Play and nature

  I'm a huge fan of play.  That said, we limit tv greatly-it's a weekend morning thing, and no real video game play-but good old fashioned, use your imagination, go outside and play, play.
   Being a home school family, allows us a lot of play time.  And, most of the public schools in my area do not have recess.  A lot of schools across the US do not have recess.  Play is so important to a child's development.  To expect a 6 year old to sit still in a class all day, is to me, ridiculous.  And that's the age of most first graders.  Even as adults, we take a break of our work.  Those of us who lead active lifestyles, are healthier and happier.  So why do we want to take play away from our kids?

                                             Batcave

                                                Puddles are just too much fun

                                                  The off-beaten path

  Along with play and exploring, our boys love nature.

Homeschool catch up & family

  Whew, I need to catch up.  I was pretty much off the pc for awhile.  We had some family in for a few weeks last month.  Our cousin brought her mom down with her, so that was a huge surprise.  It was very nice to see them.
   Then some of my in-laws came for a visit.  They rented a beach house near us.  In all, it was a lot less stressful than I thought it would be.  Both women are former teachers, though one was an elementary teacher.  When they visited last summer, they were very against home school.  I'm sure they still are.  But, after looking at our Phonics Road, math and some of the things we have gone over, as well as just observation, the former elem teacher, was impressed.  She mentioned that what we are doing is good for right now.  We talked briefly about what we would do with our little guy if we had to place him in school.  Would he be bored?  How far ahead would he be?  Things like that.  And, my husband is coming around a little more.  He said we would continue with home school for now, though he'd have questions later on.  I am happy, but sad because it is causing friction between him and his folks.
  Anyhow, on to my review.  Last was week 16, and if you count the weeks, you'll see we took a small break.  I think I took 2 weeks to cover one of those weeks, and then with family here...But, that's the great thing about home school.  We can go at our own pace.  And considering we are technically kindergarten....

Millions against Monsanto and our health

http://organicconsumers.org/monsanto/

 Here is the link to take action against Monsanto.  I for one would like to know what's in my food.  Though, on the flip side, how can I trust the government to protect our food, when they have ties?  If they can change the labels on a vaccine that causes seizures, can I really expect them to truthfully label our food?

  Why do we have to fight for real food?  


 I have people tell me that each small step we take doesn't make a difference.  That our kids may be 50 or even dead, before enough people rise against the government or the government makes a change to care about us.  That for every million for whole food, there is another 2 million who just do not care.  They eat fast food, and don't care that the processed food is cheap, where whole food is expensive.  They don't care there are hormones in our food.  Or that the antibiotics in food, may be contributing to the antibiotic resistance in our bodies.
  Did any of you see the movie, Idiocracy ?  Honestly, it's one stupid movie, but here's a run down.  The world is extremely dumb.  That's Extremely, with a capital.  They use a sports drink to water everything, so nothing grows, and it's about the only drink available.  Garbage is everywhere, because they don't know what to do with it.  Cities are in rubble, people have id tats and the food is processed.
   Watching that movie, is like watching a preview of our world, and what's going to happen if we let things go as they are.
    I suppose someone can tell me to wake up, that I'm being brainwashed, and being a sheep for the wrong cause, because there is nothing wrong.  Well, if that's the case, why are more people sick?  Because there are more people?  Because there are better diagnosis?  Are less people breastfeeding? Why is Big Pharma constantly making new drugs to cure some health problem, that can be prevented or solved via proper nutrition?  Why are they making more vaccines to cure diseases, that can also be prevented?  What happened to building sanitation systems for countries that don't have it, so they can have clean water-something most people take for granted-and sewage, so there is no build up and spread of disease?  Is the Bill Gates foundation, who gives more money than I can ever hope to have, for vaccines, instead of contributing to clean water and healthy food?  No, and they also buy into Monsanto and give these countries GMO seeds to grow.  And if it's correct, that the food is laced with contraceptive, what does that say about our government?  What about people who live near Monsanto plants, if I'm to look at our country, instead of outside our country?  They are sick.  There are lawsuits.  Monsanto hid the pollution for decades.  There is a new lawsuit against them-GMO Ban.  Here is a list of Monsanto products to avoid.
Monsanto Products to Avoid


Products to Avoid Further Information Alternatives
Aspartame (NutraSweet, Equal) Aspartame Formaldehyde Poisoning & Health Destruction Healthier Sweetener Resource List
Roundup Herbicide Monsanto’s Toxic Roundup & Scientists Issue Urgent Warning Lawn & Garden Care Solutions (scroll down)
Genetically Engineered Soy & Canola Products & Ingredients (Roundup Treated) Genetically-Engineered Frankenfoods &Scientists Issue Urgent Warning Certified Organic Foods
rBGH Dairy rBGH (Posilac) — Breast Cancer and Prostate Cancer List of non rBGH Dairy & Check Local Health Food Store for Organic Dairy
Ambien Insomnia Medication Zolpidem Warning Label Information Natural Alternatives Where Possible: HealthWorld Solutions,Ayurvedic Info & Meditation or Yoga Classes.

