Back to School

I decided it was time we get back to school.  We typically school through the summer months here because it's so hot.  With this morning sickness though, I really wasn't up for doing much.   Then, I began to panic when I realized that the baby is due in January, we're going to be moving sometime in the spring, when exactly was I going to fit in this school year???  So, back to the books we go.  Reentry is hard. LOL

E. is continuing with year 5 of Ambleside Online.  I ordered most of the books we don't have yesterday through Amazon.  I'm hoping they arrive quickly. LOL  Today we went through some of the books that we already owned from last year.  Here's a brief synopsis of of what E. covered today:
This Country of Ours - We covered George Washington's retiring from the army and then the events that led up to his becoming the first President of the United States.  The country being new had quite a few growing pains to work through before she was a cohesive, working Country.

We also covered how during his second term in office, France had their revolution and were counting on the American's to come help them fight.  George Washington knew that the country was too young and too freshly through with their war to be able to take on another war overseas.  He declared the United States as a neutral country, which surprised and angered the French.  The British in the meantime were still not happy w/ the new nation and continued to hold positions in Forts along the US/Canadian border, harassing the citizens that lived nearby.  They also declared the right to board ships at will, looking for British men to draft into the war against France.  Since it was difficult to determine a US citizen over a British citizen based on speech, many Americans were forced into military service for England.  John Jay was the man chosen to work on a treaty with England.  The treaty was not what the American's hoped for, but George Washington realized it was the best that England could do at the time and signed it.  The people of the US were angered and outraged and burned effigies of John Jay and criticized Washington calling him a tyrant.  In the end, the people of the US saw that Washington was right to keep peace and not send the young US into another war. 

At the end of his second term, he firmly stated he would not serve another term and retired to his beloved, peaceful home, Mount Vernon.

Physics Lab in a Housewares Store - We covered measurements, what they are, why we have them and all sorts of various means of measuring.  Later, we'll hit the housewares store where she'll make a list of all the various types of measuring devices she can find there.  There are timers, measuring cups, spoons, scales, pots, pans, etc.  Lots to find!

Bullfinches Mythology  Age of Fable - Today we read the stories of the Graeae and the Gorgon.  We learned what they were and how they were used in stories representing the dangers of the seas.  In Perseus and Medusa we went through the story of Perseus killing Medusa with the help of Minerva's shield and Mercury's shoes.  In Perseus and Atlas we learned of the tale of Perseus visiting Atlas' island and being denied rest there, he pulled out the head of Medusa, instantly turning Atlas to stone.

For everyone else, we started back with Five in a Row. :)  Since my 5 yo is starting with us this year I started with the Story About Ping by Marjorie Flack.  This was the first FIAR story I did with E. almost 7 years ago!  I thought it was fitting to start S. off on his FIAR journey with the same story.

The Story About Ping is the tale of Ping, a duck who lives on a Junk on the Yangtze River.  Ping always made sure to not be the last duck crossing over the plank back up to the boat when his Master would call in the evening, as the last duck got a spank on his back. *Ouch*  One day, he didn't hear his Masters call and realized he was going to be last.  Instead of taking his punishment, he hid in the bushes and watched his home, w/ all his family, sail away as the sun was setting.  When he awoke in the morning, he was expecting to find his boat and family.  Instead, all he saw were strange boats.  Ping goes on a journey along the Yangtze River trying to find his family.  Along the way, he encounters quite a few dangers!

After reading the story we talked about discernment and how not everything that looks good turns out to be good for us.  Ping learned this lesson by eating the cracker crumbs and almost getting eaten for dinner!  We also discussed how Ping thought he could get out of his punishment by hiding.  Instead of this being a positive thing, Ping ended up lonely, scared and in danger.  Ping realized that it was better to take his punishment than to try to hide.

We also discussed China and the Yangtze River.  We talked about why the Yangtze is yellow due to mineral deposits and how people live along and on the river their entire lives.  My girls remembered seeing the stories of how they are now damming the Yangtze and were asking about why they were doing that.  We briefly talked about the need for power due to their huge leap in technology.  They are saddened knowing that so many people will be displaced, with no place to live or means to find a new living and how old cultural artifacts will be buried.  The kids colored a flag of China and filled in a map of China.  The older kids wrote all the countries surrounding China (there are a bunch of them!) but for S. I just had him identify where the Yangtze River is, he colored it yellow :), and copy the word China onto his map.

For our Bible discussion we read in 1 Kings about Solomon asking God to give him discernment.  We talked about what that means in our own lives and prayed to ask God to give us discernment so we know how to follow His will for our lives.

That pretty much sums up our day!  The girls are working on their Math and/or Reading, the toddler, J, is down for a nap and that's where I'm headed!  I'm pooped. LOL