La la lala la la lala Elmo's World...

Elmo.... if you raised a child in America in the last 30 years you've met him. He is a small, furry monster, who lives on Sesame Street.  He is affectionate, kind and caring. He loves to meet little kids and  just adores babies. Elmo lives in 'Elmo's World and has a Methuselah of a goldfish called Dorothy.

My daughter adored Elmo when she was a young toddler. Her second birthday cake featured Elmo. She had Elmo shirts, sneakers, bags and of course an Elmo stuffie. And as much as it was a treasured part of her early toddler life, I was elated when she outgrew Elmo. You see, Elmo always drove me crazy.

La la lala la la lala Elmo's World...
La la lala la la lala Elmo's World...



What drove me nuts wasn't his falsetto, or even his ever cheerful, insipid voice. It was the fact that even after 30 years he still hadn't learned the use of pro-nouns.


La la lala la la lala Elmo's World...

Someone hand me an airsickness bag...

La la lala la la lala Elmo's World...



.... please.... aaarrrgghhhhh, no !!! it has Elmo on it !!

excuse me.............

......sorry.

Would someone please enroll that furry, red, little monster in an intervention class? He has got to learn to use pronouns. What is he teaching our kids?  I thought Sesame Street was all about fun and LEARNING!  Give the little creep an ultimatum... start using pro-nouns or you're looking for a new job.

How big are they anyway as seen from your front yard?

http://vimeo.com/19231255

The above link will take you to a really cool video posted on Vimeo. It shows the relative size of some planets if they were to orbit earth at the same distance as our Moon.

Over one year already? - Blog Anniversary

I just noticed I've been blogging for over one year now! January 9, 2010 was my first post! Time flies!
A thanks to all who read  my blog, strangely enough it's an ego boost to some extent and we grown-ups need that too at times. Blogging is also a good way to keep me sane and so a big THANKS to all of you who so often provide me with words of wisdom.

My Real Life vs. Other Families' Homeschool Blogs

I am not completely happy about where we are academically at the moment. Honestly I think we are behind. Behind whom? Well, us! We could have been much further along the course I so carefully charted in Summer. So, who or what is responsible for this delay.

There are some external factors. Due to work related issues I missed 2 learning weeks in November and a chunk of December. But as inconvenient as that was, it isn't the real issue here. The real issue, I realized after much thought, lies with me. My lack of confidence in myself. I'd constantly pore over blogs of other homeschooling families to see what they were doing, learning, teaching. I am a researcher by nature.  Give me a project and I happily spend hours immersed in research. I'd read those blogs and constantly think to myself: 'they've been doing this for x number of years, I must learn from them.'

or: 'what they are doing must be better than what I was planning, let's not teach this or that until I've seen what someone else has been doing.'

And so we slipped behind where I think we could have been. Not because my kids couldn't handle the work, but because I was too afraid to not do a good enough job. Hours were spent reading educational sites and blogs to the detriment of the NOW for US!

Once I realized that it was as though a veil had been lifted. The here and now and us is far more important than the added map, graph, or other learning tool from other sites. I also learned that, at times, other homeschooling parents are quite possibly as much unsure of what they are doing, as I am. Our first year of homeschooling was with the guidance of Missy's old school. After all, this was to be a temporary situation and we intended to rejoin the school.  I used their curriculum (with the exception of science which we supplemented). We asked the classmates all the time to see what they were doing to make sure we were if not ahead at least at par. The curriculum was finished way ahead of time and we spent the remaining months reviewing.  Until a few days ago I hadn't realized how unsure I was of what I was doing. Looking back now it is apparent that what I had set out to do is just fine. There will always be someone doing something much better than I could. There will always be someone far more creative. But that's like trying to follow the Joneses. There will always be someone....

Well, guess what, there is me and there is us and that's good enough for me.

So, one of my New Year's resolutions is to stop spending so much time reading about what everybody else is doing in their homeschool and just get seriously busy 'doing' ours.

Great Visit with Allergist!

