More link storage so I have a place to find this stuff later. This goes along with my post on sore knees
Reducing Injuries for Irish and Ballet Dancers in Motion Capture Lab. I found this while looking for something else (I was looking around for info on Laban/Bartenieff, and this sort of leapt out at me in a sidebar). Link to article cited in the blog post , Link to video (I'm copying the links here in case the first blog post disappears.)
I wonder how long this stuff (information on safe practices in dance) will take to trickle down to the local level. We're not dancing at a level to worry much about injuries -- dance is just one thing we do among many -- but still, one wonders how this information is disseminated through Irish Dance-dom. Perhaps if we WERE more heavily involved we'd already know about it, since we'd be cruising the dance forums for tidbits such as this.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Friday, February 20, 2009
Weekly Report -- Feb. 20
Latin
AnnaBeth is still excited about using Latin for Children A. We watch the DVD together early in the week, then she spends time on worksheets as the week progresses.
Action shot of the Activities book. Note the pajamas and uncombed hair. This is what homeschool looks like, folks.
(Comatose cat in the sun is an optional homeschool accessory.)
We have the old version of the DVD -- I think they re-did it and made it more professional. We like the quirkiness of this version.
In the meantime, Thalia continues to work through Latin for Children B. The end of the book is in sight!
Math
Thalia continues to watch Teaching Company Algebra DVDs. This week she entered the realm of the graphing calculator. We ended up purchasing a Casio instead of the TI81 the instructor is demonstrating -- we tend to like Casios. And it's a good thing Rick is okay with the Casio, since when the instructor started discussing "the f of x" my eyes started rolling back in my head ... wow, I haven't heard that phrase for years and years, and have a very dim memory of having a clue about this. It may be time to hand Algebra over to Rick. I'm sure I could revive my knowledge, but Rick is a little fresher on this stuff since he has actually used it since learning it in high school.
In the meantime, AnnaBeth forged ahead in RightStart D, learning about using check numbers. I'm not really sure what application check numbers have outside of the realm of RightStart -- it's interesting, to be sure, but does it come up again later? Is it just some quirky little math thing that no one other than math majors cares about?
English
Classical Writing Homer Do-Your-Own-Thing-Version is working well for Thalia. Each day I look over what the various lessons and skill levels are, and then come up with lessons that suit her abilities. I think this is how the program was originally intended to be used. I have the Instructor's Guide for the Student Workbook, and I use it for the models, as well as the Theon chart (the Theon charts are foreign territory for me, so it's nice to have a guide). We had tried Classical Writing Aesop a year or 2 ago with the workbooks, and it was annoying; using CW without the workbooks really suits us better.
Thalia also continues Analytical Grammar (another reason not to use the CW workbooks -- they're tied to a different grammar program working at a different level).
AnnaBeth has done Writing With Ease-style work using a passage from The Story of the Greeks, handily combining history with writing. I plan to also use Famous Men of Greece in these projects.
Other Stuff
We watched a video on the Ancient Aegean that we borrowed from the library, and read more in Gombrich's A Little History of the World.
Thalia continues with Prentice-Hall Science Explorers. The closest AnnaBeth got to a science lesson this week was during Brownies, which was the Movers Try-It (which she'd already done on her own, but still had fun re-visiting).
In music we listened to Grieg (Thalia is working on "Morning" from the Peer Gynt Suite on the piano), attended piano lessons and choir.
Thalia finished up work on Kenya. Both girls attended dance and a scout meeting. AnnaBeth continues to be enamored of Mavis Beacon typing.
And more. There's always more; no matter how carefully I check over my notes from the week I leave stuff out. Sometimes I do it purposefully because I doubt that anyone wants to know every knitpicking detail of our week. Mostly I want to be able to pull up all of these posts myself and see what the general tenor of our homeschooling has been.
AnnaBeth is still excited about using Latin for Children A. We watch the DVD together early in the week, then she spends time on worksheets as the week progresses.
Action shot of the Activities book. Note the pajamas and uncombed hair. This is what homeschool looks like, folks.
(Comatose cat in the sun is an optional homeschool accessory.)
We have the old version of the DVD -- I think they re-did it and made it more professional. We like the quirkiness of this version.
In the meantime, Thalia continues to work through Latin for Children B. The end of the book is in sight!
