. It is so crazy that my camera focused on the ball. That is Duncan hitting the ball from his knees.

Good serve

Another good serve

The boy can serve

Jumping High

and squatting low

We went the art museum in Nashville, The Frist, this week. They currently have a car exhibit, Sensuous Steel: Art Deco Automobiles, and a small exhibit by Vik Muniz of garbage art replicas of famous paintings. Doodle preferred the cars. Imagine that.

Mei and Duncan behind a vehicle that looked like a pill bug.

Motorin'

"Hey, Mom, it looks like Tron."

Thumbs up!

Can we take it home?

Driving along.

Vik Muniz

Last night we went to watch our city’s July 4^th fireworks. Yes, you read that correctly. It rained on firework night in July, so the fireworks were postponed until Labor Day weekend.

Oh, and this coming Tuesday Duncan starts math and composition. Eek!