We had a fabulous visit with Missy's allergist on Friday.  He was thrilled to see how well she is doing now. He's been taking care of her since June or July 2007 when she came into the hospital as a desperately ill little girl. I'll have to post some pictures to show you guys what I mean. She still has all her prescriptions (just in case) and per my request we added generic Flonase for when growing season starts. For anyone who knew my little girl when she was so very sick, her improvement is astounding. She went from a child who was too skinny and short from a lack of appetite to one who is now in the 50th percentile for growth. From a child who couldn't play outside in winter because of her asthma to one who doesn't want to come inside. From a child who was covered in raw, weeping, crusty, eczema from her scalp to her toes to smooth, soft, healthy skin. How grateful we are!
Her current amazing improvement has a lot of parents wondering why she is still being homeschooled. Aside from the fact that we like homeschooling we still see plenty of evidence that her allergies aren't gone. Both Missy and Bear horsed around yesterday with blanket which needed a wash and both were varying degrees rashy after that. Missy can go somewhere and get a reaction within minutes. The dragon is merely asleep it seems and we aim to keep it that way.  Now it would appear that her little brother is getting increasingly sensitive and breaks out in allergic rashes more and more often. But then he had a 25% chance of getting some allergies. He has keratosis pilaris. How that fares as he gets older we'll have to see.

Way lower in this post I have some pictures of some of Missy's limbs during her flare-ups. I must warn you though, these pictures are disturbing.  Thankfully she doesn't suffer through this anymore. Her skin is a silky as can be. These aren't the worst either. The worst was in 2007 and  2008 but the pictures taken then aren't digital. 

Covered in hives and Eczema

This is what her bed would look like in the morning before I had a chance to vacuum.



This is the inside of her favorite pair of black jeans. They look grey because her skin came off.



This was taken two days after she visited a pool. Many E sufferers find relief in chlorinated pools as it reduces infections and the overgrowth of staph found so often associated with this disorder. However, Missy, is one of those few unlucky people who are overly sensitive to chlorine.

This was taken two days after she visited a pool. Many E sufferers find relief in chlorinated pools as it reduces infections and the overgrowth of staph found so often associated with this disorder. However, Missy, is one of those few unlucky people who are overly sensitive to chlorine.

Which is the Beast in your Homeschool?

Which subject has the greatest power in your home? In ours its clearly the Beast called 'Math'. It is a fearsome beastie indeed, as it, unseen, creeps into my daughter's heart and reduces her to a red-eyed, frustrated, angry, young girl. We are doing algebra right now.  Very simple algebra  and yet she has convinced herself that it's hard.  Until she stops doing that I can't help her.
I moved away from her into another room while she solves six simple questions. I hear sighs, snorts and the occasional sniffle of barely suppressed tears of frustration. Here is a kid who thinks electron configuration is fun and yet the simple act of finding the lcm or lcd of 3 or 4 denominators is a source of frustration.  I am frustrated too because I gave her simplest way to find out that information (courtesy of her math wiz Dad) and can't think of anything easier. Heck, If I understand it, trust me... it's easy!!!  I wish I could help her and I wish I could instill in her a sense of peace. Everything comes to her so easily in terms of academics, this makes a challenge to her all the more frustrating.  But even though I know she is frustrated I piled on 6 more questions as I believe in challenges. Running away from them won't do. Will I do a 'tiger mom' thing on her? Heaven's forbid, no! But those six questions will be answered today.

MLK - 'I Have a Dream' - Vocabulary Repost

Although I posted this last year I thought I'd post it again in honor of Dr. King's Anniversary. If you want a copy of this leave me a comment with your e-mail address (will not be posted) and I'll e-mail you a PDF file.

***********************************************************************
This vocabulary compilation is created from words found in the famous “I have a dream” speech by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. While many words in the list have a host of other meanings (ie ‘score’, or 'threshold'), I have tried to include the definition to those words as they applied to the speech.


Some information

I used the Merriam Webster online edition http://www.merriam-webster.com. After looking up the various definitions I removed extraneous information to make the vocabulary list more understandable to the primary school student. This list would be suitable for 4-6 grade students.

Etymology = Origin

It is important to learn about the origin of words as it leads to the ability to infer the meaning of other words in the future.

Each word is classified into its various uses. In grades 4-6 students are familiar with the basic functions such as nouns, verbs, adverbs and adjectives. Here are two new types of verbs a student should familiarize themselves with.

The transitive verb is a verb that requires both a direct subject and one or more objects. The term is used to contrast intransitive verbs, which do not have objects.

Jill sees Jack. (Jack is the direct object of "sees")
You pushed the car. (Car is the direct object of "pushed")
I caressed the cat. (Cat is the direct object of "caressed")

In grammar, an intransitive verb does not take an object. In more technical terms, an intransitive verb has only one argument (its subject), and hence has a valency of one. For example, in English,

The verbs sleep and die, are intransitive. Some verbs, such as smell are both transitive and intransitive.

