Lifestyle of Learning Volume 14

What a great and productive week.  It was one of those weeks that allow me to feel so very comfortable about our educational decisions.

Here is a look at our lifestyle of learning for the week of April 28- May 4.

Sunday:

While Maceo was analyzing arguments against Christianity attempting to identify logical fallacies, Bishop and I enjoyed a spring walk and the accompanying natural observations.

Upon rounding a corner we were surprised by this beautiful Canada Goose.

She hissed at us which prompted a closer inspection and downy little goslings were discovered.

In total there were three couples with goslings.  They put on quite a show for us.

We also spied this beautiful guy.  Initially, we thought that it might be an immature Canada Goose.  Now, I am uncertain as to what this solitary bird is.  We must do some research.

Maceo also listened to many film-related podcasts.  And Bishop watched a couple of episodes of Mythbusters and read a couple of chapters of Rangers Apprentice.

Monday:

Monday morning found Bishop and I playing -ectomy on the allergists floor.  He won...again!

There was even more game playing for Bishop while at scouts.  He is enjoying earning his Chess merit badge.

Bishop continued studying the human body by taking a look at the lungs, including a look at his brother's chest x-rays.  He also watched more Mythbusters and read more Rangers Apprentice.  Maceo read a logic exercise, listened to some film-related podcasts, walked down to our independent theater and watched From Up On Poppy Hill.

Tuesday:
Maceo, Bishop and I served at our community food pantry for four hours.  Maceo listened to more podcasts and took a walk and Bishop read more of the Rangers Apprentice.

Wednesday:

Bishop began examining the human digestive system.

The day was so beautiful that we opted to take the show on the road.  While at the park Bishop and I diagrammed the digestive system.

And Maceo and I discussed logic and tried to decipher riddles.

We also took this opportunity to focus just a bit on our photography.

Then we took off to try a new restaurant and learned a new game.  I introduced Bishop to Boggle while Maceo was listening to podcasts (always listening to podcasts).

Bishop continued to make progress on his Rangers Apprentice book.  Maceo viewed 2001: A Space Odyssey last week and he continued his Stanley Kubrick retrospective this evening as he watched Dr. Strangelove or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb.

Thursday:
Bishop continued exploring the digestive system.  He did a digestion-in-a-bag model, diagrammed a worksheet on teeth (where digestion begins), and chose to set up an experiment examining the effects of sugar and acid on teeth.

Bishop and I then took advantage of our membership at the Discovery Center, first taking a look at the digestive system...

and then moving on to other cool stuff at the center.

Bishop and I then did dinner and a read a bit from the Rangers Apprentice.

In the meantime, Maceo wrote some movie reviews, read a Stanley Kubrick biography, and watched the documentary Stanley Kubrick: A Life in Pictures.
We then helped Maceo continue with his Kubrick retrospective by watching The Shining as a family.

Friday:
Bishop had a low key day pursuing personal interests, playing a bit of Boggle and reading Rangers Apprentice.

Maceo had a full day which he began by making some french toast.  He then went to choir, took a walk, and watched a Japanese foreign film.  Foreign films are a really cool addition to any educational repertoire.  They can be a rather entertaining way to be exposed to the language and culture of another country.

Saturday:
Today Bishop and I went to a craft fair.  He was really interested in the gourd art.  The artist was not only selling her work but she was also selling off her supply of unfinished gourds and was willing to give instruction to an aspiring young artist.

Afterwards, the three of us went to the bookstore.  It was a necessary trip because I needed to pick up the current issue of Cloth, Paper, Scissors because my sister, Christie, had a piece of her work published in the magazine.  (Christie's work is pictured below in the top left corner).

And although I would consider this magazine an educational resource it is not the only resource that we left the store with.  We picked up some new games, chess and bananagrams, and the boys each picked out a book.  Bishop purchased his first graphic novel, Avatar, and Maceo selected 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die.

These purchases have provoked a flurry of very focused activity.

  Bishop has spent the last three hours reading his book.  Maceo has been perusing his book and learning a great deal about film history.  Also, he viewed the 1902 film "Trip to the Moon" and the 1903 film "The Great Train Robbery."
He has begun to complete the checklist found within the book and is making notations about the movies.

Wow, what a full and exciting week!