Math
Thalia continues to watch Teaching Company Algebra DVDs. This week she entered the realm of the graphing calculator. We ended up purchasing a Casio instead of the TI81 the instructor is demonstrating -- we tend to like Casios. And it's a good thing Rick is okay with the Casio, since when the instructor started discussing "the f of x" my eyes started rolling back in my head ... wow, I haven't heard that phrase for years and years, and have a very dim memory of having a clue about this. It may be time to hand Algebra over to Rick. I'm sure I could revive my knowledge, but Rick is a little fresher on this stuff since he has actually used it since learning it in high school.
In the meantime, AnnaBeth forged ahead in RightStart D, learning about using check numbers. I'm not really sure what application check numbers have outside of the realm of RightStart -- it's interesting, to be sure, but does it come up again later? Is it just some quirky little math thing that no one other than math majors cares about?
English
Classical Writing Homer Do-Your-Own-Thing-Version is working well for Thalia. Each day I look over what the various lessons and skill levels are, and then come up with lessons that suit her abilities. I think this is how the program was originally intended to be used. I have the Instructor's Guide for the Student Workbook, and I use it for the models, as well as the Theon chart (the Theon charts are foreign territory for me, so it's nice to have a guide). We had tried Classical Writing Aesop a year or 2 ago with the workbooks, and it was annoying; using CW without the workbooks really suits us better.
Thalia also continues Analytical Grammar (another reason not to use the CW workbooks -- they're tied to a different grammar program working at a different level).
AnnaBeth has done Writing With Ease-style work using a passage from The Story of the Greeks, handily combining history with writing. I plan to also use Famous Men of Greece in these projects.
Other Stuff
We watched a video on the Ancient Aegean that we borrowed from the library, and read more in Gombrich's A Little History of the World.
Thalia continues with Prentice-Hall Science Explorers. The closest AnnaBeth got to a science lesson this week was during Brownies, which was the Movers Try-It (which she'd already done on her own, but still had fun re-visiting).
In music we listened to Grieg (Thalia is working on "Morning" from the Peer Gynt Suite on the piano), attended piano lessons and choir.
Thalia finished up work on Kenya. Both girls attended dance and a scout meeting. AnnaBeth continues to be enamored of Mavis Beacon typing.
And more. There's always more; no matter how carefully I check over my notes from the week I leave stuff out. Sometimes I do it purposefully because I doubt that anyone wants to know every knitpicking detail of our week. Mostly I want to be able to pull up all of these posts myself and see what the general tenor of our homeschooling has been.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
J is for Jalie 2804
The other day we pulled out a bunch of fabric to see what would be appropriate to use for various items the kids like in the latest Ottobre.
They didn't like this fabric at all:
They said it looked too "old". I'm not sure how old it looked, given their ages. There's a huge range there, from "old enough to drive" to "old enough to check into a nursing home, and have your driver's license taken away".
(It's a cotton fabric with some lycra in it, with 4-way stretch, by the way. It's from The Fabric Fairy.)
Anyway, I decided it was just right for my age, and for making a test garment of Jalie 2804 "Women's Empire Crossover Top in sizes 2 (Toddler) to 22(Women's)":
I did the version with the 3/4 sleeves. For the future, I need to shorten the body, learn to do better hems (I know I've done blind hems with the serger before, but it just wasn't working out on this fabric -- partly because I was slapping it together quickly between Latin and math worksheets -- so I need to actually sit down and play around with super stretchy fabric until I understand this), and figure out how to do whatever is the opposite of a FBA (full bust adjustment). I made the upper sleeves a wee bit larger, based on reviews that Jalie tends to have tight sleeves.
But it's still wearable.
Actually, I'm pretty pleased with it.
I didn't put in the modesty panel. I'd read reviews that it pulls in the fabric of the upper chest too much, so I thought I'd wait and try that on version 2, after I see how much width I actually need. So I'm wearing a white cami under it. And did you know that Jalie makes a pattern for camisoles? I'm so addicted to these Jalie patterns.
In the meantime, Thalia has put together an AMAZING wish list at Fabric Fairy. She came home from the mall the other day and announced that she wants to start making all of her clothes.
They didn't like this fabric at all:
They said it looked too "old". I'm not sure how old it looked, given their ages. There's a huge range there, from "old enough to drive" to "old enough to check into a nursing home, and have your driver's license taken away".
