Hair

Soren has opened a hair salon in her bedroom (no scissors though!). She made signs, prices, member cards, and style lists. It is so cool! She's having a blast with it and she and her friend Audrey are so into it :)

LCG 4/26

Hello all,

I'll write now, before my energy dissipates...

We had a high energy day, which I think made me feel better!

We had two visitors today, potential students for next year. Just a reminder-- please get your registration forms to Lynn Barnett if you haven't already.

And, the young woman from RIT will be coming next week-- let me know if it's ok if your child is in any pictures for her class project.

The children started the day with Sharon Balestra doing music and recorder. She said she was impressed with their progress since last she visited. For the remaining classes, please be sure the children have their recorders. And, they should also be bringing a cup for snack each week.

I came back in and we did some quick clapping games, then did some form drawing. We did bean bag passing to the 3's, 4's, 5's and 6's times tables, learning the tune of "Michael Row the Boat Ashore" for the 6's.

After snack we played the perennial favorite "The Big Wind Blows." Then we settled down for the story of Gandhi, and did beeswax modelling from the story.

We then headed outside for sunshine, jump roping and running around.

We had another impromptu discussion about friendships when we were outside. I'm not exactly sure how to facilitate this, but I think the important, and amazing, thing is that the children are able to articulate their feelings to each other. Again, nobody has done anything wrong-- just some strong feelings in the group. I think my effervescent evergreens are also the emotional evergreens-- but, better to get those feelings out, I think!

Speaking of class friendships-- I think they're ready for another field trip if anyone wants to organize anything... And, I told them we could go to Seabreeze sometime this summer-- if their parents say it's ok-- maybe we can organize an "LCG Day" at Seabreeze in June.

Science Fair

Emma and Soren participated in the RAHA Science Fair.

Emma's project showed how electrons flow to create electrical current. She created a hands-on experiment that let kids see what sorts of substances electrons would flow through. It's a little difficult to describe - check out the link. Essentially it's a wooden board with metal, a straw, tin foil, copper wire, wood, and a rubber band attached to a computer fan and some batteries. A wire with an alligator clip was used to hook the different substances up in a circuit. I helped to design the apparatus, and Emma built it pretty much on her own, with a little direction. She did some research for the project, which included finding out how atoms are constructed and how electrons move from atom to atom to create current. There was also some terminology involved: element, nucleus, proton, neutron, electron, current, circuit, and conductor.

Soren did the classic vinegar and baking soda volcano. We used a glass bottle surrounded by plaster to make the volcano, and Soren made a poster to show how it worked. She loved doing the experiment for people, and had quite an audience for each performance. She used an entire bottle of vinegar! Soren was catching some of what Emma was learning about atoms and elements, and I thought it would be fun to show her how the chemical reaction between sodium bicarbonate and acetic acid produced water and carbon dioxide bubbles (among other things). I used a diagram to show how the different atoms re-combined with other ones. She was only able to grasp this at a basic level, of course, but she got the idea, and learned a little about how the universe is constructed.

We had a good time at the fair. There were some great projects, including a wonderful display about captive birds, and a model that showed how the phases of the moon are actually produced. Next time, we're going to produce more professional-looking posters using the computer.

quarterly reports

I got them sent out! Woot!

travels

The science fair is tonight> I'm excited to see what the girls have done!

Soren studied rain today and made some with paints, and studied condensation with hot water and ice. I forgot that they made fog like that last week too. Then she studied Victorian times and played marbles and pick up sticks. They wrote with quills, which was a big hit!

Emma learned how to make a traceless fire today with sand and wood and they did some team building stuff on the low ropes course, swinging. She also made her own fishing "rod" and "lure" today, which I think might actually work! Pretty neat. No hook though, gotta get her to whittle a wooden one.

I want to do an orienteering/map study! We talked a lot about maps on our travels to NJ and PA over the last week.

science fair

I forgot. The girls are participating in a science fair on 4/20.

Emma Kilmer ("Electrons, Electricity, and Conductors")

Soren Kilmer ("A Baking Soda and Vinegar Volcano")

David is in charge. I wanted nothing whatsoever to do with it ;)

Stuff and more stuff

Emma's made it through the multiplication and division drilling part of her math curriculum. Woot! She is on to prime numbers, money review and some more fractions.

They started Camp Arrowhead last week.

Soren had a weather class about clouds. Different kinds of clouds and what they do. How they're formed, what they're made of, etc. Then she did her "Adventures in Time" class and studied Native Americans. They made corn husk dolls, searched for rocks, planted "the three sisters," (corn, beans and squash) and a bunch of other veggies.

Emma did archery - throwing arrows with atlatl and then a camping class, where she learned to tie knots and put up a tarp for shelter. They also hiked quite bit. They'll have an overnight on May 3 to practice their skills.

This week Soren studied rainbows. They did experiments with water and light, and milk and food coloring, and then they had their class about time. This week was pioneers. They made tin punches and dipped candles and were doing something with magnifying glasses when I got there. I suspect it was more to do with rainbows. Soren is *loving* these classes.

Emma's class played flag football and some other games and then learned how to make a shelter with a rope and sticks. She and Nat did a skit about theirs and discovered that they had made it on a hill and Emma rolled out when she laid in it!

Tehn we went to rock climbing for the first time. All the adults learned how to belay. Emma went up some high walls. Soren did about half of a wall a couple of times. She was hungry though and gave up after a bit. Next week I want to make sure she eats well on the way there so she can enjoy it more. Hopefully we'll get a chance to go in!

