Harmony Art Mom

Metropolitan Museum of Art - Harmony Art Mom's Visit

2012-05-27T04:00:00.000-07:00

New York City. Central Park. Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Finally, the time had come for this art lover to visit the Met. It was such a treat to be able to share the experience with my husband, Mr. A, and Mr. B. All four of us took the train from our hotel in Newark, New Jersey into Penn Station in New York. We switched to the subway and emerged at the edge of Central Park, near the American Museum of Natural History which we had visited the day before. We planned the trip so we could walk across Central Park to the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

It was a great plan. We really enjoyed getting a taste of the natural spaces in Central Park.

The main event was the museum visit so with our City Passes in hand we gained admission and a map. Wow! We are no stranger to larger art museums (see our De Young Museum San Francisco visit from 2010) but even looking at the museum map made me take a deep breath. I didn't know where to start so I turned the expedition over to the boys who decided the Egyptian gallery was going to be first.

It was fascinating, colorful, amazing, and far more interesting than I could have ever imagined. The scale of this museum surprised me. There was a fully reconstructed temple inside and many obelisks, statues, and columns with hieroglyphs. A study of ancient cultures would come alive using the exhibits in this gallery. Many of the artifacts we had seen in books and on the internet so it was amazing to see them in real life..up close...the real thing.

Autumn Landscape Window. Tiffany. 1923-1924.

We made it through the Egyptian Art, the Greek and Roman Art, and then skipped over to the American Wing. My eyes were just darting everywhere and trying to take it all in. All of us were fascinated with the various aspects of this wing of the museum. It wasn't just paintings and artwork but whole rooms full of furniture set to look as if someone lived there. There were dishes and clothing and then we came to the outer edges and found the Tiffany glass collection. Words do not describe it all.

There are just some things you have to see in person to appreciate. I have always been a huge fan of Tiffany glass but to see the vivid colors and the design of the pieces here at the museum was a treat of a lifetime.

It was time for a rest to try to process it all.

We stopped a break at the cafe...a little chocolate treat and a big drink of water. We all were a buzz with things we were enjoying. We pulled out the map of the museum and tried to gather our thoughts and make a plan for seeing all the important things since we knew by now we would not see it all.

Arms and Armor Gallery

The boys decided the Arms and Armor gallery was next on their priority list so we found that on the map and headed that way. It was hard not to be distracted by all the interesting things in between galleries but I did my best. This was the highlight of Mr. A's visit to the Met. I wasn't sure how I would like it but it ended up being very interesting....so many pieces of armor from people we have read about in our history books. It gave our history a layer of realness as we looked at Henry the VIII's armor and saw helmets and swords of all kinds from around the world.

We marveled at the artistry of it all. The craftsman who made these pieces were masters at making the functional items beautiful. Helmets, swords...lots of things for the boys to stop and look at and photograph.

Some how we managed to fit in the Musical Instruments gallery and I was really glad that we did. This was where Mr. A found some of his favorite things in the museum. It didn't sound very exciting at first but once we entered the gallery I was fascinated with the collection of instruments from around the world. Some of them are works of art and quite beautiful.

The Harvesters. Pieter Bruegel the Elder. 1565.

So now we came to the part of the visit that was on my "must do" list.....to visit the paintings that I longed to see in person and up close. I took many photos of artwork that meant something to me and I could bore you with loads and loads of them but instead I picked a few that we all are familiar with just so you can get a little taste of what this museum offers if you ever get the chance to visit.

Note: We took a lunch break before we started this leg of our visit. The cafe was super yummy and it had quite a variety of delicious foods to try. Tip: Don't skip the lunch hour. Feed your teens...they will have a much better attitude.

1807, Friedland. Ernest Meissonier.

Mr. B enjoyed the paintings with historical significance. I caught him several times just standing and gazing. It always felt like such a private moment that I didn't want to interrupt with lots of talking or questions. I just let him take it all in on his terms. My strategy must have worked because I heard him tell someone that this was his favorite place we went to in New York. Smiles from this Art Mama.

"In the beginning, it's more important for them to simply know the paintings. In the same way we do with worthy books, we let the artist tell his own story without our interference telling the child what to think about it. We trust a picture to say what the artist wanted via the medium the artist chose. In art, just like in everything else, we eliminate the middleman and let the work speak for itself."
Charlotte Mason, volume 6. (CM Series in Modern English)

Gray Weather Grand Jatte. Georges Seurat. 1886-1888.

It is impossible to share the colors of the Seurat paintings in photos. I talked about it in our De Young Museum visit and it held true with this visit to the Met. You can't imagine the genius of the use of color in a Seurat painting until you see it up close with your own eyeballs. A-M-A-Z-I-N-G.

Woman Rocking a Cradle-Augustine Roulin. Vincent Van Gogh. 1889

Then there was my old friend Vincent Van Gogh. There were so many Van Gogh paintings at the Met that I was overwhelmed. This one though was my favorite. There is just something about it that touched me. Maybe it is the color, the pose, or the flowers....again Van Gogh surprises me with the way his painting seems so whimsical when I know in real life he was a mess. Such a contrast between his heart and his reality.

Mada Primavesi. Gustav Klimt. 1912.

This is another painting that surprised me! This is a Gustav Klimt and it just felt like I should own this one and have it on my wall at home. It was so "me". Again, I think it is the color choice, the background, and the pose.

Two Young Girls at the Piano. Pierre Auguste Renoir. 1892.

This was the painting that took my breath away. In real life it is strikingly beautiful. I was standing and admiring it and I whispered under my breath something like, "I really like this painting." I was just talking to myself and then I heard a voice whisper behind me, "I do too." It was an older gentleman who had been standing and sharing the moment with me. It was a nice connection with a perfect stranger. Art does that though....we all seem to be touched by different things but when you share a love of art or a specific painting, you feel rather human.

"Art is a thing of the spirit, and we need to teach it in ways that affect the spirit. We realize that the ability to appreciate art and interpret it is as universal to all people as intelligence, or imagination, or the ability to form words to communicate. But that ability needs to be educated."
Charlotte Mason, volume 6. (CM Series in Modern English)

Figures on the Beach. Pierre Auguste Renoir. 1890.

Here is another of the many Renoir paintings they had on display. I have seen this one a hundred times in books and on websites but seeing it in person is a completely different experience.

Renoir's brushes painted this painting. He stood right where I was standing to create this artwork, capturing a moment in time for me to enjoy over a hundred years later. How awesome is that?

