Sign language for all the family

Learning sign language (American) is a daily lesson for us now, and to help us all along (as all the family are learning) we`ve put together a notebook in which we can write each word and also put a photo of the sign, here is Aideen doing just some of the signs we`ve learned so far.
Also this week we are learning a lot about the foods that Jennifer and family eat that we dont have here...and swapping recipies , for example wereas we make "rice-krispie" buns they make them with marshmallows melted (yum!) instead of melting cooking chocolate as we do...
And in English this week we`ve studied that famous poem "A host of golden daffodils"...by William Wordsworth , as well as reading and discussing the poem Aideen had drawn different daffodils and also drawn what she thought the poet saw and felt as he wrote the poem.
Science this friday will be taken by Deborah who is doing "recycling"...so we`re looking forward to that !
And the project Aideen made on Florida (you may rememebr that) is actually being taken into a class in Florida by a teacher friend of Marthas for "show and tell" !!!!!!
Also this week Aideens been working hard on maths and the planets , this week we`ve studied Jupiter in detail...and yes, Daisy is STILL painting LOL...

Moonsand Science co-op

Today (Friday) is our sheduled day for Science class with Jennifer (In Virginia , USA, ) via webcam...as well as Aideen , taking part were: Renee , EB, Beth and Will...so lots of squeals of delight at the mess :0) The idea of making moonsand was to show the kids the reasoning behind non-Neutonian fluids (that means fluids that react differently whe different pressures are applied to them). Things got so messy ,and fun that when it came to writing our observations everyone had to take a break to clean up LOL ! As you can see ,really "ugh" hee hee !
Also this wek Aideens being working on her Virginia State project , her maths and also in French we are revising some things like family , favourite foods, etc...
And cooking has been a big thing this week  , today Aideen helped me make a delicious chicken casserole , I kid you not there was NOTHING left !
And another learning opportunity arose this evening as the town of Maynooth was plunged into darkness due to an ESB (electricty) powercut ,  so lots of questions to be answered , and talks about what people did before electricty was invented.
Also our (American) sign language lessons are gong really well !!!! We are learning one /two signs a day (the whole family) and we practice them after dinner each evening , we have a notebook now with the words we`ve learned written down and we`ve taken photos (to be printed) of us making the sign for each word to stick on the relevant page...
Well its late and even HS moms have to go to bed sometime ...have a great weekend wherever you are ! Love from us all at Scoil Dai !

Learning something new...

Everyday is an opportunity to learn when you homeschool whether or not you actually do "academic" lessons or not ! Life is a wonderful teacher ! Just in the last couple of days , Jennifer (HS mom extraordinaire) taught me some wonderful origami to teach the girls...and I always saw origami as a help to maths, but I never knew it could be religious ...just look at the messages on the frog and the house ! Also Ella learned to use chopsticks here this week , it was a lesson for us too as she is left-handed so we had to "re-learn" how to hold them , lots of laughs insued ! Also we`ve worked out our "online" shedule this week and its hanging up on our kitchen door...thanks to webcam a HS mom in the USA and this here HS mom can actually "share" classes therefore giving each other a break ! Also today of course was Saint Patricks Day so lots of story-telling arouund the dinner table ! We do hope that whether you homeschool or not that you too will find many learning opportunities around you this week ! And Dee I hope you like Aideens picture of you ! She gave you green eyes as she says you are "magical" :0)

Wonderful Webcam !

HOW amazingly lucky we are here in Scoil Dai...the last few days we have had our lessons "In America"...well, ok via webcam ,but is`nt technology amazing ??? Our wonderful Homeschool friends , Jennifer (Mom) and daughters Renee and EB got together with friends and we had a science class live over the web...so now every Friday Jennifer teaches science class to Aideen and her own kids and other friends, and I in turn read a story to Jennifers kids at night...we have to work out more classes to share , but its simply amazing , with the simple press of a button we are in each others school rooms ! And to think I felt isolated as a HS mom !
Also Aideens friend Ella chats online too , so even though she attends public school on her days off she also going to join in the lessons...so a fabulous week here in Scoil Dai.
Also Aideen has been studying the state of Virginia...and has a great project underway !
And seeds have been toing and froing the atlantic too...so weather permitting we`ll have some green, red, and yellow peppers along with watermelons !
Also Daisy has of her own accord started to sit in on Aideens French lessons ! How cute is it when a 2 year old says " Bonjour , Jài mappelle Daisy " !!!!!!! Hope you are all having a good week and the very best of Irish Luck to you all for this Wednesday, which is of course Saint Patricks Day !

Friends...near and far !

Another busy, but fun week here at Scoil Dai ! The main event of the week was that Aideen got to talk on the phone to her penpal and HS friend, Renee in the US !!!! Shes STILL talking about it ! Also Aideen and her BFF (apparently thats "Best Friend Forever" in tween speak), Ella , who goes to public school got together to do a project Ella had to work on , making a poster for her class about saving water...I think they did a great job !!! Daisy was in on the act too , hence the green glitter in the water)...but the girls really did a great job ! Well done you two ! Also this week saw the first bunch of Daffs come into the house...Aideen was born on both a Mothers day and it was also daffodil day (here in Ireland they sell daffs and brooches to raise money for cancer patients...) so every March a bunch of the beautiful flowers are brought for Aideen , she says she wants to draw or paint them tomorrow , so looking forward to that !
Daisy is still painting away , everywhere is covered in glitter now LOL...also shes back in her "chalk" mood...and we`re having freezing temps here in Ireland at the moment so evening walks are off , but Aideen and Daisy have been playing well , Aideen did a "magic show" to entertain her little sis the other night , and bless her , shes a born teacher ...she was teaching Daisy words like "chaos" , "dissapear" ,etc...if only you could have heard the laughter !
Well , thats it for another week , enjoy your weekend and hope Spring is springing up wherever you are !
Love from us all at Scoil Dai !

Busy days..some of what we`ve done in the last week