School Starts!

On August 17th we did a 'soft' start to the school year while we were still staying on the farm (before the move to our new house).

Rose - 6th Grade, Michael - 4th Grade, and Daisy - 3rd Grade

...With one addition!

Cousin Timothy (8th Grade) joined us because he was still in KY after spending the summer with Grandpa and Grandma on the farm.

We are using a variety of curriculum, but our core curriculum is Heart of Dakota's Resurrection to Reformation

(I will post more about our 2015-2016 curriculum in a later post)

We are learning about the Early Church and the Roman Empire

Here are some work samples...

 Everyone is enjoying our Art Appreciation studies.  

A Roman arch was erected for the triumph of Constantine.  It is still standing today!  During our studies about arches they each constructed one with clay.  They did not last two hours, let alone 1,700 years.

One great feature of schooling on the farm includes taking nature walks with Grandma!

Among other things, Grandma is teaching them to identify different trees.

We had at a fun weekday pool party with some local homeschoolers

some silly pics with aluminum foil....

Grandpa with the kids...

 ....and that was the fabulous start of our new school year here in Kentucky! :)

Week 7 and the Wild Animal Ark Sanctuary

It's that time of year...to make some yummy caramel apples...

 Rose playing dress up...

This week we learned about William and Catherine Booth in our Hero Tales.  In science we studied food chains, scavengers and decomposers.  We 'traveled' to Canada and learned about Canadian people and places.  In studying the Inuit people of Canada we learned about their animal carvings.  We tried our own animal carvings using soap.  Umm....well, I guess it takes practice to get good at these kinds of things.

We took a family Field Trip to the Wild Animal Ark Sanctuary.  They care for wild animals (such as cheetahs, bears, mountain lions, etc) that have been injured and can't survive in the wild.

Week 6 and a trip to Phoenix, AZ

This was a fun week.

A playdate with Carissa....playing vet with stuffed animals and then crafts...

Heading to the library....

 Mrs. Ruby teaching Plastic Canvas stitches at Keepers Club...

In school this week we learned about Mexico's fascinating facts, nature, farming and industry.  We continue our study on deserts, learning about oases, coping with dryness, and rain in the dessert.  Rose loves her passport and getting it "stamped" as we "enter" new countries in our studies.

We made a 4 day weekend to go visit my sister, Jennifer, and her family in Phoenix, AZ.  It is a 15 hour drive, but we listened to Lamplighter audios and Jonathon Park audios to help the day go by faster.  About 4 hours into our drive we stopped and had brunch at this yummy bakery.

We had a great visit in Pheonix!  Loved, loved, loved it!  We miss them so much.

Week 2 of Grade 3 and a Hot Air Balloon

Chad was given 2 VIP tickets to the Rib Cook Off.  It includes all you can eat ribs and sides.  So on Monday Rose and daddy spent the afternoon there, again.

...and of course, made time to play in the fountains.

Rose's favorite book this week was Kingdom Tales.  (A classic collection of tales that use allegory to reveal truths about the Kingdom of God.)

Each week I will try to share at least one of her school work pages.  This week it is her John 3:16 poster.

This week we are learning about Latitude and Longitude, Elevation and Depth, how to read Physical and Political Maps, Biomes around the world, Oxygen and Water Cycles, and much more.

Rose started her piano lessons.  She is thrilled with her lessons and with her sweet teacher, Mrs. Kristen.

For this weeks play date with Carissa, we went to the Discovery Museum.  The girls had such a great time.

An evening supper at Peppermill's buffet.

For handicrafts this week, we finished up this pillow.  Rose latch hooked it two years ago and we never did anything with it.  I was never quite sure how to turn it into a pillow, so I kept putting it off.  We decided to end the procrastination and just give it a whirl.  It turned out great and Rose is ready to do another latch hook project.

On Friday we had Fari over for dinner.  He is Chad's new colleague at UNR.  He told us a lot about Indonesia and even showed us photos and videos especially about Bali.

On Saturday morning we were able to watch the Great Air Balloon Race from the comfort of our house.  Then to our surprise, one of the balloons landed on our street.  Rose and daddy helped pack up the balloon. Rose even got to get in the basket and turn the fire on.  Very nice!

On Saturday we went to the first UNR home football game of the season.

Rose got to make a world cake as part of her world studies.  She learned/reviewed all the continents and oceans.  We waited until Sunday to make it so it could be part of our fellowship meal at church assembly.