Earthroots

We've been dropping in at Earthroots Field School lately. Earthroots has groups of homeschoolers that meet up with naturalists/environmental educators to explore some of the natural wildlife and wilderness parks in South Orange County. Here are just some of the fun things we've done and/or learned about so far:

*saw thousands of tadpoles and baby frogs (froglets)

*watched a filaree spiral

*waded through creeks

*climbed oak trees

*identified wildflowers (these are purple lupines)

*learned about the water cycle

*made chamomille & elderberry flower tea

*saw how to make fire with a bow

*made clay bowls from the clay in a creek bed

*made a dam in a creek

*held a baby chick

*ate minor's lettuce (which only grows for a short time during the Spring).

Homeschoolers can sign up or drop in for weekly adventures. Maybe we will see you there sometime!

Note - Aside from sharing an occasional edible plant (or ant:), Earthroots is extremely careful about making sure that the kids do not harm or remove any of the natural elements in the wilderness parks.

Tinkering (Home)School

By Allie

Micayla and I went to the Tinkering School with our friends where I got to take apart a flat screen TV. They had tons of things there you could take apart. It was fun.

Nate and I did some tinkering of our own at home. We took apart a CD player that didn't work anymore. We used tools like screwdrivers and scissors. It was pretty neat to see all the things that were inside!

Music Museum

We met up with our good friends in Carlsbad and took a tour of the history of music in America last month at the Museum of Making Music.

(did you know that there were orchestras in the 30's that were made up of kids 6 and under?) There were many great exhibits and we saw lots antique and unique instruments.

At the end of the tour was a fun interactive area with a variety of instruments that we could play. Some of our favorite instruments were the strumstick, the harpsichord, the see-through piano, the theremin, and the drums.

Afterwards, our friends treated us to a yummy lunch and delicious homemade cupcakes from CAKEgirl (our friend's new cake business - you can find it on Facebook).

Sophie's spaghetti and meatball creations!

Everybody Music Video

I created this Everybody Music Video Storyboard for Ingrid Michaelson's Everybody Video Contest! It's my idea for an Everybody (Ingrid Michaelson's single) Music Video (although they're already producing one...). Enjoy!
-Carly
(It may be easier to read the scrolling words if you click on this You-Tube link.)

Carly's Reccomended Reading for ages 9-11

Here are some good books that I read when I was 9, 10 and 11 years old (list for teens coming soon). Enjoy!

-Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren*

-The Box Car Children by Gertrude Warner*

-Anne of Green Gables series by L.M. Montgomery

-Freaky Friday by Mary Rogers

-And This is Laura by Ellen Conford

-Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech

-SOS Titanic by Eve Bunting

-Ruby Holler by Sharon Creech

-Millions by Frank Cottrell Boyce*

-The BFG (Big Friendly Giant) by Ronald Dahl

-Mrs. Piggle Wiggle series by Betty Macdonald*

-Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh

-The Tail of Emily Windsnap series by Liz Kessler

-Mr. Poppers Penguins by Richard Atwater

-Heartbeat by Sharon Creech

-The Fairy's Mistake by Gail Carson Levine

-All About Sam series by Lois Lowry

-Seven Kisses in a Row by Patricia Maclochlan

-Wayside School series by Louis Sachar

-The Princess Academy by Shannon Hale

-The Miraculos Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate Dicamillio*

-Anastasia series by Lois Lowry

-The Railway Children by E. Nesbit*

-Copper by Rebecca Lisle

-Ramona series by Beverly Cleary*

-Royal Ballet School series by Alexandra Moss

-Superfudge series by Judy Blume

-Eleven Kids, One Summer by Ann Martin

-Ida B. (and her plans to maximize fun, avoid disaster and possibly save the world) by Katherine Hannigan

-Cornelia and the Audacious Escapades of the Somerset Sisters by Lesley M.M. Blume*

-Lily's Crossing by Patricia Geily Reif

-Do-Over by Christine Hurley Deriso

-A Mango Shaped Space by Wendy Mass

-The Magic Half by Annie Barrows

-How My Private Personal Journal Became a Bestseller by Julia Devillers

-Leap by Jane Breskin Zalben

-The Very Ordered Existance of Merilee Marvelous by Suzanne Crowley

-The Mother-Daughter Book Club by Heather Vogel Fredrick

-The Toys Go Out by Emily Jenkins*

-American Girl series

-Ever by Gail Carson Levine

-The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly*

-Secret World of Og by Pierre Berton*

-Drangonsdale by Salamanda Drake*

-The Egypt Game by Zilpha Keatley Snyder

-Half Magic series by Edward Eager*

-The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale

*Good read aloud book for any age

Sounds for Seniors

Barry Cogert's Homeschool Music Ensemble brought quite a few smiles to the seniors at the Long Beach Senior Center this week. They performed songs such as American Pie, I Feel Good, Oye Como Va, and Hall of the Mountain King. Another session is beginning in a couple of weeks. If you'd like to join in the fun, contact Barry @ barrycogert@verizon.net

Micayla's #1 fan - who insisted on placing a red star on her forehead!

Fun with Physics

Richard Feynman's enthusiasm for physics is contagious!