There are so many other things I could share with you but those are some of the highlights of my adventure at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Believe me, I restrained myself from sharing too many of my images but you can be assured that I will be including them in future blog entries and in my Harmony Fine Arts supplemental information.

Top of the Rock, New York City.

We left the Met a full six hours later. This is not something I would recommend with younger children...an hour at most would have been the limit. But, my boys are in their late teens and have an interest in art and history so with two snack breaks and a lunch break in the cafe, we were able to stretch our time out to take in as much as possible.

We had one more attraction on our City Pass to try so we braved the bus from the Met to Rockefeller Center. Here we rode the elevator up to the Top of the Rock. This was a great experience and the weather was perfect for viewing the surrounding areas. We had already been to the Empire State Building but both my boys enjoyed the Top of the Rock more than that.

Here is the landscape looking back towards Central Park. We sat for a long time on the top of the building and just soaked in the view of New York City. None of us is what we would call "city people" but from up here in the sky, the city doesn't seem so intimidating. There was a beautiful sky, a vast green park, lots of water, and a nice fresh breeze. Not so bad up here on the top of the world.

We were headed back home the next day so we took our subway train to Penn Station, the New Jersey Rail Train back to Newark and then packed up to leave for home.

I am not sure if I will ever get back to the Metropolitan Museum of Art but we made the most of the time we were able to spend there on this trip. From the simple and humble beginnings of picture study in our family, this week by week learning of artists and their works has grown in us the heart of an art lover. Our appreciation and connection with the spirit of the artist is a gift we will cherish our entire life. Making the connections even deeper by visiting the actual paintings at the Met seems to have been a natural progression...these were real people with real lives and they left us their legacy to respect and appreciate.

We had a fantastic adventure to New York but it feels good to be back at home away from the hustle and noise of the city.

You may be interested in reading my post: Tips for a Family Visit to the Art Museum.

Looking for a way to add some art appreciation and picture study into your family's plans? Don't miss my review of Simply Charlotte Mason's Picture Study Portfolios. This review includes a fantastic giveaway where three commenters will receive their choice of art portfolios. Hurry, the giveaway ends 5/30/12 at midnight!

You may also be interested in this post:
Homeschool Art Appreciation - Charlotte Mason High School Examples Part One.

I am submitting this entry to the Charlotte Mason Blog Carnival and if you have any entries you would like to submit, you can send them to this email address: charlottemasonblogs@gmail.com.

Picture Study Portfolios from Simply Charlotte Mason - Review and Giveaway

2012-05-25T04:00:00.001-07:00

It is always a thrill to come across a product that is so perfect for your style of learning! The Picture Study Portfolios from Simply Charlotte Mason are just such a product for our family. Oh how I wish they were available a decade ago when we started picture study in the Charlotte Mason style of art appreciation!

Along with our personal family interest in art appreciation, I realized that these prints are a perfect supplement to my Harmony Fine Arts art curriculum plans. Each of the artists that are available from Simply Charlotte Mason are featured in a year plan of Harmony Fine Arts!

This review will feature one of the Picture Study Portfolios and then I will show how to use this product alongside my Harmony Fine Arts plans.

First the details of the product:

1. I received the printed version for this review and I am very impressed with the quality of both the paper and the color printing of each piece of artwork. Each of the prints is on 8 1/2" by 11" coated cardstock (glossy). They are sturdy and I can foresee using these with all ages of children with no worry of damaging the prints while handling them. The size makes them easy to display for a family to view and I even framed one for my schoolroom wall. The prints are not titled but the detailed information is found in the accompanying Picture Study Handbook (year, size, media, and current location). I think it is worth the few extra dollars to receive the printed version rather than the electronic download.

2. The Picture Study Portfolio comes with a Picture Study Handbook that includes a wealth of information about picture study in general and with specific information about the artist and each art print included in the set. The biography is written in a narrative style that fits a Charlotte Mason homeschooling family's desire to use a living books approach to art appreciation.
3. Each set comes in a sturdy storage envelope for building a reference library of fine art.

Who Needs This Product:

1. Families that are hoping to get started with picture study in the Charlotte Mason style are going to find the introductory pages in the Handbook a valuable and practical source of instruction. The author has outlined what picture study is and then there are five steps outlined to get you going. We have been doing picture study for a long time in our family and I even found this section to be helpful with fresh ideas.
2. Experienced Charlotte Mason homeschoolers are going to love having everything at their fingertips. The prints are selected and printed, the biography is gathered, and each print is lovingly shared with some ideas for narration. It is going to make your life so much easier!

Now some ideas for using this product alongside
Harmony Fine Arts:

1. In the Harmony Fine Arts plans, Option 1 is always picture study. The plans suggest 4-6 pieces of artwork for each artist studied. There is a link provided to view the artwork online and then instructions for making the artwork your computer's wallpaper or for printing your own copy of the painting. Now, with the Picture Study Portfolios, families can supplement that viewing with the selections available from Simply Charlotte Mason.
2. The art prints available in the Picture Study Portfolios do not exactly match the suggested prints in Option 1 of Harmony Fine Arts. As you work through the plans for each artist in Harmony Fine Arts, you can easily supplement or substitute any paintings that you want. The Portfolio prints can be used in any order and the Harmony Fine Arts plans are flexible enough to adapt to any painting you have a desire to study.
3. These portfolios are by no means a required addition to Harmony Fine Arts but they would give your picture study more depth and be a convenient alternative to viewing the artwork online or printing the artwork yourself. You could determine your budget from year to year and use as many of the portfolios as you desire. They are completely optional.

Current Picture Study Portfolios Available

and their Harmony Fine Arts Year

Michelangelo - Harmony Fine Arts Grades 2 and 6 (Medieval and Renaissance Middle School)
Van Eyck - Harmony Fine Arts Grade 2
Rembrandt - Harmony Fine Arts Grade 3
Velazquez - Harmony Fine Arts Grade 3
Turner - Harmony Fine Arts Grade 3
Durer - Harmony Fine Arts Grade 6
Fra Angelico - Harmony Fine Arts Grade 6
Giotto - Harmony Fine Arts Grade 6
Constable - Harmony Fine Arts Grade 7

Suggested Ideas for Using Picture Study Portfolios
With Harmony Fine Arts Illustrated
Harmony Fine Arts Grade 6 plans for Durer (Weeks 29-32) with supplemental viewing of the Durer set from Simply Charlotte Mason. You can read a complete review of this level of Harmony Fine Arts on The Curriculum Choice.

