Journey Through the Human Body - Brain

Well it has been a couple months since I last updated. Partly because we took most of December off from school for Christmas and family and traveling. But we are about to start our 3rd week back and I thought it was time to update the world (or the small group of people who like reading about our school days).

First, we have started a new Read Aloud Book: Robin Hood. This is a "Classic Starts" book so its an easy read, less detailed edition. I have to say, it is probably one of our most...violent ones so far. First chapter Robin shot an arrow into someone's heart. Talks about hanging people. But we can't avoid unpleasant things forever and unless he asks about it, I'm not going to explain haha

I am also making JD read at least 1 page each time we pick up the book. He reads all the smaller easier to sound out words while I help with the large ones. I then finish the chapter and read until he falls asleep or gets antsy. He really doesn't like reading :( But I am hoping that by the end of next year, when his reading skills have improved, he will. Any advice to help a boy love reading on his own would be helpful!!

This "semester" we are doing a child led interest for science. If you noticed the title of this post I'm sure you've guessed what that is :) We will be taking a journey through the human body. Learning as much as they want. Each week will move onto a new topic.

This week we studied the brain and learned where it is, what it looks like, how it feels, shape, the different sections and what they control. We made a model of the brain out of a flour mixture clay and painted it. And once my husband brings home some cardboard we will be making a life size human body of both boys. Then placing each body part on once we have studied it.

Social studies this semester we are learning continents and briefly studying a country or 2 from each. We began with Antarctica, then South America (Peru), and currently on North America (Mexico & USA). One of our projects for this is to color and cut out each continent and gluing it into a lapbook. The lapbook is more of a map since it does not have any other items in it, but its based on the idea. They will both have their own world map (slightly misplaced with upside continents and whatnot LOL) when we are done. Another fun thing about this is that we are learning different languages along the way. I have decided that for each country we talk about we will learn how to say "hello, goodbye, friend, and Jesus/God" So far they have learned Spanish for Peru and Mexico. JD walks around saying "Hola, amigo" to JAE and tells anyone who will listen that it means "hello friend" :) Love watching how things click these days!

So that's about it for now. I plan on updating once a week for our Human Body Journey but I sometimes get lazy so we shall see.

Brain Making

JAE's is a bit...deformed and squished :|  LOL

Husband says JD's looks like the spaceship from Star Trek...I have to agree.

Social Studies

JD's book

JAE's book:  Yes, North America is upside down. :)  My guess, he wanted the Northern states to warm up by flipping them to the South haha

Book 10

Just finished up book 10 - The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver

This is a fictional book about a missionary, Nathan Price, and his family who go to the Congo in 1959. It is told through the view points of his wife and 4 daughters.

Nathan is a stubborn, hot headed, unchanging, idiot. You just want to slap him through the whole book. His wife and daughters are very interesting characters and I like them all for different reasons. His wife is the typical mother only thrown into a jungle and has to figure out how to feed her children and keep them safe. Oldest daughter, Rachel, is a typical teenage girl from the states and blonde...and not just her hair color. Leah and Adah are twins, but so very different. Leah is a tomboy, strong willed, always trying to gain her fathers approval, and feisty. Adah was born with a condition where only half her brain works (i think) so she limps and chooses not to speak, but she is very smart and sees the world for what it really is. Ruth May is the baby, only 5. She is a leader, fun, smart, energetic kid.

They all soon realize that their lives in the Congo are not anything like they thought they would be. They have to fend for themselves and are not making many friends with the local tribe. Mostly due to their father's unwillingness to...well basically to be human. Tragedy after tragedy occurs.

I got halfway through this book and was still struggling to get through it. I liked it but wasn't loving it. I pushed through and ended up liking the second half more. I wouldn't say it was one of my favorite books, but I did end up enjoying it. I would still recommend it to others.

Books 4-9

Catching up on my reading!

Books 4, 5, 6, 7 - Reread the Twilight Saga.

Book 8 - Reread The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis
The book is about letters from a demon in Hell to his nephew on earth. The letters are tips and information on how to keep a human on the path to Hell and now to "beat" the enemy (God).

