School

School, homeschooling, classes, and educational milestones.

Building Robots

The boys have been fascinated with robots recently, so they have checked our every relevant book from the library, studied, designed, saved up money, purchased parts, and have begun building their robots. It amazes me how much they have learned about electronics and the role of each component.  They are

2017 Class Pictures

While our homeschool class may be smaller than a typical class, class pictures are just as important. I love that you can find beautiful settings like these so close to our house.  These pictures were taken in our driveway with a cellphone.  While we were taking the pictures, Carson ran

2017 National Math Festival

Living in the DC area, there is no shortage of fun and educational opportunities.  This weekend was the National Math Festival, so the kids and I took the subway into the city. I've never seen anyone team kids math balloon creations.  A girl asked Savannah what shape balloon

Knight Family Art Gallery

As I returned from work, I was greeted at the door with tickets to the Knight Family Art Gallery.   The kids prepare an exhibit of the artwork they had been working on for the last few weeks. As I approached the improvised gallery, Carson, the door man, checked Angela'

Kids' show and tell displays

Tucker's stuff, minus his coin collection. Books Tucker has been reading. Savannah's display. Carson's stuff. Painting by Tucker, from a Bob Ross episode.

Homeschool Testing

Every state has different laws regarding homeschooling. Virginia requires homeschooled students to take a standardized test at the end of the school year to prove progress. We ordered ours online and they came in the mail. The boys will complete their tests next week and I'll mail the

Bob Ross painting class

The kids have done two Bob Ross 'classes' so far. We have this craft table in the basement, so the kids watched a Bob Ross episode and painted along with him.

PE class at nZone

It's about a 30-minute drive from our house; the kids go to a PE class twice a week at nZone in Chantilly. This is the main hallway towards the fields and workout facilities. The kids all love to look at all the stuff in the vending machines

The kids do their own dioramas and stories

When I was in the 6th grade, I remember making a diorama in a shoebox, with an ocean scene and tissue paper over the top, just like Savannah's. So I had the kids do their own dioramas and stories to go along with their creative scenes. Savannah'

Homeschool Valentine's Day Party

I am a part of a homeschool email group that is made up of local homeschoolers and they have two parties a year, for Valentine's Day and Halloween. They reserve a room at a local library and bring decorations and everyone brings food and drinks and games and

Historical Fairfax Courthouse Mock Trial

At the center of Fairfax, VA is a historic courthouse, built in 1799.  The first confederate soldier death during the Civil War took place there.  We have gone several times, but had never been able to go inside. This weekend Fairfax hosted the 'Chocolate Lover's Festival'

School Room

Frying Pan Farm Park Junior Farmer Classes: Farm Chores and Games, Making Food for Turkeys

This junior farmer class was about farm chores. The kids played a relay game with the wash bucket and a water pump. They had to pump water into a little bucket and carry it over to another bucket to fill it up. Then the kids learned how laundry was done

Elementary Chemistry

One advantage of Home School; you can learn fun and amazing things at your own pace.  The kids are studying geometry, algebra, and we even have had some chemistry lessons.   Good stuff for elementary school kids. Here's a whiteboard after a chemistry lesson on fuels and carbohydrates:

Homeschool PE

We just started homeschooling this year for all 3 kids. We are tying it out for a year a least and so far it is going well. I heard about a homeschool PE class at an athletic facility about a half an hour (everything is about half an hour away)

Frying Pan Farm Park Junior Farmer Class

There's a Fairfax Parks and Rec property about a half an hour from our house called 'Frying Pan Farm Park'. They are offering a Jr. Farmer class for the next four Thursdays, and after experiencing a little farmlife in Lancaster, PA, I wanted to give the

School Pictures

Tucker, 2nd grade Carson, 5th grade Savannah, Kindergarten

Immigration Day

Carson's school has 'Immigration Day' every year for the 5th graders. Every student must dress as an immigrant from whatever country their heritage comes from. Carson went as 'Joao Morais' from the Azores, and he brought Panettone as his food, since it would be

School Pictures

Carson, 5th Tucker, 2nd

Tucker's friends

Tucker at school with friends, Noah, Reed, and Coleman

School year 2015-2016 begins

7am, off to the bus stop with their new backpacks friends/neighbors at the bus stop. Carson has Mr. Morris, and Tucker has Mrs. Bain. The first day went very well and the boys really like school and their teachers.

Backpack service project

Keith's company participated in a charity event that gave filled backpacks to needy schools in the Sandy Springs area. Keith went and bought all the billions of supplies and then we all laid them out in the living room and systematically put them in these backpacks. Certain things

Tucker's last day of 1st grade

Tucker's class after putting on their group plays Tucker and Gryffin Savannah, wearing the mask Tucker wore for his play Alan, Mrs. Smith and Tucker

School Pictures

Tucker, 6 Carson, 9

tucker

Tucker's Gifted Program

A month ago we received a letter from Tucker's school asking if they could test him for the gifted program.  We discussed it with him and he didn't seem to be very interested, so we declined.  Within hours of the form being returned to the school,