V's Version

Weekly Log for Pk (parents V and Dani)
September 4-7, 2007
Charter 25 SLV Home School

Pk completed a children’s online course through the Baltimore Museum of Art focusing on the style and paintings of Henri Matisse.

We followed up this study with a visit to the Museum of Modern Art in San Francisco where we took the audio tour (now on ipod!) of the special Matisse: Paintings to Sculpture Exhibit. We also toured some of the permanent collection since we were there. We attended a lecture and movie about Matta-Clark’s building cut sculpture “Conical Intersections.” Pk also appreciated the sculpture of Dahli and Hamilton’s installation called “Indigo Blue.”

To quote museum literature: “"Indigo Blue" consists of roughly 18,000 items of blue cotton work clothing, neatly folded and stacked on a "floating" steel platform at the center of a room on SFMOMA's second floor. At one end of the platform stands an old wood table and chair. From noon to 4 p.m. each day -- except Wednesdays when the museum is closed -- a volunteer sits silently at the table, erasing, thus effectively destroying, the pages of a book: "International Law Situations," a Naval War College publication pertaining to legally defined land and water boundaries.

We had several follow-up conversations about art, history, rebellion, rules war and interactions. (art, social studies and history.)

We visited the Museum of Cartoon Art in SF. We saw the special exhibits of Edward Gorey’s costume and set designs with pen and ink for “Dracula” and the political cartoon exhibit called “Why do they STILL hate U.S.?” We toured the permanent collection and saw several classic and modern animated cartoons. He made an audio report of this. (art, social studies)

Traveling in San Francisco required the use of maps and the public transit system. Pk helped to locate our place and steer us in the right direction for several destinations. (geography, life skills)

Pk choreographed several gymnastics routines using his home made spring board and a new mattress and box spring (that he researched and found on Craigslist). He practiced for several hours each day all week. He put on three (progressively more elaborate) shows for family and guests. He improvised in addition to the choreography. (physical education and art)

Pk read aloud several state facts about Idaho, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, Ohio, Virginia, Wisconsin and Massachusetts. (geography and reading)

He worked on his division facts, using the “Math Wraps” and has mastered 1, 2, 5 and 10. (math)

He worked on reading comprehension and metaphors (in a workbook) and independent reading with Harry Potter and a book on pyrotechnics. He was able to tell me about Class C fireworks. He also read several times from the Eyewitness series books on Spies and the Revolutionary War.

Pk studied Non-Violent Communication, working on the concept of compassion for multiple points of view and the notion of a “No Fault” zone in our home. (life skills)

Problem solving skills were used with independently programming a VCR and with a broken toy race car (critical thinking)

He pimped his Myspace, navigated Craigslist and practiced his home row in typing. (computer skills.)

Pk made nutrition choices based on healthy eating habits and the food pyramid. (science)

This week was very social. Pk met with the new families during Orientation where he played cooperative games. The next day he met many people at the Pool Party where he joined several teens in a game of cards and played volleyball, swam and practiced his diving board stunts. (life skills and physical education.)

After the pool party, he had peer-only time with boys from the program and made the difficult social decision to leave their group rather than participate in activities that were happening. (life skills, critical thinking)

Pk and Dani rode their bikes for several hours and then revisited the Bike Church where he independently changed out his inner tube and adjusted his handlebars. (physical education and critical thinking.)

Pk began a 6-week formal course in dog training for a lure course. (what does that fit into? It’s a challenge!)

Baking projects gave him math (measurements and fractions) and cooking chemistry (what happens when extra oil is added? What happens when an ingredient is left out?)

Pk performed a science experiment where he tested an hypothesis, had a trial with one variable and three constants and then found an exciting conclusion using two brands of absorbent material, water and iodine.

Pk has been improvising with musical rhyming lyrics all week. (art)

Labels: home school life SFMOMA children art NVC bike church San Francisco charter 25 California