Dead Guys and Gals - More Interest Led Science

Not much "formal" science going on here this week, but my little guy has attached himself to a book we recently acquired (What a great thing it is to have a sister-in-law who is a science teacher and gives you great resources!).  It's amazing what will happen when you just leave cool books around the house!

The kids already love Beakman's World (it's on Netflix instant streaming, which is the best thing since sliced bread!), and this book gives a great overview of 14 dead guys and gals of science.  Each famous scientist layout includes a timeline of their life and a very engaging narrative of how each inventor made his or her discovery.   The entire book was devoured by GMan while waiting for his sister at swimming practice this past week!   

*You can watch free episodes of Beakman's World here!   

Both Miss B and GMan are asking to learn more about the scientists in the book, so this coming week they will each choose one and do a little further research.  I remember making cardboard dolls of famous scientists when I was in middle school - perhaps this would be fun for us to do as well.  

Even with all of my planning and lovely science curriculum in this house, it's a free book that will spark my children's imagination and curiosity ~ and that is when the REAL learning will take place!  

*Linking up with Science Sunday and Favorite Resource This Week! 

Our Weekly Wrap-Up: Rethinking Some Plans

Remember (way back at the beginning of the week?) when I blogged about my marvelous plans for the summer?  Well, I've been through a week of summer now and have a MUCH BETTER IDEA of what things will look like!   As I was thinking about this today, I came across this post about summer schooling.... it sums up my thoughts PERFECTLY!.   The best quote from this post by Christy is:

I’d like to think we’ve found a happy medium between the full steam ahead approach I took our first summer and the brain shut-down that occurred shortly after I realized we couldn’t keep up the pace.

 I want to find this happy medium before I let the pendulum swing too far to either side, know what I mean?

This week we accomplished math, (On the math front, we spent each day learning about prime and composite numbers and making factor trees -- which my daughter declared were "very fun!"   We also hammered the times tables each day and I think this was a good investment of our time.)  piano practice, read aloud and swimming lessons each day.   Guess what?  THAT'S GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME!   I am the queen of never cutting myself slack, and I think I just set the bar way too high for the summer. 

As I sat in the van and listened to a bit of my nine year old's synchronized swimming practice I could hear her teacher counting beats and giving instructions quite rapidly.  I thought to myself, "This is a HUGE education right here - following directions, memorizing a routine, etc...".   I need to let these activities be enough for us this summer.   

We got together with good friends from our co-op one day for yogurt, and tomorrow we are meeting friends for Jumping Jelly Beans and lunch... these friends will be moving in 6 weeks and it's IMPORTANT to spend time with them.  Sometimes I think I let the almighty "schedule" suck a lot of the fun out of our days.

The last two weeks of May we just vegged, and it felt so GOOD.  I hadn't done that in a whole year.   I still think we need some more time to relax and not be so formal about school.   Could it be that I have underestimated the toll that homeschooling takes -- on my physical household and also on my mental stamina?   I think the answer just might be YES.

So, that's my weekly wrap-up!  How's that for getting stuff done?