Exam- Year 2, Term 2

Below I posted the questions for K's Year 2, Term 2 Exam.  

This is the first time we've done an official exam.  Thanks to Brandy at Afterthoughts, Kathy at Piney Woods (most of my questions came from Kathy's blog), and Lindfay at Charlotte Mason Help, I felt like I had a pretty good start, and a good feel for the purpose behind what I was doing.  (Thanks, ladies!!) 

Charlotte said that exams are actually supposed to be enjoyable.  That was a shift for me!  But guess what?  It was not a shift for Kylie.  That is just amazing to me. She liked the exam. "I like telling you what I know, Mom!"

We did the exam over the course of 2 days.  I sat at my computer and typed what Kylie answered.  Sometimes, I would ask her another question to pull a little more out of her.  I don't know what Charlotte would have thought of that- I know this is a big no-no while kids are narrating, but what about exam questions?  What if they get something wrong and it needs to be corrected or they will continue to remember it incorrectly?  

I'm still looking into that, and how to handle it according to Charlotte.  :)

But, with my daughter's personality, I need to learn how to ask in a way that is able to actually pull out what she knows, because it's in there!  So, I'm learning too and gave myself a little grace to add to the questions.  If you see something that is boldfaced italics, those are questions I 'added' as we talked.  Here is the verse that comes to mind as I think and pray 

about this for my particular child: 

The purposes of a man’s heart are deep waters, but a man of understanding draws them out.  Proverbs 20:5 

So- I'm deciding to go with my instincts on this one.  I asked conversational questions and would also correct gently when absolutely necessary.  I don't think she even picked up on it.  It was just like we were having a conversation.  

It was helpful to know which books she really had trouble answering in the way I expected.  Island Story is a great example.  She couldn't seem to understand what I was looking for when I asked about the Kings and what they may have struggled with as leaders.  She knew all the particulars when I would ask about a particular event, but these more general, "apply what you know" questions were tough.  We need more practice with that.  I'm not sure what to change in order to deal with that.  I know I will plan to adjust the way we do that book, particularly what I require in a narration.  I'll explain more of that in another post when I figure it out myself :)  

All in all, if you are in doubt about doing exams, I would go for it.  It has been incredibly helpful to me and the course we continue to adjust for our homeschool.  

Year 2 Term 2:  Exam 3/5/2012

K’s answers

Bible: 

1. In your own words, tell me 3 words that describe what God is like.  

He’s awesome, He knows everything, and He made everything. 

1. Tell me a Bible story you remember from this term. 

One of my favorites is when the snake tempted Eve in the garden.  Then she ate the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil.  And then Eve told Adam to taste it and he tasted it.  And I like the way how in the book they describe it, how when God said they would surely die, He meant that their friendship with Him would die.  

Bible Memory: 

1. Recite 1 John 4:16.  completed
2. Recite your long passage.  Include the reference.   completed

Hymn: 

Sing your hymn. (I Need Thee)  completed

What does this Hymn tell you about yourself and God?  That you actually do need Him every hour.  He’s not with you just every single second, He’s with you forever!  He’s gonna be with you longer than forever.  

Piano: 

Play the Waltz. completed

Shakespeare:

Describe a favorite scene and character from a Shakespeare play you did this term.  

Well, I like Midsummer Night’s Dream the best.  And my favorite scene is when Puck gave the juice of this special flower to the wrong guys, and so they both fell in love with Helena!  And she thought they were playing a trick on her.  It was funny because they were fighting each other on which would get Hermia at first, and then they both switched to Helena!  

Little Pilgrim’s Progress: 

1. Tell me about an obstacle Christian faced and how he got past it. 

He faced the lions.  Remember those lions.  I don’t remember the name of the man who did it, but what I do remember is that he told Richard that the lions were on chains, and that it was okay to go across, and that anyway, they were asleep.  

1. Tell me about some help Christian received - who helped him, and how? 

He received help from evangelist when he listened to Worldly.  When he listened to Worldly he went up this hill, the rocks on his bare feet were burning up.  And the rocks, they were hanging over a ledge right above him, so it was really dangerous.  And the path was really narrow.  Evangelist came and helped him, and took him down and set him into the right path.  

