A Net in Time

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Easter Week Brings Changes

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 So we only did three actual days of schooling this week and only two of them were relatively normal.  🙂

Monday.. 
Normally we go to London on Mondays, but I still had a headache and the thought of moving didn’t set well with me.   I did a few things in the morning while my head was sorta still in place, but then my head fell apart on me and I spent the rest of the day hiding from the light.

Tuesday…
We needed some groceries so we headed out at noon to take care of that.  The lad had a lovely visit with gramma and they even went out for a treat at McD’s.  The lad had pushed hard to get his homeschooling done and only needed to do his reading at gramma’s to be finished. 

Wednesday..
The lad stayed home to do some really focused schoolwork while I went to the foodbank.  It was a delivery day and we were short staffed so by the time I got home I was totally tired, and then sat in my chair doing some blog posts.   I had hoped to clean the bookroom and all that, but… you know when you gotta rest, you gotta rest.  I did manage to take some pictures and list bunnies for sale at Easter so it’s not like I was a total slug.

Thursday…
Off to Kitchener.  The lad was SUPPOSED TO do some car-schooling but got distracted by playing tablet games.   He said “I’ll do it later” but later turned into potting some of his new cactus plants.  So his schooling that day turned into doing math as he figured out what he wanted to buy, if he had enough money, wanted to spend the money required for his initial desires or put things back and then in doing some gardening.  Figuring out how to plant the biggest cactus with tons of spines was a bit of a challenge but between the two us, it got planted.  

The evening was filled with a soup and bun dinner at the church where my son does Cadets.   I made a rice/veggie/chicken soup that met my son’s approval.

Friday…
Good Friday.   This morning Gramma came up and went to church with us.  We had a lovely dinner with a roast beef made by hubby, taters, veggies, Easter bread made by yours truly, Chicken by gramma, along with dessert, Cut up tomatoes requested by a boy child as he set the table. 

Saturday..
These kiddos will be heading to London with me tomorrow and finding new homes.  Hubby has some stuff to pick up and … that’s about it for our week.  

Sunday …
Potluck dinner at my mom’s with as many of us as can make it. 🙂  We’ll be making Shredded beef and I need to cut up some celery for a veggie tray.  🙂  It’ll be a happy Easter eh?

 
Reviews: 
Your Next 24 Hours: Some practical ideas about being kind.
John Deere: That’s Who – The story of John Deere.
Art Book Series: Claude Monet, Sunshine and Waterlilies – A great art book
CompuScholar, Inc. – Digital Savvy a great computer science course. 

Everything Else:
Braided Easter Bread: A first, the lads loved it!
But Just You Wait: a word prompt post on Empty. 
Parenting: Grace – Learn the value of grace in the everyday of parenting
See the Altar, look forward to Christ.  Ezekiel 43:13-27 devotional
Princes, Foreigners and The Prince, rules.  Ezekiel 44:1-14 devotional
Don’t Forget the Sacrifices: Devotional on Ezekiel 44:15-31
Art Book Series: Claude Monet, Sunshine and Waterlilies – A great art book
Five Day Blog Hop – join me next week eh?
Recipe: Italian Bread.   mmm… good bread
MMM is for Maple Syrup: Alphabet blogging on Canada.
Celebrate!  Redeem History – word prompt post
Honey Lemon Rabbit on Angel Hair Pasta.   This was VERY yummy.

Linking up At the Following:

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©2006-2017 A Net In Time. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. A Net In Time/

Five Day Blog Hop – Things we Enjoy

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Hey folks…. you know how we homeschool right?  Homeschooling presents us with all sorts of good things, and I know my thoughts on it, but the other day I asked my 11 year lad what he liked about homeschooling.

This is the list he came up with:
 
 

1. Natalie … I know..you’re wondering about this but you’ll have to wait. 🙂

2. Get to stay Home

3. Work at my own pace.

4. No one makes me get out of bed before I want to.

5. Get to study what I want mostly.

I am not going to tell you all about this today though, I am going to ask you to visit the blog next week and find out why these things are so important to him.  🙂

The Homeschool Review Crew is doing a five day blog hop and I hope you will join in the fun.     Running April 17-21.   Come visit, won’t you?

This post may contain affiliate links – using affiliate links from A Net in Time helps fuel this blog and our homeschool – thank you!