Some examples are :

The patient will sleep until sunrise. (sleep has no object)
The cat died last night. (die has no object)
(verb, transitive verb)
(noun)


**************************

bankrupt (noun)
Etymology : from the Latin rumpere - to break
1 : a person who has done any of the acts that by law entitle creditors to have his or her estate administered for their benefit
2 : a person who is completely lacking in a particular desirable quality or attribute ;  : marked by violence or ferocity : fierce — witheringly (adverb)


beacon (noun)
1 : a lighthouse or other signal for guidance
2 : a source of light or inspiration

brutality (noun)
Form(s): plural brutalities
1 : the quality or state of being brutal
2 : a brutal act or course of action


captive (adjective)
Etymology: from Latin captivus - prisoner or captive
1 : taken and held as or as if a prisoner of war
b (1) : kept within bounds : confined (2) : of or relating to captive animals
2 : a situation which makes free choice or departure difficult


character (noun)
1 : reputation
2 : moral excellence and firmness
— in character : in accord with a person's usual qualities or traits
— out of character : not in accord with a person's usual qualities or traits


citizen (noun)
1 : an inhabitant of a city or town or country
: synonyms citizen, subject, national mean a person owing allegiance to and entitled to the protection of a sovereign state.


community (noun)
Form(s): plural communities
Etymology:, from Latin communitas - to share
1 : a unified body of individuals: as a : state, commonwealth
2 : an interacting population of various kinds of individuals (as species) in a common location


cripple (transitive verb )
Form(s): crippled; crippling
1 : to deprive of the use of a limb and especially a leg
2 : to deprive of capability for service or of strength, efficiency, or wholeness
cripple as a noun (derogatory) “look at that cripple at the corner.”
synonyms - maim, weaken


curvaceous (adjective)
: having or suggesting the curves of a well-proportioned feminine figure
broadly : having a smoothly curving shape


degenerate (adjective)
1 : having declined or become less specialized (as in nature, character, structure, or function) from an ancestral or former state
2 : having sunk to a condition below that which is normal to a type;
3 : having sunk to a lower and usually corrupt and vicious state.


discipline (noun)
Etymology: from Latin disciplina teaching
1 : training that corrects, molds, or perfects the mental faculties or moral character
2 :control gained by enforcing obedience or order
3 : self-control


declaration (noun)
1 : the act of declaring : announcement
2 : something that is declared


decree (noun)
Etymology: from Latin decretum - judgment, edict
1 : an order usually having the force of law
2 : a religious ordinance enacted by council or titular head b : a foreordaining will


democracy (noun)
Form(s): plural - democracies
Etymology: from Late Latin democratia, from Greek demokratia, from demos + -kratia -cracy
: a government by the people for the people. Rule of the majority ; b : a government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system


demonstration (noun)
1 : an outward expression or display
2 : public display of group feelings toward a person or cause


despair (verb, intransitive verb)
Etymology: from Latin desperare, from de- + sperare - to undo hope
: to lose all hope or confidence


devotee (noun)
: an ardent follower, supporter, or enthusiast (as of a religion, art form, or sport)


desolate (adjective)
Etymology: from Latin desolatus, de- + solus - alone
1 : joyless, disconsolate, and sorrowful through or as if through separation from a loved one


dignity (noun)
1 : the quality or state of being worthy, honored, or esteemed
2 : high rank, office, or position b : a legal title of nobility or honor
3 : formal reserve or seriousness of manner, appearance, or language


discontented (adjective)
: dissatisfied, malcontent


discord (noun)
Etymology: from Latin discordia - disagreement
1 : lack of agreement or harmony (as between persons, things, or ideas) b : active quarreling or conflict resulting from discord among persons or factions : strife
2 : a combination of musical sounds that strikes the ear harshly (2) : dissonance b : a harsh or unpleasant sound
synonyms - discord, strife, conflict, contention, dissension, variance mean a state or condition marked by a lack of agreement or harmony. discord implies an intrinsic or essential lack of harmony


discrimination (noun)
1 : the act of discriminating
2 : the quality or power of finely distinguishing
3 : the act, practice, or an instance of discriminating categorically rather than individually
b : prejudiced or prejudicial outlook, action, or treatment


dramatize (verb, transitive verb)
Form(s): dramatized; dramatizing
: to present or represent in a dramatic manner


emancipate ( transitive verb)
Form(s): emancipated; emancipating
1 : to free from restraint, control, or the power of another; especially : to free from bondage
2 : to release from paternal care and responsibility and make sui juris
3 : to free from any controlling influence (as traditional mores or beliefs)


