Homeschool15: Insects

During our insect unit we explore the world of bugs. 

Kyrie has been spending lots of time doing some independent reading this fall. You can often find herself off by herself with a book in her hands. It does my heart good to see this, and she is quickly working through book by book. 

Degen continues to work on his reading skills. He completed a(nother) exploration of the alphabet during this unit with a greater focus on phonic skills. I will review the short & long vowel sounds with him over the next few units while introducing sight words. Then we will move into word families. 

Kyrie's graphic organizer for her thematic writing project.

Kyrie continued her country study with a look at Greece.

Kyrie's conversation poem (between herself and an ant).

Degen's Venn diagram

Fall Field Trips

As time allows, we wander the zoo after zoo school. In October, we had a particularly beautiful afternoon

As our schedule allows, we try to take a field trip once a week. Some of our regular, homeschool activities like our monthly homeschool roller skating session or zoo school work as our field trips, but we also have gone to COSI, the conservatory, the history museum and the movies. Here are a few photos from these field trips. 

The original Superman suit (worn by George Reeves) on display at the history museum.

Homeschool15: Oviparous Animals

This unit of study explores the world of egg-laying animals with a focus on birds. We completed this unit following units about fish, reptiles & amphibians and preceding a unit on insects. During this unit, we also talked about dinosaurs. 

During this unit, Kyrie completed a country study for the Netherlands & Scandinavia.

Homeschool15: Fall in the Forest

Kyrie's unit folder

As the weather cools and the leaves start to change, we continue our study of animals & their habitats with a look at woodlands, bears, migration and the changes autumn brings. The kids made woodland wildlife collages on their unit folders and gathered leaves for leaf-rubbings. Degen learned all about apples, too. It is hard to believe that we are nearly through with this homeschool year. The kids are doing well, and I look forward to the units we have ahead of us!

Kyrie's writing project was a biography on Johnny Chapman/Appleseed.

A poem by Kyrie 

Kyrie has been doing a great job with her independent reading these past few months. She has declared Roald Dahl her favorite author and devoured all the books we have... and requested more. The above worksheet is about The Witches. We participate in Pizza Hut's Book-It program, so the kids have an extra-incentive to keep reading. They have already earned their first reward of the year! 

Kyrie continues to work on her vet curriculum (via the 4-H program). During this unit, she learned about the different roles that animals can have and created this poster about horses. 

Degen's unit folder

Degen made a year of apple trees to show how the tree changes throughout the year.

Apple Picking 2015

We had a beautiful, fall day to pick apples this year. With a little bit of help, we went home with more than enough apples to make applesauce and apple butter for ourselves, friends and family. This year, the kids also wandered into the corn field bordering the apple trees and came home with some ears of corn for the rats. We always enjoy this time of year! 

I made corn-husk dolls for the kids.

The kids helped drive the tractor with our load of apples back to the car.

Homeschool15: Wetlands- Reptiles & Amphibians

We continued our thematic series on animals & their habitats with a look at wetlands. During this unit, Kyrie mapped out some key wetlands in the United States and compared & contrasted reptiles & amphibians. Degen continues to build his reading & math skills (among others) and focused on the characteristics of reptiles & amphibians. 

Degen continues to work on map skills.

Degen's French work

I remember spending lots of time going over this book as a pre- and early-reader. Degen really enjoys Dr. Seuss books, so I got this for him to practice reading.

Kyrie's graphic organizer completed in preparation for her thematic writing project.

Kyrie's country study this week was about Israel.

Kyrie's diamond poem