Today Keith discussed criminal prosecutions with the kids... reading from the Street Law book. I wish I'd had this kind of education when I was a kid. I probably spent half my adult life not understanding some of the things he was reading about today -- like Miranda warnings, who Miranda was and why he sued, pleas, courtroom terminology, etc. The kids never lost interest... so I'm glad we found something that keeps their attention. Of course the government wouldn't want people to know how to defend themselves in court, so it is no big surprise that these things aren't taught in government schools.

After that, Keith read to them from Dear Mad'am - a book about Happy Camp area history... by an elderly woman who lived at Ferry Point... a few miles downriver.

Next we had math lessons. I had Cimeron doing the multiplication pre-test from the Barron's workbook I checked out of the library. She was so distracted last time we did the Trips website I decided to try something else for a while and go back to Trips again soon. Aaron is still working on memorizing basic multiplication equasions... and was doing problems I had written into his notebook a few days ago. He did great on most - only missed three this time!

Music was Christmas songs. My kids don't sing enough and I'm trying to change that.

It rained outside most of the day and they stayed home except when Cimeron went with me to the store downtown.

  ¶ 10:54 PM  

  Today was a field trip day. First we went to see the vet when he came to town (he comes just once each month.) Our kitten, Mocha, got a distemper shot. Later we went to the public library, and Aaron went fishing with his friend, Blackhawk.

  ¶ 6:36 PM  

  Chart Jungle

This website has homeschooling charts, chore charts, etc. -- I'd love to print some of them, but without a printer I will just have to admire from across the wire.

Aaron has done a wonderful job on decorating my livingroom for Christmas. He hung his madrone berry garland on the window and put ornaments on it. The place looks so much more elegant now.


Aaron's treehouse is in a madrone tree.

  ¶ 7:08 PM  

  Today Keith read to the kids about American history... Cimeron did a page in her spelling book... so did Aaron. Cimeron spent most of her math time sending me messages on the Yahoo Messenger. At first I thought that would be a good idea, but she spent so much time playing with YM she didn't get much math work done. She's on the Cost of Driving page of the Trips website - it looks easy to me but she's resisting it now.

Aaron and I have been studying madrone berries, and he is making garlands of them for the Christmas tree this year. I asked Cimeron to harvest the seeds from the inside of the berries... for trading with other seed harvesters. She has a natural love for tearing such things apart. It is raining heavy outside today, but Cimeron and Aaron are going outside to gather more madrone berries for his garlands.

  ¶ 4:05 PM  

  BOOK TV.ORG

This website has some interesting educational materials prepared for teaching about American writers, the presidents, and more...

  ¶ 12:56 AM