This blogging break is brought to you by

Oskar John

I'm sure you understand how he's managed to capture all the priority slots, time-wise.  

Planet Mobile

My ability to teach school has been pretty sad lately.  We've done the basics: math, grammar, Rosetta Stone, piano (well, Miriam has done piano, the other two have not), Study Island, but we haven't done much with science or history.

 The kids have learned a lot, however, by my leaving the outer space library books lying around.  Miriam's read several out loud to the other kids.  She's also researched Mercury well enough to have 4 main points about 4 main questions.  She's learning about online encyclopedias while she's at it.

 So we haven't been completely useless.  Just mostly useless.  Reminds me of a movie . . ..

 One thing we did do, however, was put together a mobile of the planets.  The kids loved painting the planets.

My hubby hung it up for us.  Then the kids destroyed it and it went in the garbage.  Such is the way of these things.  

The mobile came with this very nice poster.  It is still on the wall so it has held up better than the actual mobile.

While I can't say that this mobile was the best one or anything, it certainly did what it advertised and my children enjoyed putting it together.  They have loved every bit of the limited time we've spent on space.  I plan on revisiting the topic again very soon.  Post-baby.  :)

Science: Aliens

Bruce Coville is a very fun writer.  We were supposed to jump into our new science unit, Space, and we've done . . . a few things.  The most fun we've had thus far was listening to the book on tape of My Teacher is an Alien.  It is very short.  It is very funny.  It is a perfect blast-off into the excitement of space.

Plus, you'll have lots of fun listening to your children's alien games in the weeks following your finishing the book.

It's a good one!