Solagratiamom: September 2013

Monday, September 30, 2013

Year 2 Week 6 - Fine Arts Final Project

Cycle 2 Week #6 Final Fine Arts Project

I chose a final Fine Arts project that the kids really liked, so I thought I'd share it for all those Parents out there looking for new ideas. I wanted to combine more than one week's worth of Fine Arts into the final project we were doing. So...I chose having them all make a Picasso portrait.

Teaching Math Biblically - Review & Giveaway!!!

How do we go about teaching math to our children Biblically? What does that look like? Do we just make sure all their math papers have a Bible verse on them or perhaps we make sure all the word problems are about Church related stuff? Do we look at verses like Deuteronomy 12:32 "Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it." as proof to our kids that God is in math?

Since the Classical Conversation's Practicum over the summer (which focused on Math) I have pondered these questions and more, concerning how I could approach math in a more Biblical fashion to teach my children. We've had conversations while on nature walks or at a museum, about how God obviously had to use math to create everything. You can look at bugs, flowers, trees, animals and humans to see consistency, symmetry, numerical factoring etc. It's obvious that God has used math to build everything He created. We've discussed how important numbers must be since God repeatedly uses specific numbers throughout the Bible. However, it still felt like there was something missing to my understanding of how God and math related. I began to notice I myself had a very big "hole" in my thinking concerning math and God's relationship to it. I wasn't really sure why or if, math really mattered to God beyond the initial creation event and I still viewed math as a "neutral" subject when it came right down to it. I didn't think math really had an ideological allegiance one way or the other - it was just math because...well, math is math - right?

Math was not a strong suit for me in school and I didn't "like" math that much. I often remember thinking "Why do I have to learn all this stuff?" It seemed like just a bunch of rules and formulas and things that made little sense to me because they had no tie to anything "important" in my mind at the time. I would memorize things just enough to pass a test and then forget it all afterwards. I didn't see the bigger picture to math. However, if someone had told me that math was a view into the mind of God and that it showed me how God ordered the world to work and the way in which God sustained His universe...I might have been more interested and understood the "why bother" to learning math!

Well, someone has shown me those things about math and more....it's Katherine Loop! She has written a homeschool resource that I think is a must have for any Christian homeschooling parent endeavoring to teach math to their children Biblically! Katherine's written and spoken words will challenge you personally, as you read and evaluate how you may find you really see math yourself and how you may be teaching it to your children. She will also help you to see God in the world around you in a new and more meaningful way. Prior to reading her book I would have answered yes to the question "Are you teaching your children math Biblically?" but now I realize how short sighted I was, thinking I had been achieving that goal. Her book spurs you on to realize that there is so much more to how you can see math and how you can teach your children to see AND love math!

Homeschool Package
ENTER RAFFLE BELOW TO WIN THIS PACKAGE!!

After receiving the Homeschool Package, I wasted no time reading through her materials and listening to the two CD's.

The first book I read was Beyond Numbers. This book is a fantastic book with some great mind shifting concepts concerning God and math. I realized after reading it that math is just a record of the orderly way God has decided things will work and interact throughout the Universe. I can also now see that the elaborate ways with which God has created the Universe are too numerous to fully grasp, how it all interrelates is so complex and precise that mathematicians can spend their entire lifetimes trying to figure out, unlock and record them all! Katherine points out the dangers in teaching math apart from a Biblical view, which had never occurred to me before and every Christian parent should consider. I really liked her ideas concerning what to look for in a math curriculum and practical ways to approach math with your children. She covers most of the popular math curriculums out today and gives her brief perspective on them. I consider this book an airplane view to teaching math Biblically and theoretical with some practicality in the later pages. It's a great book to shift your thinking and challenge yourself to view teaching math differently then you may have ever before.

Beyond Numbers: A Practical Guide to Teaching Math Biblically

By Katherine A. Loop / Christian Perspective

The second book is Revealing Arithmetic. This book is for once you've completed your arial view and you're ready to taxi into the terminal! The book is written as more of a math textbook. It isn't a curriculum but it covers all the basic components of elementary mathematics after giving a brief overview of the concepts covered in depth from Beyond Numbers. Each math concept beginning with counting all the way to exponents & roots is covered. Katherine gives you a Christian perspective on how to see the mathematical concept as it relates to God, along with ideas on how to approach teaching it Biblically to your children. She points out the differences in counting systems in various cultures to make the point that the laws of math are of God even when the symbols used to understand them come from man. She skillfully weaves the concepts of theology and creation into her presentation of math. She also provides suggestions and actual teaching ideas - giving you practical ways to incorporate them into your child's educational experience. This is a terrific resource book to accompany any math curriculum you may already be using.

