Blog is Moving!

  

After a lot of starts and stops with blogging, I will keep updating only THREE blogs:

• Epilepsy Awareness, my son's struggle with seizures ...and why I am called 'That Purple Mom" (and includes my storefront):   ThatPurpleMom.com 
• Prepping / Survival Cooking / Living, and getting through these difficult times: www.survival-cooking.blogspot.com 
• My journey to get healthy: www.veegettinghealthy.blogspot.com

Thanks for stopping by. 

Vikki

......

My 28 year old (but mentally and emotionally is about 12) son, Weslee, has intractable epilepsy, autism, OCD, ADHD and lots of side effects from lots of brain surgeries. After a week stay at the Cleveland Clinic in 2024, his team of doctors is suggesting more brain surgeries. We need help to get there and back plus with copays, etc.  Please donate through the link below then share this link: https://gofund.me/085ca903 ..

...OR...

To donate directly through PayPal :

Click here to go to:

www.paypal.me/VIKKIWESLEELAWRENCE

Thank you.

Plan for High School in Our Home

My question: how do we school at home, freely and unobstructed, and still come away with legitimate "credits" that are acceptable at any college? My Kid wants to go to film school as soon as he can, so we need good solid proof of learning and credit that will get him in.

I read somewhere that if one "unschools" then giving your child credits is "opening a whole can of worms" that needs to stay closed. Thing is, I want to do what I can -- tracking his progress and learning and skills -- in the best manner for him. So he can go to film school or do whatever he wants to accomplish in life.

Plans to take in "high school" years (plans, but may not necessarily take them all):

Math:
-brush-up on essentials
-consumer/everyday
-geometry
-pre-algebra
-algebra 1

Science:
-Animal Husbandry
-Earth Science
-Space/Astronomy
-Physical (chemistry, etc)
-Biology
-Ecology
-Botany with Therapeutic Herbalism

Social Studies:
-Geography
-World History
-U.S./American History
-U.S. Government / Constitution / Civics

Language:
-create his own language (HELP!)
-Spanish
-Sign Language
-French
-Greek and Latin

Language Arts:
-basics
-usage
-writing (to include a fiction series, movie script, etc)
-analysis of literature

Art:
-drawing
-photography
-music
-write a movie script
-movie making/file producing

Life Skills/Electives:
-home ec (cooking, nutrition, sewing, etc.)
-managing money
-handling criticism, problem solving, etc
-leadership
-auto repair
-computer building
-computer programming

So...

(1) how do I track his learning and progress and skills so that it translates into a transcript and credits for him?

(2) how do I make his high school years full of learning but make it a whole lot more fun than the last few years have been?

Thank you!

Advice Needed on Textbooks

I'm planning the Kid's high school curriculum because he starts 9th grade in August. Looking for textbooks (or good "for dummies" books) for the 9th grade courses below. I want only one or two or maximum three books per course. If you have suggestions, please comment asap!

= = = =

Successful Living: Description: Training in relating to authority, making right choices, handling criticism, self-control, self-reliance, good health/hygiene and appearance, reproduction, sex, STDs, smoking, illegal drugs, prescription drugs, alcohol, manners, etiquette, special emphasis on experiences that bond the family together such as developing traditions, fostering family time with conversation, balancing work/family, and celebration of holidays. Final grade: written test including planning a month of Friday Night Family Fun Times.

Consumer/Everyday Math: Description: How to effectively use math in daily life: manage bank accounts, fill out state/federal tax returns, personal finance, purchasing (small items AND big items like house and car), comparing prices, insurance, gas mileage, inesting, budgeting, money management, frugal living, planning for retirement, financial freedom, and how to complete a loan application. Day to day personal finances. Final grade: written test AND setting up a bank account AND working out a personal budget.

Earth Science: Description: Earth's structure, rocks and minerals and Earth's resources, forces that change the earth including lessons on plate tectonics, earthquakes, volcanoes and erosion, and earth's history of change through the fossil record. Oceanography (sources of water, currents and climage, and structure of ocean environment) and atmospheric science (weather/climate). Final grade: written test AND 10 page report OR 3D demonstration of a volcano erupting!

Home Economics: Description: Cooking, food preparation, menu planning, food purchasing, intro to nutrition, yogurt-making, cheese-making, canning/preserving, laundry, cleaning, sewing. Will plan and prepare/cook one dish each week during the course. Final grade: 1 meal, 1 sewn item, and a written test.

= = = =

We have lots of cookbooks, and some basic math/science books. For the home ec... did I miss anything?

If I can't find what I want, I guess I could write them but would like to at least SEE what's available! So... any suggestions?

Possible Change to Blog

Keeping up with these blogs is very time consuming ... not that I mind, usually! We're getting ready to embark on an intensive homesteading adventure, and may not be able to work on blogs daily.

So... I'm thinking about combining our blogs (cooking, gardening, homesteading, survival, storage, homeschooling, etc.) into one. I would eventually move posts to the new and combined blog.