©2006-2017 A Net In Time. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. A Net In Time/

Art Book Series: Claude Monet:Sunshine and Waterlilies

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The small book on Claude Monet is written as though a young person was writing a report for school, complete with what she likes and doesn’t like about Monet’s painting and some of the food he liked it eat.   It covers from his early years til the end of his life.

It’s a rather neat little book just packed full of pictures and text about Monet.  Did you know that Monet had a temper and if he didn’t like his work he’d rip it up or throw it into the river (if out in a boat mind you).

One of the nice touches I thought the comparison of Renoit and Monet doing the same scene.  Each artist had his own touch.    Both I think are great.  Two friends who often painted together. Neighbours, Friends, Rivals, both Impressionists.

I love the multitude of images and the easy read font.  I found it fascinating seeing Monet’s early work and how much it changed the longer he was an artist.   

For instance this early one : La Pointe De La Heve at Low Tide
As Opposed this later one: San Giorgio Maggorie by Twilight.

Monet was well known for liking to paint the same scene at different times of the day. He loved to be outdoors painting rather than indoors doing portraits or still-life images.  It took a long time for his style of art work to be accepted, but when they did, it enabled him to build an awning to sit under when he painted, it meant he didn’t need to live with friends or only eat beans for months on end.

This was a very interesting book that piqued my (and my son’s) interest in Monet.

 Claude Monet: Sunshine and Waterlilies
Author: Steven Packard
Illustrator: True Kelley
Published by Grosset & Dunlop
Series: Smart about Art
32 pages

Where to find it:
Amazon.ca: Claude Monet: Sunshine and Waterlilies

Amazon.com: Claude Monet: Sunshine and Waterlilies (Smart About Art)

Here’s a neat series of videos about Monet:

This post may contain affiliate links – using affiliate links from A Net in Time helps fuel this blog and our homeschool – thank you!

©2006-2017 A Net In Time. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. A Net In Time/

Review: Compuscholar, Inc.

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In this day and age of technology at our fingertips, solid computer skills are an essential part of learning, and the new Digital Savvy course from CompuScholar, Inc. provides excellent instruction in fundamental computing topics.

My son has been using the computer for quite some time now, but there is so much that he doesn’t understand about them, so when the chance came up for him to learn more about them, I totally jumped on it.  🙂   Digital Savvy is teaching him so much about computers, it’s neat to see his understanding deepen.

How does this online program work?
After you log into this online computer skills class you come to the main screen which outlines what the student will be learning.   The main title is clickable and will lead you to the lessons for the week.

 Twenty five lessons plus supplemental lessons.  Each lesson is clearly delineated with options for doing video and/or a written lesson, along with a quiz.  Five lesson in one week. Making it easy to complete one chapter per week, the lessons are short enough you can do two or more a day, along with the application part and the weekly test. 

Twenty three chapters of lessons, along with one mid-term project and one final project.

  • Fundamentals of Computer Hardware
  • Fundamentals of Computer Software
  • Operating Systems
  • Computer Files
  • Computer Maintenance and troubleshooting
  • Computer Networks
  • Search Engines
  • Computer Security
  • Word processing
  • Spreadsheet programs
  • Presentation programs
  • Database technology
  • Project management and teamwork
  • Digital Images
  • Internet Communications
  • Social Media
  • More Social Media
  • Creating Web Pages
  • Web Links, Images and Animation
  • Programming Concepts
  • Digital Logic
  • Careers and Professional Skills

One of the things I like is that the lessons aren’t all just learn this, learn that, here’s a test.   At the end of the week that have a practical component to help bring all the parts of the lesson together.  It helps cement the weeks lessons.

The quiz and tests are handled the same way, with multiple choice questions.
They clear show if you have the answer correct or not.

Marking is a breeze, the program doing it all for you, with the exception of the practical component (which encourages parental involvement eh?)  🙂   Checking them over means I can say to the lad… that lesson 3…I think redoing that one might be a good idea eh?   (and have a sheepish boy go …I didn’t like that one, but okay).

So far this computer science course is proving to be helpful to my lad, giving him a way to use computer language as he talks with his dad (who knows so much about computers it makes my head spin).  🙂  It is so great to find a program that will continue the connection between a dad and his lad, and if my son has any questions he can turn to his dad for advice, I do have to admit though, he hasn’t needed much help at this point (beyond how to do the practical application and the one lesson redo).

Marking projects is easy to do.  You simply go into your account as teacher, and mark the project using a rubric.

 You will find in the teachers area that there are all sorts of helps, professional development courses.   If you look under common administrative features it will bring up videos on  Grading students project, Using the Gradebook, Adding sibling accounts and more.

My Thoughts:
Other than when my lad complains about needing to read the student text (because he missed something in the test and needs to correct it) I don’t hear a lot of “Do I have to do this?”   I have a lad eager to complete the material and who talks about what he is learning.  That to me is a sign of elective that is enjoyed.   It’s been a great way for him to do some computer learning.   We’ll be finishing this course.

He has commented that he would like the chapter lessons to note which lessons he has completed.  He wishes the check marks would change colour when that days lesson is completed.

My son’s comments:
“I like that they have video lessons.  The lessons are interesting and relatively fast to do.  I try to not have to read the student text book though.”

Product: Digital Savvy
Vendor: CompuScholar, Inc. (formerly Homeschool Programming)
Ages: Grades 6-12
Type: On-line Product

We reviewed three courses:
Digital Savvy 
Web Design
Java Programming

100 reviewers have been using CompuScholar, Inc. products.  Read reviews here or click below. 

http://schoolhousereviewcrew.com/digital-savvy-web-design-java-programming-compuscholarinc-reviews/

Social Media Links: 
Homeschool Programming
Facebook – www.facebook.com/HomeschoolProgramming
Twitter – https://twitter.com/HSProgramming   @hsprogramming

CompuScholar, Inc
https://www.facebook.com/CompuScholar
https://twitter.com/CompuScholar   @compuscholar

 Hashtags: #hsreviews  #computerprogrammingforkids #codingforkids #computerskills

This post may contain affiliate links – using affiliate links from A Net in Time helps fuel this blog and our homeschool – thank you!

©2006-2017 A Net In Time. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. A Net In Time/

Cactus and A Play

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 It’s been a pretty good week with some up and downs…. but when I reflect back.. mostly up!   AND THAT is a very good thing.  🙂

Monday: 
Started out like a typical day though everyone was act
ing tired and math was a frustration, and then English grammar was a frustration and… well let’s just say that we tossed English out the window and planned things out a bit differently to make the rest of the day a success.    We ran out to Gramma’s where the lad finished his schooling and then indulged his latest love.. CACTI!!!

Check out what he picked up with Gramma: 

If you see that little red nub on the side of the cactus…he’s already trying to graft it on to another cactus.  He’s been reading, researching and sussing out all the things he wants to try with his cacti and apparently next week we are going to go cacti hunting in Kitchener.  🙂

I have to admit… I love hearing his enthusiasm for his cacti… it gives one a break from minecraft and pokemon talk I must say.  🙂

Tuesday:
A stay at home day… we had plans to go out Wednesday to a play so stayed home to get some work done at home.   One of the things we worked on was our Art Achieve Lesson.  We are working on making a totem pole.   You’ll have to wait for the review though… coming up in a couple of weeks.

The lad also worked on his Digital Savvy course (also a review coming up).   

OH!!!   And we made a brain!  I know that sounds weird, but the lad and I have been learning about the central nervous system and I thought it would be good to make a plasticine model of the brain and then we’d label it another day.

I can’t say today was the easiest day… I actually disappeared for a needed few hours in afternoon to take a break from the angst of the morning.  We did some good things together, but it took working through angst to get there.  🙂   I managed to power through three reviews though, had a couple of conversations with friends, and got my mind back in order again.   Good to do that eh?

Wednesday we did minimal schooling.. writing a story, working on math, Canada history and Veritas Press lessons… then off to London.   We went to see the Musical “Little Women”.  I enjoyed myself!

Thursday:
A good day today.   Working through schooling, having fun relaxing in the afternoon, and at night…the success of Bridge Busting night at Cadets!  The lad came in first for best looking bridge, and came in fourth of the boys for bridge weight holding.  His bridge held 150 lbs.

Friday: 
We had co-op in the morning with lots of YAY!!   The children like the class I am teaching, and woot woot.. they love how Hubby is teaching gym.   AND I brought a bunch of books down with me and ended up selling some of it.  Would have loved to have sold more but hey.. a wee bit here and there .. it all works eh?  I’ll slowly winnow it down.  

I came home completely tired so I napped off and on in the afternoon sitting in my comfy chair.  So here it is 1030 and I’m feeling tiredly awake.  🙂   

Saturday:
I’m supposed to go to a rabbit club meeting but currently am feeling like I don’t wanna go.   We’ll see what happens in the morning. 

Reviews: 
God’s Easter Miracles.  Miracles about Easter, a picture book.
Shepherd, Potter, Spy–And Star Namer.  Biblical history in creative story telling

Homeschooling and everything else:  
Art Book Series: 1-2-3 Draw: 5 in 1 how to draw books. 
Sacred Moments:  Prayer as a unit is a good thing to plan.
Tuna Noodle Salad: A recipe. 🙂
The Temple’s Chambers: Devotion Ezekiel 42
God will dwell in Their Midst Forever: Devotion on Ezekiel 43:1-12
God Alone is enough: word prompt post
Books Read in March.  Word prompt. book list

Loonies and Toonies, an alphabet blogging post.

Linking up at the following places:

This post may contain affiliate links – using affiliate links from A Net in Time helps fuel this blog and our homeschool – thank you!

©2006-2017 A Net In Time. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. A Net In Time/

Art Book Series: 1-2-3 Draw

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 Today I have a book from my own collection. 1-2-3 Draw, a  neat coil bound book that teaches the student how to draw a variety of objects. 

One of the things I like about this book is how it LIES FLAT.  Oh heavens, too many art books don’t which means you need to weight down the book in order to use it effectively.   Having a coil ring art book makes it easy to display if showing a classroom or to lie flat as you learn.

Five sections to choose from including: wild animals, dinosaurs, farm animals, knights/castles and vehicles.

It’s a book of simple line drawings, walking the student through a series of circles and lines to help them accomplish their drawings.  Learning the technique for one animal, object or person will help them learn how to do it for others.

Followed by inspiration on how to put it all together.   Each section ended with a picture of how you might put it all together.  

Not only that, as you learned to draw an animal, object or item, you were given a brief spot of information about it.

 All in all a good book to learn how to draw different things.  The only thing my son and I dislike is that some of the animals are a bit disproportionate (legs being too long for the body), but that is easy enough to fix eh?  🙂

 1-2-3 Draw: Super Fun Stuff
 Author: Freddie Levin
Publisher: Peel Productions, Inc.

Five books in one

 
 
Where to Find it?
Amazon.ca: 1-2-3 Draw Super Fun Stuff: 5 Books in One

Amazon.com: 1-2-3 Draw Super Fun Stuff: 5 Books in One

This post may contain affiliate links – using affiliate links from A Net in Time helps fuel this blog and our homeschool – thank you!

©2006-2017 A Net In Time. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. A Net In Time

K is for Karst

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Welcome to another week of blogging through the alphabet. Amanda and I are delighted to have you join us (for this week or every week) with the Letter K.

You can read others in the series:

A: Sidney Altman, Canadian Scientist.
B: Beavers!
C: Chant National/O Canada.
D: Dog Sledding.
E: Edgewalk.
F. Tailed Frogs.
G: Greats of Canada.
H: Henry Hudson.
I: Igloos and Inukshuks Work

Karst is “a distinctive topography in which the landscape is largely shaped by the dissolving action of water on carbonate bedrock (usually limestone, dolomite, or marble).” (source)

source: http://www.cancaver.ca/docs/karst.htm

Karst is a geological process that takes a long time to form, it is the result of “the carbon dioxide cascade”. The result of this process is the formation of sinkholes, vertical shafts, streams that disappear, and complex underground drainage and caves.

As rain falls through the atmosphere it picks up carbon dioxide, and when it lands on the ground it picks up more carbon dioxide… this causes it to form a weak acidic solution called carbonic acid.

This weak solution filters into cracks and crevices, naturally exploiting them…. overtime this leads to the formation of subsurface caves.

This happens in areas where there is a lot of limestone, dolomite and/or marble.

Karst is found in large quantities in Quebec at Ile d’Anticosti, the Bruce Peninsula and Manitoulin Island, large patches beneath glacial-lake clays like Lake Agassiz (Winnipeg area) and in the Northwest Territories.   Small patches can be found in Hamilton, Montreal and Ottawa.   The mountains in British Columbia can also host Karst. 
See this site for more information.

A protected cave system in British Columbia. It became protected because of vandalism issues. Cavers asked the government to help protect the cave system, thus leading to the guided tour system today.

A Net In Time Schooling
A Net In Time Schooling

This post may contain affiliate links – using affiliate links from A Net in Time helps fuel this blog and our homeschool – thank you!

©2006-2017 A Net In Time. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. A Net In Time/