Bits and Bobs, Here and There

With the second and strongest half of our rainy season here (also hurricane season), our little river is back. Well, it was for a couple of days anyway. So, as we do each year, we went out with rubber boots, machetes, and a shovel. We cleared out our sitting spot and got to rebuilding our swim hole.

The base of last year's dam is still standing!

Lu loves swinging the machete.

 

Despite the impression that my last few posts might have made, 

we HAVE been doing some academics.

In history, we've been all over China.

We watched The Last Emperor and Empire of the Sun,

and we had an awesome discussion about communism.

We also studied Confucianism,

and Lu made this poster:

We have three months left of this school year

and are almost done with our math workbook.

This is because math freaks me out, and I'm so afraid that we'll fall behind. So I rush it. I've done this three years in a row now. When will I learn?

Anyway, since I can relax about it now, Lu is pretty much working through these last pages on his own, at his own pace. He's also working with Khan.

 

In science, we've been watching our favorite science videos and learning about molecules in solids and liquids, evaporation and condensation, expansion and contraction, measuring temperature, and heat. We watch a video together, and then Lu watches it again while taking graphic notes.

He really enjoys these mini-classes.

I've recently upped the number of dance classes I'm teaching, which is good for the family budget, but puts some strain on my participation in our homeschool schedule. This isn't a bad thing though. Lu needs to work on his focus and self-discipline.

This week, I asked him to pick a subject to research and write about. He picked The Beatles. Which I could have guessed. But I had hoped he might choose something more... 

No. I won't judge. 

I like Beatles music sometimes, some songs. But Lu LOVES them since a gazillion years ago, since he's been playing them in the kitchen while washing dishes, in the bathroom while showering, in the bedroom always... every day.

And I'm proud of myself because I didn't show any sign of disappointment when he told me about his chosen topic of research. I smiled and said "Okay. Great. Get to it." Because no matter what he chose, he'll be learning to look stuff up, he'll be reading, he'll be organizing information, and he'll be writing.

Lu has also decided to learn French. He found an app to learn with, and practices every chance he gets. Again, French wouldn't have been my choice, but hey, he's learning a fourth language completely of his own accord. And he wants to be a chef. So maybe he'll go to cooking school in Paris some day, and... French it is.