We have a lot of readers, and I value your opinion. Thoughts?

Geometry

What kind of a mind can't do simple addition and subtraction, and thus multiplication and division, but instantly understands geometry?

I'm confused.

My kid has struggled with basic math. Still uses his fingers to add and subtract. Two weeks ago he started on decimals and fractions with common denominators, and got it right away. This week he started on geometry (using the "basic skills series - math topics - grade 5 workbook) and again, got it right away. He insisted on using an algebra equation to figure out the missing angle of a parallelagram!

I hope this isn't temporary!

Settling In

We've finally moved, and will be here for about 5 months. Meanwhile, last week was our first school-week here in our new home. We couldnt' find the encyclopedias until Friday, and are missing 2 of our schoolbooks. So... not all of the assigned schoolwork was completed.

Hopefully, we'll find the books this weekend as we do a little rearranging and unpacking.

On a good note, he's suddenly great with adding and subtracting fractions! Believe me, that is beyond thrilling!

Still not focusing. Still upheaval.

We're still in the upheaval of selling a house and moving, so because we thought we were closing last Thursday and moving Friday, we took 2 days off from schoolwork. We didn't close (long story). We spent Thurs thru Sun playing and watching TV. Big mistake. He's even more messed up.

Now we might close today so that means our school schedule is completely messed up because I'd planned on being in our new place by now, schoolwork unpacked and ready to settle back in.

Soon. Hoping.... soon.

Upheaval = no school work

I've noticed with all of this preparing to sell the house and move... that our 12 year old can't concentrate on anything... not schoolwork, chores, packing, or anything. I guess because I never moved as a 12 year old that I didn't think about it.

Not that I like all of this chaos at my advanced age, but still.

Time to make the final push to close on this house, move to our next home, unpack, and start a life of normalcy again.

Focus Problems

We seem to be having a little problem focusing now. Could it be the move? Could it be the political climate? His diet? (Just discovered he can't soy, cashews, peanuts or gluten because they all make him weird.)

Thoughts?

7th Grade Started

We decided to change up some things so our kid started "7th grade" the first of July, and will continue through the end of December. From then, our school year will be a calendar year, taking several weeks off when appropriate for family vacations and so forth.

So... we're 5 weeks into the 7th Grade. Already read Diary of Anne Frank and are working on Journey to the Center of the Earth. Working on getting better at division, and did great with the intro to geometry. Studying American History... so far, the First World War, the time right after with the Jazz Age and Prohibition, and beginning Second World War and Depression next week. Science includes studying cells and atoms - loves it!

We don't have the time right now to do the regular speaking videos and posting them on YouTube. Maybe when 8th grade starts in January.

That's just a quick note about what we're doing!

High School Language Arts - Curriculum Planning

I'm working on planning my Teen's high school curriculum (I like to do this a year or two or three in advance in case something comes up).

Our state requires 4 years of language arts / English. Year 1 is usage and practice, Year 2 is writing, Year 3 is poetry and Year 4 is analysis of literature. I found some great books for Years 1 and 2, but am having trouble for the poetry and literature analysis.

I'd love recommendations! Anyone?

"Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" - Answers

This is the answers to our quiz on the book "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" (but not the movie).

1. How many heads does Fluffy the dog have? Three


2. What feathers were used to make Voldemort's wand? Phoenix


3. In Harry's first Quidditch game, who tried to knock him off his broom? Professor Quirrel


4. How does Harry catch the Snitch in his first Quidditch match? Mouth


5. How did Hagrid transport infant Harry to the Dursley household? Flying Motorcycle


6. True or False: Professor Dumbledore's watch has twelve hands and no numbers. True


7. What Quidditch position does Harry play? _X_ Seeker, __Bludger, __Snitch


8. Who of the following is NOT one of Malfoy's friends? __Goyle, _X_Granger, __Crabbe


9. Which is not a Hogwarts House? __Gryffindor, _X_Dragonbreath, __Hufflepuff


10. True or False: Harry was raised by Muggles. True


11. What are three things that are different from the book compared to the movie? Answers will vary.

"Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" - Quiz

This is a quiz on the book "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" (but not the movie). The answers will follow in a separate posting.

Date:__________________ Name:_______________________

1. How many heads does Fluffy the dog have?



2. What feathers were used to make Voldemort's wand?



3. In Harry's first Quidditch game, who tried to knock him off his broom?



4. How does Harry catch the Snitch in his first Quidditch match?


5. How did Hagrid transport infant Harry to the Dursley household?


6. True or False: Professor Dumbledore's watch has twelve hands and no numbers.


7. What Quidditch position does Harry play? __ Seeker, __Bludger, __Snitch


8. Who of the following is NOT one of Malfoy's friends? __Goyle, __Granger, __Crabbe


9. Which is not a Hogwarts House? __Gryffindor, __Dragonbreath, __Hufflepuff


10. True or False: Harry was raised by Muggles.


11. What are three things that are different from the book compared to the movie?

"The Hobbit" - Answers to the Quiz

"The Hobbit" was written by J.R.R.Tolkien, and has become quite the cult classic. This is a quiz presented to my Tween after he finished reading the book. The answers are in red.



