Solar Kit

Ella was inspired to want to build herself a remote control vehicle this last week! It's beyond my skill level but we were all interested in what kind of parts you might need and how it would work. We looked up a few ideas online and then decided to start with a kit. We also downgraded from a remote to a simple motor!

We picked up this kit and assembled it together. We got all the wires right and the wheels spin when the panel is exposed to sun and held off the ground but it's not powerful enough to actually drive, which is a bummer. We'll try some of the other variations and see if we have more luck!



Ivy has also shown an interest in electronics in the past so we'll revisit the kit parts we have and see if we can learn something new.

EECO Centre

After the Club Penguin visit, we made our way over to the EECO Centre (Environmental Education Centre for the Okanagan) in Mission Creek Park. Their current theme is "Wild Neighbours" and the kids played games to match local animals with both their footprints, skulls and scat. There were dioramas of various animals in their natural habitats.

Club Penguin

On Friday,Ella,mom and I went on a very special field trip;the club Penguin headquarters in Kelowna! We learned how to draw club penguin characters(penguins and their pet puffles)and got cool little sketchbooks to practice in.
then some game programmers came in and showed us how they programmed the games on club penguin. then, they used us to demonstrate how they made up the games,like we were a human computer! it was very fun and exiting and at the end we got to sit on giant puffle-shaped beanbags!
by Ivy



Mom's notes: The blue puffle pictured on the side was drawn by Ivy on our new computer stylus. We're not sure why he insists on standing on his side. Unpredictable creatures. Ivy arranged a penguin drawing contest for the family and handed out custom step-by-step learning sheets. We all did pretty well I think!

LA Fall 2010

Ivy

Writing:

- lyrics & music for "Bounce" band she's started with 2 friends
- as many forms, notices, newspapers and posters as she can find content for!
- reflection on the dance class she tried
- Storyworld playing cards for creative writing/storytelling.


Comprehension:

- Artemis Fowl book review
- Accelerated Reader quizzes


Partial book list:

Secret of the Sirens, Julia Golding (of the "Companions Quartet")
Icefire, Chris D'Lacey, of the Last Dragon Chronicles
Septimus Heap, Syren



Ella

Writing:

• Kerpoof story
• Halloween poem
• Planet anthem
• Storyworld games Ella got a pack of these cards for her birthday and both she and Ivy have been involved in creating stories using these visually rich cards and their imaginations. Fun!
  

Comprehension:

• Ruby Gloom book report
• Accelerated Reader quizzes

Book list

• Amulet

• Ivy & Bean, Bound to be Bad and Doomed to Dance

Magic Tree House:

• Viking Ships at Sunrise
• Polar Bears Past Bedtime
• Ghost Town at Sundown
• Day of the Dragon King

Tashi Series by Fienberg, Fienberg & Gamble

• Tashi and the Giant
• Tashi and the Ghosts,
• ...the Baba Yaga
• ...the Dancing Shoes
• ...the big Stinker,
• ...the Demons

• The Cool, Krazy,, Crickets, The Cool, Krazy, Crickets to the Rescue

• Lost Treasure of the Emerald Eye (Geronimo Stilton)
  
• Amelia's 5th Grade Notebook
• My Father's Dragon
• Tiny Tyrant

Throughout the summer and fall Jeremy has been reading the Harry Potter series to the girls at bedtime. They are very excited to be starting book 7!

Ivy Fine Arts

1. Claymation project at HLP

2. Journal Entry - Experience of trial hip hop class (hard copy)

3. Sketch Up space shuttles (online)
- space camper is a downloaded graphic that she has modified, space ship 1 is her own creation

4. Bounce Band (hard copy)
- Ivy and two friends have co-written 2 songs. They have the lyrics and melody for the choruses. They have parts for vocals, guitar, piano and violin! Sorry, no footage yet.

5. Drawing - Pixie (hard copy)

6. Short Story - "The Eternal Flame", inspired by Storyworld cards (hard copy)
- used the cards "Youngest Son", "Cat", "Eternal Flame", and "Wild Beast".