exalt (verb, transitive verb)
Etymology: from Latin exaltare, from ex- + altus high
1 : to raise in rank, power, or character
2 : to elevate by praise or in estimation : glorify
3 : to raise high : elevate


fatigue (noun)
1 : the uniform or work clothing worn in the field.
2 : weariness or exhaustion from labor, exertion, or stress
3 : the tendency of a material to break under repeated stress


faith (noun)
Etymology: Latin fidere - to trust
1 : belief and trust in and loyalty to God (2) : belief in the traditional doctrines of a religion b (1) : firm belief in something for which there is no proof (2) : complete trust
3 : something that is believed especially with strong conviction; especially : a system of religious beliefs
synonyms - belief
— on faith : without question


foundation (noun)
1 : the act of founding
2 : basis (as a tenet, principle, or axiom) upon which something stands or is supported


fierce (adjective)
Form(s): fiercer; fiercest
Etymology: from Latin ferus - wild, savage
1 : violently hostile or aggressive in temperament
2 : marked by unrestrained zeal or vehemence
3 : furiously active or determined


freedom (noun)
: liberation from slavery or restraint or from the power of another :
synonyms - freedom, liberty, license mean the power or condition of acting without compulsion.


ghetto (noun)
Form(s): plural ghettos also ghettoes
Etymology: Italian, from Venetian dialect ghèto island where Jews were forced to live, literally, foundry (located on the island), from ghetàr to cast, from Latin jactare to throw
1 : a quarter of a city in which members of a minority group live especially because of social, legal, or economic pressure
2 : an isolated group : a situation that resembles a ghetto especially in conferring inferior status or limiting opportunity


gradualism (noun)
: the policy of approaching a desired end by gradual stages


gentile (noun)
often capitalized : a person of a non-Jewish nation or of non-Jewish faith; especially : a Christian as distinguished from a Jew


hallowed (adjective)
1 : holy, consecrated
2 : sacred, revered


honor (noun)
Etymology: from Latin honos - honor
1 : good name or public esteem : reputation
2 : a strong sense of ethical conduct : integrity


hamlet (noun)
: a small village


hew (verb)
Form(s): hewed; hewed or hewn or hewing
: to give form or shape to with or as if with heavy cutting blows


inextricable (adjective)
: forming a maze or tangle from which it is impossible to get free
inextricably - adverb


invigorate (transitive verb )
Form(s): invigorated; invigorating
Etymology: probably from in- + vigor (from the Latin liveliness)
: to give life and energy to : animate; also : stimulate
— invigoratingly adverb


interpose (verb)
1 : to place in an intervening position
2 : to put forth by way of interference or intervention
3 : to step in between parties at variance : intervene


insufficient (adjective)
: not sufficient : inadequate ; especially : lacking adequate power, capacity, or competence


inalienable (adjective)
: incapable of being alienated, surrendered, or transferred


injustice (noun)
1 : absence of justice : violation of right or of the rights of another : unfairness
2 : an unjust act : wrong


jangle (verb)
Form(s): jangled; jangling
: to make a harsh or discordant often ringing sound


legitimate (adjective)
being exactly as stated: neither spurious nor false


luxury (noun, adjective)
Form(s): plural luxuries
: a condition of abundance or great ease and comfort : sumptuous environment


languish (intransitive verb)
1 : to be or become feeble, weak, or enervated
2 : to be or live in a state of depression or decreasing vitality
3 : to become dispirited


momentous (adjective)
: important, consequential


manacle (noun)
Etymology: from Latin manicula - handle
1 : a shackle for the hand or wrist : handcuff —usually used in plural
2 : something used as a restraint


magnificent (adjective)
1 : impressive to the mind or spirit : sublime
2 : exceptionally fine
synonyms - grand


nullify (transitive verb)
Form(s): nullified; nullifying
Etymology: from Latin nullus - none, not any
1 : to make null; especially : to make legally null and void
2 : to make of no value or consequence
synonyms - nullify, negate, annul, abrogate, invalidate


opportunity (noun)
Form(s): plural opportunities
1 : a favorable juncture of circumstances
2 : a good chance for advancement or progr


oppression (noun)
1 : unjust or cruel exercise of authority or power
b : something that oppresses especially in being an unjust or excessive exercise of power
2 : a sense of being weighed down in body or mind : depression


