Real learning is a process of discovery, and if we want it to happen, we must create the kinds of conditions in which discoveries are made. We know what these are. They include time, leisure, freedom, and lack of pressure. - John Holt

A JOURNEY THROUGH THE GREEK MYTHS.
THROUGHOUT THE NEXT FEW WEEKS WE WILL BE LEARNING ABOUT GREEK MYTHOLOGY AND ANCIENT HISTORY. OF PARTICULAR INTEREST TO BOTH MY CHILDREN ARE THE FANTASTICAL MONSTERS, BEASTS AND GODS IN THESE STORIES. THESE CREATURES HAVE CAPTURED THEIR INTEREST AND IMAGINATION, AS WELL AS HELPED THEM MAKE CONNECTIONS TO THE ROOTS OF OTHER FABLES, FAIRYTALE AND FOLKLORE, MORE RELEVANT TO THEIR TIME. IT HAS ALSO HELPED THEM TO SEE THAT THE STORIES OF ALL PEOPLES, CULTURES AND TIMES SEEM TO REPEAT THEMSELVES AS ARCHETYPES THROUGHOUT HISTORY.

WE START BY WATCHING "CLASH OF THE TITANS", AND COVER THE TALES OF
" MIDAS", "EROS & PSYCHE", "AESOP'S FABLES","HELEN OF TROY & THE TROJAN HORSE", "PANDORA'S BOX". AS WELL AS READING EXCERPTS FROM HOMER'S ILIAD AND ODYSSEY.
WE WILL LEARN THE GREEK ALPHABET BY WRITING A LETTER TO A GREEK GOD IN GREEK "CODE", AS WELL AS LEARN THE GREEK ROOT WORDS TO HELP US DECIPHER, WORDS IN OUR OWN LANGUAGE.
IN OUR LAST WEEK WE WILL TAKE A LOOK AT TRUE HISTORY AND SEE THE IMPACT OF MYTHOLOGY IN DAILY LIFE. WE WILL CREATE A MAP OF THE ANCIENT LAND AND LOOK AT THEORIES OF ATLANTIS BASED ON THE IMPRINTS OF SANTORINI, INVESTIGATE THE CULTURE, CELEBRATIONS, AND RITUALS OF THE ANCIENT GREEKS.

ECOLOGY

For the next 3 weeks we will venture into a subject studies that is very close to my heart, Ecology. We will cover habitats, biomes, ecosystems, the Greenhouse effect, and pollution. Along with watching a few documentaries, constructing a food chain diagram, and conducting an experiment with the water cycle, we will also be finding ways in which to be of service to conservationist groups, and Missions. It has been tugging on my heart strings lately to find ways to serve in the conservation and preservation of people, animals and nature..what better way to explore and share this enthusiasm with my daughter. Taking this pressing issue into our hands, we will find ways in which small acts of reverence can actually change the World and create a better tomorrow. Be the change you wish to see in the world!!

Pythagoras: Father of Numbers

We are taking the next two weeks to study a bit about the life of Pythagoras and his contribution to Mathematics and proving the geometrical theory that was used by the Sumerians thousands of years earlier. We will take a look at his biography, and try to understand his philosophies of creating order out of chaos by way of music and math. Taking a look at the way he gave numbers a personality ( complete with male and female attributes, beautiful or ugly, complete or incomplete), we can start to bring back the poetry of numbers and math and begin to find ways to relate and retain the formulas we learn. By studying the Pythagorean Theorem, we will have a nice visual representation of square numbers, and how to construct algebraic equations to create order and accuracy. Next will be diving into linear equations introducing Integers, Exponents, Square, Cubes, Square Roots, and Perfect Squares.

We will be getting our feet wet for our Subject Series in Pre- Algebra later in the year as well as setting up for our Ancient Greece studies which we will begin after the Holiday break.

Foods and Festivals of Mexico

For the next two weeks we will have our Spanish Language focus on Foods and Festivals of Mexico.
We start with a brief history of Mexico and its Geography. We will discuss the Foods and Festival of Dia De Los Muertos, its origins,and visit the Altar Exhibits at the Living Arts Museum. We will make drinking chocolate from the inspired recipe of the early Maya, and discover a realm of recipes that contain Mexican chocolate such as Chicken with Mole Sauce, and Chocolate Cake with Ancho Whipped Cream. We will watch the movie "chocolate" and parts of the foreign film "Como Agua Para Chocolate", and try a recipe from the film...Stuffed Poblano Chiles with Walnut Sauce. All of our shopping with be done in Spanish using Spanish names for the foods and exploring the basic ingredients of the Culture.

We continue week two with the Study of Mexican Weddings and Las Posadas (the traditional celebration of the weeks leading up to the Christmas Holidays). Some of the tasty recipes we will make are "polvorones" (a mexican powdered sugar cookie wrapped in tissue paper and used for gifts at weddings), and of course the traditional pork tamales with red sauce used for eating and for gifts during the Christmas season.
We will be watching a short film of the "Las Posadas" parade celebration shot in a small town in Mexico and will be making crafts and decorations that support these two festivals. This is sure to be a subject studies we won't forget (and my waste line may not forget either!)

Shakespeare

For the next 4 weeks we will be studying the Life and Works of Shakespeare.
Some of the wonderful things we plan to cover are the plays : Romeo and Juliet, Anthony and Cleopatra, and Henry VIII.
We have set the stage in our Egypt studies up to the time of Julius Caesar and Cleopatra. Reading a biography on Cleopatra then watching the movie Julius Caesar. And had a brief overview of Greek and Roman Period which we will come back to more in depth later in the year.

So now we can fully explore the idea of Anthony and Cleopatra. The material is a difficult read so we will explore only passages and the overall story. We will move our interests to the Author himself, analyzing his life, biography and world view, as well as comparing and contrasting his world view with one of today. As we explore the world around Shakespeare we will study the Elizabethan Age, The Bubonic Plague, and the reign of Henry VIII and the story of the Boleyn sisters,Mary,Queen Anne, daughter Elizabeth.


Week 2
The next 2 weeks we will be reading the complete play of Romeo and Juliet. I have found some study guides to make it less intimidating for a fifth grader :) We will also watch two different movie versions for more complete understanding. Along with the reading. We will explore and observe the Oxymoron, the art of Allusion
,writing Couplets, and Iambic Pentameter.

The last week, is reserved for a research report which will be led by the student's interests. Some ideas include; discovering The Story Behind "Bloody Mary"
Report on The Black Death
Making an Elizabethan Poetry Book
Construct a Model of the Old Globe and it's history

yoga@ JEE

Join us this Friday @ 5:00Pm for the JEE (Jenks East Elementary) Carnival! We will have a yoga booth inside the gym. Come learn about yoga and how it can benefit the whole family. The practice of yoga has been a very important tool in establishing our rhythms for home-school learning, reminding us to take time each day to listen to ourselves, allow our body's to move and explore, and have reverence for our creator and environments (the people places and things that support our health and growth). Learn how to make it a part of your life!