I have to say, there are a lot of great web sites out there, but I love Brainpop. They have short animated movies featuring 'Tim and Moby' on just about any topic you can come up with, and activities and quizzes to go with them. If that's not enough, they have an educator site that is FREE (did I mention that 'free' is my favorite word?) and includes lesson plans and how to use Brainpop more effectively. They also have everything organized by state standards at the educator site.
So far, my kids are happy watching the movies, taking the 'review' quiz, then taking the graded quiz so they can get 100 on the graded one. I'm good with that. They also like the fact that I will, after they watch the 'assigned' movie, let them peruse around and find whatever interests them. While I have heard my daughter say that she doesn't like it, once they are there, she's as into it as Luke.
I know Brainpop is a pay site, but through our library system, we can get it for free. If you're in the Mid-Hudson Library system, you just have to ask your librarian for the username and password. Way cool! Math, history, science, health, you name it.
Friday, February 25, 2011
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Day 113
We're at the end of Day 113. It was a long day with no academics, but well worth it. We went to dance, in which Emily noted on her own when she was off (wow!) and Luke got to have some needed time with Nana.
We raced home to get lunch and prepare for company. In our small house, we had 11 kids and 6 adults. Did I mention my house is small? It worked out pretty well, though, as the kids played outside a lot, and had hot chocolate in the kitchen, and the adults didn't mind sitting wherever, including the floor. We brainstormed a bunch on what to do with the rest of the year. In the past, I felt like I made more of the decisions and suggestions. Now, I'm getting more laid back, or lazy, or something, but I was quite content to let people run with their ideas. I think we have more ideas than Wednesdays! So, we'll see what pans out from here...
At 3:25, some of us realized that we had to get to Book Club at the Stone Ridge library (by 3:30). We all zipped off, me with Luke and Emily complaining how I sign them up for everything without asking them if they want to. I reminded them that they were IN the ROOM with me when I signed them up! Anyway, they went and seemed to really enjoy it. I told them beforehand that if they didn't like it, we wouldn't do the next one. We walked out having borrowed the next book, so I call it a success so far! :)
A spaghetti dinner and some video game time rounds out their day, and I'm pooped as usual. Tomorrow, back to academia and starting our new book, Science Sleuths!
We raced home to get lunch and prepare for company. In our small house, we had 11 kids and 6 adults. Did I mention my house is small? It worked out pretty well, though, as the kids played outside a lot, and had hot chocolate in the kitchen, and the adults didn't mind sitting wherever, including the floor. We brainstormed a bunch on what to do with the rest of the year. In the past, I felt like I made more of the decisions and suggestions. Now, I'm getting more laid back, or lazy, or something, but I was quite content to let people run with their ideas. I think we have more ideas than Wednesdays! So, we'll see what pans out from here...
At 3:25, some of us realized that we had to get to Book Club at the Stone Ridge library (by 3:30). We all zipped off, me with Luke and Emily complaining how I sign them up for everything without asking them if they want to. I reminded them that they were IN the ROOM with me when I signed them up! Anyway, they went and seemed to really enjoy it. I told them beforehand that if they didn't like it, we wouldn't do the next one. We walked out having borrowed the next book, so I call it a success so far! :)
A spaghetti dinner and some video game time rounds out their day, and I'm pooped as usual. Tomorrow, back to academia and starting our new book, Science Sleuths!
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Day 112
Yet another day spent trying to get a certain boy to do his work. Ugh.
Anyway, yesterday at B&N, Steve and I found a neat resource that I think will be a lot of fun to do with the kids. It's called Science Sleuths: 60 Activities to Develop Science Inquiry and Critical Thinking Skills, Grades 4-8. It seems like a lot of setting up scenes, and observation. We had a detective kit when they were younger that they really enjoyed, so I have high hopes. When I showed it to Luke, his eyes lit up, which was neat to see. Time will tell...Looking to start this tomorrow or Thursday. Probably Thursday as tomorrow will be busy-- dance, meeting, book club at the library. That's pretty much the whole day!