(It's a cotton fabric with some lycra in it, with 4-way stretch, by the way. It's from The Fabric Fairy.)
Anyway, I decided it was just right for my age, and for making a test garment of Jalie 2804 "Women's Empire Crossover Top in sizes 2 (Toddler) to 22(Women's)":
I did the version with the 3/4 sleeves. For the future, I need to shorten the body, learn to do better hems (I know I've done blind hems with the serger before, but it just wasn't working out on this fabric -- partly because I was slapping it together quickly between Latin and math worksheets -- so I need to actually sit down and play around with super stretchy fabric until I understand this), and figure out how to do whatever is the opposite of a FBA (full bust adjustment). I made the upper sleeves a wee bit larger, based on reviews that Jalie tends to have tight sleeves.
But it's still wearable.
Actually, I'm pretty pleased with it.
I didn't put in the modesty panel. I'd read reviews that it pulls in the fabric of the upper chest too much, so I thought I'd wait and try that on version 2, after I see how much width I actually need. So I'm wearing a white cami under it. And did you know that Jalie makes a pattern for camisoles? I'm so addicted to these Jalie patterns.
In the meantime, Thalia has put together an AMAZING wish list at Fabric Fairy. She came home from the mall the other day and announced that she wants to start making all of her clothes.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
I is for Irish Dance Competition
We spent Valentine's Day at a feis.
But I won't go on and on about it, because I know you're jealous because your dream in life is to spend an entire day in a crowded hotel ballroom with a splitting headache, listening to an accordion and fiddle play reels and jigs.
Afterwards, time to collapse on the couch with slices of pizza.
Friday, February 13, 2009
H is for Hearts
Valentine cookies! These were a fundraiser at our dance studio. I think they're so cute!
Weekly Report -- Feb. 13
I keep presenting this in different formats because there's not a single good way to capture a homeschooling week. Having presented our previous weeks by subject or by highlight, this week we'll look at how our homeschooling worked sequentially.
From my notes:
Monday -- Thalia was sick with a cold. She still did Latin, Analytical Grammar, and watched the Algebra 1 DVD. She felt well enough to practice piano and attend a lesson, but not well enough to go to dance. Instead she worked on Perfect Pointe exercises at home, and also played chess, although she decided she was too stuffy for a "live" chess game with Rick and opted to play on the computer while Rick coached her.
AnnaBeth and I did RightStart math Level D, read about the sense of touch in science, read and narrated a chapter on the Minoans for Writing With Ease/Story of the World History.
Read aloud was E. Nesbit's The Story of the Amulet.
Tuesday -- 70F and sunny. The windows are open, and I'm shooing the kids out the door as much as possible to soak up the fresh air.
Thalia did Analytical Grammar, Algebra workbook, and began working on Classical Writing: Homer using the model for first week/older students of Aesop's The Sun and the Wind.; she read aloud, narrated and we discussed Theon's chart. She also read a book about Ancient Greece and worked on Latin for Children Level B.
AnnaBeth and I worked on RightStart D (doing a lot with subtraction this week, as well as drilling multiplication tables), copywork from Story of the World (still Minoans). We began Latin for Children Level A, much to her delight.
Both practiced piano. We visited the public library. We had an outdoors tea during which we read poetry, read about St. Valentine, read more history. We also read more of Nesbit's Amulet. Both girls worked on Perfect Pointe exercises. In the evening, they played chess against each other, then Thalia retired to her room to read a few chapters of 1 Samuel. (Both girls read quite a bit -- more than I can keep track of -- I'm leaving out virtually all of the "fun" reading and simply mentioning the assigned reading.)
Wednesday
AnnaBeth has decided she wants to learn to type so Thalia showed her how to pull up the Mavis Beacon typing program on the computer. We read more about ancient Greece -- the Mycenaeans -- using Story of the World and another book on Ancient Greece. We also pulled out our DK Geography book and looked at the globe to find out more about the area. We worked on RightStart D, still subtracting. We watched the Latin for Children DVD (should've done this the first day of the week instead of the 2nd), after which AnnaBeth spent 2 days wondering around the house chanting "In principio erat verbum" as a military call-and-reply (if you've seen the videos you know exactly what I'm talking about; also, does it strike you as a little incongruous to be quoting Latin scripture in Classical vs. Ecclesiastical pronunciation?). She also completed the first worksheet in Latin for Children. She also made a model (from a Scholastic book on the human body) of the nerve endings in the various layers of skin.
