tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15826290439085393482024-03-02T10:07:42.109+09:00Yokosuka HomeschoolingA blog for Kanto Plain Home Schoolers, a group for homeschool families in Yokosuka Japan.KPHShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18194208658897991689noreply@blogger.comBlogger45125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1582629043908539348.post-36691337362910679722016-04-28T13:04:00.001+09:002019-09-07T15:49:01.334+09:00Birds of Yokosuka--updated links<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.8px;">This is an older post, but I noticed that some of the links are broken. I am unable to update the original post, so here is a new one. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.8px;">I remember that one of the first things I saw out the window of the Navy Lodge our first morning in Yokosuka was a pair of cormorants flying just above the water. It seemed like something out of an exotic children's story. Then when my husband walked us around to show us the base, I couldn't keep my eyes off of the huge raptors that were perched on poles and buildings around the base. But identifying the birds here can be a bit tricky. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.8px;">The library has a couple copies of Birds of Japan, which is sadly out of print and hard to find used. Birds of East Asia is a newer book, but it is both big and a little expensive for casual users. But I have found a nice website, created by a local geography teacher that includes a section on the </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.8px;"><a href="https://www.geo4u.net/birdsofjapan.html">Birds of Yokosuka</a> </span><br />
<br style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.8px;" />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , "trebuchet" , "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.8px;">One of our friends printed the bird ID section as a handout for scouts who had to do some bird watching. It was nice to only have a few pages instead of a huge book. I have seen some other birds out at the campgrounds at Ikego, notably Common Kingfishers and Spot Bill Ducks. </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1582629043908539348.post-65229563713093797242016-01-29T19:19:00.000+09:002016-04-28T12:47:02.629+09:00Winter 2016 Co-op OpportunitiesKPHS is currently offering the following co-op classes and activities:<br />
<br />
On Wednesdays in Ikego, we meet for Karate. Starting on February 9, 2016, we will begin to offer a Little Learners Playgroup at 0915-0945. There will be more information on this opportunity soon! This will be an activity based, interactive craft and story time for the preschool to 2nd grade age range. A group will be created on Facebook to keep you informed!<br />
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On Friday afternoons we gather together for Zoology, Chemistry, Chess Club and Shakespeare. The meeting places will vary so it is important to check the KPHS Members page each week for the location details.<br />
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You are welcome to participate in all, some, or none of these classes as you see fit for your family. We have so many talented members who are willing to give their time to our kids and it's really exciting. If you have talent or class opportunity you would like to share, please let us know. As you know, we are not a school, so parent involvement and presence is something we rely on.<br />
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Membership is required prior to co-op participation and membership must be renewed every year, $20 per family.<br />
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Other base-wide activities available:<br />
<br />
At the community center on Main Base and Ikego Base there are many classes offered from piano to taiko drumming and Kumon math to Japanese. Please visit their site for up to date information:<br />
<a href="http://navymwryokosuka.com/">navyMWRyokosuka.com</a><br />
<br />
On Fridays in Yokosuka the homeschool community has been offered an exciting opportunity at Purdy Gym called Swim and Gym for ages 5 and up.<br />
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There are many other activities for ages 4 and below. For example there is Library Storytime on Monday in Ikego; on Wednesday and Friday on Main Base. There is a Facebook group for playgroups, Stroller Warriors and many more. The Purdy Gym offers Child Watch on Monday, Wednesday and Fridays. There is also various Youth Sports Activities starting age 3 and up. We ask you to please use the Kanto Plains Homeschool group on Facebook to gather more information as these opportunities are constantly changing.<br />
<br />KPHShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18194208658897991689noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1582629043908539348.post-67057175692121300922015-03-23T12:08:00.001+09:002015-03-23T12:14:02.208+09:00Book ListKPHS is taking on a new project. What started as trying to find some books on a particular subject, has become a <a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ax7Ax1FJwWyJpbDQZWW9Hxmk3z6EzjX5XqXtDHH5Fvs/edit#gid=0" target="_blank">spreadsheet of books</a> on various topics dealing not only with Japan, but also other parts of Asia too. I see this being a fantastic resource and would love to hear your ideas and suggestions to add to it. Perhaps we can expand it to other areas and subjects as well. Please contact us with your additions or comments.<br />
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KPHShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18194208658897991689noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1582629043908539348.post-39032151893771674182015-03-05T13:06:00.001+09:002015-03-05T13:06:43.863+09:00Are you prepared?<div class="MsoNormal">
March 11 marks the 4<sup>th</sup> anniversary of the Tohoku
earthquake. It's hard to believe that day was four years ago. I remember it all
like it was just a few weeks ago, not years. My son had just come home from
school and was telling his brother about his day. I was on the couch reading a
book when I felt the first vibrations. The boys didn't believe me when I said
there was an earthquake. Unlike other earthquakes though, this one didn't stop.
