The Dog Ate My Homework

The old "Dog ate my homework" excuse will not work around here.
First - we have no dog.
Second - we have no homework.
And third - I know the truth.

Justin ate our homework!
We caught him redhanded.

We just finished the yummiest unit in science.
FRUIT
Dissecting frogs and cow's hearts is nothing compared to dissecting fruit.
It's sticky.
It's juicy.
It's yummy.
And yes - when you're done, you can eat it!

Have I told you lately that (most days)I LOVE my job?

So now, let's see if you are Smarter than a Fifth Grader.

1) Can you figure out the point of this picture?
HINT: Why is the fruit placed where it is?

AND:
2) Which of these IS a fruit?

Today the sun is shining and the calendar promises me that spring is on the way.

It's a good thing because I have a yearning to get dirt under my nails and start planting my garden and picking local berries.

We just finished our last bag of frozen pick-your-own strawberries, our last jar of home made apple sauce is half done, and there is one bag of blueberries left in the deep freeze.

I need spring. I need summer. I want to pick warm strawberries and watch the juice drip down my kids faces instead of dissecting kiwis from Italy.

The day will come soon when our science class will be out in the garden and not around the kitchen table. Come quickly!! Please come quickly.

We Both Read

Thanks to Megan for sharing with us the most brilliant book since the Bible.
OK - slight exaggeration. I admit it.
But check it out, these books are amazing!
They're called "We Both Read". Currently not available at our library - but I'm putting a good word in for them!

So, let me tell you about this latest find. (I'm a little excited!)
They have a great selection of both fiction and non-fiction at a variety of reading levels. Currently we're stuck in a non-fiction rut and lovin' every minute of it.
We have discovered Bugs, Dinosaurs, Under our Feet, and Space.

And here is the brilliant part.
The left side is written for an adult to read. It has a lot of details and more complicated words.
The right side is written for the child to read. It repeats some of the words from the left side, uses easier words and sight words while adding some new details.

It is perfect for the kid who loves science.
The truth is, just because they can't read the bigger words doesn't mean that they don't want to know the details. That they aren't fascinated by the world that God created.

So this book gives it all ... details and the confidence of reading aloud on their own.

And the bonus for the adult is that it's not boring.
Please tell me that others are bored to tears by typical readers.
Tonight I learned that a flea can jump up to the height of my knee.
Tonight I learned that there is a wasp that stings a tarantula, paralyzes it, lays it eggs on the paralyzed tarantula and then the baby wasps eat the tarantula. Amazing!
Dick and Jane never taught me that!

Look at me - I should be a sales rep for these books.
I guess when you find something that works for your kids you jump right on that bandwagon.
And for now - this is the bandwagon I'm on.

Post Valentines Science

The home school mom in me was working overtime this morning.

My Valentine flowers were looking a little droopy (two weeks for 50% off flowers worked out great I think!).
Instead of pitching the bunch we pulled out our Botany text.

Did a little pollination experiment - pretended that the Q-Tips were bumble bees and collected pollen.

Dissected those droopy petals, carpels, anthers, stamens and sepals.
Attempted to put on some make-up Egyptian style (pink petals on the cheeks!).
And tried our hand at painting.
Found the seeds from the Gerbera and hope to dry them in time for spring.

Isn't this flower just begging to be pollinated, dissected and played with?
Who knew that a $10 bouquet of flowers could bring both beauty and learning?

Spelling Tutor Needed: Apply Within