Little Duke: 

1. What was your favorite part of Little Duke? 

When Richard becomes friends with Carloman.  I liked that part bc Carloman jsut shyly held out his hand for Richard to shake it.  But then Lothaire barged in, and said ‘Get back little Carloman.  I’m the older one so I get to say hello first.’  

What does it tell you about Richard that he became friends with Carloman?  

Carloman was a shy child.  Richard was really gay and playful and strong.  And having those two join together - shy and happy - mixed with gay and playful and strong - it seems like those two would not combine at all, but living with King Louis, Lothaire, Queen Gerberge, Carloman taught Richard that he shouldn’t fight back, and that helped him when he was fighting with Lothaire.  He forgave Lothaire.  

What really made Richard choose to forgive?  

Well, one of the things was that when he reacted, things just got worse.  The thing that motivated him is that two of the people that were with him got killed because of the way he acted.  

1. How did the Little Duke change during the story? 

He was a really headstrong boy in the beginning, but in the end, he turned out to be a kind, merciful and likable boy.  And you know what he did?  He even had mercy on Arnulf Flanders, the man who killed his father!  And that part really surprised me, ‘cause if I were Richard, and someone had killed Daddy, then I would have gotten them back.  

Wind in the Willows:

1. Which character was your favorite?  Why? 

Mole.  He was sort of the one that started the story.  And how he was the one who was so interested.  He’s really more curious than the other animals.  

1. Did Toad change during the story?  How did he change, or why did he not change? 

(we haven't finished this book yet, so I'll ask this question next time)

Seabird: 

1. What kind of ship has Seabird been on so far? 

Seabird has been on a whaling ship.

1. Tell me a little bit about what that kind of ship does.  

Whaling ships- what happens is they have these little boats that people are in, and they throw these spear kinda thingies into the whale and they throw them until the whale is dead.  So, then, they get the whale back onto the shore, and they take the blubber.  

Parables from Nature: 

1. Tell me about one of the Parables you read this term.  (Circle of Blessing; Active and Passive; Not Lost, But Gone Before)  I remember that everywhere the vapors went, when they left the Ocean, he was grumbling about why they had to leave him- bc he’s done all these things for them, and in return they just leave?  And then the vapours say, well, we gave you ourselves.  Then, when they went to the earth, the earth is all like “Stay with me!  Stay with me!”.  And they are like, “Not you too!”  The Vapours were thinking/hoping the Earth and others would be glad that they came, and that they always leave some blessing behind when we go.  And then it’s the Sundews, and they are like, “You are my prisoners now”.  And they were just talking to the Sundews about how they need to go on to another place, and the Sundews are like, Alright, as long as some of you stay behind.”  So the Vapours agreed to that and some of the Vapours stayed with the Sundews and the rest just went away.  Then the rest of the Vapours just went to the next place.  They went to the Waterfall and the Mountain, and the same thing happened as with the Ocean and the Earth.  They were just bursting to know why the Vapours couldn’t stay.  The moral:  That nothing bad happens without at least a little good coming out of it.  So like even thought the Vapors were leaving, they would come back, and they still left some blessing.  Like in my way of saying it- there’s no hard fall without a little lift.  