Revealing Arithmetic: Math Concepts from a Biblical Worldview, Revised Edition

By Katherine A. Loop / Christian Perspective

There are two CD's that come with the homeschool package. The first CD is a great encouragement to Moms who are beginning their journey or are in a difficult season with their homeschool. She brings encouraging words and stories, constantly pointing you back to God as your sustainer and sufficiency to do the task laid before you. The second CD is a highlight concerning the information in Beyond Numbers. It reinforces the concepts presented in the book and provides encouragement as you endeavor to teaching your children math Biblically.

I truly would recommend these resources to every Christian homeschooling family out there! It is a must have for anyone wanting to teaching their children math from a Biblical worldview. The books are not technical and don't require you to already be a "math person" to be able to read and understand them. They are written in very plain language for the average person and the concepts don't require you to understand anything beyond elementary math. I am so thankful to Katherine for writing them! It has greatly encouraged me and shifted my thinking in a dramatic way regarding the teaching of math, as well as further deepened my belief in an infinite Creator and Sustainer God!

In addition to her two books and homeschool package above, she also has a terrific website with helpful resources, Bible studies, encouragement, devotions and short stories for kids. You can visit Katherine's page at http://www.christianperspective.net/. You will be blessed for having done so!

Disclaimer: My reviews are my own and not influenced by anyone. I did receive a free copy to review of each of the materials covered.

Latin - The Completed Set of Visual Helps!

I know lots of you have been waiting for the last half of the Latin visual helps (because I've gotten e-mails from you!) and they are finally completed! When you click on the link to download it will give you all the Latin 1st Conjugation Endings for each Tense (a total of 6 sheets).

DOWNLOAD for FREE

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Year 2 Week 6 - Fresco and Perspective Art Projects

Year 2 Week 6 Renaissance Dress up with Fresco and Perspective Art Projects!

Today we had another Wonderful Wednesday! The dress up theme was anything Renaissance and we had a variety of fun costumes today. There were crusaders, gypsy's, peasants, queens, and pirates to name a few!

We had two projects today because our first project needed some time for the plaster of paris to set up....so I added the second project to give time for that! We did one project based on Michelangelo's work which was a fresco. The second project was really just for fun! It had some elements of perspective to it but most of all, it was just to be silly and have fun.

Year 2 - Week 5 Hibernation and more

Year 2 Week #5 Hibernation and more

Today we did a project based on our science memory work. Everyone came in their PJ's to hibernate! We made a diorama of how animals adapt to environmental changes - which in our case was the start of winter.

GIVEAWAY!!! Life as a Knight - Capstone Press - Book Review

The setting is medieval Europe, you are a knight sworn to protect the innocent and uphold honor. You are equipped with a sword, superior fighting skills and armor as you face death defying battles and show yourself to be brave. You can travel from France to the holy city of Jerusalem to fight in the Crusades or serve at the side of English King Edward III during the Hundred Years War or end up in Germany during the Peasants' War. You choose where you end up, what battles you engage in and if your choices will allow you to survive, be rich and famous or end in death!

These fantastic You Choose Books are Interactive History Adventures that will have your child riveted as they work through the variety of choices as they read. The Life as a Knight book has 3 story paths, allows your child to make 47 different choices and re-choose and re-read to experience 21 different endings! This book series is intended for Reading Level 3-4 and span most of this years history studies for Cycle 2. Check out Capstone webpage to see the various categories and titles available. Some of the titles that cover our Classical Conversation's History this year are:

When I asked my daughter what her favorite thing about this book was, she told me "I felt like I was a real Knight fighting battles Mom! It was really cool and I liked all the different choices. Sometimes I died and sometimes I did great. I never knew where the choices would lead me which was really fun!"

Now your child can have a chance to read Life as a Knight FREE - just enter the raffle below to get your chance at a FREE copy!!

This Blogger received a free copy of the Life as Knight book in exchange for her Review. All opinions expressed are her own and not influenced by the Publisher or Author.

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Drive In Movie Themed Birthday!

We have a tradition in our house that I started when my daughter was about 4 years old...it was themed birthday parties. I enjoy doing them (though I understand some would find it stressful or over the top -but different strokes for different folks!) to me it's a creative outlet and it's fun. Sarah enjoys helping me develop out the theme and come up with how we will make it "real" as we explore and create ideas together. It's certainly not for everyone, but if you enjoy this type of thing or spend time on Pinterest looking for ideas because this is up your alley - then here is what we did and how we did it.

When Sarah was little we did lots of crafts - she enjoyed it and so did I. It just seemed like an extravagant craft project to us! We started with a pirate party and then we did a dress-up/costume party, baking party, spy party, tea party and this year's theme was a "drive-in movie" themed party!

I sent out these invitations that I personalized for her party. Since we personalized the party and she wanted certain foods and candies (that I can't buy unless they are dye free and organic - which means I have to buy everyone's that way because of my conscience about those foods for kids) I limited her to just inviting a handful of friends we knew would be game to "build cars" and participate in the fullness of the theme. It is one downfall to highly personalize parties -so we do mix it up - there have been years where they were still themed in a way that lots of kids could join in and it was still manageable for me.