It takes awhile to adjust to reading from his perspective, IE: Satan as the good guy, God as the enemy. But once you adjust to that it is a very good book. To see things the way they do and how their minds work is fascinating. Yes, I know it fiction, but the way Lewis describes things you can really see how it could and does work. How we as Christians (or humans) are regarded and attacked. How easily we let their tricks work. I enjoyed this book.

Book 9 - Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
This book is about the circus during the early 1900's. After I finished the book I read a note from the author about how she did tons of research before writing the book in order to get the facts right and really get the feel for the book correct. I'm glad she did! You can really see what life in a traveling circus would be like. The good, the bad, and the ugly. The different classes of people and the life styles are described well. It is also a love story that is both complicated and simple at the same time. The ending is pretty perfect too. :) I wasn't to sure I would enjoy this book, even after the first few chapters, but I did!

Book 3 - The Shack

The Shack by WM. Paul Young

The Plot:
A father (Mack) of 5 takes his 3 youngest children on a camping trip at the end of the summer. When the 2 older children flip over in a canoe and he has to rush into the lake to save them, his youngest daughter is abducted. Her body never found. Four years later Mack receives a note, apparently from God, asking him to meet at the shack (where his daughter was believed to be taken). Mack decides to go, if only to prove to himself that the note was a hoax and not from God. Once he arrives however, his whole life changes.

This book is a must read for everyone! I loved it! At first I was like, "Great...a book that is going to mock God or make a joke of things." However, there were few, if any, things that I did not agree with. It was amazing how the author showed the trinity and explained certain things. I don't want to say to much because that would give away the story or the meaning behind it. It did make me think and look at certain things about God differently. So... go read it!

Book 2 - The Giver

The Giver

This was a reread. The first time I read this book was in 7th grade and I enjoyed it. It was one of the few books I actually liked reading in school and I decided it was time to reread it.

The book is based in a utopia community where everything and everyone is the same. The leaders of the community enforce and make the rules, decide on spouses for people, names and placement of the children, jobs for all members. Children receive their job placements at the age of 12 and than begin training at that time. One boy, Jonas is selected for the highest honor as Receiver of Memory. There is one member who carries all the memories of the world's history. Memories of war, famine, hunger, love, colors, music, animals, etc.. The old Memory Keeper becomes the Giver and passes all those memories to Jonas. During this process, Jonas begins to question whether or not the current life style is the "right way" to live.

I really liked this book. The ending made me a little upset, but still good. Really makes you think about what Utopia really is and how great it is that we are all able to share in the memories of the world. Even if those are not pleasant ones. The memories of love, courage, family, joy, peace, and celebration make up it.

Book 1 - The Notebook

52 books in 52 weeks....well, that isn't going so well. So far I have read 1 book. Yes 1. I just have not been motivated enough to read right now. I will continue to list the books I read this year, but it will be nowhere near 52.

Book 1 - The Notebook

I really enjoyed this one. It was a quick read. Since I have seen the movie like 10 times I was constantly compairing the two. At times I liked the book better and other parts the movie. The book centered around one main time period while the movie shows more of their summer together. I do recommend it to others.

Year of Books

52 Books in 52 Weeks. Can it be done? We will find out!

Because of an extended vacation; my reading year will be January 9, 2009 - January 8, 2010


I Want to Read List (not in any order)

• Anne of Green Gables
• Sense and Sensibility
• Angela's Ashes
• Persuasion
• Utopia
• The Hour I First Believed
• Child 44
• The Constant Princess
• Lord of the Rings Trilogy
• Dracula
• Les Misérables
• ReRead: Time Traveler's Wife

Currently Reading: The Time Traveler's Wife


I Have Read List

• The Notebook
• The Giver
• The Shack
• Twilight Saga (4 books)
• The Screwtape Letters
• Water for Elephants
• The Poisonwood Bible
• The Last Vampire Series (6 books)
• Wuthering Heights
• Mr. Darcy's Diary