Ten interesting things to do this week in school (Lydia's Grade Eight)

These ideas are drawn from Lydia's schedule; although she's setting the pace for much of this fall's work herself, it doesn't mean that all she should be doing for school is read, narrate, read, narrate. That really is one of the big challenges when our kids are old enough so that we're not standing over them, directing every lesson--to discourage just flying through a chapter, to encourage them to slow down enough to make it their own.

Quote for the week:  Ourselves Book II, page 115-120, Chapter XVIII, Temptation. "The battle of life for each of us lies in the continual repetition of what seems a most trifling act—the rejection of certain thoughts...at the very moment when they come." 

1. Math: In Chapter One, Lesson Five of Human Endeavor, Harold Jacobs explains inductive reasoning and describes the Soma Cube.  We don't have one of those here, but you can build one out of Lego. (scroll down for directions)

2. The Roar on the Other Side (reading and writing poetry):  Writing exercise on page 18, Nature Sleuth. Choose something that you've found or that you see outdoors.  Examine it, think about it, write about it, using words that are "resonant...carrying meanings that go beyond the literal." How is a poet's lens "more like a kaleidoscope than a microscope?"

3  Read the chapter about Sir Thomas More (1478 – 1535) and his Utopia, in History of English Literature.  Dramatize the Utopian attitude towards gold and jewels...or...write an updated version, in which one group of people show off their status symbols, but don't get the reaction they expect.

4.  Apologia Physical Science:  Learn to measure with cubits!

5. Whatever Happened to Justice?, chapter 4.  "Every child knows that the specific definitions of such phrases as 'on time' and 'too late' can be very important.  Loopholes are sought like gold nuggets.  The parents are under continual pressure to hone their rulings [not just about time!>] so that no misunderstandings are possible." Write and/or perform a (short) fractured fairy tale or operatic dialogue demonstrating this.

6.  Music appreciation:  there's a free lunchtime concert on Tuesday, featuring two violas.  Do you want to go?

7.  A Man for All Seasons (about Thomas More):  start reading the play together this week.

8.  Current events: put together a "news broadcast" on Thursday of anything that has seemed important over the week.  You might particularly pay attention to the Ontario municipal election campaigns that have just begun.  How many people are running for mayor here? When is the election?

 9.  Choose a poem or Scripture passage to memorize.  Make copies of the whole thing, or particular stanzas or verses, and put them in strategic places.  Practice whenever you get a chance. Set it to music if that makes it easier.

 10.  Fabric Flowers:  Choose one kind of flower to make from the book.  Do we have all the supplies?  Spend some time one afternoon working on this craft.