Instead it kept picking up, getting stronger and stronger. We had already been
living in Japan a couple of years and are from California, we’re familiar with
earthquakes. This was SO different. The power went out and cell service was
out. We stayed inside and rode out the aftershocks. Several minutes after, my
husband finally came home—he had just left work when the shaking began. Meeting
the neighbors outside, we heard the tsunami sirens. Such a scary time, but at
least we were all together. The following days were full of unknown, rolling
blackouts, and mass confusion. Would we
stay in Japan? Evacuate somewhere? A couple weeks later, we found ourselves on
a plane to the US. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Are you prepared for an emergency situation? Japan is home
to not just the earthquakes, but also typhoons. Last winter was unseasonable
cold and we had a couple rather large snowstorms--one of which shut down nearly
all transportation. There were some people walking miles in the snow!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Living overseas, we are a community that travels often. Our
children probably have more airport experience than most adults. Odd hour
flights, long layovers, delays. How do you spend your time in airports? We then
find ourselves in countries where we don't know the language. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Last week I was talking to a friend and fellow homeschool
mom. We somehow got on the subject of being prepared, and I was so impressed
with what she does that I thought it needed to be shared. It just made sense!
(And I'm sorry to say, even after our experiences, we haven't changed anything.)
Each of her children have backpacks with a ziplock that contains contact
information along with personal hygiene items and small snacks. <o:p></o:p></div>
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When flying they include an additional ziplock with changes
of clothes should there be delays or lost luggage—that would have helped when
our baggage took a side trip to a different airport from us. <o:p></o:p><br />
<a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zXs4XSdsoR_sv2RNo8t0c8nhW0wD-XqAWse-gLv2RFQ/edit?usp=sharing" target="_blank">List of Bag Contents</a></div>
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All of this seems so simple and easy. It's something to get
our children in the practice now. I do carry a small bag with me wherever I go
that contains medications, lotion, and sunscreen, but I never thought to make
sure my kids carry something similar should they find themselves in need. That
will be changing. <o:p></o:p></div>
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How have you prepared your family? What things do you do
when you travel? PCS season and summer travel is approaching, please prepare. <o:p></o:p></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1582629043908539348.post-60967958329245897672014-08-18T12:13:00.000+09:002014-08-18T12:13:38.821+09:00Using PDF Files in my Home SchoolI'm really happy that so many texts are now available as PDF. I love the freedom of being able to just print out the pages I need, as many times as I need them. It's been especially useful now that I'm on round two with much of our curriculum. However, technology has started to change the way I've been thinking about using the PDF files. For one, my child is forever losing the sheets I print out, or they become a wrinkled mess. This leads to much frustration on the part of all of us.<br />