Option 1: Picture Study -

Use the prints to view the Durer artwork, read the living biography, and details about each particular print.
Use the information in the booklet to complete entries in your art notebook.
NOTE: The four suggested paintings in Option 1 for Durer are all included in the Picture Study Portfolio from Simply Charlotte Mason.

Option 2 (Draw Squad and Supplemental Art Books) -

Apply the lessons in shadows, contour, and foreshortening to sketch the artwork with pencil for your art notebook. Also, use Adoration of the Magi to see how Durer made a wall of cubes in the background.
View Four Horseman of the Apocalypse and The Rhinoceros to notice how Durer used lines for texture and movement and as examples of woodcuts in Week 30.
View the Self-Portrait as part of your Week 31 study of the various Durer self-portraits.

Option 3 (Artistic Pursuits) -

Use the Self-Portrait and Christ Among the Doctors prints to observe how Durer drew a face.
Use the Adoration of the Magi to talk about how Durer used his imagination to create this painting.

Now for a special giveaway!

Sonya Shafer from Simply Charlotte Mason has generously offered to provide three Picture Study Portfolios as a giveaway! I will be randomly choosing three winners from the entries - each winner will get their choice of one Picture Study Portfolio! You will find all the details below in the Rafflecopter gadget. (You may need to click over to the blog to view Rafflecopter.)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Notebooking - End of The Year Organization

2012-05-24T10:54:00.000-07:00

A little filing of notebook pages for the year's end.

This is our official last week of school for the year and that means cleaning out binders and organizing papers. I know if we had really been organized, completing it each week as we worked through the year, this would have been all done. The reality is that Mr. B has a big stack of papers left to file before we can wrap-up this year's work and start our summer break.

Using a notebooking style of learning, complements our Tapestry of Grace work and our Charlotte Mason living books homeschool. It also makes end of the year organization super easy. Mr. B's high school binders are kept from year to year, adding pages as he goes along.

Notebook pages and artwork in sheet protectors keeps the work organized from year to year.

For example, we don't clean out his Art and Music binder but leave all his notebooking pages, coloring pages, and artwork in place. He studies approximately eight artists and eight composers each year, creating a biography page, a summary page, and a few additional pages on style and personal opinion for each one.

It seems pointless to pull out his work at the end of each year and now that he is half way through his senior year it is enjoyable to page back through and see the chronological study he has completed so far.

Art Binder and Timeline Binders are getting very full.

In addition to his subject binders, he has his timeline binder. This also makes sense to keep from year to year, adding events and additional notebook pages as he moves from time period to time period. He creates 3-6 pages a week so this binder may need to get a little larger before we are finished (perhaps a 3" binder).

So you know what I am doing with Mr. B this afternoon...a little filing, a little reminiscing, and then sighing a big sigh of relief that this school year is at an end.

Next year we are planning on using NotebookingPages.com's new Notebooking Publisher program to create unique and personalized notebook pages on the computer. Mr. B watched the Demo Video that shows how the system is going to work and he is excited to give it a try. He doesn't mind writing with pencil or pen but the new Notebooking Publisher will allow him to perhaps make even more sophisticated notebook pages as he finishes his senior year of high school. Of course, these will be printed and filed away in his notebook binders.

Would you like to see the Notebooking Publisher Demo Video? It will explain exactly how you can use this exciting new notebooking tool if you purchase a Treasury Membership from NotebookingPages.com. The video starts with a short slideshow and then Debra explains with detail exactly how the system works.

Visit NotebookingPages.com to learn more about their memberships
and their new web-app, The Notebooking Publisher™

Sketch Tuesday - View the Happy, Happy, Happy Slideshow

2012-05-22T04:00:00.000-07:00

This week's assignment was to sketch something you associate with the word HAPPY. What a great way to end up the school year and Sketch Tuesday! Thank you so much to all the participants of this week's slideshow and all of the other thirty-five slideshows from this school year. I just took some time to click through a few of my favorite themes for the year and it make me smile.......Happy-Happy-Happy!

Here is your slideshow:

Happy-Happy-Happy

Note to all participants:
We will be taking a break from Sketch Tuesday until July 3, 2012 when we will start a new series of summer nature related sketches. Come back on July 3, 2012 to see all the details and join us for a summer of outdoor sketching. (Those of you "down under" will still be able to participate..we will just be creative.)

Keep sketching and you can view all the past Sketch Tuesday slideshows on Flickr. This may inspire a topic for your family during the June break.

Just one last reminder:
Also, don't miss this sale over at NotebookingPages.com! This special deal will end on May 25, 2012.

Join the Notebooking Pages Treasury now during their NotebookingPages.com 6th Birthday Sale-a-Bration Event and receive an extended membership, chance to win some great prizes, and access to their new notebooking web-app for creating, customizing, and completing your own notebooking pages (coming in June 2012)!

Harmony Fine Arts Grade 6 Sample Week

2012-05-18T04:00:00.000-07:00

Harmony Fine Arts Grade 6 - Medieval and Renaissance Art and Music is a 32 week long plan for art and music appreciation. The plans are flexible and you can choose from three different options for art appreciation. You can choose to complete one, two, or all three of the options depending on your available time and interest.

Please note that every effort has been taken to provide interesting and reasonably price materials and activities.

If you would like more specifics for these plans (art time periods covered and specific composers), you can click over to the Medieval and Renaissance Art and Music entry for more information. For this blog entry, I will illustrate what a typical week will include if you choose to follow the plans.
Please Note: Many families have successfully used these plans with children with children younger and older than sixth grade. You can email me if you have any questions about using these plans with your family. harmonyfinearts@yahoo.com
Sample pages and resources lists for every level of Harmony Fine Arts are found on the website: Resources and Samples.

HFA Grade 6 - Medieval and Renaissance Art and Music
Week 2:
(Print out the Sample Pages and follow along.)
Note that your study of Giotto will stretch out from week 1 to week 4.

Option 1: Picture Study

View Life of St. Francis, Renunciation to Wealth using the link provided.
Print the image for your notebook if you wish using the instructions included in the ebook. Also you can add to your artist notebook page that you started in week 1.

Option 2: Art Appreciation with Follow-Up Activities
(2 short periods or one longer period of time each week)

Read Renaissance pages 10-13.
View: History for Kids - Giotto and the Giotto slideshow on YouTube. Record additional information to your artist notebook page from Week 1. (I always recommend previewing all YouTube links for appropriateness for your family.)
Complete Draw Squad Lesson 1: Foreshortening.
View Life of St. Francis, Renunciation to Wealth. Observe the building's shapes and angles.
Draw some of the buildings shown in the Life of St. Francis for your drawing notebook, applying what you learned in the Draw Squad lesson.