7. Ivy is taking violin again this year. She attends Fiddlekidz once a week and has a private lesson every other week with Liz Lupton.

Active Fall

Although we have missed recording some days, the girls have been busy this fall! Their most recent discovery was rollerblading. The thrift store was kind and provided 2 sets of skates and pads that (mostly) fit. They diligently swept off the cul-de-sac and started experimenting with the different feel of the wheels compared to ice skates. They both did fantastic and are putting on speed.

One of our favourite activities continues to be swimming. Our last dunk in the lake was about the second week in October. On Thanksgiving we spent the weekend in Canmore with family and they spent hours in the pool with cousins. We also went for a long walk that included an intense staircase. Certain members of the family were sore for days afterwards! The girls have also enjoyed the Summerland pool where they can swim independently.

Biking has dropped off a bit now that the temperatures are lower but through to the middle of October we were riding a couple of times a week (mostly Jeremy & the kids). There are a few special spots in the area that they like to ride to: the ball fields, Apple Barn, Shrek's House, and the Car Museum parking lot where they demonstrate their newest tricks.

Ivy and Ella both showed interest in hip hop this fall. Ella went to a gymnastics/hip hop combo class for a month but found that it wasn't as challenging as she expected (or at least not in the ways she had hoped). It was an interesting experience but she decided not to pursue it after the month was up. Ivy watched a class of hip hop as well and was invited to try it out. I have great admiration for the way she went in and gave it her absolute best, even though it was really tough. She hung in there and learned some fun moves. At the end she chatted with the teacher who told her at that point that the other kids in the class had all been dancing for 3-4 years and that she'd done fantastic for a first go! She did decide that it wasn't going to be a priority for her either but was glad she'd tried.

Our family enjoys the home school skate every Wednesday at noon here in Summerland. Many of our friends go as well so we get to have a social event in addition to our active living. We all love skating and look forward to our own rink in the yard again if the weather cooperates.

Ella Fall 2010 Art

Ella set up a new desk station this fall and has been enjoying the relative quiet of her new spot. She's spent hours drawing and listening to her favourite music.







1. Ella started weekly voice lessons this fall and has connected really well with her teacher, Rochelle. (hard copy of practice list)




2. Hip hop - she attended four classes in September and learned a short routine.

3. First Friday at the Penticton Art Gallery. (hard copies of journal entries)

4. Sketch "Funky Star Girl" (hard copy)

5. Poem/Song (hard copy)

6. Kerpoof - story intro emailed

Hiebert Science Fair

Here are the photos from the inaugural Hiebert Science Fair. Special thanks to Jeremy Hiebert for being the official judge who asked great questions and had insightful feedback.



Grandpa won "Excellence in Electrical Innovation" prize for his lemon powered battery (later combined with the light up lollipop experiment for true learning on the fly).




Ivy did an experiment based on the warning on jello boxes not to use specific fruits. She took the prize for "Food Chemistry".



Grandma grew numerous Sweet William plants under different conditions and carefully recorded when they sprouted and how well they grew. She is planning to update her findings in spring. Her project earned her an "Excellence in Horticulture".



Not to be left out, Ezra helped mix up a batch of play dough from scratch, after carefully selecting the fruit punch flavour of kool-aid to add colour and scent to his creation. He earned the award "Excellence in being Ezra".



We didn't get a shot of Ella's rocks, but her project included a description of some of her gem stones as well as a matching game to test our knowledge of them. She was awarded "Excellence in Geology".


My (Tannis) light up lollipop involved soldering wires to an LED light and slipping the wires through an empty pen tube. I followed a recipe for a large lollipop and placed the LED end in the mold. When it was firm I used electrical tape to hold a watch style batter in place at the base of the pen ( we also managed to run it off the lemon battery although it wasn't very bright). Ezra helped us prove that yes, the lollipop was indeed edible. I don't remember what my award was called!

the grande rendezvous

Or something like that. We called it the "fur trade party".




