Brain Teaser

We have summer school at our house.  This year we’re continuing math and language all summer.  I like to do school 4 days a week and by doing the days in the summer, we don’t waste days at the start of the next year doing review.  And it gives us something productive to do when it is over 100 degrees outside.  On those gorgeous April days, we cancel school due to good weather.

Last week Bethany had an interesting math question.  Dave and I both solved it but it took a few minutes.  It is a simple request:

Give me a dollar in change using 14 coins.

Are you smarter than a 4th grader?  We each came up with different answers but the time it took us varied.  If you have kids, give them the assignment and see if they get to the answer before you.  You might be surprised.

Top 5 reasons not to send your kids to gov’t school

To my friends who are considering homeschooling or are starting their first year, this is a good article for you to read.  Voddie Baucham is one of my favorite preachers in the country.  This topic is very controversial, so I know I’ll get disagreeing comments.  That’s OK.  I haven’t stayed away from controversial subjects on this blog before, so here it goes…

http://www.voddiebaucham.org/vbm/Blog/Entries/2009/6/25_Top_Five_REasons_Not_to_Send_Your_Kids_Back_to_Govt._School.html

Homeschool rights being attacked globally

I’ve written before how the UN treaty is terrible for families.  Now it is being used in Britain to take away the ability to homeschool.   see article here

http://us1.campaign-archive.com/?u=00f9e4541df7da80194807124&id=276512c6d8&e=137ea40fe4

This is not just a homeschool family issue.  It is really about parents making decisions for their families….not the government.   These institutions use the cases where children are not protected to push massive control on all families.   I don’t believe it is always about helping children, but indoctrinating them into the worldview that will  promote the social world they are trying so hard to create.

New names for old ideas

In the frugal world, I’ve been noticing new names for what my grandparents lived out.  Here are a few:

• repurposing = One man’s trash is another man’s treasure
• stop spending to  get out of debt = waste not want not
• urban homesteads = Depression gardens
• living off the grid = the lines haven’t made it down my dirt road
• compost toilet = outhouse
• free range chicken =  chicken from your coop (not co-op)
• grass feed beef = beef from your pasture
• non-pasteurized milk = fresh milk from your cow
• organic veggies = veggies from the garden
• sustainable living = take care of what you have
• hybrid car = motorcycle with a cart on the side
• gourmet cooking = Sunday lunch
• gym membership = opps…none
• working out = working in the garden
• made in China = Chinese children
• dispute resolution = good fight and friends afterwards
• social networking = drinking iced tea on our neighbors front porch
• resale clothing = hammy downs
• fast food = leftovers

Great day for school outside

In May we get a few PERFECT weather days here in Houston.  We suffer in the heat from June – Sept (and sometimes Oct).  The heat here is terrible.  Yes, I know many of you lived through the ice storm and we didn’t deal with that.   Our turn is coming… heat, humidity and more heat and humidity.  Do I sound bitter?

I digress.  We took school outside today and enjoyed the warm sun and low humidity.

Mom, what is a pinnace???

Tonight one of our girls came up to us with a book and asked “what is a pinnace?”  Now say that that word aloud with a southern accent.  When I heard that my mind went… oh no…. what is she reading???  I’ve told her about body parts so what is she asking????  Dave looked over at me with a raised eyebrow.

Well, I learned a new word.  She was reading Swiss Family Robinson. A pinnace is one of two marine craft, the first a small vessel used as a tender to larger vessels amongst other things, and the second a ship rigged vessel popular in northern waters through the 17th-19th centuries.

The discussion was about boats.

Are you smarter than a 4th grader?

Solve this…

Abraham reached the century mark when Isaac was born.   Abraham was four-score and six years old when Ishmael was born.  How many years pass between the birth of the two sons of Abraham?

answer below

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

;

14 years.  A score is 20 years.  I failed this one!

Ambergris

Today in science, we learned the word ambergis.  In case you’re wondering…  it is a noun and is “a substance produced in the intestines of sperm whale; it is used to make certain expensive perfumes.”  Translation:  vomit from a whale on viagra.

Now that was a fun discussion… NOT.  I don’t think we really need to study science.  Let’s do art instead.  Here’s a pic of ambergris:

An Outside Trampoline!!! P.E. class.

We gave this to the girls for Christmas.  It is easy to run to Walmart and grab one in a box.  Another story transforming the parts into a jumping machine.  Dave and I have been dreading the assembly. 

Today I took a shot and put this together all my MYSELF!!!!! with my three little helpers.  I hope you’re impressed because it was soooo hard.  My hands hurt, my back hurts, my legs hurt…

I’m not much for following directions.  I got the frame up pretty easily.  Getting the springs on was another story.  I started with one and went clockwise.  Maggie (our 7 year old) got concerned b/c about half way through the spring assembly it was getting really really really hard.  So she took the instruction DVD inside and watched how you’re supposed to put it together.  She came out and told me what I was doing was impossible.  You had to put 4 springs in first (one in each quarter of the circle) and then fill in.  If you went clockwise there was too much tension and you couldn’t get it to stretch properly.

I took it apart and listened to my 7 year old supervise and it worked.  When you’re in school the teacher gives classes on following instuctions.  I was sick those days.  It is very boring when you’re filling out worksheets at a desk.  But when it is a beautiful day outside, a trampoline waiting and a confused mommy…. instructions take on a whole new meaning.

Homeschool lesson #3098

If you bend a plastic ruler, it will break.  Breaking rulers is much for fun that math!