Week in Review--Tourists in Our Own Town

We've just been hunkering down trying to get through some workbooks and what-not.  It's that time of year, I guess.  I did take one evening and gather a few items for Scrappy's portfolio (that's what's required here in PA) so I have much less anxiety over all of that.  I see where the gaps are, and I am working to fill them.  Yippee!

We have really been having a good time with school.  I'm not all wigged out, which really helps keep everything calm.  And since it's getting to be spring, that means it's convention time!  I am very excited to attend (I hope) two homeschool conventions this year.  One of them is local, and the other is the big one in Cincinnati.  Will you be there?  Let me know!  We are blessed with supportive family, and thanks to my aunt, we've purchased nearly everything we need for next year already.  I hope I remember that when I'm at the vendor fair!

All of the kids have been working on reading.  Even Silly has started reading!  I am amazed at what she picks up just from being around the other kids.  It's been so much easier to school Goofy and Silly, since Scrappy and Funny have come before them.  They both seem to magically know things.  It's nice.

For science, we're done with fish (in general) and have moved onto cartilaginous fish (sharks & rays).  It's time to start planning our big end-of-year field trip to the National Aquarium in Baltimore.

For social studies, we've studied Australia's indigenous people, as well as the arrival of Europeans.  We've also talked about the Franks invading Gaul and the emergence of France.

Scrappy will be taking his state-required standardized test in the upcoming weeks.  I'm trying to prepare him for that by giving him some bubble worksheets.  As for the information, he knows it or he doesn't.  I'm trying to relax about it, especially since there's no minimum score dictated by the state.

We went on three field trips.  We returned to the Carnegie Science Center, listened to the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, and also went to the Heinz History Center.  

Shot of the orchestra before the show started (and the no photos rule).

This is a powder horn from the French & Indian War.  They would carve maps on the outside,
which is what you see on the right.

Pittsburgh is very famous for its glass.

Scrappy driving the trolley.

Steel workers uniform.  Safety first.  Or third.

There's a great Pittsburgh sports museum within the History Center.

Silly as Honus Wagner.

Goofy is ready to stop the puck!

Funny with George Washasaurus.

Scrappy tries lifting a steel worker's wrench.  It didn't budge.

Scrappy and Goofy on a Racer car, from Kennywood.

At Science Center, Scrappy played air hockey against a robot.  And lost.

Funny does the local weather forecast.

Books read and videos watched:  Dingoes at Dinnertime (Magic Tree House, No. 20), I Have a Dream (Voices of Freedom), Rabbit Ears Heroic Bible Stories: Jonah and the Whale, Joseph and His Brothers, Children Just Like Me, Let's Count Goats!, Australia (Rookie Read-About Geography), Bill Nye the Science Guy: Architecture [DVD], Bill Nye the Science Guy: Heat, Medieval Paris (Journey to the Past), The Inside-Outside Book of Paris, Shark Week: The Great Bites Collection [Blu-ray] Mythbusters episode

Are yinz guys nebby n'at?  Check out Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers for more.  And...Go Steelers!