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Now that we have iPads, I've been looking into ways to utilize them more. The kids never seem to lose their iPad or wrinkle it up. So I've come across a few apps and I'm giving it a try.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQNex8PodSCGzYIO6HbpHH-D-VCTZcIrfdBwN6aaPoeEhML6OFZvls4nC-wADVpQUtGcU2F2VpoWsEzzjXfOuiELIScO_tZw7n-JAW02lc7nU3fF3mYKYriP47sC70yRJk3Mzw_KQU3B3C/s1600/dropbox.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQNex8PodSCGzYIO6HbpHH-D-VCTZcIrfdBwN6aaPoeEhML6OFZvls4nC-wADVpQUtGcU2F2VpoWsEzzjXfOuiELIScO_tZw7n-JAW02lc7nU3fF3mYKYriP47sC70yRJk3Mzw_KQU3B3C/s1600/dropbox.jpg" /></a></div>
App #1: <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/en/app/dropbox/id327630330?mt=8" target="_blank">Dropbox</a>: Dropbox is a fantastic file sharing app. You can access your documents, files, or photos from just about any device. It also makes it easy to share documents through its public folder. You upload your file here and it creates a link that you can then share out. You get two gigs of free storage, so it'll manage even your largest of files. We have found it useful for the kids to save their compositions into Dropbox so they can easily edit or print them from other computers.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPv6pD_DTZ6EN2_EpHjk77jRcMF1bJhS0PLxXNy6ciQhuuTRcahgpm7RKVBGpJn-vO7u-29CI4MrQ4a4hyg1MXF4kXSIP52XZsMZ1IWBb9MbQlsv1M9-U9jOJvscLl6S2Ml86ulr6McMCi/s1600/notability.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPv6pD_DTZ6EN2_EpHjk77jRcMF1bJhS0PLxXNy6ciQhuuTRcahgpm7RKVBGpJn-vO7u-29CI4MrQ4a4hyg1MXF4kXSIP52XZsMZ1IWBb9MbQlsv1M9-U9jOJvscLl6S2Ml86ulr6McMCi/s1600/notability.jpg" /></a></div>
App #2 <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/notability/id360593530?mt=8" target="_blank">Notability</a>: Notability is another app that allows you to create notes and annotate those PDF files. It's not free, but at $2.99, and often on sale, it won't break the bank either--much cheaper than a ream of paper and ink! It works along with Dropbox to get those files onto your iPad and make them more than just readable files. You can use Notability to mark up and highlight, fill in blanks, you name it. I recently uploaded my son's daily grammar work into Dropbox, and then used the import function on Notability to bring the file into the app. Using a stylus, he can now use his favorite color to do his work, without all that wasted ink and paper. No more loose pages anywhere! There will never be an excuse again for not knowing where his work is and if it's been done.<br />
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We are still working out the bugs, but I have great hope that these two apps will really help us out this year. To give some more instruction and insight, I've found<a href="http://thepelsers.com/how-to-use-worksheets-on-an-ipad/" target="_blank"> this blog entry</a> that really goes into detail. How are you using your iPads, tablets, or Kindles in your home school? Do you have a clever way to utilize technology and school work?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1582629043908539348.post-9553230757234248712014-06-08T13:10:00.000+09:002014-06-08T13:10:04.106+09:00House Hunting in Yokosuka<div class="MsoNormal">
It's that time of year again, PCS season! One of the first thoughts one has when moving is “where am I
going to live?” When you’re cramped in
the Navy Lodge, it’s also one of the first things you want to take care
of. Last year, CFAY changed their
housing policy and made it mandatory for all military to live on base, unless
quarters were not available. Civilians
no longer have the option of getting base housing or living “out in town;”
civilians are automatically out in town. It’s also become mandatory for civilians
currently living on base to move off base, once they've been in base housing
for five years.<o:p></o:p></div>
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So how does the process of finding your Japanese house work?