Step 1

Come in costume. Some participants were representing the First Nations, others were voyageurs. We also had one native guide and one bourgeois shop keeper.


Step 2

The voyageurs and guide grabbed their packs and canoe (wagon) to do their trade route. Along the way they encountered rapids, lost a pack overboard, took wrong turns and had to portage.









They did finally find the village where the First Nations were patiently waiting to trade their furs for shiny goods. This village was particularly friendly and gave them a generous gift of pemmican and dried berries for the return trip.




On the journey back there was more bad luck. A raid by an unfriendly tribe resulted in the loss of several furs, most of the supplies and an injured voyageur. The last push back up the rapids was cold and tiring.


Step 3

All of the participants earned the right to trade goods. The store was stocked with basic items ahead of time and everyone came with items to trade. The number of trades was unlimited and numerous side deals were cut outside the confines of the post.


Step 4

No party or end of fur trade season celebration would be complete without food. A warm soup made from local ingredients (trademark recipe of the JEB club, original made by Ivy, Cassandra & Jessica) was complemented by hot bannock. The baked beans with pork, "pemmican" (beef jerky) and creamed corn may have had a more authentic vibe but were less popular on this particular day. A beautiful wooden box contained a wonderful variety of nuts and dried fruits. There is little historical precedent for apple and rhubarb pie to finish it off but it was appreciated anyway!




Step 5

A creative mother & daughter team brought a guitar and music along and taught us several French songs. The voyageurs often used songs to keep rhythm for paddling and also to pass the time.

Socials & Science With Friends

Seasons

As today was the first day of fall we reviewed the position of the earth and how the angles mark the changing seasons. Ella, Vanessa and Leigha also completed a fall crossword puzzle.


Animals

Ella and Vanessa finished their project on beavers. They made a posters showing what kind of homes they live in, their life cycle, what they eat and what is unique about them.


Fur Trade

Ivy, Cassandra and Jessica did some research for our fur trade party next week. They looked at authentic foods and how we might adapt those to suit our current tastes. So far we're thinking about beef jerky, dried fruit and bannock. That may not be exactly authentic but it will be fun over a fire.

The girls decided what role they wanted to play and started to consider what they would wear. Using a measuring tape, ribbon and stakes they marked off the size of a northern canoe to get an idea what it would have been like (sneaky math...). The biggest challenge now is deciding what we will trade next week and how the system will work!

Last week the focus was on the First Peoples and what their lives looked like before contact.

Summer Classes

The girls each took a few classes this summer and although they fall outside of the school year they did a lot of learning! Both girls attended and helped me teach a children's pottery class through the Summer Arts Program here in Summerland.

Ivy took a whittling course in June and then again in August because she enjoyed it so much. She made a walking stick, sailboat, hedgehog, "yip stick", whistle, boomerang and a bunch of other things!

Ella signed up for a week of gymnastics camp where she got to practise her basic moves, play games and learn a bit of hip hop. She was only planning to spend mornings there but stayed all day a few times! Her energy is astounding. Ella also loved the one week drama course she took with JenViens. The theme was "Twisted Fairytales" where the kids got to rewrite some classics with their own twists. Ella ended up playing the part of the frog prince and looked really comfortable on stage.

A few fun sketches from over the summer...

Ivy's portraits of space club members:



and Ella's "Hay Dude".

Nk'Mip

When we went on the Nk'Mip Cultural Centre field trip with home learners just over a year ago we had a fantastic time. We went again a few weeks ago and the girls explored some of the exhibits they hadn't spent as much time on then.

Allegria

We got tickets for the Cirque Du Soleil show "Allegria" last Christmas and finally got to go! Favourite acts included the Power Track (gymnastics - trampoline tumbling),Flying Man, and Aerial High Bar. It was fantastic but for most of us it was no match for the colours and intensity of Saltimbanco, which we saw a few years ago. Ivy was the exception to this and had a greater appreciation for the more subtle details.