Along with invitations, I sent directions including instructions about how to make a car using a box which I found here. I actually was thinking of having my husband make all the cars and let the kids just decorate them when they arrived. My daughter however, came up with the idea of having the kids "make their own" and "drive" them to the movie! Great idea! She wanted to see their creativity and thought it would be fun for them to help design it and build it with their own families like she did. I must admit that the person who liked the idea the best was....DAD! (Anyone remember me having him make 28 volcanos the night before Wonderful Wednesday last year? LOL)

My husband started with a water heater box. He taped his box and then cut out his design. He took extra cardboard and made a tail and windshield as well. We then had Sarah paint the tail and windshield black to start with.

We next tried spray paint to see if that would cover the car but we realized it would soak in too much and didn't work very well. We realized tempura paint would be safest for our daughter to "paint it herself" and then we'd go back over it with house paint, which is what it really needed to cover it and make it red like she wanted.

My husband made a second car out of a dishwasher box for Sarah's best friend to be able to have her own car since she lives with a single Mom. She wanted hers pink and was able to paint it herself with pink tempura paint.

Black paper plates were used to make wheels and red circles spray painted on the back for tail lights along with white plastic bowls for headlights on her friend's car.

Since my daughters car was red we had to come up with another way to make a tail light to show. I used empty applesauce cups and cut red construction paper circles to glue in them. I then hot glued them to the back of her car to be her tail lights.

The wheels were black plastic plates with computer disks in the center to make them more "real" looking. The head lights were white plastic bowls. We then added white duck tape down the top for racing stripes. To watch the movie we were able to fit two small kids chairs inside the box to sit on for the movie.

The day of the party I made a sign to place out front for the girls arriving, that directed them to "drive" their cars around through our gate to the back yard and "park" them there.

I found tiki torches on end of season sale really inexpensively so I decided those would make great "parking" stands for the movie theatre (you know the old drive-ins had those poles you pulled up to and placed the "speaker" inside your window).

Next I started on the decorations. I found these great concession stand signs inexpensively online at Amazon. So I hung them up and decided that the screened porch would become our concession stand for the party. I also found online these various popcorn themed decorations - table cover, bowl and popcorn boxes. I found a working novelty hot dog cooker and went to the local movie theatre to graciously get some free kids movie trays for them to use to put their food and drinks in. As I was setting up, you can see Grandpa in the back working hard on the couch! LOL

The cupcakes I got from a local gluten free bakery and then I printed popcorn looking labels onto cardstock to place around each cupcake to make them appear as popcorn boxes which I found here. I added marshmallows to them and a hint of yellow food coloring to make it appear as popcorn.

Healthy soda from Whole Foods and vintage striped red and white paper straws finished it off.

I used the plastic popcorn boxes that I picked up at the dollar store to hold my chocolate, lollipops, hotdog buns and straws. I got the napkins and plates online at Amazon as well. Added a few helium balloons from Party City and the streamers and the decorating was done!

The party favors were decided to be "Walk of Fame" squares that the girls would place their handprints on at the party. I made these by cutting out 9"x9" square pieces of cardboard to spray paint gray. I then took gold cardstock paper and printed stars onto it. I found a hollywood camera clip art that I reduced to print and cut out, so I could glue it onto the stars -making it look like the Hollywood Walk of Fame star. I next printed each girls name onto paper large enough to be proportional to the stars and I glitter sprayed them along with the stars. I hot glued them onto the squares and sprayed the whole square with star and names, one last time with glitter spray.

I then found at the dollar store, some certificates that I had the Moms at the party use to award various categories for their car creations. The categories were such as "Best Use of Duck Tape", "Hottest Hot Rod" etc. We then took the awards and set them up down by our fire pit with a "red carpet" leading to it. Each child's name was announced with their award category they won and they then walked the red carpet and placed their hands in black tempura paint to place a handprint on their "star" while receiving their award.

While the kids watched their movie later, I hot glued on the back a "marque" that said "Thanks for Coming" which I found here. I gave the kids their certificates and their Walk of Fame stones as their party favors when they were leaving.

Some of the games that we played were Pin the Eye on Mike that I found at the Party City store. (The movie my daughter picked was Monsters Inc. since she had not seen it and loved Monsters University) We also played a game where movies were written on pieces of paper and each girl took a turn with one being placed on her forehead where she couldn't see the name of it but everyone else could. She then went around the circle and was allowed to either ask a question or be given a clue (excluding character names) and try to guess the name of the movie on her head.

We had a guest appearance by my Dad who flew in from NY to spend this birthday week with my kids (both are September kiddos)! He "signed" all the certificates for the kids on their Awards too. It was cute!