First, unlike the US, you are not faithful to just one realtor. Here, houses are only assigned to one agency. This means you’re better off working with
several different realtors in order to see as much out there as you can. The
housing office has books of listings, but it really is much easier to go and
find someone to show you what they have available and meet your needs, rather
than hunting through pages of what looks like a foreign language. Have a list of your wants, must-haves, and go
from there. Ask your friends, or KPHS, for realtor recommendations. Many of our
members live out in town, or have lived out in town. As for fining the agents, just walk out either of the gates, you can't miss them! Look at the houses they have posted and see if any interest you.<o:p></o:p></div>
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What do you want? This is where it gets tricky. What you consider “normal” in an American
home, is often completely unheard of here.
Master baths? Probably not going
to happen. Dishwashers, few and far
between. Large rooms and living spaces, maybe.
To be honest, the houses you look at may not even have ovens. But there’s always the exception and it seems
most agents and landlords are willing to work with you. Don’t be afraid to ask, as it could be
negotiated into the lease. Houses here
do tend to be much smaller by American standards, but layout and hidden storage
can make all the difference. Just remember, this will be your home for the next few years.<o:p></o:p><br />
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In the past few years there has been an increase in Western-style
homes. These tend to have better
equipped kitchens and hardwood floors.
In the more traditional homes, the Japanese don’t sleep in beds, but on futons
on the<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tatami" target="_blank"> tatami </a>floor. These are bed rolls that are folded up during the day and
stored—not American futons that you’re used to seeing. Thus closets are also
very different. Some older houses have
been “westernized” and have had the tatami replaced with hardwood or even
carpet, but the odd-sized closets are still there. This is something you’ll want to pay
attention to. Some houses may have one
or two tatami rooms, others may be entirely tatami. These need to be treated carefully as you’ll
be responsible for any damage. Many just
put carpets over them. Also be aware if
you have serious grass allergies, as this could be a problem. When talking to
the agents, they’ll talk to you about room size in number “tatami mats,” even
if there is no tatami.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIITOZyStRL65S1KCY0L5f8rUDdQwVcgyH2qt8SBxWUuj_ClpaIGiqR2Z42R7mSnvNKUcUKgrRAkCtOyYhGs5XNGxzmvi6A4ZSCFYP8yC-I7tQmQbt5ZyTPRAWR2VzhXkHTdRJBuArnZvB/s1600/800px-Ryokan-hakone-en-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIITOZyStRL65S1KCY0L5f8rUDdQwVcgyH2qt8SBxWUuj_ClpaIGiqR2Z42R7mSnvNKUcUKgrRAkCtOyYhGs5XNGxzmvi6A4ZSCFYP8yC-I7tQmQbt5ZyTPRAWR2VzhXkHTdRJBuArnZvB/s1600/800px-Ryokan-hakone-en-4.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Japanese futons on tatami floors</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Location, location, location. How do you even know where you want to live
when you have no idea where anything is? Where are the good areas? Where are the bad? Even if you don’t plan on using the trains,
keep public transit in mind. You may have
friends who want to visit, but no extra parking. Your house may only have one
parking space, making you a one-car family, or that parking space may be<i> very</i> small. Using the trains here is so easy
and convenient, you probably want to be close to a train station or at least
bus stop. How far is the walk to your nearest station? Is it straight uphill? Downhill? (There is very little flat land
here.) What kind of shops do you have nearby?