1. How many dwarves accompanied Bilbo Baggins on the journey? 13


2. What is the name of the wizard who helps the dwarves in their quest? Gandalf


3. How do the dwarves know which hobbit hole Bilbo lives in when they start their journey? Gandalf carved a marking on Bilbo's door.


4. What does Gandalf tell the dwarves that Bilbo is, and that Bilbo will be critical to their mission in this role? Burglar


5. How does Bilbo try to get away from Gollum? They have a contest of answering riddles.


6. Bilbo finds a ring. What magic does the ring do? Provides invisibility to whoever wears it.


7. Who or what is Smaug? He is the dragon that took up residence in the dwarves mountain.


8. What is the name of the archer who kills Smaug? Bard


9. An arrow strikes Smaug and kills him. Where does that arrow strike? In the chest where there was a missing "plate".


10. What did you like best about the book? Answers will vary.













Thank you!

The Hobbit - Quiz

"The Hobbit" was written by J.R.R.Tolkien, and has become quite the cult classic. This is a quiz presented to my Tween after he finished reading the book. Feel free to give it to your own students:


Date:____________________


Name:__________________________________



1. How many dwarves accompanied Bilbo Baggins on the journey?



2. What is the name of the wizard who helps the dwarves in their quest?



3. How do the dwarves know which hobbit hole Bilbo lives in when they start their journey?



4. What does Gandalf tell the dwarves that Bilbo is, and that Bilbo will be critical to their mission in this role?



5. How does Bilbo try to get away from Gollum?



6. Bilbo finds a ring. What magic does the ring do?



7. Who or what is Smaug?



8. What is the name of the archer who kills Smaug?



9. An arrow strikes Smaug and kills him. Where does that arrow strike?



10. What did you like best about the book?




Answers to follow.

Speaking Video: Fruit

2nd Try...


Here's his latest to help fulfill his Speaking Requirement, and to help him overcome stuttering and nervous tics. The subject is one of his favorite things to eat: fruit!



Unfortunately, I'm STILL having huge problems uploading the video to this blog posting. I'm giving up!

Please check it out through YouTube at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgAlI9m__Fg

Be sure to leave a comment there for him! Thanks!

Speaking Video: Fruit

Here's the schoolwork speaking video we recorded on May 13 2009: Fruit. He loves fruit, and is prominant in his mind since we're eating even more than usual of it lately. Notice his tics and stuttering are lessening!

hold on ... troubles downloading video... need to reboot and try again after we run out and pick up some strawberry plants... come back in a couple of hours!

Speaking Video: Games

Here's the video we shot on April 29 2009 for his practice to eliminate stuttering and tics, and for speaking (schoolwork) requirement: Games to Play



Feel free to also watch it on YouTube at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZ6mU8mMNOs

New Videos Coming

We're a little behind - Son's made a couple of videos for his speaking practice, but I haven't had a chance to download and edit. Hope to catch up tomorrow (Friday).

Meanwhile, I have a cough and aches and am going to the doctor this afternoon (but I **know** it's not the swine flu so don't worry!).

"Bridge to Terabithia" Oral Quiz and Answers

These are the questions that I asked my Tween when he finished reading "Bridge to Terabithia" by Katherine Paterson. The answers are in red, and can vary slightly.

1. Why did Jesse get up early every Summer morning? To practice running to be the fastest kid.


2. What was the most favorite thing that Jesse loved doing? Drawing


3. Why did Jesse like Fridays? Miss Edmunds, the music teacher, was wonderful.


4. Why did the boys stop running during recess? Because Leslie won all of the races she ran, and girls weren't even supposed to participate.


5. Who was Janice? A mean, big bully


6. What was Terabithia? A make-believe play-place where Leslie and Jesse went to play. It was in the woods.


7. What did Jesse get Leslie for Christmas? A free puppy named Prince Terrien. What did Leslie get Jesse? A box of watercolors with 24 tubes of color, 3 brushes and a pad of heavy art paper - paint or art supplies.


8. How did Leslie die? She tried to swing over the swollen river to get to Terabithia by herself, and the rope snapped, fell, and hit her head on a rock.


9. Why do you think it was so important for Jesse and Leslie to create Terabithia? Tween said" Because they wanted a place of their own. To get away from their nonsense." More details: Jesse had problems at home, where he wasn't listened to, ignored, and felt he had too much responsibility compared to his sisters. Leslie was new in town, away from her friends and what she was familiar with. Creating an imaginery land was a wonderful exercise for their imaginations and bodies, building it and so on.


10. What was your favorite part of the book? Tween answered: the creating of Terabithia.... it was cool to use their imagination.

Tween answered all but question number 3 correctly.