Emma's class did a play yesterday. St. Francis and the Wolf of Gubbio. Emma was the wolf. It was *amazing*. They did such a good and professional job with everything. Their lines were clearly enunciated and loud. I really enjoyed it!

Soren got her standing back handspring today.

A good and productive week!

lcg 4/5

I can't believe we're into April. The year is fast coming to a close.

We missed Michaela, who was sick, and Alyssa, who is on vacation.

Our play rehearsal went very well today. The children are much improved, but they would like one more practice before next Tuesday, so we'd like to try to meet next Tuesday at 12:30 and have one go-through before "opening afternoon."

I know this might be inconvenient for some-- I'm happy to try and help with driving. I spoke with most of the parents today, and they said they could do it. Please let me know if you need help getting your child to 12C, and we'll try to work something out.

A few notes-- it gets quite warm in Fellowship Hall, so please have your child wear light clothing (that matches their costume, if possible) under their tunics. Also-- for most, sandals would work great, or ballet shoes, but if you don't have these, sneakers will be fine.

Lila said she could bring in a cane for Molly (old man) to use.

We did two run throughs today, then came back to class and had snack, and finished sewing beanbags. We reviewed the story of Mother Theresa, who had a tie-in to Pope John Paul II, so we worked that in too. Then we drew and wrote in our main lesson books.

We ended early so we could go outside and jumprope in the sunshine.

The children were much improved in knowing their lines and the song-- if they could listen to their tapes 2 or 3 nights this week, that would be great.

Thanks for all your help!

Just to remind you-- our performances will be next Tuesday at 1:30, and next Friday at 7PM. Our play is about 20 minutes long, and will be followed by Julia's class, whose play is maybe 25-30 minutes. If you can, please plan on staying for the other play-- the children really enjoy playing to as big an audience as possible. Also, feel free to invite friends and relatives to both shows. We'll have light refreshments Friday night-- we'll need help with that, so watch for an e-mail.

See you next week,
Lynn

what have we been doing?

Well, Soren was very sick for about 10 days, so we got off the textbook bandwagon. We kind of gave up on regular math and handwriting drills for now I guess, especially with the weather warming up.

Emma:
*At LCG, she has been preparing for her part as the wolf in the St. Francis play they're putting on. She's very excited.

*She's getting better at math and multiplication and division and fractions. Her confidence is really increasing, which is great!

*She's had a break from gymnastics meets for a while. She has one on April 23 outside Buffalo and then states in June and then she's done until TOPS in July. Then summer session and learning the new compulsory routines. She's going to go with me in July to Utica to learn the new routines at one of the gyms.


*She has been continuing to read like a mad freak. She is reading "So You Want To Be a Wizard," "Half Magic," which is part of a series, several books about dragons and more ghost stories.

*Wrote her goals for gymnastics for the next session

*She did an experiment about "hump day" because she didn't realize that Wednesday was the work week hump day, so she figured out what would be hump day for the 7 day week and wrote a little paper about why that was "scientifically." That was all on her own initiative.

Soren:
*Still taking ballet every week - we forgot about it on Friday!
*Still taking gymnastics and cheerleading
*doing LOTS of reading - just started the "Fairy Realm" series and is reading her way through all the Dr. Seuss books still.
*doing lots of writing - planning lemonade sales, writing cards and stories. Practicing her cursive just by writing a lot!
* is doing great with math - simple multiplication, adding and subtracting (borrowing) in columns
*is going to be penpals with her friend Audrey, who has written her 2 letters

Both:
*They are going to take rope course/archery at Camp Arrowhead for 8 weeks, Emma is taking a camping and orienteering course and Soren is taking a class about eras in history.

*They will take an 8 week rock climbing course and we got a year's membership.

*Soren is going to take a 6 week Irish step dancing class

*We rented a video about roller coasters and how they work and have the whole Little House tv series coming on DVD. They're really into it. It talks about centrifugal fource and gravity.

*we're going to the NJ beach for a couple of days. Emma is also planning an itinerary for our week in DE in July. Woot! She's writing it all out and her mission is to use Mapquest to get directions from here to Rehoboth and to everyplace she wants to go from there.

*They're both taking Tribe music still on Thursday mornings.

*we're planning a trip to Niagara Falls

Lots of other good stuff going on!

lcg 3/29

Hello all,

Another day has flown by.

We spent a good part of the afternoon working on the play. We have one week left to rehearse. Next Tuesday we will do a dress rehearsal. Please be sure the children have their costumes, in case they brought them home. I think Michaela Houk needs to bring in some of hers. Also, they need to think about what they will wear under the costumes-- something simple and light-- it gets fairly warm in Fellowship Hall. For their feet, sandals would be good if possible.

Also, I gave the children homework (!) this week-- they need to listen to the tape every night (or as close to that as they can) to be sure they know their lines, when they come in, the chorus parts and the song.

I think we will have a good rehearsal next week, and be in fine shape for our performances-- Tuesday April 12 at 1:30, and Friday April 15 at 7PM.

Back in the classroom we sewed beanbags. We'll continue that next week too.

After snack, with lively conversation, including who has ever had beer, we moved into our story of Agnes of Macedonia who later became Mother Theresa. We also made beeswax figures from the story.

It was nice to enjoy the spring sunshine and breezes after class today.