Restaurants? Will bicycling be a
mode of transportation? How will that
ride be? Again, ask around. There are some heavily American communities
close to base. Further away, you may
find yourself the only <i>gaijin</i> in the
area.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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After questioning KPHS members here are some things they suggested you keep in mind:</div>
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<ul>
<li>Is the house close to public transit? Just don't take the word of the agent or what is listed, actually walk to the perspective house from the nearest train station.</li>
<li>What shops do you have near-by? Check them out, buy some goods. </li>
<li>How long is your commute to/from base? A ten minute drive at one hour, can be much longer during commute times.</li>
<li>Don't jump at the first house you see. This can be very tempting when you want to get out of that lodge and start really getting settled. Go back and look again. Take time to make sure it's really what you want.</li>
<li>Make sure you understand your agent and they understand you.</li>
<li>How old is the house? Does it have adequate cooling and heating? Do you smell any mold? Feel any drafts around closed windows?</li>
<li>Any allergies that may affect your comfort? If you have grass allergies, living with tatami or up against a bamboo forest may have its issues.</li>
<li>Is there space for you to set up your homeschool? Where would you school?</li>
<li>If you see other Y-plates, go talk to your potential neighbors about their experiences.</li>
<li>Drop pins in Google Maps so you know where you were.</li>
</ul>
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Part 2 will follow with more specifics on housing features and appliances.</div>
KPHShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18194208658897991689noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1582629043908539348.post-23639566000503851762014-05-28T08:36:00.002+09:002014-05-28T08:36:52.525+09:00National Mythology Exam<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
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There are several students in KPHS with a love and passion for mythology. ETC, Excellence through Classics, offers the National Mythology Exam each year
and our students were excited to take the test in March. This week we presented
our seven participants with their certificates and medals. We had two silver and one gold amongst the
kids!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p> </o:p>The test is available for students in grades 3-12, and it’s
the same test for all students. How much
they are required to take, depends on their grade. Everyone takes the first 30 questions of the
test dealing with general Greek and Roman mythology. The next 10 questions pertain to the theme
for the year. Each year a new theme is
assigned and for 2014, it was Transformations. This section must be done by
students in 5th grade and up.</div>
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The third section of the test deals with the great epics: <i>Odyssey, Iliad, and Aeneid.</i> Again, only
one book from each epic is assigned for the year so it’s not overwhelming. Each
of these is also 10 questions each, and one is required for grades 6th and up.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Finally, there are several additional tests of ten questions
each that pertain to different mythologies: Norse, African, and Native
American. One of these tests may be substituted for the epics for grades 6 and up..<o:p></o:p></div>
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Beyond your assigned tests, anyone can do as many additional
tests as they wish. The only restriction
being once the test is started it is graded.
In order to be awarded a medal, one must score above 90%. Except at the
10<sup>th</sup>-12<sup>th</sup> grades, only gold medals are awarded. Gold medals are only awarded for perfect
scores. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Next year we hope to have more participants and involvement
with the DoDEA schools. (We had one
student from Sullivans participate and she medaled, missing a gold by one
question, on a sub-test she didn't even need to do!) Stay tuned in the fall for the syllabus and
registration information for the 2015 National Mythology Exam. We are also looking to start a Classics Club
to help us prepare and share our love and knowledge of things Greek and Roman.<o:p></o:p></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1582629043908539348.post-41570347218712600042014-05-20T13:13:00.001+09:002014-05-20T13:16:15.615+09:00Summer ReadingIt's that time of year again! The school year is winding down and summer is fast approaching. Have you picked out your summer reading yet? Are you aware of the programs that are out there that reward your child for the books they read this summer? This week I learned of some great programs and tools to help encourage reading.<span xmlns=""></span><br />
<br />
<span xmlns="">You can sign up now and start logging your minutes for the S<a href="http://www.scholastic.com/ups/campaigns/src-2014" target="_blank">cholastic Summer Reading </a>program: Reading Under the Stars. They are looking to beat last year's reading record of 176,438,473 minutes! This reading challenge runs May 5 --- September 5, 2014. Scholastic also has age appropriate reading lists to help inspire your child to read something new. </span><br />
