Providence, planning your garden

We did a much better job of reading the book this week, and I thought our book discussion on Old Yeller was much more lively, engaging and productive! Yeah! Did you feel like you contributed more and got more out of it? Keep up the good work!

Remember to mark your calendars for our March 5th field trip (12-2:40) to The Evergreen State College aquaponics/organic farm/permaculture displays. I think it is going to be really cool, hope you do to!

This coming week:

     A. read Little Britches and be prepared to discuss it

     B. Habits:

           1. Core Book studies - 5 per week

           2. Math lessons - 4 per week

           3. Write in log book - 10+ minutes per day, 4 days per week

           4. Garden - finish Garden Plan worksheet, decide what seeds you want to purchase or order. If you want me to add yours to my botanicalinterests.com order, let me know. You can look at what they offer online, or I will bring the catalogue again next week. You are of course free to search and get your seeds anywhere you want (or even get transplants: but they are a lot more expensive and harder to find non-GMO). Planting time is coming quick. Many seeds can be planted out at the beginning of March around here, or even earlier indoors or in greenhouses/minigreenhouses. While you are waiting for planting time, you can prep your garden beds or containers (probably too early for rototilling though). I personally don't like plastic, but many people cover their beds with plastic to warm the soil earlier.

          

Georgics!!!

I love all of Pyramid Project, but I have to admit that the second semester, studying Georgics, is certainly my favorite!

Sorry, I didn't get this out earlier.  I started it about 3 times and never finished.  I'll make sure to email it, too.

Did you finish Old Yeller?  Did you cry?  Come on, you can admit it... you got at least a little misty-eyed, right?  Or was that just me?  I'm excited for our book discussion tomorrow with all SIX of you having read it!!

How is it coming with getting your hands on all the books?  Please make this a priority!

Are you thinking about what your garden project is going to look like?  Did you see the link I posted on FB for some ideas for container gardens?  http://m.hometalk.com/3400506/5-best-container-vegetables-for-beginning-gardeners  Or how about this one, using flowers instead of insecticides? http://ofrf.org/news/flowers-replace-insecticides-lettuce-production  Here's another idea I found this week, that I'm really interested in trying, so I can maybe get an early start on the growing season: http://www.farmshow.com/view_articles.php?a_id=1486  If you find any great links or ideas, make sure you share them... in class and/or on FB and email.  I love learning new things.  I'm sure we'll all learn a bunch about gardens from Sister Ottosen this week!

And a last reminder... this semester is a step up in work... math at least 4 times a week, daily Core studies, at least 10 minutes in logbook every day, papers, presentations, lots of books, and a garden project.  Please bring your forms, signed by a parent, showing your commitment to these things.

Testing, testing, 123

Last week we took a blue book test annotating our core book. For anyone who may have been nervous about a test...we are all alive and well still:-) Keep that in mind and come this Thursday prepared to be serious and thoughtful and use your time well.

This week we are having the end of semester math test. You must bring the math test from your math packet or the math test from whatever math you've been doing OR make up your own math test that shows what you have learned this semester. This test is required to show your progress and earn your prism for first semester. What can you do so you remember to bring it?
Please leave your toys and distractions at home, although you could bring a notebook to doodle in when you are finished.

How is your Science/Math  Project/Experiment coming along for Thursday evening? Hopefully you are well along or done:-) This is going to be fun to explore what you all bring!

Since we are studying georgics next semester, I thought I'd let you know we processed our first goat today! A tad different than chickens! Glad I had help and glad we all had a good/embrace failure attitude...surprisingly enough we ended up having fun together and we learned alot!

Prisms, Prisms, everywhere!

Have you earned your Prism???   2 more weeks of first semester left and we'll be presenting Prisms at Parent Night on the 15th. 

Sister Ottosen and I will be talking with you, to double check that you have everything completed (there are a few items not on our giant checklist).  Some of the biggies...

• Memorizing the characteristics of a scientist
• Reading all the books
• Keeping your Log book
• 4 Science Experiments
• Science Fair Project (presented at Parent Night)

Also, Thursday (the 8th) is our Inteligro Math book discussion, and a blue book exam on Core Book Studies.  ***Please bring your Core Book to class with you!*** This isn't a scary exam at all, in fact this is what my binder says about it, "Have students bring their Core book to class and take a one hour exam annotating a chapter of their choice for truth, equations, patterns, and lines of logic.  Use annotations, not essay, unless students choose to do so."  Since you've been studying your Core Book and annotating all semester, this is a piece of cake!

Next week (the 15th), is the Math exam.  If you have been doing the Geometry or Pre-Algebra packets that accompany Pyramid Project, the final exam at the end of the packet is what you'll bring to class and work on.  If you are doing something else for math, please bring an exam that you or your parent have written.  Yep, you can write the exam and then take it in class.  The point of this is for your own growth and understanding, and to show you that your goals have served you well.  There may well be food and time for a bit of a party! 

Adam and Trey, I believe you both still have a presentation to do.  Please be ready on Thursday.  If there's time, we may have them both.  If not, we'll move one of you out to next week.

I'm super excited to see all of your science projects, and to see you earn your Prism!