obligation (noun)
1 : the action of obligating oneself to a course of action (as by a promise or vow)
2 : something (as a formal contract, a promise, or the demands of conscience or custom) that obligates one to a course of action
3 : something one is bound to do : duty, responsibility


proclaim (transitive verb)
Etymology: from Latin proclamare, from pro- before + clamare to cry out
1 : to declare publicly, typically insistently, proudly, or defiantly and in either speech or writing : announce 2 : to declare or declare to be solemnly, officially, or formally
synonyms see declare


poverty (noun)
Usage: often attributive
Etymology: from Latin paupertas, from pauper, poor
2 : scarcity, dearth
3 a : debility due to malnutrition b : lack of fertility


promissory note (noun)
: a written promise to pay at a fixed or determinable future time a sum of money


prodigious (adjective)
: extraordinary in bulk, quantity, or degree : enormous
synonyms - monstrous


persecute (transitive verb)
Form(s): persecuted; persecuting
1 : to harass or punish in a manner designed to injure, grieve, or afflict; specifically : to cause to suffer because of belief
2 : to annoy with persistent or urgent approaches (as attacks, pleas, or importunities) : pester
persecutor (noun)



prosperity (noun)
: the condition of being successful or thriving; especially : economic well-being


quicksand (noun)
: something that entraps or frustrates


racial (adjective)
1 : of, relating to, or based on a race
2 : existing or occurring between races


redemption (noun)
Etymology: from Latin redimere to redeem
: the act, process, or an instance of redeeming


redeem (transitive verb)
1 : to buy back : repurchase
2 : to get or win back
2 : to change for the better : reform


righteous (adjective)
1 : acting in accord with divine or moral law : free from guilt or sin
2 : morally right or justifiable
b : arising from an outraged sense of justice or morality
synonyms - moral
righteousness (noun)


sweltering (adjective)
: oppressively hot


Score
: twenty b : a group of 20 things —often used in combination with a cardinal number c


symbolic (adjective)
Variant(s): also symbolical
1 : using, employing, or exhibiting a symbol
b : consisting of or proceeding by means of symbols
2 : of, relating to, or constituting a symbol
3 : characterized by or terminating in symbols
4 : characterized by symbolism


segregation (noun)
1 : the act or process of segregating : the state of being segregated
2 : the separation or isolation of a race, class, or ethnic group by enforced or voluntary residence in a restricted area, by barriers to social intercourse, by separate educational facilities, or by other discriminatory means


sacred (adjective)
1 : dedicated or set apart for the service or worship of a deity
2 : worthy of religious veneration : holy : entitled to reverence and respect
3 : highly valued and important


selfhood (noun)
1 : individuality
2 : the quality or state of being selfish


self–evident (adjective)
: evident without proof or reasoning


symphony (noun)
Form(s): plural symphonies
Etymology: from Latin symphonia, from Greek symphonia, from symphonos - concordant in sound, from syn- + phone voice, sound
1 : symphony orchestra
2 : something that in its harmonious complexity or variety suggests a symphonic composition


threshold (noun)
: the place or point of entering or beginning


militant (noun, adjective)
1 : engaged in warfare or combat : fighting
2 : aggressively active (as in a cause) : combative
synonyms - aggressive


tranquilize (verb)
Form(s): tranquilized also; tranquilizing
: to make tranquil or calm : pacify; especially : to relieve of mental tension and anxiety by means of drugs
intransitive verb


urgency (noun)
1 : the quality or state of being urgent : insistence
2 : a force or impulse that impels or constrains : urge


upward mobility (noun)
:the capacity or facility for rising to a higher social or economic position
upwardly mobile - adjective


unspeakable (adjective)
1 : incapable of being expressed in words : unutterable b : inexpressibly bad : horrendous — unspeakably adverb


veteran (noun)
Etymology: Latin veteranus, from veteranus, adjective, old, of long experience, from veter-, vetus old — more at wether
veteran (adjective)
1 : an old soldier of long service b : a former member of the armed forces
2 : a person of long experience usually in some occupation or skill (as politics or the arts)


vicious (adjective)
1 : having the nature or quality of vice or immorality : depraved
2 : impure, noxious
3 : dangerously aggressive : savage
4 : malicious, spiteful
synonyms - vicious, villainous, iniquitous, nefarious, corrupt, degenerate mean highly reprehensible or offensive in character, nature, or conduct. vicious may directly oppose virtuous in implying


withering (adjective)
: acting or serving to cut down or destroy : devastating