Option 3: Artistic Pursuits with American Art
(Note: This option does not correspond with the Medieval and Renaissance history cycle.)
(2 short periods or one longer period of time each week)

Continue Unit 1 Artistic Pursuits Grades 4-6 Book 2 (The Color Wheel).
Complete the Unit 1 Final Project using watercolor pencils.
File your work in your art notebook and use the evaluation sheet at the back of the Artistic Pursuits book to evaluate your work (if desired).
Optional assignment is to choose one of Giotto's paintings and reproduce it using watercolor pencils. Practice the steps from the Artistic Pursuits lesson.

Please Note: Many families combine Option 1 with either Option 2 or 3. You can choose from week to week how much to include in your lesson.

Week 2 Music Appreciation:
Antonio Vivaldi

Continue listening to Story of Vivaldi and Corelli. Review last week's track and this week listen to track #14 (Winter).
Continue working on your listening log and notebook page.

See my Harmony Fine Arts Grade 6 page for more specifics for this plan for art and music appreciation. You can print out the sample for a list of artists and composers included in this ebook, a list of materials and resources needed, supplies list, and four weeks of plans to examine.

If you are interested in studying a different period of art, you can check my Overview Chart for more information about which grade to purchase.There is also a chart for Grades 1-4 listing specific artists and composers included in each year. Please feel free to email me with any questions: harmonyfinearts@yahoo.com.

You can click over to purchase the Harmony Fine Arts Grade 6 ebook or print version plans HERE.

$17.44 for ebook version of these plans. Please note there is no print version available for Harmony Fine Arts Medieval and Renaissance Art and Music - Middle School Level.

Notebooking - Build Good Habits in Your Homeschooler

2012-05-14T04:00:00.000-07:00

Notebooking in high school has distinct advantages over worksheet style learning. The process of notebooking builds good habits and aids in learning in a more meaningful way. Here are a few points I appreciate after using notebooking in our high school courses over the last four years.

The Benefits of Notebooking

1. Diligence - It takes earnest effort to complete a high school level notebook page. We expect writing, sketches or an image, and thorough coverage from Mr. B and his work. Making a notebook page does not allow for guesswork. You either have something of significance to write or record on the page or you don't. I see Mr. B working hard to fill in the notebook page in a way that shows his very best work.

2.Creative Thinking - One of the biggest benefits of notebooking in high school is that Mr. A always seemed to come up a creative angle to his pages. Notebooking can be quite right-brained. If you have a child that struggles with writing or tends to doodle, notebooking may be just the thing to try. A blank notebook page is not as intimidating as a blank piece of paper. There are places to put all those random thoughts and images in a way that connects them together, making a coherent summary of the information learned.

3. Organization and Continuity - This is where I see notebooking shine. The pages help organize thoughts. Then, the pages can be organized in a binder in a way that makes sense and they are ready for future reference. When you finish with one year, you can pick up your notebooking where you left off and continue on in the next year. If you need to review at the beginning of the school year, pull out the notebook binder and page through to get the juices flowing again.

4. Chronological - Most of us went through school with our minds muddled as far as keeping history in chronological order in our thinking. The normal public school scope and sequence jumps from topic, time period, and geographical location. Keeping notebook pages and/or a timeline will keep things neat and tidy and in chronological order for notebookers. (See link below for ideas in making your own timeline notebook.)

5. Spelling and Handwriting - Our family does very little formal spelling and handwriting practice in high school (see my post on Spelling Wisdom - copywork and dictation). Using notebook pages helps me "spot check" these two areas of learning. There is no spell check on a notebook page and if I can't read the handwriting...it gets rewritten in a neater manner.

6. Personalized Learning - Creating a notebook page allows the student to share what they learned and what they thought about a topic. They have room for personalizing the page with the design, the topic, and the manner in which the information is shared. I am excited to add here that soon NotebookingPages.com will have a new feature for all Treasury Members! The Notebooking Publisher will allow for student to customize their own notebook pages, type in their narration, and then print the page for their notebook. Mr. A would have loved this ability to work directly from the computer keyboard. For students that have trouble with the physical aspects of writing, the new Notebooking Publisher will be an answer to prayer. Click the link below to read more about the what, how, and when of this new exciting feature.

You may be interested in also reading:
Notebook Pages in a Charlotte Mason Homeschool
History Timeline with Notebook Pages
Notebooking With Living Books for High School
My Squidoo Page: Notebooking in High School

Join the Notebooking Pages Treasury or renew your membership now during their NotebookingPages.com 6th Birthday Sale-a-Bration Event and receive an extended membership, chance to win some great prizes, and access to their new notebooking web-app for creating, customizing, and completing your own notebooking pages (coming in June 2012)!

Seasoned Mom Tip #3 - Keeping In Touch With Independent Learners

2012-05-10T04:00:00.000-07:00

Seasoned Mom Tip #3 - Keep In Touch

As your student becomes more independent, you will still want a way to connect with them each week. This is going to keep you in touch with any areas of interest and areas that need some attention. Don’t let a week go by without some face to face time with your child.

Schedule time each week to sit with your child and review what they read and found interesting. Have them stack up their books and gather their papers for the time planned. Every child has a preferred method of learning. Are they writers? Look at their notes and essays. Are they active learners? Have them turn to pages in books and point out interesting things or look at their notebooks for sketches and outlines. We try to keep our meetings to 45 minutes if possible. Sometimes it goes longer if I have a YouTube video for them to watch or there has been an in-depth project to cover.

You don't need to go over every single detail of their week. Pick out a few things each week to have them share with you. I tend to focus on a couple of subjects a week until we have touched on every one over the course of a month or so.

You may be interested in reading these blog posts from the past:

Friday Meetings: What Do We Talk About?

Narration in High School - Letting Them Tell You About Their Week

Previous Tips:
Seasoned Mom Tip #1 - Balance Scheduled with Project Learning
Seasoned Mom Tip #2 - Set Goals

Flash Mob: Ravel's Bolero

2012-05-08T08:48:00.002-07:00

This would make my day! I would love to someday experience a flash mob performance like this one.

If you are reading in a reader, you can click over to see the YouTube video of the Copenhagen Philharmonic perform Ravel's Bolero.

Enjoy!

Should I just add it to my Bucket List?