Thalia worked on Analytical Grammar, more Algebra workbook, read and answered questions in Prentice Hall Science, did the dictation exercise in Classical Writing, worked on Latin, read the DK geography book about Kenya (preparing for an International Fair next week), and read Facing the Lion, Joseph Lemasolai-Lekuton's book about his Maasai childhood in Kenya. Thalia also decided she wanted to do spelling, so we pulled out Spelling Power and started working were we had left off a few months ago.
More piano practice. More dance class. More read alouds: Nesbit's Amulet, and DAulaire's Norse Myths's..
Thursday
More Latin for Children for AnnaBeth -- we review all the chants, then she works on the 3 pages of games (crossword puzzles, word searches, etc). More typing. We work on 4-digit subtraction, using an algorithm that works from left to right (there are at least 5 algorithms for multi-digit subtraction, and RightStart likes to explore all of them). We do an experiment involving hot, cold, and tepid water, moving our hands from bowl to bowl (AnnaBeth points out that we've done this same thing at a museum, but using poles that were heated and cooled).
Thalia starts the day with her beloved Analytical Grammar -- she's working on infinitive phrases. In Classical Writing she is supposed to diagram sentences, and searches the model for signs of infinitive phrases. Alas, real-life models are somewhat harder to diagram than the canned sentences in her grammar book, but she still has fun (I, of course, have not a clue, since I never learned to diagram -- frankly, my English grammar instruction was pretty lousy, but that's a tirade for a different day). She also works on re-writing sentences using word substitutions. (She isn't doing the writing project for this lesson because I thought it was sort of redundant, given how short the passage is.) Another episode of the Algebra DVD, explaining in tedious detail the difference between a monomial and binomial. We also zip through the next lesson on a hyper-speed to see what graphing calculator the lecturer will be using -- do we need the same one? The instructor is using a TI82. Thalia and I agree we'd rather use Casio, since we're used to Casio and it seems sort of intuitive. Latin is also completed, and we work on spelling together. She finishes up the chapter of the Prentice-Hall Science Explorer that she's studying, other than an experiment.
Our read aloud for the day is Amulet. More dance. More piano practice. Thalia works on Perfect Pointe.
Friday
This will be finish-up-the-week day, where we complete odds and ends. Latin isn't done for the week. We have one more chapter to read in Amulet, then the book is done, as is the series (the series starts with FIve Children and It, then continues in The Phoenix and the Carpet). We may go skating. We may read more about Greece or Kenya. Both girls need to finish their writing programs. Frankly, the piano tuner just started working on our piano, and I'm sort of sitting here with a fairly blank mind while he tunes (gah, what is it about randomly played out-of-tune notes that stops all thought functions?), so this would be a good time to stop typing even though I know I'm leaving some things out ....
From my notes:
Monday -- Thalia was sick with a cold. She still did Latin, Analytical Grammar, and watched the Algebra 1 DVD. She felt well enough to practice piano and attend a lesson, but not well enough to go to dance. Instead she worked on Perfect Pointe exercises at home, and also played chess, although she decided she was too stuffy for a "live" chess game with Rick and opted to play on the computer while Rick coached her.
AnnaBeth and I did RightStart math Level D, read about the sense of touch in science, read and narrated a chapter on the Minoans for Writing With Ease/Story of the World History.
Read aloud was E. Nesbit's The Story of the Amulet.
Tuesday -- 70F and sunny. The windows are open, and I'm shooing the kids out the door as much as possible to soak up the fresh air.
Thalia did Analytical Grammar, Algebra workbook, and began working on Classical Writing: Homer using the model for first week/older students of Aesop's The Sun and the Wind.; she read aloud, narrated and we discussed Theon's chart. She also read a book about Ancient Greece and worked on Latin for Children Level B.
AnnaBeth and I worked on RightStart D (doing a lot with subtraction this week, as well as drilling multiplication tables), copywork from Story of the World (still Minoans). We began Latin for Children Level A, much to her delight.
