Buffalo Tangle Doodle Art and Growing Broccoli From A Stem

Have you ever tried to grow Broccoli from just the stem? I tried this several times, and it just didn't work. It would start, and then nothing. I tried again, recently, and as you can see in the picture, it is quite tall. Tall as a small tree, with big beautiful yellow flowers. I can see some broccoli heads also starting to form. What I am wondering is, is this normal? It seems like it won't be able to support broccoli heads so far off the ground. I guess I will find out eventually, lol.

Last night, I got an urge to draw, so I sat down and drew out my Native American Art picture. You can see the kids in the previous post.  I found some Native American symbols to use to complete the tangle doodle part. Native Americans revered the buffalo, and my kids are always amazed at the fact that Native Americans wasted no part of the animals they killed.  Nothing, no waste at all.    I still have to paint mine, and as you can see I drew one side darker than the other. But, that won't matter once it is painted in. One of the hardest things, for me, with drawing animals is symmetry. I think I got this one pretty good. The finished product will be on my Jewelry and Gems blog.

Roses, American Boys Handybook Part 1, Phonics

I have quite a line up for all of you today.

First my rose bushes. I tried to get all the buds in the picture, but I am not sure it did so. The yellow one is actually quite large. The two red ones, and then there is another red one, that the flowers have fallen off, and will get new buds soon. The pink one is just budding now.

My good friends Ms Laura, and Ms Kristy told me about a book called the American Boys Handybook. I had looked at buying it, then forgot about it. Today, and tomorrow Homeschool Freebie of the Day, is offering it in PDF format, for free Yay I love free! Hurry and go to their website to sign up for the free newsletter, so you can get it too.

Since Caitlin has finished her workbooks for kindergarten, and my printer has died, she will be watching educational online videos, and playing educational games. She will start today with this phonics video.



Lesson Plans For 05/04/10:

DJ:
Science: Week #4 Rotten log experiment, reptiles review
Cursive Writing
Language Arts: Vocabulary review test
Vocabulary
Sign Language: Review
Math: Customary measurement, addition, subtraction

Caitlin:
Phonics: On computer
Reading: Pick one book from reading list
Flash Cards
Site Words
Math: Subtraction with number line
Printing Practice
Science: Reptiles

Climate Change For Kids, Free Physics Experiments

OK, here we go with another Monday. Next year we are doing an in depth lesson plan on green living, climate change, and renewable energy. The simple, and cute video below is a cute place to start to introduce climate change to your children.

We are not yet studying physic, but this next source will come in handy in a few years. It is free Physics experiments you can do at home, and you can download it now to use in the future. Simply go to http://www.homeschoolfreebie.wholesomechildhood.com/, and you can get it too. Even if you do not homeschool, this can be very useful supplemental info for your child. If you are using gardening as a learning experience, you will want to know about climate zones. See the video below for details

Lesson Plans For 04/13/10:

DJ:
Science: Climate zones
Math: Review
Reading: Read chapters 33-35 of Black Beauty with summary
Sign Language
Language Arts: Reading poetry, reading practice
Reading Comprehension
Vocabulary

Caitlin:
Family gatherings
Draw a picture of your family
Flash cards
Site Words
Reading: Pick two books from reading list
Animal Habitats
Printing Practice
Math: Addition with a number line
Nouns on the farm

My Green Thumb Got A Little Greener

Do you see that, those are tomatoes. If you have been reading my blog, you know as part of our Science classes we plant things. The very first year we got a big fat F. Last year probably a B- or a C. We did get some tomatoes, but I think only two LOL. So I have been reading, and learning. Who knew growing a garden was so hard. Farmers have been doing it for centuries, and they certainly did not have all these fancy things we have now. Plus I want a natural garden, with no pesticides, not so easy. I found this awesome web site, that I use for all kinds of gardening help. The site does load a little slow, but it is worth the wait. We have lettuce, and onions coming up, too. They were planted a long time ago, and hopefully will produce good results. If you plant the onions with your lettuce, the bugs will not eat your lettuce. Who knew, and it seems to be working. One thing that I did learn is that the soil here stinks literally. It is dry, and practically devoid of all nutrients. I pot planted all of my plants, and then when they were big enough put them into the Earth in their original pot dirt. It seems to be working wonderfully. We just started Cukes, which will be staying in the pots, because they take up a lot of room to grow, and we are going to see if they will just vine up the porch rails. They certainly grow fast, I did them by seed on Sunday, and already they are up and going. I am going to try red peppers again, though I have never ever, not even once got a pepper to grow. They will be pot planted as well, and probably stay in the pots. We have all kinds of underground bugs that literally eat the plants from the bottom up. Wish me luck, we are hoping for an A this year, with lots of vegetables to show for it. My kids get a kick out of it, because I get so frustrated. They just like to dig in the dirt, and watch them grow, the fruits of their labor. Too bad we never get enough to sustain even a squirrel.

Tomorrow is test day, so I have no lesson plans to post. Have a great day, everyone.