Sketch Tuesday: Happy-Happy-Happy

2012-05-08T04:00:00.000-07:00

Important Information Regarding Sketch Tuesday:
The assignment this week will be due in TWO weeks which is May 21, 2012. (I am working on finishing up my latest More Nature Study Book #4 and this week is crunch time.) This will be the last assignment of this school year. I will be taking the month of June 2012 off from Sketch Tuesday posts.

I will be starting back up again on July 3, 2012 with a complete series of summer Sketch Tuesday assignments. I know many of you take the summer months off but some of you have asked for summer sketches. Jump in any week you have time or energy to participate!

Thank you to all the sketchers this week!

Here is your slideshow:
Something that bends.

Next assignment due Monday, May 21, 2012:
Sketch something that you associate with the word HAPPY.

All sketchers are welcome and there is no need to sign up. Send in your sketches in jpg format and mail them to: sketchtuesday@yahoo.com by Monday, May 21, 2012 and I will include them in Tuesday's slideshow. Complete instructions are found by clicking the Sketch Tuesday tab at the top of my blog.

Special Note for Notebooking Families!
Now is the time to renew or purchase a membership to the Notebooking Treasury. She is offering 25% off and three extra months PLUS you will have access to all the new features when they become available June 2012. At that time, they will be releasing The Notebooking Publisher, a new web-application for creating, customizing, and completing your own notebooking pages. With The Notebooking Publisher, your children can create and complete their notebooking pages on the computer! The Notebooking Publisher will become a part of all active members Treasury Membership accounts when it becomes available.

Weekly Wrap-Up: The One With Poetry

2012-05-04T07:00:00.000-07:00

Just a little sample of our poetry reading this week...thought it fit my image above from the April Get Outside Photo Challenge:

E.E. Cummings

"...whose hearts are mountains, roots are trees,

it's they shall cry hello to the spring..."

-From What if a Much of a Which of a Wind

We just finished working through a poetry unit in the literature plans of Tapestry of Grace Year 4. I do so love the flexibility we have with TOG and picking and choosing which parts to use this year as part of our Modern History and Literature plans. We are a family that enjoys the buffet of choices that Tapestry of Grace offers, a framework and a solid ground to build from. I don't feel tied to it, yet when I stick with it I see its beauty.

We are seriously winding down our school year, finishing writing projects, literature and history reads, artist and composer studies, and several of our DVD courses. It has been such a wonderful half-speed year for Mr. B and we are both so glad that we decided to split his senior year into two. I see him maturing in his thinking and his goal making. He has enjoyed the pace and the room for going deep where he has found interest.

The star of the week really was the poetry study and if you are using Tapestry of Grace I highly recommend using the book they suggest, "The Poetry Anthology, 1912-2002" edited by Joseph Parisi and Stephen Young. We used the list of around 15 poems in the TOG plans as a starting spot and then Mr. B used some my Poetry Analysis notebook pages to pick a few things to respond to for each poem. I love this open ended kind of assignment and so does he since he can share his thoughts in a way that makes sense to him.

You can find all my poetry pages and lesson plans on Squidoo: Poetry Notebooking Pages.

We only have two weeks of school planned and then soon after that a BIG trip to New York! We are going to be doing some exciting things, including a trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art (hoping to view this exhibit) which Mr. B and I have dreamed of doing for a very long time. We are preparing a list of things we must see while we are there and I will be sure to share all about it when we get back.

Link up with your Weekly Wrap-Up post at Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers.

My latest review is posted over on The Curriculum Choice: IEW Excellence in Literature. Mr. B has used this all year as part of his literature and writing courses. Click over and read more in detail.

Harmony Fine Arts Updates - 5/1/12

2012-05-02T13:19:00.000-07:00

I wanted to bring to your attention that I have updated the following grades of Harmony Fine Arts:

Grade 2 - YouTube link updates
Grade 3 - YouTube link updates
Grade 4 - YouTube link updates
Grade 7 - YouTube link updates

Note: If you use the YouTube.com Playlist Link found in your plans, your plans will always be current.

There is a link to each update on the sidebar of my blog directly beneath each Grade Level Button.

Thanks so much for your wonderful comments and emails this past week about Harmony Fine Arts. The Special Discount Event was a huge success and so many families are now on their way to enjoying art and music appreciation in their homeschool with ease.

If you missed the review over on The Curriculum Choice, I invite you to click over and read how the Hodgepodge family is using the Grade 6 plans with a variety of ages in their home.

If you have any questions or would like some help picking a grade level to use in your family, please email me anytime. harmonyfinearts@yahoo.com

Sketch Tuesday: Bending

2012-05-01T03:56:00.000-07:00

Color, pattern, shapes, variety of styles....all of this in one slideshow this week! The theme was blossom and you all did a wonderful job of creating some sketches to go along with that them. Thank you for your hard work and for sharing your creations with the Sketch Tuesday slideshow. Amazing collection of creativity from the littlest sketcher up to the adult sketcher!

Here is your slideshow:
Sketch Your Very Own Blossom (or bouquet)!

Next assignment due Monday, May 7, 2012:
Sketch something that bends.

All sketchers are welcome and there is no need to sign up. Send in your sketches in jpg format and mail them to: sketchtuesday@yahoo.com by Monday, May 7, 2012 and I will include them in Tuesday's slideshow. Complete instructions are found by clicking the Sketch Tuesday tab at the top of my blog.

Spring Series Nature Study with Art and Music Updates

2012-04-30T13:35:00.001-07:00

It was brought to my attention that the composer links for Schubert on page 20 of the ebook are no longer working.

Here are the updated links...you can print out this email and put it with your ebook so you will have the updates when you need them:

· Listen to the entire Piano Sonata in B flat Major D. 960 on YouTube.com.

Movement 1: http://youtu.be/Ok9tofNmqNY

Movement 2: http://youtu.be/G2AIMQ0-zWY

Movement 3: http://youtu.be/zD12AOCty0Q

Movement 4: http://youtu.be/p2YbCgudmc0

Harmony Fine Arts Plans - Special Discounted Price This Weekend

2012-04-27T04:00:00.000-07:00

The Curriculum Choice had such an overwhelming response to their review and giveaway for Harmony Fine Arts this week that I decided to go ahead and run my very first ever special offer! Because Tricia from Hodgepodge shared such an encouraging and real account of their family's experiences with Harmony Fine Arts, many families are now thinking about using my art and music plans next year in their homeschool week.

25% Discount on Harmony Fine Arts

I would love to encourage as many families as possible to give Harmony Fine Arts a try this coming year and I think the best way to do that is to offer a large discount to families who are ready to order this weekend.

