Author Archives: Kay Pelham

Learning geography

Learned a lot about the rivers and cities of the US midwest and southwest last fall as James filled in this map a little bit each week to go along with our reading of Tree in the Trail. Got pretty … Continue reading

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James gives the scoop on a couple of Caravaggio works

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Oh the places he will go!

James has lately taken to reading in bed before he shuts his eyes and calls it a day. One morning I found a book beside my computer with a note on top that read “Done.” This morning I was greeted … Continue reading

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The tuning fork tree

We spent some time in a local park yesterday enjoying a fairly warmer day. I took several pictures of trees and tree parts. This one in particular I found interesting. Anyone care to play “Name the species?”

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Handwriting skills not a dying art

Last fall the Wall Street Journal published an article titled “How Handwriting Boosts the Brain.”  The author addresses the fact that in spite of our ever advancing technological world, the ancient skill of handwriting still has real value. For the … Continue reading

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A poem of true things

What are heavy? sea-sand and sorrow: What are brief? to-day and to-morrow: What are frail? Spring blossoms and youth: What are deep? the ocean and truth. ~untitled poem by Christina Rossetti

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Lost in Promotion or For the sake of the Institution

While watching the local PBS station’s showcasing of high school choirs from across the state, I observed that the performances these kids were giving were ultimately being used to promote the schools.  Whatever may have been the motives of the … Continue reading

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Things I learned this week from 2nd grade

Here’s a brief list of things I learned, or at least was reminded of, as I prepared and then taught our lessons this week. Arithmetic is spelled with an E in the 3rd syllable and not an A. Even the … Continue reading

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James explains Shakespeare’s Cymbeline

James explains our stick figures representation of Shakepeare’s Cymbeline. We do this as we’re reading along to keep all the characters straight — who’s who and who belongs to whom and who wants to belong to whom. Over a period … Continue reading

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James narrates “The Story of Marco Polo”

James will be spending next school year with Marco Polo and his travels. This week he got an introduction to the man in a chapter from M.B. Synge’s The Discovery of New Worlds

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