Both practiced piano. We visited the public library. We had an outdoors tea during which we read poetry, read about St. Valentine, read more history. We also read more of Nesbit's Amulet. Both girls worked on Perfect Pointe exercises. In the evening, they played chess against each other, then Thalia retired to her room to read a few chapters of 1 Samuel. (Both girls read quite a bit -- more than I can keep track of -- I'm leaving out virtually all of the "fun" reading and simply mentioning the assigned reading.)
Wednesday
AnnaBeth has decided she wants to learn to type so Thalia showed her how to pull up the Mavis Beacon typing program on the computer. We read more about ancient Greece -- the Mycenaeans -- using Story of the World and another book on Ancient Greece. We also pulled out our DK Geography book and looked at the globe to find out more about the area. We worked on RightStart D, still subtracting. We watched the Latin for Children DVD (should've done this the first day of the week instead of the 2nd), after which AnnaBeth spent 2 days wondering around the house chanting "In principio erat verbum" as a military call-and-reply (if you've seen the videos you know exactly what I'm talking about; also, does it strike you as a little incongruous to be quoting Latin scripture in Classical vs. Ecclesiastical pronunciation?). She also completed the first worksheet in Latin for Children. She also made a model (from a Scholastic book on the human body) of the nerve endings in the various layers of skin.
Thalia worked on Analytical Grammar, more Algebra workbook, read and answered questions in Prentice Hall Science, did the dictation exercise in Classical Writing, worked on Latin, read the DK geography book about Kenya (preparing for an International Fair next week), and read Facing the Lion, Joseph Lemasolai-Lekuton's book about his Maasai childhood in Kenya. Thalia also decided she wanted to do spelling, so we pulled out Spelling Power and started working were we had left off a few months ago.
More piano practice. More dance class. More read alouds: Nesbit's Amulet, and DAulaire's Norse Myths's..
Thursday
More Latin for Children for AnnaBeth -- we review all the chants, then she works on the 3 pages of games (crossword puzzles, word searches, etc). More typing. We work on 4-digit subtraction, using an algorithm that works from left to right (there are at least 5 algorithms for multi-digit subtraction, and RightStart likes to explore all of them). We do an experiment involving hot, cold, and tepid water, moving our hands from bowl to bowl (AnnaBeth points out that we've done this same thing at a museum, but using poles that were heated and cooled).
Thalia starts the day with her beloved Analytical Grammar -- she's working on infinitive phrases. In Classical Writing she is supposed to diagram sentences, and searches the model for signs of infinitive phrases. Alas, real-life models are somewhat harder to diagram than the canned sentences in her grammar book, but she still has fun (I, of course, have not a clue, since I never learned to diagram -- frankly, my English grammar instruction was pretty lousy, but that's a tirade for a different day). She also works on re-writing sentences using word substitutions. (She isn't doing the writing project for this lesson because I thought it was sort of redundant, given how short the passage is.) Another episode of the Algebra DVD, explaining in tedious detail the difference between a monomial and binomial. We also zip through the next lesson on a hyper-speed to see what graphing calculator the lecturer will be using -- do we need the same one? The instructor is using a TI82. Thalia and I agree we'd rather use Casio, since we're used to Casio and it seems sort of intuitive. Latin is also completed, and we work on spelling together. She finishes up the chapter of the Prentice-Hall Science Explorer that she's studying, other than an experiment.
Our read aloud for the day is Amulet. More dance. More piano practice. Thalia works on Perfect Pointe.
Friday
This will be finish-up-the-week day, where we complete odds and ends. Latin isn't done for the week. We have one more chapter to read in Amulet, then the book is done, as is the series (the series starts with FIve Children and It, then continues in The Phoenix and the Carpet). We may go skating. We may read more about Greece or Kenya. Both girls need to finish their writing programs. Frankly, the piano tuner just started working on our piano, and I'm sort of sitting here with a fairly blank mind while he tunes (gah, what is it about randomly played out-of-tune notes that stops all thought functions?), so this would be a good time to stop typing even though I know I'm leaving some things out ....
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Work in Progress
Okay, I'm out of the swing of "Work in Progress Wednesday". I'm blaming the fact that our leader, MrsH, went on a cruise and left us all home in the cold and dark.
Also, not much work here to show, but I'd rather shift the blame to someone else, so let's not dwell on my shortcomings.