As a way of saying thank you to all the kind commenters on The Curriculum Choice and for my loyal readers here on Harmony Art Mom, anyone who orders this weekend will receive 25% off if you click over to my Specials Page and use the Paypal button found there.

Special Price Ends Midnight, Monday, April 30, 2012
You MUST purchase from the Specials Page by Midnight, Monday, April 30, 2012 in order to receive the special discounted price for Harmony Fine Arts Plans. Please click over and read how to order your plans and get started with art and music appreciation the Harmony Art Mom way.

Simple to use, flexible to fit your family, and reasonably priced, I hope Harmony Fine Arts helps your family get started on a life-long love of art and music.

Note: Ebook versions only. Grades 1-8 only. See all the details on the Special Page here on Harmony Art Mom.

Owning an Authentic Homeschool Life You Love

2012-04-26T05:00:00.000-07:00

My daughter has taught me an important principle in life.

“If you don’t love it, don’t own it.”

That philosophy finds its way into my thinking in so many situations: what to wear, how to declutter, how to manage finances. It also is a principle that I have applied to my homeschooling philosophy. If the curriculum doesn’t fit and you don’t love it, let it bless someone else. No one wants to get up each day and deal with a homeschooling curriculum or lifestyle that doesn’t fit.

If you aren’t thrilled about a particular homeschooling program, your children will know it. They will see it in your manner and hear it in your voice.

Don't settle. Seek out what works best for your family and children.
Be confident in whatever you decide to do. You know your child better than anyone else.
Remember it is all about relationships. Nurture those that are the most important.
Nothing is set in stone. Homeschooling is in constant motion.
Enthusiasm is contagious.

Be in the habit of spending a few minutes at the end of each term to reflect on your homeschooling progress. This habit will eliminate feeling unmotivated and burned out in your homeschool life. If you don’t love it, let it go! Find something to be passionate about and your children will be too.

Photos from our trip to the Amador Flower Farm.

Harmony Fine Arts - Review and Giveaway

2012-04-24T22:14:00.000-07:00

Have you been over to The Curriculum Choice to read the excellent review by Tricia from Hodgepodge? You are going to love seeing how she uses one year plan of Harmony Fine Arts with all her children (ages 4-14). I love seeing how families incorporate art and music into their week and with their schedule they are able to keep it consistently in their homeschooling week...and enjoy it!

How about a giveaway?
She is also holding a giveaway which ends on Thursday night. Two winners will get to pick their choice of year plans! I encourage all of you who have been thinking about it to pop over, read her review, and then enter her giveaway.

If you have any additional questions about Harmony Fine Arts, please feel free to email me at anytime.

Sketch Tuesday: Blossom

2012-04-24T04:00:00.000-07:00

Last week's theme was "athlete" and I love the way you all created sketches with such a variety of ideas. Awesome slideshow this week...thank you so much for sharing your hard work.

Here is your slideshow:
Something to do with the word "athlete"

Next assignment due Monday, April 30, 2012:
Sketch your very best blossom (or a whole bouquet if you wish).

Here are some links to inspire:
Van Gogh - Almond Blossoms (make sure to click the enlarge button)
Georgia O'Keeffe - Squash Blossoms
Martiros Saryan - Flower

All sketchers are welcome and there is no need to sign up. Send in your sketches in jpg format and mail them to: sketchtuesday@yahoo.com by Monday, April 30, 2012 and I will include them in Tuesday's slideshow. Complete instructions are found by clicking the Sketch Tuesday tab at the top of my blog.

Weekly Wrap-Up: A Lot of Letting Go This Week

2012-04-20T07:00:00.000-07:00

Glorious April Day Visit to Yosemite National Park

Mr. A, my graduate from last year, made a big step this week. He took his very first "behind the wheel" flying lesson on his way to getting his private pilot's license. If you have been a longtime reader of this blog you know that he has had this as a goal for many years. He actually took the plane off from the airport and then flew it by himself. I have a total phobia of flying so even thinking about this made me shriek on the inside. He knew this and didn't tell me ahead of time that he was actually going to fly the airplane at his first lesson...he only said he was going to go talk to the instructor. Good move on his part since I probably would have done one of two things. I would have either thrown myself in front of the airplane so it couldn't move or I would have been there with my camera to take photos. I'm sure he didn't need me to do either of those things. Next lesson...this afternoon. Sidenote: He is also up for an internship in aviation maintenance at a local airport. This would be an answer to prayer.

Look closely and you will see Half Dome in the distance (left horizon).

Now the second big step, which I am not sure if it was bigger for Mr. B or for me. I drove him to the community college and dropped him off for assessments and a counseling appointment. He is determined to take a few classes either this summer or next year. In a new stage of our relationship, I left him to navigate the big world of the community college on his own. He looked so young (which he is) but he also had a little spring in his step as he walked down the sidewalk to the Student Services building. I refused to question myself. (Did I prepare him enough? Is he ready for this step? Should I have fill in the blank? I am confident that he is ready enough.)

The rest of the week was full of lots of outdoor time. We took a day trip to Yosemite National Park to see the beautiful waterfalls that are flowing this time of year. We were treated to some magnificent wildflowers (which you can see a glimpse of over on my Handbook of Nature Study blog this week). Mr. B and I have been participating in the April GetOutside Photo Scavenger Hunt hosted by Go Explore Nature by taking walks/hikes every single day this week. You can see our photos on the Pinterest Board. We also worked in the garden pulling weeds, trimming bushes, and planting seeds. Mr. A rode his bike to work this week to save money on gas. We all have spring allergies.

We have three weeks of school left for the year and I am feeling the pull of summer vacation.

Link up with your Weekly Wrap-Up post at Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers.

Seasoned Mom Tip #2: Set Goals For Homeschooling High School

2012-04-19T04:00:00.000-07:00

Seasoned Mom Tip #2

Set Long Term Goals to Give Your Homeschooling a Foundation

Before you open a catalog or look at a website, spend time deciding what your goals are for high school. You will never know exactly how things will look at the end but you need a direction to aim those homeschooling arrows.

Shooting arrows when you can't see the target is pointless. It is so much better to clearly see the bulls-eye before taking aim. Pointing your academic and spiritual arrows with skill takes effort and practice but it can be done.

