What We’ve Accomplished Today…07/12/10

Good day! Good day, indeed.

Today was a very good day. There were a few grumbles and hiccups but I count it as one of the 'good' days.

Both:

Bible: Exodus 2 with questions from Padfields. Was a fairly short chapter and we knew the story of Moses from hearing it many times. I am actually looking forward to going over the plagues of Egypt...for some reason I just love to read that one. It shows God's awesomeness, regardless of how stubborn humans are- God is awesome and nothing will ever change that. His will is absolute.

Latin: Lesson 1: Worksheet 4 & 5; Sections IV & V. Did very well. It was a quick 'lesson' but next time is a quiz. I'm sure they will do fine...as long as they practice/study before and don't just think it'll be a breeze.

Lee: Bible verse: 2 Corinthians 5:17

LoFD&P: Chapters 29 & 30. She was going to do a Bridge but she was having a difficult time and they have to get 9 out of 10 correct to 'pass' onto the next chapter. She did two or three of the Bridges but still was missing more than allowed.

BoB: I'm trying to remember what exactly we went over and I know it had to do somewhat with King Arthur. We read pages 40-45 (the most, I might add, that we have ever read at one sitting- she does not like the book). She had a furrowed brow while giving narrations but she did extremely well. Churchill talked about where the historical information comes from that we today use to piece together history. There were four sources that he mentioned: Gildas the Wise; Venerable Bede; Historia Britonium (yea, that is probably spelled wrong); and compilations that became the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. Forgive me if you have read Churchill and I butchered that... I'm going from memory and it ain't so good this late at night! At first Lee was like, 'wait, why are they talking about King Arthur..?' I had to explain just a little before her own lightbulb came on :) It's because the Roman Empire had pretty much fallen apart by now and Britain was coming into it's own- it needed rulers and such. King Arthur is a character from history (and the topic of controversy) that helped Britain on its path to where it is today.

TBV: She started chapter 7, I believe and was to read the first third. Absolutely wonderful written narration for today's reading. She had to read 10 pages and she was reluctant. This is a book that she does not like very much right now either. She liked it at the beginning but I think it's getting commonplace. Perhaps if something treacherous happens on the voyage she will like it more... She likes adventure :) Anyway her narration was very well done. I would post it here but I don't have her permission.

F&WM: We read the first half of chapter 11; Growth. It was interesting. It discussed how bones are living and they repair themselves. I found it to be quite fascinating; she got weak in the stomach. A Mrs. M had to have her leg cut open to find the reason her previous broken leg was not setting properly. It turns out that at one point in her medical history she had had radiation therapy for a tumor in her leg. The radiation killed the bone in that spot, completely preventing the bone from ever being able to heal itself. Dr. Brand (I may have his name wrong: I get the authors confused) grafted bone from her tibia and pelvis to the femur bone and eventually it corrected the problem. Lee is a pale girl anyway but I could tell that reading too much more would have made her practically invisible! She has a very weak stomach lately.

WHtPC?: She read chapter 4 (Dollars, Money and Legal Tender) and gave me a brief overview. It appears that she didn't keep very good records near the end of the school year (in May) and she'd already read this chapter. I guess I didn't keep good records either...oops. Doing better this time ;)

Reading: Beautiful Girlhood

We had MC scheduled but passed on it today. We love the book, but we aren't ready to do every subject yet. I don't know why it's so tough to get back into the swing of it.

Fox: Bible verse: Psalm 1:1-2

LoFF: Chapters 30-32. He is in competitive mode lately. Since Lee is just about done with her book, he feels he has to be done with his. Not a problem as long as he is learning what he is supposed to... I want him to focus more on getting his LP509 & 510 done more than the LoF book but either way. He's plugging away at it.

TCoO: Jackson-"Liberty and Union, Now and Forever"- Van Buren- Hard Times: first half of chapter. Read about Jackson becoming President. An unlikely President it sounds like.

He was more into commanding soldiers than leading a nation. He had a laid-back personality for the most part. But he was one for implementing the 'spoils system' according to Marshall. The spoils system is where, well, to the 'victor go the spoils'. And since Jackson was 'victor' aka: he won the Presidency, he could do what he wanted...sort of. He wanted to put his friends and constituents into the offices held by people of the previous Presidency. But not just the Cabinet members and such but post workers, civil workers, any branch of government, he booted out long term employees to put in people that were his 'friends'. It didn't matter that the previous employee did an excellent job or had been in the position for 20 years. Nope, out they went and in went whoever he chose. Pretty rotten, I think. Thank goodness it isn't that way now (ahem, it's not supposed to be anyway).

OCU: Read pages 33-37 and narrated as he went. He didn't read out loud this time and I think that he should. He really doesn't like to but it helps with his pronunciation. He has a problem with slurring letters and words together when he talks and I am trying to work with him on that. Anyway, unfortunately, I cannot remember a thing about this subject...other than what I wrote :)

CBoM: Second half of chapter XIV. Narrated as I read out loud. There weren't as many photos in this chapter or perhaps they simply weren't as 'glorious' as the previous chapters. Machu Picchu. That is where it was about. 99 graves were found of the priestesses that had escaped from the looters of the Incas and were left alone until they died. No one discovered the trail that led to the mountain top. Halliburton says that there were only 99 graves because no one was left to bury the last priestess. I thought it a very sad ending.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:80_-_Machu_Picchu_-_Juin_2009_-_edit.2.jpg

Reading: He read a chapter in Abraham Lincoln's World. I don't make him narrate this but occasionally.

That was our school day. We also went to a 4H club meeting that we just about forgot about and ended up 45 minutes late to. Better late than never...? And we pulled weeds because while we were gone our backyard became a jungle of nasty goat-heads. Trying to get them pulled up before they dry out and spit off their stickers. Nasty nasty things.