Homeschooling Grade 8 and High School We are into our second, third (fourth! I can’t seem to get this post finished!) official week of homeschooling for the new academic year. My youngest daughter is in 8th grade and my two older are in high school. Most every year, I write about our current plans and I’m going to share some of the topics, units and resources we are using this year. Down at the bottom I will link to the (MANY!) posts I’ve written in previous years so you can check out what they were doing in 1st or 5th or 6th grade (and what have you!). For example, we started the year with these fun chemistry experiments a couple...
Gore is not for everyone, not even all horror aficionados. For many viewers, a few severed limbs and disembowelment go a long way. Outside of the horror community, "gore" is almost a pejorative -- to some people, horror movies are splatter flicks, full stop. That isn't true, of course. Horror is diverse and haunting and enduring, and though there is some merit to the argument that gore can compensate for failures elsewhere, it's also an artform in and of itself. For filmmakers like Tom Savini, Greg Nicotero, and Eryn Mekash, gore is paint, and film is their canvas. In the right hands, blood and guts can be a poetic, violent, boundary-pushing interrogation of global ailments and a curative, crimson expression. After...
My children range in age between 4 and 14. While there are a huge range of magazines aimed at young children it’s much harder to find something good for teenagers. Adult popular science magazines are a bit advanced and most other magazines are too young. OYLA bridges the gap beautifully with accessible and engaging articles the whole family can enjoy. We love the topical articles and huge range of topics covered in each issue. The history section is especially fascinating. Did you know for example that the earliest chewing gum found so far dates back to the end of the Stone Age?? Maths is beautifully brought to life with real world examples and complicated concepts explained in a fun and...
Creating an art space can be about so much more than just art for kids. Guest post by Megan Schiller of The Art Pantry Updated June 2021 When you think about having a kids art space in your home, what comes to mind? Whenever I talk about my kids doing art in our home, most people think I’m talking about painting, drawing, or crafting. We’ve had a dedicated space for creating in our home for almost 9 years, ever since my oldest daughter was 18 months old. My girls do a lot of painting, drawing, and crafting of course, but I’ve learned over the years that an art space isn’t just about art. Photo by Megan Schiller An art space...
Here's what is selling at Boswell. Hardcover Fiction:1. Harlem Shuffle, by Colson Whitehead2. Bewilderment, by Richard Powers3. Beautiful World, Where Are You, by Sally Rooney4. Under the Whispering Door, by TJ Clune5. The Madness of Crowds, by Louise Penny6. Matrix, by Lauren Groff7. Apples Never Fall, Liane Moriarty8. The Last Thing He Told Me, by Laura Dave9. The Love Songs of WEB DuBois, by Honoree Fanonne Jeffers10. The Final Girl Support Group, by Grady Hendrix The top fiction debut this week is Richard Powers's Bewilderment, which is both longlisted for the National Book Award and shortlisted for the Booker Prize. That said, if you look at Bookmarks, you can see mixed reviews and even pans, including Dwight Garner in The...