Long Term Plans - Aiming at the Target

Make sure you have your goals in mind for your high school. The goals can be broad and easy to hit at first but as you work your way through high school, the focus needs to narrow so you hit dead center. I found this chart in my computer files. It is my rough plan for Mr. A for high school. A lot of the courses ended up changing but it helped to visualize what I was going to be aiming to accomplish during his high school years. (I was very ambitious...learned a lot over the years.)

Keep it simple. Four or five formal academic courses are plenty per year (leave room for courses of interest-see Seasoned Mom Tip #1)
Have a general idea of what your child is interested in as you plan your year. (Math or science oriented children will have a different focus than a creative artsy type.)
Block in those courses that are a “must” by mapping out a sequence to get you to where you need to be at graduation. For instance, if you want to complete four years of math and want to work through Calculus, work backwards to see where you will start in your freshman year. If you want three years of Spanish study, decide which years you will block in Spanish.
Leave room for being flexible and changing of courses to fit any refined interests or opportunities that come up. If you go through this process ahead of time, you will buy far less curriculum that may be wonderful and interesting but will end up sitting on your shelf because you can’t do everything.

Remember Seasoned Mom Tip #1:

Plan for scheduled and unscheduled time. Some of your child’s interests can be pursued outside school hours.

More Posts Showing How I Set Goals:
Goal Setting: My Process and Some Examples
Finding Time for Nature Study, Art, Music, Poetry, and PE in High School
High School SAT, Transcripts, and College

Sketch Tuesday: Athlete

2012-04-17T03:55:00.000-07:00

I want to welcome all the new sketchers this week...glad you joined us the slideshow.

Wow this week went by fast! You all were so good about sending in your sketches but I didn't get to them until late Monday. I enjoyed seeing all your creative ideas...thank you so much for all your hard work and for sharing your sketches with the slideshow here on my blog.

Here is your slideshow:

Something that you find in your kitchen drawer.

Next assignment due Monday, April 23, 2012:
Sketch something to do with the word "athlete".

All sketchers are welcome and there is no need to sign up. Send in your sketches in jpg format and mail them to: sketchtuesday@yahoo.com by Monday, April 23, 2012 and I will include them in Tuesday's slideshow. Complete instructions are found by clicking the Sketch Tuesday tab at the top of my blog.

Harmony Fine Arts Grade 5 Ancient Art: Sample Week

2012-04-16T15:00:00.000-07:00

Harmony Fine Arts Grade 5 - Ancient Art and the Orchestra is a 32 week long plan for art and music appreciation that you can use with ease in your homeschool. If you use these plans in your family, you will have each week planned ahead of time with little effort. The plans are flexible and you can choose from three different options for art appreciation. You can choose to complete one, two, or all three of the options depending on your available time and interest.

If you would like more specifics for these plans (art time periods covered and specific composers), you can click over to the Ancient Art and the Orchestra entry for more information. This entry will illustrate what a typical week will include if you choose to follow the plans.
Please Note: Many families have successfully used these plans with children in grades K-5. You can email me if you have any questions about using these plans with your family. harmonyfinearts@yahoo.com
Sample pages and resources lists for every level of Harmony Fine Arts are found on the website: Resources and Samples.

HFA Grade 5- Ancient Art and the Orchestra Sample Week
Week 1: Prehistoric Art
(Print out the Sample Pages and follow along.)
Note that your study of Prehistoric Art will stretch out from week 1 to week 4.

Option 1: Picture Study

Use the link provided to view the artwork of the week: Cave Paintings (scroll down the left side until you get to "cave paintings" and click. Click to view images.
Note to Parent: If you want to read through the introductory notes on this page you will glean some nice cave painting facts.
View the images and print one out for your notebook if you desire (instructions in the ebook). There is also a Prehistoric Art notebook page included in the plans for you to add your print to as well as record any facts you glean as you study Prehistoric Art for the next four weeks.

Option 2: Art Appreciation with Follow-Up Activities
(2 short periods or one longer period of time each week)

Read Prehistoric Art pages 4-7. See the notes section in the Harmony Fine Arts plans for optional question prompts. (Note that the resource page on HFA links to Rainbow Resource...you can now purchase the book from Amazon.com at a reasonable price.)
Optional Slideshow: Prehistoric Art Slideshow with didgeridoo music
Make your own cave art: Using brown crumpled paper and oil pastels or crayons, copy one of the cave paintings from the book for you art notebook.

Option 3: Artistic Pursuits with American Art
(Note: This option does not correspond with the ancient history cycle.)
(2 short periods or one longer period of time each week)

Read Lesson 1 and 2 in Artistic Pursuits Grades 4-6 Book 1.
Complete the Try It suggestion (pencil sketch), view the art print in the book, and then complete the drawing suggestion in Lesson 2, remembering to fill up your space.
File your work in your art notebook and at the end of the unit use the evaluation sheet at the back of the Artistic Pursuits book to evaluate your work (if desired). Your family can choose to do just one option or combine options together to get a richer art appreciation experience.

Please Note: Many families combine Option 1 with either Option 2 or 3. You can choose from week to week how much to include in your lesson.

Week 1 Music Appreciation:
Story of the Orchestra and Supplemental Listening to Instruments of the Orchestra

Read pages 7-14 in Story of the Orchestra. Listen to tracks 1-2 on the accompanying CD. This section gives an overview of the book, introduces the Baroque Period, and Vivaldi.
Read pages 42-49 in Story of the Orchestra which is all about the string section in an orchestra. Listen to tracks 13-18 on the accompanying CD. Record information on the stringed instrument notebook page. Note: You will begin listening to the Instruments of Classical Music (Cello) next week.
Read pages 92-93 in Story of the Orchestra about the orchestra's conductor.

See my Harmony Fine Arts Grade 5 page for more specifics for this plan for art and music appreciation. You can print out the sample for a list of artists and composers included in this ebook, a list of materials and resources needed, supplies list, and four weeks of plans to examine.

If you are interested in studying a different period of art, you can check my Overview Chart for more information about which grade to purchase.There is also a chart for Grades 1-4 listing specific artists and composers included in each year. Please feel free to email me with any questions: harmonyfinearts@yahoo.com.

You can click over to purchase the Harmony Fine Arts Grade 5 ebook or print version plans HERE.

$17.44 for ebook version of these plans. Please note there is no print version available for Harmony Fine Arts Ancient Art and the Orchestra.

Weekly Wrap-Up: Homeschooling Your Last Child

2012-04-13T07:00:00.000-07:00

Whiz Bang Zing....the years go by and now you are sitting with your last child in the homeschool classroom. Well, not really a classroom but you get the picture.