Knitting
KM is having a fingerless mitts Knit ALong (KAL in knit-speak) that ends February 14th. What a great idea! I thought I'd use the Pastaza left over from my super-warm hat:
and make a pair of mitts to match the hat that would fit over my favorite black gloves.
That way my hands could be as warm as my head, and it would all be matchy-matchy, using the same yarn and stitch pattern.
Except I lost one of the knitting needles at someone else's house. I've looked for it a couple of times, but I've discovered that there's a limit to how many times you can go to someone's house and start taking apart their furniture, even if the person IS a knitter and understands about double point needles dropping into cushions. Whoops.
Another group I've joined is Poppins Vest-uary, which involves knitting/crocheting/sewing a vest during the month of February.
This is how far I've gotten with that.
I have a pattern in mind, but I don't currently own that pattern. Maybe I should sew something instead -- it's faster.
And, speaking of sewing, we have actually honest-to-goodness work in progress in that field.
SEWING
The kids have a feis on Saturday, and when Thalia tried on her dress a few days ago (for the first time since November) we discovered that the bodice is too small. In particular, it's too short, giving the dress a bit of an Empire waistline. So, after discussing it with the school dressmaker, last night I took it apart:
I took off the collar, cuffs and cape so I could throw the main part of the bodice in the washing machine -- these dresses aren't washable when there's stiffening in them, but if you remove the stiffening you can FINALLY get them in a washing machine. We use underarm shields and Febreeze, but the dresses are so hot that the girls sweat all over, and it's sort of ... funky ... to have all of that old sweat in the polyester fabric.
Lengthening the bodice is just a matter of sewing it back together with a smaller seam allowance at the waist. But, the question is, should I try to alter the underarm dimension, which is a little snug? That will involve messing around with the armscye, and that can be perilous -- I'll end up taking apart the sleeve. I have just enough experience with this blue fabric to know that it crawls all over the place when you try to sew it. I'm not sure I'm up to whipping this together in the next 2 days.
On the other hand, think of how much I'd learn about fitting a dress. Hmmm, it's tempting....
Also, not much work here to show, but I'd rather shift the blame to someone else, so let's not dwell on my shortcomings.
Knitting
KM is having a fingerless mitts Knit ALong (KAL in knit-speak) that ends February 14th. What a great idea! I thought I'd use the Pastaza left over from my super-warm hat:
and make a pair of mitts to match the hat that would fit over my favorite black gloves.
That way my hands could be as warm as my head, and it would all be matchy-matchy, using the same yarn and stitch pattern.
Except I lost one of the knitting needles at someone else's house. I've looked for it a couple of times, but I've discovered that there's a limit to how many times you can go to someone's house and start taking apart their furniture, even if the person IS a knitter and understands about double point needles dropping into cushions. Whoops.
Another group I've joined is Poppins Vest-uary, which involves knitting/crocheting/sewing a vest during the month of February.
This is how far I've gotten with that.
I have a pattern in mind, but I don't currently own that pattern. Maybe I should sew something instead -- it's faster.
And, speaking of sewing, we have actually honest-to-goodness work in progress in that field.
SEWING
The kids have a feis on Saturday, and when Thalia tried on her dress a few days ago (for the first time since November) we discovered that the bodice is too small. In particular, it's too short, giving the dress a bit of an Empire waistline. So, after discussing it with the school dressmaker, last night I took it apart:
I took off the collar, cuffs and cape so I could throw the main part of the bodice in the washing machine -- these dresses aren't washable when there's stiffening in them, but if you remove the stiffening you can FINALLY get them in a washing machine. We use underarm shields and Febreeze, but the dresses are so hot that the girls sweat all over, and it's sort of ... funky ... to have all of that old sweat in the polyester fabric.
Lengthening the bodice is just a matter of sewing it back together with a smaller seam allowance at the waist. But, the question is, should I try to alter the underarm dimension, which is a little snug? That will involve messing around with the armscye, and that can be perilous -- I'll end up taking apart the sleeve. I have just enough experience with this blue fabric to know that it crawls all over the place when you try to sew it. I'm not sure I'm up to whipping this together in the next 2 days.
On the other hand, think of how much I'd learn about fitting a dress. Hmmm, it's tempting....
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