Keeping It Simple

You can find the this challenge and more at Delightful Learning blog. The original challenges were submitted each week. Since then the links have changed so I have removed them from this post.  Visit  here to see more about these fun challenges .  The goal of this activity is to create, using a predetermined set of materials, an aircraft. There are rules for how long each step of the project may take and how the project is to be presented in the end (in this case, it is to be "launched"). If this all seems like gibberish, check the above link . The boys put their heads together to plan. They improvised a stool and line (as per directions) to launch their aircraft from- in their words- "it was a bit of a fail". :) With a few new ideas to hash out, they pulled the first aircraft apart and started over. Not much more success was to be had with this incarnation of their aircraft. Not to be discouraged, Paul took ma...

Spelling - We are still plugging along with All About Spelling . I can't help but mention it because it has changed our school day! I am usually suspicious of someone who claims to have "built a better mouse trap"- most of the time, the old one did the job.   But, this program works for us in a way that no other program has. Part of it is that all I have to do is get out my card box, open my book, and go! This program is teacher intensive, but all the brain work is done for me. Plus, it works for my boys!! :) James loves his reader that goes with AAS. FIAR -  Because it is a short week, we did not begin another FIAR book. We finished the few lessons in Wee Gillis that we did not complete last week- this book is pretty light (not too many lessons), so we did all the lessons under all of the subjects. That does not happen all that often.                ...

You can find the this challenge and more at Delightful Learning blog. The original challenges were submitted each week. Since then the links have changed so I have removed them from this post. Visit  here to see more about these fun challenges .  As the boys were discussing their favorite school subjects the other day, Paul said that "my favorite subjects are science and the challenge ". So... loser homeschool mom (me ;)), who keeps putting off our challenges, decides to get the nicely organized bucket of challenge materials out and set up a challenge for the boys. * If you never heard a subject called "The Challenge", you can visit Michelle over at Delightful Learning to get the information. * The Challenge: to use these materials to build a Leaning Tower The materials for this challenge: scissors (to be used as a tool), 20 toothpicks, 20 mailing labels and 6 straws . * Procedure: Build a tower and lean it against the wall- it must touch both the ta...

You can find the this challenge and more at Delightful Learning blog. The original challenges were submitted each week. Since then the links have changed so I have removed them from this post. Visit  here to see more about these fun challenges .  The Challenge , should you choose to accept it, is to create an aircraft that will fly as far as possible and land on a target. For this Challenge, the boys had their cousin join them. I don't have any close up pictures to show the details of the project (I was trying to let them work it out without feeling like I was hovering. ;)). They started off with a fair amount of enthusiasm. And some intense strategy conferencing. And, within the time limit, launched their plane. That fell way short of the target. :) Okay, so they had fun. :) On to the scoring: 20 pts. if the aircraft hit the target- 0 2 pts. for each foot the aircraft traveled- 14 Up to 30 pts. for creative use of materials- hmm... they were a bit creative, but not very...

You can find the this challenge and more at Delightful Learning blog. The original challenges were submitted each week. Since then the links have changed so I have removed them from this post. Visit here to see more about these fun challenges . The challenge for the day: create a structure that will hold two cups off the table surface and as far apart as possible. Dad joins the fun-- really, he saved the day when he came home from work and was drafted to help out. Today's activity was lacking a little in cooperation. View from the window. :) It appears that all is going well. When the time hit 7 minutes, they were not quite ready. It took a few more seconds to get the structure ready for weight- and, really, if we used plastic cups as the materials list instructed instead of Styrofoam, the cups may have been too heavy for the structure. By Mark's expression, I'd say that he is not confident in the ability of the structure to hold the cups. :) A view from unde...

A highlight of the boys' school last year were the two weekly " challenges " from Delightful Learning that they completed- with Christmas we lapsed even farther behind (DL is already at #8!), and I have been a bit sluggish in getting going this new year. I had some time to do some prep work though, so we are ready to go. Our "Challenge Box"-- I have all the general materials (listed with each challenge) on hand, but this will save me walking the same steps for each challenge. And, if the boys decide that they want to do one of their own (I am sure they will for the airplane ;)) for any of the challenges, they can easily assemble the materials for themselves. I also added in the items specific to the upcoming challenges, so we are really ready to go! All the materials assembled for challenge 3 & 4. And, I printed up the rest of the challenges to date-- for those who have kept up over the weeks, that wouldn't be necessary. I added these to our "C...

You can find the this challenge and more at Delightful Learning blog. The original challenges were submitted each week. Since then the links have changed so I have removed them from this post. Visit  here to see more about these fun challenges .  Yes, we are at it again. This week's (actually, last week's) challenge is to build a boat. The boys had eight minutes, a box full of supplies--styrofoam cups, string, crafts sticks, mailing labels or, in our case, name tags (you gotta improvise sometimes), chenille stems,..-- and their brain power to make an object that will float and move across the water. Then they had two minutes to get the boat across the tub. Paul was excited when he first put the boat down- the wind pushed it halfway across! Then it died down and the boys started blowing. :) There is a scoring system. Based on that, I'd say the boys got full credit (20 pts) for working well together and having a boat at the end of round one (10 pts)....

You can find the this challenge and more at Delightful Learning blog. The original challenges were submitted each week. Since then the links have changed so I have removed them from this post. Visit  here to see more about these fun challenges .  We did not participate in an officially, but we did the "Up for a Challenge?" activity for last week. It was a blast!! I am not sure we followed the rules exactly, but the boys put a nice effort in to their bridge building. It was fun to hear them discuss their strategy and see them work together (just one or two small disagreements) to complete their project.   Part I- in 5 minutes, using only a pair of scissors (as a tool- not part of the bridge) and a deck of playing cards, build a bridge from one 8 in. square to the other (no cards touching the table between) that will hold weight. Working hard on it!   Did it!! Part II- two minutes to add weights. How many weights (nails) will it hold- time ends when ...