Egypt

Serpents reading level

Ivy took out these two "Theodosia" books from the library and it got us both going on ancient Egyptians. We've had many books out from the library and have worked on several projects. We researched different types of stone and carefully purchased red carnelian for a protective amulet. Ivy used a stick as an experimental subject and followed the steps to making a mummy, even wrapping it carefully. She made a fantastic drawing of a pyramid and a winged disk and several "ankh", a symbol of life. We now have a passing familiarity with the various gods and godesses with Ivy's favourite so far being Thoth, God of wisdom and writing.

Nature Walk

On a hike up a local creek tonight the girls helped identify many native plants and some that are not so desirable, in this region. A sampling of native plants we named were; oregon grape, saskatoon, rabbit brush, yellow salsify (had to look that name up when we got home), night flowering catchfly although we call them salt & pepper flowers, old man's whiskers, and dalmation toadflax.

Active Living - Spring 2010

I have neglected to make a daily record of the girls active living this term so I'll make a summary report.

In an average week we go for several walks on nearby trails or around our property. Ivy and Ella spend a significant amount of time outdoors working on forts, riding bikes and helping with yard projects. We went to the home school skate nearly every week until it ended in April.

Ella has been asked to join the "pre-competitive" group in gymnastics so for the past month she has increased her hours to 4.5/week. The classes are much more intense and have specific times set aside for physical conditioning. In one 3 hour session Ella did 73 push-ups, although that was unusual! She loves the increased intensity and time in the gym. So far it's been a fantastic match and the coaching has been great. Here's a short video of Ella learning a new beam routine.




Ivy finds it harder to find physical activities she really enjoys. She participates when we do things but does not tend to like vigorous activity. This has been an area of challenge and we are still working on it. Ivy is game to try new things without the pressure of a class setting. Ivy and I had fun at "buddy night" at karate and are considering signing up in the fall as a way to stay engaged in regular exercise. Yesterday we took her bike to the Glenfir bike park and she rode over a few of the jumps, getting a feel for it. There were some fun moments and some more on the edge of terrifying but a good experience overall!

Ivy and Ella have spent a lot of time in the back corner of our yard, building a little village with personal huts. It is always evolving to suit the creative needs of the week. This week was all about wizards and collecting ingredients for potions.




Ivy loves to climb trees and explore once we're out on a trail...it's getting going that's hard!



On sunny Tuesday mornings we like to go into town and walk around the farmer's market, visit the library, play on the playground and have a picnic. Here the kids are heading out on their own to buy some apple chips to supplement our sandwiches. They love being responsible for the money and do a great job of keeping track of it.



This is not a great picture but shows all the kids on one of our walks at the Adams Bird Sanctuary in Summerland.

Ella's Art - Spring 2010

1. Piano


2. Environment Poster
3. Kerpoof pirate story
4. Money Scene
5.Tree Painting (submitted)

Ivy's Art - Spring 2010

1. Kerpoof

Sugol: A Cautionary Tale
- Ivy worked on this environmentally themed short story all in one session. Unfortunately due to program limitations (Kerpoof)we were not able to go back and edit once it had been saved!

Kandy Korn I & II
- These videos were also made on the Kerpoof site.

2. Environment posters

3. Violin


4. Egyptian drawing

5. Panda

Newsletter

This is a feature Ivy wrote on her grandma, Dianne Hiebert, in the spring edition of her family newsletter.

Earth Day

In honour of earth day the girls did a voluntary garbage clean-up in our neighbourhood. They had one bag nearly full when the employee of a local business came by (on his forklift) and offered to dispose of the garbage for us. Then he gave the girls $5 to thank them! It was a fun bonus. A few days later the Sparks and Brownies met to do a group clean-up along Prairie Valley and Giant's Head roads.

Ivy in particular takes environmental issues very seriously and it can keep her up at night. Along with 2 friends she started the "JEB" club and the 3 girls hope to raise money for a variety of causes, with Ivy's first choice being an environmental organization. Here are some posters Ivy's made on this theme.

Ella made some of her own posters too: