Density

Volume

I wasn't sure how our Chemistry Unit would go since chemistry is most definitely NOT my area of strength.  However, as we ease into it I'm finding that it's pretty basic.  Today we covered how to measure the volume of both rectangular solids as well as irregular solids.  Good thing we had borrowed some graduated cylinders from the learning center a week or two ago.  In the end Mckenzie switched the thumb tack for a set of keys because the tack didn't really 'register' as it was too small and we were using bigger units.  It was nice to cover both math and science at the same time.  Our days always seem shorter when he also has to do his paper route.

Bullseye!

Archery

For PE today Mckenzie did a little archery.  He really enjoys it but we don't do it enough.  I think I may need to look into classes again.  However I have a feeling it will be full again especially as the 3rd Hunger Games movies is still in theaters.  Mckenzie's interest in the bow and arrow pre-date his interest in The Hunger Games, which I like.  He's a pretty good shot too.  For no lessons and nearly zero practice I think he's got some really great potential here.

Back to it

After a long and much needed break over Christmas, we're back to it.  In just two weeks he's already read House of Hades by Rick Riordan, which is a 600 page book as well as 300 pages of Blood of Olympus by Rick Riordan.  I can't believe how fast this kid blasts through his books.  I think he's excited to start reading The Hunger Games.  

I had seen a sculpture on Pinterest and thought we'd try our own version.  It didn't turn out near as detailed as the one I saw, but it was a fun and very fast art project.  Basically just try to sculpt your face with foil.  

 We also began some drawing with grids.  I think he worked too fast with this.  So I plan to make him go back and work on more detail and eventually some coloring.

 And in math we're working on angles.  Right, acute, and obtuse, measuring and drawing angles.  We even took a closer look at my mom's quilt to find all kinds of angles.  This subject in math is going well.  He's sailing through it quickly which is really nice.

Soap Carving

 We thought it would be fun to try carving some soap.  We just used a regular bar of soap.  I think it was ivory.  There were no rules for it, just whatever he wanted to do.  He had to switch ideas though after the soap broke part way through.  He began attempting a turtle and in the end he made a little hammer from what else, and XBOX game.  I forgot to take a picture of the final project and also to hand it in for the end of term 1.  Oh well.

Ancient Rome

 Here it is, the final product of many many.... many hours.  I probably should take some close up photos of it also.  In his report he covered how they lived, homes, food, temples and ceremonies, gods/mythology, the mouth of truth, the Colosseum, Romulus and Remus.

 Part of the project was to include the food aspect of that society.  So that could mean what they ate, how food was transported, how food was grown, pretty much anything, it was very open ended.  Thankfully ancient Romans ate not all that differently from us today - in some regards.

 He had so much stuff that we had to use both sides of this board and even then we left a few things off.

 It sounds like it was quite well received by his peers and instructors so naturally he felt great pride in that - as he should.  He worked hard and did a great job.