World History: OIS, Child’s History, TCCO

1. Tell me about a good King from our readings.  What made him a good king?  Edward the Black Prince - the people really loved him.  In my opinion, he was good.  He and is father won the Battle of Poiter just like that.  “On the Battle of Pointer, the French lost the day”.  Need to work on this!
2. Tell me about some challenges the kings were facing at this time.  Some challenges that Richard the Lionhearted faced was going on the Crusade.  If it were me, I would have trouble figuring it out- like if people got into an argument and they wanted me to handle it.  And, picking soldiers to take to battle - I’m not sure I would be very good at, either.  Need to work on this
3. Tell me about the Magna Carta.  That barons made John sign it, and he was NOT happy about that.  It was a book of laws, like one example is not to put somebody in jail just for doing one small thing.  (We talked about this and how it’s more about a fair trial.)  If people earned money, they could spend it if they wanted to, and they didn’t have to pay an extra tax.  (We talked about how this really was that a person had a right to keep the money they earned and not have it taken unlawfully).  
4. Who is one of the Kings that had to deal with the church, and what was his experience like?  The Pope didn’t like John, and he wanted to appoint people to rule that he wanted, and John wanted to appoint who he wanted.  
5. Tell me what you remember about Gothic Cathedrals.  How the people called them Gothic because they had curved roofs, and not flat roofs with pillars inside.  They had something called a flying buttress that helped the roof stand up, and it made it so they could have more light bc they could have more windows.  And back then they didn’t have electrical lights like we have today, so they had to get light from windows.  

Poetry

1. Recite a poem you memorized.  

I know a little Cupboard with a teeny tiny key....by Walter de la Mare.  Recited correctly.  

1. Tell about a poem you remember and like, and why.  

I have a little shadow.  I remember how the little boy is telling us about his shadow and how it’s always following him, and how sometimes is SOOOOOOO big it’s higher than the houses and trees.  And sometimes it gets SOOOOOOO small that you can’t even see it.  We all have a shadow. 

Geography

1. ID on map:  England, Scotland, Ireland, France, Germany, Austria, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Greenland, Iceland.   Identified all.  And Spain and Portugal.  Had trouble with Scotland.  
2. ID on map: Great Lakes  Knew Lake Superior and location.  Knew name Huron.  Didn’t remember anything else. 
3. ID on map: Colorado, Kansas, Wyoming, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Texas, Mississippi River, Rocky Mountains  Oklahoma, NM, Texas- knew without hint.  Needed hint for:  Kansas, Wyoming, Montana, Nebraska, ND, SD.  
4. Tell me a little about the Santa Fe Trail.  Who used it, and why?  They went to trade.  They used it to trade.  And, the traders went on it.  (who were traders and who were they trading with?)  They were trading with the Spanish, and there was Buck and Jed.  Jed’s oxen were named Starbright and Bugle.)I think they were coming from Canada.  Need to be more consistent with weekly mapwork. 

Natural History

1. Tell me the things that make a mammal a mammal (live birth, feed their young milk, hair, warm-blooded, breathe air with lungs).  Have to breathe oxygen, and they have to be born, not hatched. 
2. Tell all you know about two animals.  a:My favorite to learn about was Peter Rabbit.  I learned that you would usually see him out in the spring, summer and fall bc he can really blend in at those times.  That from what I see is that his coat should be like, I think it coat is sort of like a brownish grayish color to be able to blend in.  b: The porcupine just has hair “under here” and spikes/quills that he has all over him.   c:  Robber the brown rat  would just rob, rob and rob.  Trader the mouse or rat- he’s a rat I think.  They call him Trader bc he would always take stuff from a house or cabin of man and replace it with sticks.  He’s very fond of shiny things.  His greatest enemy is man.  d: I remember about the Pika how it’s really really hard to find, has a high pitched squeak.  And how it takes grass and lets it all dry, then takes it into it’s house and stores it there.    

Picture Study

1. Tell about your favorite VanEyck painting.  How they have a rare kind of dog and oranges and that means they are rich.
2. Tell anything you remember about VanGogh.  Tell about a painting he did that you liked. 
3. Tell anything you remember about daVinci.  Tell about a painting he did that you liked. Didn't remember who did what painting without me showing her the paintings.  Need to focus more on careful observation.  

Composer study

1. Tell me something about Mozart.  Mozart used to drive his barber mad, bc he would be sitting quietly, and then just jump up and go over to the keyboard and play a song!  
2.   Beethoven.  I remember that he was a musician.  Need to do better job narrating this info when we read and listen.  Want to think through what I really would like her to get out of this.  We are enjoying the music and she chooses to listen to it.  Do I need more than that right now?  

