Pine Mountain Wild Safari

You never know what's going to happen when Uncle Jim invites you to an animal park.  In my mind I was picturing a zoo-type environment - even after we pulled up to the premises.  The parking lot was packed full of cars, and all the people walking around seemed regular enough.  I easily convinced myself we were all there to look at the animals - like at a zoo.

I started getting confused when Uncle Jim said we needed to get back in the car.  In my innocence I mentioned something about never having visited a zoo in my car before.  He still chose to let the experience speak for itself, and I found out pretty quickly, being the driver and pulling through the grate and being greeted by a mass of very large animals with horns, that this was NOT a zoo!!

I was definitely taken off-guard when above mentioned mass of very large horned-animals started putting their heads in my window and licking their slobbery tongues all over the exterior of the car.  I had a moment of panick when I realized we were completely trapped.  What was I supposed to do - barrel through and risk running over hooves?  Not to mention all the commotion within my own car since none of the children were buckled and all of us were amazed at what was happening.

Exam Night

I am excited about our first ever exam night.  We are making a big deal about it and preparing by remembering together the things we've been learning so far this year.  We will make a special dinner and dessert, then the kids will begin!!

Here it is (based on an exam from the Ambleside website, though adapted to fit our study).

Ambleside Online Exam Questions Year 3 Term 1

Bible

1. Tell about Queen Esther and the role she played in saving the Jews. (Aida)
2. Tell about why we use a “Jesse Tree” for our advent devotionals. (Benjamin)

Writing/Penmanship

     Copy "The queen went stumping along in one shoe of stone and one of skin.” (Both)

History

1. Tell about John Calvin and his contributions to the Protestant Reformation while in Switzerland in the 1500s. (Aida)
2. Tell about the Bishop martyrs, Latimer, Ridley, and Cranmer, during the reign of “Bloody Mary” in the mid 1500s. (Benjamin)
3. Tell about some of the most important contributions made by John James Audubon in the field of ornithology. (Aida)
4. Tell about Leonardo Da Vinci and explain what it means to be considered a “Renaissance Man.” (Benjamin)

          

Tales

1. Tell your favorite part of The Princess and the Goblin. (Both)
2. Tell the story of Paul Bunyan. (Benjamin)
3. Tell the story of Davy Crocket. (Aida)

Shakespeare

1. Tell the story of the Taming of the Shrew. (Aida)

Geography

1. Tell about Marco Polo's boyhood. (Benjamin)
2. Tell about Marco Polo’s journey to China. (Aida)
3. Draw the shape of the earth, and show where the hot countries are and where the cold ones are. (Both)
4. Draw North America, and label the Equator, the Pacific Ocean, and the Atlantic Ocean.

Science

1. What is the difference between plankton and algae? (Aida)
2. What kind of animal is Pagoo? (Benjamin)
3. Name at least 3 other animals Pagoo meets during his adventures. (Both)
4. Name and tell about all the birds you see at the feeding station. (Aida)
5. Name and tell about the snakes we’ve had in our yard since August. (Benjamin)

Reading Skill

     Father or friend to select a passage for student to read aloud.

Arithmetic (Questions from your math program may be substituted.)

1.  What number is made up of seven hundreds, four tens and five ones?

2.  What is the sum of 69 + 57?

3.  5 x __ = 35.

4. Skip count by 9’s, 3’s, and 6’s.

Foreign Language

1.  Count to ten in Spanish. (Both)

2. Sing “In Noah’s Arc” in Spanish (Both)

Picture Study

     1. Describe one thing you’ve learned about in art at Master’s Academy. (Both)

Recitation

1.   Recite the poem you memorized for our writing co-op. (Both)

2.  Recite the Bible passage you memorized for our advent service. (Both)

Music

  Play a Christmas Carol on the piano / violin. (Both)