This week has been busy, but strangely calm. We started out the week working on an experiment with lemons and light bulbs. I gave the kids a lemon, a potato, an onion, 2 alligator clips, a zinc and a copper piece, a light bulb from the snap circuits set, and an LED bulb and told them to try to get the light bulb to light up. It was a lot of fun watching them progress from wires everywhere to thinking about circuits, electricity flow, and how to test for problems. In the end we discovered that the LED bulb did not work and they couldn't get anything to light with just lemons as the power source. Zoë was upset and thought the experiment was a failure.
After a great suggestion from Tom, we spent some time the next day making a list of all the things they learned from their trial. They came up with a bunch of great things, and in the end felt much better about not meeting the original challenge. We also had a discussion about watts, amps, volts and ohms. I think we all understand electricity a little better now.
We also started (and in Aiden's case finished) reading "My Side of the Mountain." He loved this book about a boy surviving in the Catskills on his own. We've decided that next week we're going to have our own mini survival trip. I got them both pocket knives (I must be crazy), and they've started making their own fishing hooks that they're going to try to use at Grandma's lake. Everyone agreed that we should have backup dinner plans just in case though. I'm going to teach them how to start a fire and we're going to try to build a shelter. Zoë insists that we set up the tent too.
Everyone's progressing nicely with their math, piano and clarinet for Zoë. I also started a daily writing time. At this point I don't care what they write about, they just need to spend some time every day writing. In the hopes of having Aiden enjoy writing, we're not going to do much editing to his stuff. Instead I'm going to have him edit things that someone else has written and I have altered with mistakes.
Everyone is slowly adjusting to the new way of doing things. I am still struggling with being able to see progression without a list of completed tasks, but I'm starting to come around. It probably helps that I've mentally made my own list of things that we've learned from our challenges. After all, it wouldn't be reasonable to expect the kids to get this if I can't model the behavior!
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Friday, September 10, 2010
Our week "off" and met goals
It has been a busy week off, but also a little relaxing. Today we're heading to the Science Center for some fun and tonight Zoë is preforming in a duet night piano recital.
I've spent the week trying to learn the difference between volts, amps and ohms so I can teach it to the kids next week. Thankfully, Tom did some research for me, and I should be able to cover this. I've also planned an experiment for them with no clear directions. The plan is to give them the tools they need, tell them what we're trying to find out, and have them come up with their own method. In the end we're going to write a scientific paper to have the results "published."
I'm definitely struggling with the new learn as you go approach. I keep wanting to have them work on the curriculum because I'm worried they aren't learning enough since I haven't formulated where they should be going ahead of time. Of course that doesn't make any sense, and really I'm struggling with my own need to control things! Hopefully I'll adjust soon.
Aiden finished his ALEKS pie last week a month ahead of his original goal. He's ready to start Algebra I next week. I know I should be excited for him, but really I'm filled with fear. Of course I am proud of him. The amount of work he put in to finish a month ahead of schedule was incredible. It's WHAT he's finishing that makes me so uneasy.
Zoë also finished her 50% math goal a month ahead of schedule. She's also a week ahead of her piano goals. I worry about her because she doesn't seem happy about meeting any of these goals. It's almost like she can't allow herself to feel proud of her accomplishments. Gee I wonder where she gets that?! She has two parents that continuously do the same thing! As long as she isn't expecting perfection, maybe she's just driven.
I've spent the week trying to learn the difference between volts, amps and ohms so I can teach it to the kids next week. Thankfully, Tom did some research for me, and I should be able to cover this. I've also planned an experiment for them with no clear directions. The plan is to give them the tools they need, tell them what we're trying to find out, and have them come up with their own method. In the end we're going to write a scientific paper to have the results "published."
I'm definitely struggling with the new learn as you go approach. I keep wanting to have them work on the curriculum because I'm worried they aren't learning enough since I haven't formulated where they should be going ahead of time. Of course that doesn't make any sense, and really I'm struggling with my own need to control things! Hopefully I'll adjust soon.
Aiden finished his ALEKS pie last week a month ahead of his original goal. He's ready to start Algebra I next week. I know I should be excited for him, but really I'm filled with fear. Of course I am proud of him. The amount of work he put in to finish a month ahead of schedule was incredible. It's WHAT he's finishing that makes me so uneasy.
Zoë also finished her 50% math goal a month ahead of schedule. She's also a week ahead of her piano goals. I worry about her because she doesn't seem happy about meeting any of these goals. It's almost like she can't allow herself to feel proud of her accomplishments. Gee I wonder where she gets that?! She has two parents that continuously do the same thing! As long as she isn't expecting perfection, maybe she's just driven.
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