ROLL CALL: Relaxed Peeps check-in

[AuntPol]

We have become much more relaxed since last fall. I would call us quite unschoolers though (at least not radical ones).

 

My kids are 12 and 11 (7th and 6th grade)

 

We watch movies, tv shows, documentaries, etc on the tv (via netflix we don't have cable) for lunch everyday. This week, they've been on a MASH kick (we recently studied the Korean War). They like comparing it to Hogan's Heroes. We also have Majestic, Pork Chop Hill, and Blue Hawaii to watch this week. Last week we watched Gandhi and Grease (didn't quite remember it being so sexual-but that led to some neat conversations)

 

They are both reading Idiot's Guide to the 20th Century and a couple of Uncle Eric books (my son has plowed through the latter as he like them a lot and my daughter just dabbles in them when she's stuck in the bathroom lol).

 

We listen to a lot of talk radio and discuss current events on a daily basis.

 

We've been discussing civil rights lately -went to a museum field trip to a film and exhibit on the civil rights movement in Raleigh. We're reading MCT's guide to the I Have a Dream speech.

 

 

We went to bookstore on Sunday to use their Christmas gift cards. My Dd got Hunger Games and a Monster High book. She read the Hunger Games this week (in two days) and is now reading the third book in the Monster High series. Tonight we are going to Barnes and Nobles to get the other two books in the Hunger Games series. She put in a red hair extension in her hair today to go along with the book. (BTW -she has a business of putting in colored hair extensions!)

 

She is learning how to make a custom Monster High doll and has been gathering materials. She recently bought a Monster High doll and it broke so she called Mattel and they sent her a new one. She is using the broken one to practice the techniques on. She taught herself how to remove old hair and put in new hair with a needle.

 

She usually makes a lot of videos but hasn't done any this week (yet).

 

She does math almost daily (Pre-Algebra-Kinetic Math online) because she wants to keep her options open to college. We've been doing a lot of oral questions on percentages via sales off (what is cost if this is 40% at Justice or 75% off at Target or 70% off at Kohls LOL)

 

I just got her a new Greek book (third in the Hey Andrew series) but she hasn't touched it this week. I need to remind her of her goal to visit Greece and do a dolphin study :)

 

She does dance three days a week (four classes) and is working on the recital dances. She has a big solo in at least two of the dances. She sent off to request info on the dance ministry at church since she doesn't like the teacher of her Wednesday night group and if she doesn't go to church, then I can't go (due to the schedule of driving her home after dance).

 

She is working on an essay on WWII for a contest. She is motivated to earn money to pay for her Disney trip. We told her if she saved enough to buy the tickets, we would pay for hotel and food, etc. She has the whole tripped planned. Her brother is helping her save up for the tickets.

 

The rest of her Scout troop has decided they don't want to do the Silver Award so she is researching ideas of things to do on her own. She has earned two journeys and a couple of badges. She has a candy sale fundraiser this weekend for American Heritage Girls.

 

She just helped my husband put a new floor in the bedroom this week.

 

My son bought Inheritance with his gift card and is reading it. He is also reading Animal Farm (at my suggestion -he loves it and read half of it right away and so gets the parallels to the Russian Revolution, etc).

 

He is doing Khan Academy for math but occasionally comes over and does some AOPS Beginning Algebra. He does math a few hours a day.

 

He is studying for the Science Olympiad state competition next month.

 

He is one requirement away from getting Second Class in Boy Scouts (which he will do at next campout in two weeks) and almost has First Class complete too. He recently earned the chess and computers merit badges at merit badge university.

 

He does Brazilian Jui Jitsu 2-4 times a week and has the state championships coming up next month. Last year, he was state champion for both NC and Virginia for his level.

 

He is playing baseball again this year. He's just an average player but he enjoys it. His best friend is on the team. That is twice a week currently but will go to 3 times a week.

 

He hasn't touched his Latin in two weeks -need to remind him. He likes to do things in chunks instead of a little bit each day. It's part of his Aspergers issue with transistions. He hasn't done a Latin chunk in a while!

 

He was going to do same essay that my daughter did but got distracted in researching and then decided that he couldn't pick just one thing to focus on. Instead, he wrote up a review for his video game.

 

He has been doing transposition ciphers this week and giving them to me. He has done a few logic problems too. These are things I taught him in our Co-op's Critical Thinking class.

 

He helped me measure our bedroom so that we could buy the flooring that my husband needed.