Music: Classification of Instruments

John with a chordophone.



John with an aerophone.



John with a membranophone.

We no longer have any idiophones at home. In the past we've had a triangle and maracas, but they are long gone.

1/30/10

Literature Read-Alouds

1/10
These are added to our Read-Aloud List.

Literature: The Prince and the Pauper

One of John's recent Literature assignments was an introduction to Mark Twain's classic, The Prince and the Pauper. After completing the reading, we watched a modern retelling of the story.

Literature Assignment: Spring

Picture Source

I love the spring
It sparkles and smells
It loves to sing
And it is spring.




Picture Source

The cold bitter bite of early spring
It loves to freeze the ponds and marshes
It loves to freeze.

Literature Assignment: Winter

Winter Poem by John McKay

Winter is harsh.
It whistles through the trees.
It sweeps over the marsh and it sees all nature.

1/19/10

Art Project: The Figure in Sculpture

Detail: Realistic boot-cut jeans

1/15/10; 1/20/10

Memoir Writing Assignment

Click photo to read the memoir.


12/09

Describing Summer

Language Arts (Literature) assignment, 1/14/10

Read and analyze four poems about summer:

June by Aileen Fisher
That Was Summer by Marci Ridlon
Summer Rain by Eve Merriam
Summer Rain by Elizabeth Coatsworth

Write a description of summer or some part of summer. Appeal to your reader's senses. Try to make your reader see, hear, smell taste, and touch what summer means to you.


Summer Poem
by John McKay

Summer smelling as the ditch smells,
The rain tapping at the windowsills,
Horses neighing in the pasture,
Turtles plopping into the water,
As dusk falls.

Turtle Science Update

I got a new basking platform yesterday. They like it. Click on the photos to enlarge and see detail. Visit my turtle blog at http://john-wildlife.blogspot.com/ .