Field Trip: Hospital

Today, we went to visit our good buddy Avery. She lit up when we came in the room and she and Lucy had a big snuggle.



Of course, we had to bring a little science along...here Avery uses a water bottle to "sneeze" her "germs" without a tissue...


...and with. It was a good reminder of how germs spread when we don't cover coughs and sneezes.




Then, we pulled out an old favorite. We each sprinkled one color of glitter on our hands. Then we pretended to cough and sneeze into our hands. Without washing our hands, we shook hands with each other.



We learned that it takes soap, water, and rubbing our hands together to get the germs off!



We took an Avery led tour of the hospital and enjoyed some more snuggles while she had her treatments. We love Avery and were glad to go for a visit.

The link at the top of our blog will take you to Zoe's charity she started to benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

Busy Tuesday

Tuesday's are our crazy days here at the academy. Our 1st grade student is sad there is no Annie practice tonight, but the teacher is secretly glad.

Today, Lucy reviewed some sight words by making Christmas trees.







Here, Zoe tries to explain how she's "seeing it in her mind." We are slowing down on math while we master adding by making 10. (so when we see 8+4 we think 10+2). Not easy at first but I believe in this mathematical thinking and it's why I love Singapore math even when it's tough sledding.






Lucy was blowing through box 2 of Bob books so during Zoe's science class, we made a special trip to buy box 3.












Then we got to visit Zoe's last science class and go on her nature walk. We loved seeing the injured deer and learning more about what she does each week.












And then it was Nutcracker day at dance class. Lucy (in red) pictured during the night before the magic starts.






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Thinking in 10s

I love Singapore Math because it teaches higher order thinking early. It's a tough concept, but she's starting to get it.



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Blubber

Zoe has been taking a wonderful animal class at the Heard Science Museum. For her final project, she had to pick any animal and create a poster about it.




We researched from several different sources, got the big ideas together, and put them on the poster.





Then she practiced her presentation - note the food chain on the bottom including the fisherperson.




And of course, we had to bring an experiment. We put ice water in a cooler and she had her friends put on one scuba glove and stick both hands in the water. The squishy glove acts like the seal's blubber to keep it warm in the cold ocean. I refrained from sticking around, but she said it was a hit.

In case you wondered...

We still do regular work (although today it's just a hoop to jump through to get to opening night!)








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Thanksgiving

Last week was the eye of the storm. We took a break from the travel, holiday festivities, and impending Annie mayhem to just relax and enjoy each other.

We started each day slowly.



More than anything, this toy is what they remember about Thanksgiving and the story.



Some reading time with Grana...


...and reading with each other.



Happy Thanksgiving!!!



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Family Christmas

We practiced some valuable skills this weekend:

Movie watching


Tree decorating


Gift counting



Quilt opening (check out that amazing NYC quilt - thanks Grannie!)


Picture taking



Singing on stage


Snuggling



And being thankful for family. Merry Christmas in July at Thanksgiving!

Teamwork

We are getting ready for Thanksgiving (and Christmas) in Snyder later today. But first, some card writing,

A fun new magnet activity,



Some math facts made fun by turkeys on them,



More Bob books,



And some nice teamwork reading. Zoe whispers in her ear when she gets stuck. And I can finish making the cakeballs!

Pumpkin Decomposition

We are back from fall break and were pleased to see the gross yet fascinating progress in our pumpkins' decomposition in the woods where we threw them.

Fall Fun

The Smithey Academy is on our annual week long intensive study in Nashville with Professors Nonnie and Papaw - Professor Mom is relaxing at home and finally getting caught up on many things, one of which is this website!

October has flown by, and blogging has not risen past all the other thousands of things that demanded time.  Sorry to get so behind.  In addition, many of my pictures of our students hard at work were lost during a phone upgrade (but boy is my new iphone's camera great!).  So rest assured, while we have had more than our share of halloween candy, Annie rehearsal, travel, and fun, we have also been doing lots of reading, math, and writing.

Both girls are getting faster at their math facts and math in general (Lucy just listens and jumps in - she typically wanders over every day at math time and just watches quietly over Zoe's shoulder).  Reading is amazing some days and agonizing some days, and songs, stories, notes, and spelling lists are written every day.  I'll do a better job of keeping you updated.

Our study of Egypt led Zoe to decide to be Cleopatra during August and she never wavered.  And while I would like to think that our real life observation of the butterfly life cycle last spring inspired Lucy's costume, I think it was the big sparkly wings.

Texas State Fair

We had a fun (and very pricey) day at the State Fair.  

Of course, no trip is complete without a ride on the Texas Star, the largest ferris wheel in the Western Hemisphere (212 feet - the Academy students were impressed!)

There was an amazing area where kids walked through and performed tasks and received payment - they watered trees and got to pick fruit, milk a cow and take a carton of milk, plant seeds, and pick a vegetable, etc.  Then, they took their products to the market where they got a dollar in exchange for their bucket of items.  Finally, there was another store with "real" stuff  for a dollar! It was a well done and our students approved (they bought Cheetos and Doritos - cheesy goodness all around!) 

After a final run down the log ride, an award winning corn dog and some salt water taffy, we took our sticky hands and empty wallets home.  We'll be back next year!

Spooky Spanish Science

I was the scientist in resident at Spanish Schoolhouse, and we had some Halloween fun!  Every kid in the school got to experiment with dry ice, make an orange volcano, make instant snow, and play with and take home orange slime!  It was hard work and lots of preparation but a great day!

We observed dry ice and then put a little piece in a test tube with some soapy water.  The bubbles came pouring out the top of the test tube and they were filled with smoke!  They never got tired of popping them or just watching the reaction.  The kindergarteners seemed to grasp the idea that it was changing from a solid into a gas and not a liquid like regular ice.

Zoe and her buddies make snow

Just as I was leaving the police officers came for a visit.  Of course, I had to grab a picture of Lucy getting out of the back of a police car.  You know, because it is the only chance I'll ever have.