  Like I said.  I like to know what's in my food.  I grow what I can.  My husband calls me his Hippie Wife.  Every small step helps.

Prizes for vaccines

http://www2.chccs.k12.nc.us/education/components/board/default.php?sectiondetailid=73134&postid=65660

 You've got to be kidding me!  I thought both Walmart and Khol's incentives for getting vaccinated was bad enough-the parents received gift cards, but ipods, laptops?  Here's a bit from the school article.

"NOW…about the contest… 

To be eligible for the contest, a student will need to receive at least one vaccine, meningococcal vaccine, between 4-1-11 and 5-31-11. The student will need to take proof of the meningococcal vaccine received to the school nurse by 10:00 AM on 6-1-11.  The school nurse will then enter the student in the contest.  The student will have 2 entries for having received the meningococcal vaccine.

Additionally, if the student receives a Tdap and/or a HPV vaccine between 4-1-11 and 5-31-11, he/she would receive one entry for each when the record is provided to the school nurse.  A student receiving all 3 vaccines would be entered 4 times.  

Again, to enter, the student will need to provide the school nurse with a record of vaccines received between 4-1-11 and 5-31-11and one of those vaccines must be meningococcal vaccine.  Records of vaccines received are due to the school nurse by 10:00 AM on June 1, 2011.  Later that day a school system administrator will select 3 winners:
•   A fifth grade winner of an ipod
•   A middle school winner of an ipod
•   A high school winner of a laptop
Parent(s) of each winning student will be notified.  "





  What's next?

Home school week and organization

  It was a pretty good week.  We still worked on the basic math, but ventured into some three dimensional shapes.  We went around the house pointing out different cubes, spheres, cuboids, cones and cylinders.  Then Superman started thinking of things outside the house that matched the shapes.  He enjoys doing shapes and they're easy enough.  I think we'll incorporate some of the shape learning into arts/crafts.  On Valentines day the math was an add and color the correct sums, to form a picture of a heart.  The Batman had his own paper that was color matching to the number, instead of adding.
                                                    Math home work from co op

                                      
  We officially covered compound words this week.  He knew what they were already, but phonics road covers it and we finally reached it.  Just a sheet that has one word + one word = combined word.  I pulled some sentence worksheets out to do, to break up making up one each day.  The comprehension story was about pets, which Superman seemed to enjoy illustrating.
                                                  
                                           Week 16 words, some sentences and a worksheet

                                       An illustrated sheet from the story and some compound words

   I found some very cool science workbooks, by accident.  I checked one out of the library, intending to flip through, check it out, and copy anything I liked.  It turns out there is a small series.  Gifted and Talented Science workbooks.  They seem like a nice addition to any science curriculum.  We also found some nature series books at Target.  They are a level 2, so grade 1-3.  We of course got 3 bug ones.  A few of the words are a little above my guy, but I'm amazed he knows most of them, as well as comprehends the material.  He excitedly was telling me that yellow jackets live underground, and some type of caterpillar had stingers.  I am so happy he enjoys reading.
                                                     Reading a super hero book.

 

   This week I also started to tackle the extra home school supplies that I have.  I don't know how I ended up with so much.

                                    
   And that's only some of it.  I have some curriculum on the office bookshelf that I'd like to resell.  I took all these workbooks and papers, and ended up with this-
        

    Two piles for the Batman-a prek/k one and a first grade one.  A current pile of various things for Superman, and a third grade pile.  Another pile got the trash, and the final pile is going to a friend-extras that I had.  I'm actually glad I have these extra workbooks.  Now I just have to file away the extra books in the file cabinet.  I spent a long time looking for the curriculum I wanted to use, and actually changed a few.  But on days I'm looking for something extra, or we're having a light day, I can pull a worksheet or two from one of these books for my guy to do.  They also work for summer work, since I believe in year round schooling.  Especially for the lower grades.  Too much information is forgotten over the summer.  We school a few weeks on and a week off.  I admit, I was a bit more scattered until I read Susan Wise, "Well Trained Mind".  It makes sense to me, so we are following the path, until/unless it doesn't work out for us.