Hydrangeas and Harmony: School Summary - Roman Emperors (the Good, Bad, and Ugly) and the Fall of Rome

Our "Roman Feast"

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A Summary of November 4 - 15

We've just been plugging away as we're in the thick of the school year. In just a few weeks, we'll be taking a whole week off for Thanksgiving break. Until then, we are just trucking along.

Here's what we did these two weeks:

Things that were scheduled:

Math

Language Arts (Grammar, Spelling, Penmanship, Reading, and Writing)

Soprano started her new reading book, "The Family Under the Bridge". Tenor finished up "The Sign of the Beaver" and started "Blue Willow".

Electives:

Typing, Spanish, Geography, and PA History for both.

Well, I just found out that Soprano has been less than diligent with her Spanish work. I've been waiting to get the answer key for each lesson from the curriculum writer so I hadn't been scoring the younglings work. I assumed that they were keeping up with each week's lesson. We had to have several discussions about what her choice meant and what the consequences would be. The deeper issue was sorted out but now she has multiple weeks to catch up on.

Tenor had Greek and learned two more Greek letters. Soprano had Home Ec where she learned to bread chicken (baked chicken parmesan) and use the pastry cutter (Cinnamon Crusties.) It took a lot of persuasion to get her to touch the raw chicken but once she started she did a great job.

Chicken Parmesan

Cinnamon Crusties

My Father's World Rome to the Reformation-

We have reached the end of the Roman Empire. Although we spent 13 weeks learning about Ancient Rome, it didn't feel burdensome.

Bible: We read a little more in Acts and then read portions of Revelation. We also started reading about the lives of Christian martyrs in Trial and Triumph. The things that Christians have suffered for the faith over the years make me even more thankful for the freedom we have in this country.

Science: These two weeks we did several lessons from the AIG Human Body book. We talked about dental health, nutrition, and vitamins and minerals. We also read about Florence Nightengale. She blazed a trail for women in the medical profession as well as better/safer/more hygienic care in hospitals all because she felt God's call on her life.

History: We read about some of the later, more prominent emperors of Rome: Nero, Vespasian, Titus, Domitian, Diocletian, and Constantine. Then we reached the end of our Ancient Rome studies with the fall of Rome. We were also supposed to do a Roman feast according to the teacher manual. I wasn't really feeling up to the effort of putting it all together so I decided to skip it. The younglings suggested we go to Olive Garden for our feast instead. Their logic, "Olive Garden is Italian food and the Ancient Romans were Italian because they were from Italy." Couldn't argue with that!

I'm doubtful that the Ancient Romans would have had chicken alfredo but I'm pretty sure they had grapes and bread.

I'm also incorporating Story of the World Volume 1 as well as Mystery of History Volume 1 and 2.

For week 12, I added Mystery of History 2 Lesson 4 (about Paul's 2nd missionary journey) on Day 1. For week 13, I eliminated Streams of Civilization on Day 1 and 2 and added MOH 2 p65-66 on Day 1 and p67-69 on Day 2.

Other MFW:

Music: We listened to few Mozart pieces and kept up with listening at lunch most days.

Art: We read about Early Christian art, symbolic colors, and the Basilica.

Extras:

Web:

Jewish Temple Walls and Destruction of the Temple

Proof of the Temple's Destruction

10 Commandments of Health

Brain Parts Song

How the Human Brain Works

Brain

Germs and Sickness