2009 - Week 6 - This Week in Homeschooling

I did not get everything on here this week. I was just WAY TOO busy!

I added another portion to our rundown of what we do - educational games! I don't know how I missed adding that before. We consider games to be one of the fun, hands-on things that we do.

I prepared a special presentation on the 4 Levels of Scholar Phase that I shared with my husband and kids this week. It was an eye-opener to me to study this part of Leadership Education and really think about where we all are in these levels. For more, see my post on the 4 Levels of Scholar Phase.

Kid's School:

• Devotionals - Gospel Principles lesson 13-
  
• Classes/Clubs Attended - Principles of Leadership, Discovery Book Club - "The Hound of the Baskerville's" by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
  
• Read Aloud Book - Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder - Activities we did along with this book: whittling soap, sewing aprons.
• Educational Games - Phase 10 Dice, Settler's of Catan, Sudoku, Rubik's Cube, Wii Music
  
• SAT Prep vocabulary & spelling words - Review last week's words - New Words - vivacious, adept, ambivalent, avarice, cacophony, copious
  
• Grammar & Writing - Journal Entries on each book read - The Winston Grammar Program: Basic Level - Word Roots Level A A1 & A2
  
• Science - The Human Body Unit - We skipped science this week. It was a busy one!
  
• P.E. - Dog walking, kick ball & roller blading at the park.
  
• Math
• Marly: Math-U-See - Epsilon - Chapters
  
• Chris: Math-U-See - Delta - Unit 2 Test, online math drills
  
• Individual Reading
• Marly: The Story of the World: Vol.2 2-19, Abduction, Charlie Bone and the Shadow,
  
• Chris: The Story of the World: History for the Classical Child: Vol. 1, 1-39 (2nd half) thru 1-40, Redwall
  

Mom's School:

• Reading list - Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (still working on this one), The Love Dare (a 40 day challenge so I'll be reading this one every day for awhile - see this movie "Fireproof")
  
• Projects - (1) Sewing aprons with the girls - but had some glitches since our sewing machine broke. I am trying to borrow one. (2) Quilting 9-square patterns - we started on this project and plan to work on it for a few weeks. We plan on each of us finishing our own 9-square and making one big quilt. I have saved clothes and things that we hope will make a nice memory quilt. Again, we are looking to borrow a sewing machine to finish.
  

5 Pillar Certification - My Scholar Phase

For those who would like to follow my other blog, here is the post:

http://tjedtrenches.blogspot.com/2009/01/5-pillar-certification.html

"While I'm Waiting" from Fireproof

I just love this song! I'm not a huge fan of Christian rock...but maybe I'm getting more into it now.

Fireproof - Movie Review

My friend Jen recommended the movie Fireproof the other day. We watched it and I have to say it is the best movie I have seen in a long time that shows the need to improve a marriage. So many movies are of couples breaking up, cheating, or other promiscuous behaviors. This movie is a real tear jerker, so be prepared! Even just hearing the music from the movie makes me cry. I really want the soundtrack.

I highly recommend watching this movie and allowing older children and teens to watch it as well. We discussed many of the issues brought up in the movie with Marly and Chris which are hard topics, but the movie shows a little bit of how destructive pornography can be to people (nothing inappropriate is shown, just the topic is part of the story). It also shows how showing the proper care and attention to your spouse and your marriage can repair problems and prevent divorce.

Fireproof is a Christian movie with the characters discussing Atheism and Christianity. I felt that my children were old enough to understand these topics as well. The only thing that I felt was not in keeping with our religion, the LDS church, is the use of the cross and that they believe marriage is for life only. I wanted to jump into the movie and say, "No! You can be together FOREVER!"

As a divorced person, this movie touched some raw nerves for me. For anyone who has not been like the couple in the movie, you are very lucky. For those who have, you know what a terrible path it is to walk. I wondered if something like The Love Dare would have helped my first marriage or the marriages of others that I know who are divorced. I do think it still takes two. No one person can change everything that is wrong with a marriage. However, something like The Love Dare could help people to love each other again, or rather love each other more deeply.

I found The Love Dare, the book mentioned in the movie, at Wal-mart for less than $11. I figured $11 was a small price to pay to improve my marriage. (even with Mike out of a job)

2009 - Week 5 - This Week in Homeschooling

In addition to Marly and Chris's babysitting job, Chris has been sick with a sinus infection this week. The level of his education was greatly effected this week and we hope he will get better soon!

Kid's School:

• Devotionals - Gospel Principles lesson 12 - We spent the entire week on the Atonement.
  
• Classes/Clubs Attended - Principles of Leadership
• Read Aloud Book - Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder (and my kids THINK they have chores)
  
• SAT Prep vocabulary & spelling words - Review last week's words - New Words - winsome, meager, haughty, foster
  
• Grammar & Writing - Journal Entries on each book read - The Winston Grammar Program: Basic Level - Word Roots Level A A1 & A2
  
• Science - The Human Body Unit - Respiratory System - Usborne Science Encyclopedia pg. 358-359, How the Body Works pg. 69-77, Human Anatomy Coloring Book p. 218-23 (College level book - we do not memorize the terminology, but the detailed diagrams are really good).
  
• P.E. - Daily dog walks. Chris was too sick to do much else.
  
• Math
• Marly: Math-U-See - Epsilon - Chapters 9-11
  
• Chris: Math-U-See - Delta - Unit 2 Test, online math drills
  
• Individual Reading
• Marly: The Story of the World: Vol.2 2-18, Molly Moon Stops the World, Molly Moon's Hypnotic Time Travel Adventure, The Hounds of the Baskerville's (1st half)
  
• Chris: The Story of the World: History for the Classical Child: Vol. 1, 1-38 thru 1-39 (1st half)
  

Mom's School:

• Reading list - Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (still working on this one), The Love Dare (a 40 day challenge so I'll be reading this one every day for awhile - see this movie "Fireproof"), Leadership Education: The Phases of Learning (studying up on the levels of Scholar Phase to present to the family next week)
  
• Projects - cleaning and perfecting my bread making skills. See my favorite recipe at The Solar Cook.
  

A Good Reminder

I enjoyed watching this video and hope you will too.

Obama and Same-Sex Marriage Ban

Dear Friends & Family,

I have seen a few emails going around about Obama's desire to appeal Same-Sex Marriage Bans. I always want to see the SOURCE of their information in addition to the message of whatever cause it is that is sending emails. I complained during the presidential campaign about not knowing what Obama's agenda was, well now he has it all out in plain sight at WhiteHouse.gov. Please check it out so you know what to expect.

Here is the source:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/agenda/civil_rights/ - The statement on Same-Sex Marriage is neatly tucked in towards the bottom.

Directly from the website above:

Oppose a Constitutional Ban on Same-Sex Marriage: President Obama voted against the Federal Marriage Amendment in 2006 which would have defined marriage as between a man and a woman and prevented judicial extension of marriage-like rights to same-sex or other unmarried couples.

The terminology "judicial extension of marriage" is KEY here. He is saying that judges should be able to make laws....which is against the Constitution.

Last time the Bill was introduced: http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?c110:5:./temp/~mdbsdO0WJP::

Where to join the cause:

http://www.nationformarriage.org

The BEST way to support the Ban on Same-Sex Marriage:

• Become educated about the cause.
  
• Write to the appropriate representatives, senators, presidential offices, etc.
  
• Write your OWN letter. Using blanket forms from a website does not get read nearly as much as a straight-from-the heart letter of why YOU do not want Same-Sex Marriage to be legal.

Sincerely,

Celeste Batchelor