Anyway, yesterday at B&N, Steve and I found a neat resource that I think will be a lot of fun to do with the kids. It's called Science Sleuths: 60 Activities to Develop Science Inquiry and Critical Thinking Skills, Grades 4-8. It seems like a lot of setting up scenes, and observation. We had a detective kit when they were younger that they really enjoyed, so I have high hopes. When I showed it to Luke, his eyes lit up, which was neat to see. Time will tell...Looking to start this tomorrow or Thursday. Probably Thursday as tomorrow will be busy-- dance, meeting, book club at the library. That's pretty much the whole day!
Saturday, February 19, 2011
day 110, 111
Day 110
Thursday we went up to Albany for a doctor's appointment, so we made more of a day of it by visiting the Albany Institute for History and Art. When we got there, Luke didn't want to go in, until he saw that it was HISTORY and art, not just art. My boy is not the biggest fan of art museums. The Institute is not huge, but they did have a room on Ancient Egypt, which was the main reason I wanted to go there. They had two mummies, as well as a dog mummy which apparently had caused them some consternation as they thought it was a cat originally. The room was very decorated, and included some statues we could touch, which was cool.
Unfortunately, we weren't allowed to take pictures, but the kids did drawings of the Devourer (head of a crocodile, body of a lioness, bottom of a hippo-I guess all that devouring DOES go to the hips) the next day, and used our stamps of hyroglyphics to spell things out.
We also saw some artwork by the Hudons River School, which I really enjoyed, and some portraiture. In all, it was a nice day.
Day 111
Unfortunately, we didn't take any pictures on Friday. It was finally warm! We went for a walk on the Rail Trail where it was really flooded and muddy. I flipped out the first time Emily walked right through a deep puddle, but after that, who cared? It was warm, she wasn't complaining about wet, cold feet, and it was good to be alive. It was really nice to have a taste of spring!
Thursday we went up to Albany for a doctor's appointment, so we made more of a day of it by visiting the Albany Institute for History and Art. When we got there, Luke didn't want to go in, until he saw that it was HISTORY and art, not just art. My boy is not the biggest fan of art museums. The Institute is not huge, but they did have a room on Ancient Egypt, which was the main reason I wanted to go there. They had two mummies, as well as a dog mummy which apparently had caused them some consternation as they thought it was a cat originally. The room was very decorated, and included some statues we could touch, which was cool.
Unfortunately, we weren't allowed to take pictures, but the kids did drawings of the Devourer (head of a crocodile, body of a lioness, bottom of a hippo-I guess all that devouring DOES go to the hips) the next day, and used our stamps of hyroglyphics to spell things out.
We also saw some artwork by the Hudons River School, which I really enjoyed, and some portraiture. In all, it was a nice day.
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| "Art? Really? You can bring me to the museum, but you can't make me appreciate it." |
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| The Half Moon. The only other place we were allowed to take pictures. |
Unfortunately, we didn't take any pictures on Friday. It was finally warm! We went for a walk on the Rail Trail where it was really flooded and muddy. I flipped out the first time Emily walked right through a deep puddle, but after that, who cared? It was warm, she wasn't complaining about wet, cold feet, and it was good to be alive. It was really nice to have a taste of spring!
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Days 106, 107, 108, 109
They say a picture is worth a thousand words...
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| Out and about |
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| Master builder |
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| Cookin' up good stuff |
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| Bowling party! Luke turned 10 last week! |
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| Bowling party! Emily turned 10 last week, too! |
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| Smallest fort ever |
Monday, February 14, 2011
Day 105a
So we went on a tour of Kingston City Hall, which was pretty neat. The building has been recently redone, so it's quite something to see! We started at the bottom and worked up. The kids were introduced to all the various offices, and the people who worked there described a bit about what it is they do in each office (for instance, the Assessor's office).
We then went to the Mayor's office. After that, it was upstairs to where the business of government takes place. It was there that Mayor Sottile found us and talked to the kids about how government works and what he does. He stressed the importance of reading and study habits.
Overall, it was an impressive tour.
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| Mayor Sottile talking to our group |
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