It is just Mr. B and me on our own and for the very first time he is an "only" child and I am a homeschooling mom of one. It is strange and wonderful at the same time. Homeschooling your youngest child's senior year is just as hard as the first year of kindergarten.

Our weekly meetings are always one on one. He really needs to be on his game since there are no big brothers sitting at the table to help him out if he needs it. I can clearly see how things are going with just one blonde head sitting in the chair across from me.

We take more time for rabbit trails since there is only one rabbit to chase. I can indulge his interests more since I am not juggling so much.

It is a crazy fun time.

This is the week we realized we are on the downhill slide to the end of the school year. Splitting Mr. B's senior year into two has given us lots of breathing room and it feels good to not be pressured to finish anything since we will just carry on in September when we come back to school. This plan has also allowed him time to fit in some more electives. At this time we are hammering out a rough plan for next year.....my only issue is that his 20th century study seems to be dragging. I am hoping to jazz it up a bit for next year somehow.

Highlights of Our Week

Composer Study - Aaron Copland (free Harmony Fine Arts Grade 12 Music Appreciation plans) - Mr. B started a new composer this week. This is almost always the first thing Mr. B does on Monday morning. He checks his composer and artist assigned and then fires up his music. That makes my heart glad.

Hitler's Empire (Great Courses DVDs) - We finished this twelve lesson series...finally. Excellent supplement to Tapestry of Grace Year 4 for my son who enjoys the DVD lesson format. This course comes with a booklet that has follow up questions that we use for narration. He also keeps a notebook pages with notes for each lesson.

Human Anatomy - I really haven't talked too much about this course this year because it is just moving along with no real issues. What a sigh of relief from this mama! We are stretching this course over two years, partly because of time and partly because it is a favorite subject with Mr. B. He is digging deep on his own with additional research and study. I just ordered Understanding the Human Body from Great Courses and we are anxious to incorporate the DVD lessons into his weekly assignments. (If you click over, don't be shocked at the price. I waited until it was on super sale and had free shipping...$149. Remember there is HIGH resale value on any Great Course DVD sets.)

Notebooking Pages: Francisco Franco, Goebbels, Nervous System vocabulary/roots and terminology, History of Medicine additional research, Presidential Election (on-going primaries info), Hitler's Empire, European Map - WW2, Updated 20th Century timeline, Grant Wood artist biography, Totalitarianism.

I just started using WonderMaps from Bright Ideas Press and it is very easy to produce quality, customized maps with a few clicks. I will be writing a more thorough review in the future. (Note: I received this product as a prize from the Homeschool Blog Awards and I am now an affiliate for Bright Ideas Press.)

Notebook pages from many subjects this week.

Excellence in Literature - American Literature: Finish essay for Great Gatsby. I love this course from IEW and I will be publishing a review for it on The Curriculum Choice in May.

Link up with your Weekly Wrap-Up post at Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers.

If you are at all interested in getting started with nature notebooking, now is a perfect time to purchase the nature study pages from NotebookingPages.com. They are offering 50% off their individual nature study sets from now until April 20, 2012.

Sketch Tuesday: Kitchen Drawer

2012-04-10T04:00:00.000-07:00

We had a really fun time this week with our sketching...hope you enjoyed your too. Thank you so much for all the great effort this week and I love having so many sketches for the slideshow.

Here is your slideshow:
Something that starts with the letter B.

Next assignment due Monday, April 16, 2012:
Sketch something from your kitchen drawer.

All sketchers are welcome and there is no need to sign up. Send in your sketches in jpg format and mail them to: sketchtuesday@yahoo.com by Monday, April 16, 2012 and I will include them in Tuesday's slideshow. Complete instructions are found by clicking the Sketch Tuesday tab at the top of my blog.

Seasoned Mom Tip #1: Balance Academic and Project-Driven Learning

2012-04-05T04:00:00.000-07:00

I was recently called a “seasoned mom” by someone I respect in the homeschooling community. Of all the labels that you could slap on me, this one felt good and comfortable. I am a seasoned homeschooling mom with lots of experiences behind me. I decided that as a mom of many who has graduated three and is still homeschooling one, my job is now to share my journey and my adventure with other moms who are coming behind.

I do not think that homeschooling in high school is for every child or every family. But, I do think that if you allow the opportunity and can find ways to support your style of homeschooling, your family will flourish. There is a need for community among moms who are making their way towards high school along with their children.

The message of hope is that although continuing to homeschool through high school is a challenge, it is not impossible to do and to do well. I am a different mom than I was ten years ago and you will be too. Your children will be older and you will have developed in them some good habits and skills that will make homeschooling through high school easier than you imagine.

Hopefully, as the numbers of “seasoned” moms increase there will be more sharing and encouraging of ideas.

Seasoned Mom Tip Number #1:
Our family has found a combination of academic and project or interest-driven learning is the key to the best high school experience.

Spring is the time of year when we begin our planning so keep this tip in mind as you begin mapping out next year's schedule.

We have used two different types of weekly schedules successfully.

Monday through Thursday schedule for focusing on academic courses with Fridays kept for personal interests. Homeschooling in high school is a very efficient use of time and with no need for homework in the evenings there is room for your high schooler to include interest-driven learning in the late afternoons, on Friday, and in the evenings.
Traditional Monday through Friday schedule with mornings for academics and afternoons for projects and exploring interests. This plan for homeschooling in high school allows a daily balance between academic learning and personal interests. You can get a glimpse of how I work this in our family in this post: Daily Routine. An example from my son's senior year can be seen in this post: High School Routine.

My sons have used their project time for volunteer work as well as courses in robotics, aviation, videography, auto shop, driver's education, welding, and culinary arts.

More posts on our version of Project Learning:

Ramblings and Project-Based Learning (from 2009)
High School Projects (from 2009)

Sketch Tuesday: Starts With B

2012-04-03T03:50:00.000-07:00

Wow!!! This is a fantastic slideshow this week!!!

You are really going to enjoy this collection colorful sketches from young and old. Thank you to all participants, especially our first-time sketchers. Welcome!

Here is your slideshow:
Something that you put into a smoothie.

Next assignment due Monday, April 9, 2012:
Sketch something that starts with the letter B.

All sketchers are welcome and there is no need to sign up. Send in your sketches in jpg format and mail them to: sketchtuesday@yahoo.com by Monday, April 9, 2012 and I will include them in Tuesday's slideshow. Complete instructions are found by clicking the Sketch Tuesday tab at the top of my blog.

Here are some fun new art supplies I recommend.