I Heart Fall

Fall is my absolute favorite season.  The weather here in Hotlanta is finally cooling down.  Today was Friday, which is always a little more laid back than the rest of the week.  We finished up the necessities and headed outside on the front porch.  We brought out a little kid's table from the basement, our Handbook of Nature Study, magnifying glass, oil pastels, nature notebooks, and of course the girls brought their dolls and stuffed animals.     

We gathered some leaves from trees in our yard to color, and are in the process of choosing which tree we are each going to watch throughout the seasons.  We keep getting distracted and haven't actually chosen one yet.  We found one leaf with an insect's shedded skin on it.  It was like a little white skeleton.  We are going to take it the Nature Exchange at our Nature Center.  The kids earn points when they bring in things like this, and they use the points to buy other stuff, like rocks, shells, or animal teeth.   

We did our coloring with oil pastels.  It's the first time we used them.  I think regular crayons would have worked better for coloring leaves, but they will be great for other drawings.  The color shows up really well.  This is a kids' set I got from Dick Blick.  

You can see the three trees right in front of our house.  Two are pines, and I think the other is a white or live oak.  While the girls went off and played, I sat and sketched my front yard.  I wanted to write out the names of each tree for future reference and include a picture of their leaves.  The girls saw me doing that in my own nature journal, and then wanted to come back and draw some more on their own.  I love that!  I love doing things in my nature journal, but I so easily get caught up in just doing things to prepare them to do an activity that I often don't take time to do it myself, even though I enjoy it.  I realized again today, though, that the best way to get my kids interested in nature study is to be interested in it myself.  And I am!  I will admit I'm a little intimidated because I grew up knowing so little about nature (hence not knowing what trees are in my front yard...).  I was outside all the time, though, and I loved it!  Now I get to share that love with them, and they get to learn while they are at it.


We used our field guide for trees to figure out which leaf went with each tree.  Evie traced her leaves and colored them.  Kylie just drew hers.  I laid a page on top of my leaf and shaded it.  As I said, I would suggest crayons for this in the future.

It was a fun day had by all.  One of those days I am really grateful we get to do this homeschool thing!

Our Schoolroom

Want to see our schoolroom?  Forewarning- I change it all the time :)  So it may not look like this next time you come and visit!

Here you can see where the alphabet is for Evie.  She loves looking at the pictures.  They are from My Father's World, and they are the best I have seen.  You can easily make your own, of course.
You can also see the table where we sit for school, and the lovely china cabinet where we store our books and supplies.  I love it because I can see the books.  It may look cluttery but if I don't see what we have I forget about it.  And last but not least, you can see our story chair.  Kylie likes to sit there when we listen to stories online.  If you can believe it, three of us squeeze into that chair quite often. :)

 Here is Evie's calendar.  She doesn't want to do it one day at a time, and insists we put all the numbers up for the whole month.  I'm rolling with it :)  And, we store some of our materials in this rack.

 Our lovely map.  We have the US one behind that.  I hope to teach these kiddos some geography because I did not grow up knowing any!  It's been fun to learn.

 This is a little chart we keep for The Burgess Animal Book.  We got the pictures from Lindafay's Shutterfly album here.

We get to see a lot of birds, squirrels and spiders as we look out these windows.  We also keep our art supplies here and some books that are staples.

Evie's "day of the week" and "weather" charts.  I got these from another blog that had these as free templates. I printed, laminated, and put velcro on.  I can't remember the website at the moment.

Our science bucket.  Field guides, binoculars, and magnifying glass for when we need them.

This board shows the our "per term" selections:  composer, hymn, artist, and folksong.  We get these selections from www.amblesideonline.org.

Here are the main books we are using this term.  We get all of this from Ambleside Online as well.

So there you go!  We don't do everything in this room.  Sometimes we need a change of scenery.  But this is our home base, and it helps a lot that it is on the main floor and next to the kitchen.  We tried two other rooms before we finally figured out this was the best one!  We don't have an official dining room anymore, but fortunately we didn't use it anyway.  :)