Homeschool Week 12: Mission Impossible

Language Arts: We are so excited to start a new book! A Pura Belpre Award winning book!

I read this book a few years ago and adored it. I am excited to read it again with Phi. Phi is only a few chapters in and already loves the story. Esperanza is a young landowners daughter growing up in Aguascalientes, Mexico. When her father is killed the day before her 13th birthday Esperanza's whole life is turned upside down and she is forced to live a different life than before. Phi has a novel study guide to go with the book. 

Math: This week we moved to multiplying 2 digit numbers by 2 digit numbers. She usually comes home with about 5 worksheets to finish. The first 4 pages are usually showing Phi different ways to solve a problem. They use graphs, arrays and expanding out numbers. I guess this is what they call core math. When it comes to this stuff I find it hard to understand so we do our best to get through them. Usually the last page is just practice problems and it's here where I have Phi practice the good old-fashion much simpler way of finding the product of 2 2-digit numbers.

Social Studies: The big California Mission project is upon is! Phi got her first choice of Old Mission Santa Barbara. The project consists of building a replica of the mission on a 24x24 base, writing a short essay, preparing a speech and keeping a journal throughout the whole process. Phi has 4 weeks to complete everything. So far she has gone to the library and found instructions for a cardboard mission project. She also designed her journal cover and has been writing in it almost daily. She has complied a list a materials needed and drawn an outline of what her mission will look like. We are planning to go to the mission and take the tour over Thanksgiving weekend.

Science: This week we went back to our e-textbook for a section all about erosion and weathering. We discussed the difference between chemical and physical weathering. We watched a video about how the Grand Canyon was formed. We also watched a Bill Nye video and a Magic School Bus episode about erosion. We also used this as an excuse to jump in the Landcruiser and off-road into the hills to see first hand was erosion and weathering looks like.

Next week the actual building of the mission begins! We have already started saving cardboard boxes. If anyone has any tips please let me know!!