Journey to Excellence

The TOS Cruisers are answering the following question this week: What is your favorite Science Resource? There are SO many different resources out there! But, what if you have a budding high school student and science is your weak area, or just an area of which you are not passionate? What if your student HATES textbooks, and I mean HATES them (like wanting to chuck Apologia right out the window?) Well, you build your own curriculum anyway, and you break out in a cold sweat each Sunday afternoon when you are planning that week's lessons. At least that's what you do on the difficult subjects. Like when it was time to study DNA and Genetics. Clue.less. Sure, I could read along with him in his The Way Life Works book, digesting the material, dissecting the diagrams. But when it came to making sure he REALLY understood what he was reading and seeing, I had to look elsewhere. And to the rescue came Learn.Genetics from the Genetics Science Learning Center at the Univers...

My husband told me today that he was looking at this blog the other day and was overwhelmed! He said, "Now I know what you do all day!" I told him I understood, because many times when I sit down to do my Weekly Wrap-up I feel like we haven't accomplished anything. Then I'll type it and think, "Dang! No wonder Dawson was complaining all week about how hard I have worked him." Brynne enjoyed her Green Week learning about and celebrating St. Patrick's Day. 1. She read many books about St. Patrick, Ireland, shamrocks, and four-leaf clovers. 2. We cut the stems of some daisies and added green food coloring to the water to make Green Daisies. 3. There was a lot of art going on, including a rainbow with a pot of gold at the end (coins using our Do-a-Dot markers), and four-leaf clovers using potato print stamps in the shapes of hearts. She copied the Irish Blessing for copywork one day, and we attached it to the potato print page to send to her great g...

Yes, she is. And, it's funny that she was wearing this shirt on this particular day. Because Dawson pointed out that everything we were doing that day symbolized being "One of a Kind". And here's why .... 1.  To finish up our Dogs unit, Brynne spent a couple of days learning about Dalmatians. We read several books, she watched the cartoon versions of 101 Dalmatians and 101 Dalmatians 2, and then she got out our box of dalmatian puppies and play acted for the better part of two days. (When Dawson was about her age, he was obsessed with 101 Dalmatians. So we got on Ebay and ordered as many used playsets as we could. We probably had about 101 at one time, but they have dwindled down over the years. FYI ... If you have "two sets" of kids, NEVER get rid of toys from the first set. They will inevitably cycle back around for the second set, i.e. Toy Story, dinosaurs, matchbox cars, Barbies, Power Rangers, dalmatians, etc.) Dawson pointed out that the theme of t...

Dawson has been studying DNA for the past couple of weeks. I had read many recommendations to purchase a particular DNA building kit, but at $50 I was reluctant to do so for such a limited purpose. While perusing the aisles at Hobby Lobby, I came across the ScienceWiz DNA kit by Penny Norman, Ph.D. Wielded with my 40% off coupon, I picked up this little gem for about $12.00. It is regularly priced at $19.99 (still a bargain). It included all of the pieces necessary to build the DNA ladder and Double Helix (that I was going to be purchasing the other kit for), and included all the materials necessary to do some DNA extractions (both vegetable/fruit and HUMAN), a chromosome puzzle and karyotyping. It was a bargain for all we could do with it! Constructed Double Helix Chromosome puzzle The 40-page booklet that came with the kit not only included the instructions for all of the projects, but also acted as a mini-textbook with introductory material about cells, nuclei, DNA, c...

I got my wisdom teeth extracted yesterday, so my wrap-up this week is going to be a little short. Daddy stayed home from work yesterday to take care of me and to act as substitute teacher. We are calling today a Sick Day because, well, I'm sick. There will just be lots of reading and educational computer games today, and even more playing. For me, I'll be in bed. I have some paresthesia because of an exposed nerve during the surgery, so I am praying that I will regain the feeling to that part of my lip and chin soon. For now, I look like a chipmunk. And, I'm pretty miserable. Here is what our week looked like in the form of a collage: 1. Brynne continued learning about dogs this week: Portuguese Water Dogs, Boxers and Border Collies. 2. We were back into our books pretty heavy at the beginning of the week with grammar, copywork, handwriting, and math. 3. She also started a fairly significant chapter book (for her) called Poodle and Hound , and spent each afternoon ...

This was the first "normal" week of school that we have had in a while. That means that we were home doing school Monday through Thursday, and had our regular Co-op activities on Friday. It was a productive week, and I am ready for the weekend. We have nothing planned this weekend, other than church on Sunday, and I couldn't be happier. I'm tired! In fact, I've been on the couch since about 1 p.m. Regular studies (and when I say "regular studies" I mean grammar, copywork, handwriting, math/algebra, critical thinking, and literature) are all progressing at a good speed. I am happy where both of the kids are at, both in how well they are doing with the material and in how far they are along in the number of completed lessons. All of these regular studies are moving along easily. Both kids know what is expected of them in these courses and do them each day with ease and independently, for the most part. I do have to add that for Brynne, I am loving Math...