Since Homeschoolblogger "updated" its site, I’ve been double-posting to a Blogger version of Our Side as well. It seems like I spend a lot of time waiting for HSB and often get a blank page. Sometimes I just post to Blogger and then copy the post to HSB later. At this point, I’d like to just post in one place and for now it will be Blogger. I’ve enjoyed the virtual community of Homeschoolblogger and will continue to visit the blogs of my friends. I hope that if you enjoy Our Side of the Mountain that you will bookmark its new location at http://oursidehomeschool.blogspot.com/ and continue to visit. I will slowly be moving past posts to the new site.
Sometimes birthdays around here are a pleasant family time at home. Sometimes we eat out at a special restaurant. Sometimes we throw a party.
In honor of Evan’s eleventh birthday this year, the mood hit for a party. James did the food shopping last night, and this evening the kids and I put together a taco salad supper at the church. Six families attended Evan’s party. We set up tables indoors, but the beautiful weather enticed everyone to grab chairs and eat out on the lawn.
Seventeen children (not counting two babies) attended, providing a good number for a few games of "Capture the Flag." After a healthy amount of outdoor running around, the kids came in to play "Space Base." In the latter game, James picked two "aliens" who hid the pieces to a flashlight (in relatively plain sight) around the church building while the space travelers counted in a back room. When the time was up, the space cadets searched for the "laser" parts while trying to avoid getting tagged and frozen by the aliens. The cadets were given twenty minutes to find and assemble the laser and shoot the aliens. If they failed in their mission, the aliens won. After several space battles, time allowed for another group game and the playing of some assorted board games. The parents enjoyed the opportunity to socialize as well! 
Evan holds up a truck poster made by his friend Caleb for all to admire.
My seven year old daughter has begun learning the concept of multiplication as well as memorizing multiplication facts. A friend of mine just emailed me last night and asked for ideas to help her own daughter master her multiplication facts.
This time around, I have been much more consistent in having my child learn skip counting. I wasn’t as diligent with my older two boys. They do know their multiplication facts now, but I can see that memorizing skip counting lays a more thorough foundation than just drilling facts. Skip counting communicates the concept that multiplication is fast adding.
We have a skip counting tape which sets the number lists to music, but the tunes are, for the most part, not familiar, making them difficult to learn. So, I just picked my own tunes and used the word "and" strategically to make the list fit the music! For instance, for 6′s, I used "Lightly Row": six, twelve, eight-teen, twen-ty-four, thir-ty, a-and thir-ty-six, for-ty-two and for-ty-eight, fif-ty-four and six-ty.
Now when my daughter solves multiplication problems (or division), she can use her skip counting to find the answer. For instance: 6 x 6 ~ She can count "6, 12, 18, 24, 30, 36", keeping track how far to go by holding up fingers until she gets to six fingers. She can do this fairly quickly and with repetition is memorizing her facts. Of course, she drills the facts as well and now we have a tool to use: The Flashmaster which is just a high-falutin’ way of doing flashcards, but more fun.
Even at Sophie’s young age, she already has her upper times tables down cold thanks to this gem:
The advertising claims that this tool helps children to learn their upper times tables in about an hour. I purchased and used Times Tales Deluxe with my kids and found the advertising to be accurate! My boys already knew their facts, but my daughter learned them for the first time in an hour and still has excellent retention of the facts months later.
These tools for multiplication mastery work for me!
Last Saturday, the boys were treated to a trip to a dude ranch by Pastor Bob and Cheryl. Matthew asked me if he could blog about it. (Yes, my boy asked me if he could write.) You can go to The Far Side of the Mountain to read about their adventures and view pictures.
As far as I can tell, this week I’ve been hit in succession with a cold virus and a stomach virus. I’m looking forward to feeling better and getting out of survival mode. I’m sure that my whole family feels the same…I’m glad they didn’t haul me out to the corner with the broken-down washer!
In recent weeks, I’ve read aloud to the children from historical novels set during World War II. We finished Escape from Warsaw and are currently reading The Winged Watchman which is proving to be quite captivating and well-written. I am also reading aloud The Good Fight: How World War II Was Won, an excellent pictorial history. The children have read other non-fiction World War II books on their own as well.
Two nights ago for supper, we ate grilled bratwursts and some chorizo (spicy Italian sausage which James alone could tolerate) along with sauerkraut and succotash made with corn and edamame. We noticed that we were eating foods common to Germany, Italy and Japan (stretching it with the edamame) and called it our Axis powers dinner. I know, we’re bad.
We have continued with our beginning Latin studies which, surprisingly to me, has added more enjoyment to our read-alouds. The kids can earn a penny for any Latin derivative that they identify, defining both the Latin root and the English word. Sometimes the kids even catch derivatives that fly under my radar (or is it over?). I remember several months ago, reading from Caddie Woodlawn and beginning to explain the meaning of "portage." Before I got the definition out of my mouth, Sophie piped up, "Portage comes from porto which means I carry!" Well…Yes!
And today, while reading The Good Fight, Matthew stated, "Primitive comes from primus which means first."
I had to say, "You might be right! Let’s look it up" and read "Middle English primitif from Old French from Latin primitivus from primus, first." I read the definition and asked, "Can you give me an example of a primitive weapon?"
"An atom bomb?" answered Matthew.
"Actually, an atom bomb is the opposite of primitive, because it is very technologically advanced," I explained.
Evan answered, "A spear."
"Yes, a spear is primitive," I replied, "because it is a simple weapon and it was one of the first weapons used."
I learn something new every day!
Melkhi