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<span xmlns="">It looks like the <a href="https://usn.evanced.info/yokosuka/sr/homepage.asp?ProgramID=18" target="_blank">MWR Library</a> page is up and running to begin registration for their summer program too. It officially kicks off June 15<sup>th</sup> and runs through August 15<sup>th</sup>. Even if you are not here this summer, you can still log your books/minutes and pick up your prizes when you return. </span><br />
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<span xmlns="">I know everyone knows about movie trailers and how excited we get when new movies are being released. Did you know there are book trailers too? These are too cool! The <a href="http://ymsdigitalresources.weebly.com/summer-reading.html" target="_blank">YMS digital resource</a> site has several links to trailers, but you can also search for them online. In Google, put the title of your book in quotes, then follow it with <em>official book trailer</em>. Pinterest and Youtube are also fantastic places to search book titles. Who knew? If your kids have a creative bug, they can even make their own book trailer. YMS has lesson plans for this too. What a fun alternative to the traditional book report.</span><br />
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With all the e-readers out there today, the MWR library offers e-book rentals from <a href="https://www.overdrive.com/">Overdrive</a>, for free. There's an app for that! You can download e-books, videos, and audio books to your computer, i-device, tablet, Kindle, or Nook. You will need to go to the library to get an account created for you. Fill out a digital request at the checkout counter, and you will be contacted via e-mail with your log-on information. (It will be a different site from the above Overdrive site.) I heard back the next day and downloaded my first book that afternoon. The MWR library really is an amazing resource and has so much more than meets the eye. Be sure to stop by to learn about all the tools they have, most offered for free!<br />
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<span xmlns="">Finally, maybe you'll be on a trip this summer or lounging by the pool, not wanting a book. Audio books are a great solution. Listen to your favorite book in the car, on a plane, or in a train. I love audio books for those longer, more difficult reads. It's such a wonderful way to introduce your child to the classics, especially with a narrator they might already know. There are multiple sources for audio books including Overdrive and iTunes. My favorite site is <a href="http://www.audible.com/">Audible</a>. You can purchase individual titles or purchase a subscription that gives you a new audio each month and a discount on other books.</span><br />
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<span xmlns="">Here are some other Summer Reading Programs. If you're out traveling, check out the local libraries too, as they might offer something. I know our hometown library does a challenge for In-N-Out Burgers! (That one is always a hit with my kids.) Being overseas, and not having some of these options available, get creative and offer your own challenges. On a homeschool message board, I came across a thread where parents were mentioning their ideas. A penny a page, with a goal towards 2000 pages. Read yourself a Lego set: break up a Lego set and offer awards based on pages, minutes, or books. Someone even randomly taped money to the ends of certain books!</span><br />
<span xmlns=""><a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/u/summer-reading/379003570/">Barnes and Noble</a><br /> </span><br />
<span xmlns=""><a href="http://bookitprogram.com/summer/default.asp">Pizza Hut</a><br /> </span><br />
<span xmlns=""><a href="http://www.tlcneighborhood.com/page.php?id=1">Applebee's</a><br /> </span><br />
<span xmlns=""><a href="http://www.bookadventure.com/home.aspx">Book Adventure</a><br /> </span><br />
<span xmlns="">Check out <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/search/pins/?q=summer%20reading">Pinterest</a> for even more incredible Summer Reading ideas! </span><br />
<span xmlns=""><br /> </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1582629043908539348.post-26891509500137995642014-05-16T13:47:00.000+09:002014-05-18T09:08:24.206+09:00Literature Adventure<span xmlns=""></span><br />
<span xmlns="">The KPHS Yokosuka Literature Adventure will be concluding another year shortly. Our reading list this year has been quite varied, and the kids have really enjoyed it. We met with dragons in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dealing-Dragons-Enchanted-Forest-Chronicles/dp/015204566X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1399953126&sr=1-1&keywords=dealing+with+dragons"><em>Dealing with Dragons</em></a>, the first of the Enchanted Forest Chronicles. We discussed if we'd want to live forever, and at what age, after reading <em>Tuck Everlasting</em>. We discussed the classics and mythology with the <em>Aeneid</em>, only to find that the kids much prefer Homer over Virgil. After the New Year, we read a book that really pertains to us as Americans living overseas, <em>Homesick</em>, by Jean Fritz, the fictionalized story of the author's life in China and her move to the US in the 1920s. As a companion work, the parents were encouraged to read <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Third-Culture-Kids-Growing-Revised-ebook/dp/B004774S1O/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1399953477&sr=1-1&keywords=third+culture+kids+growing+up+among+worlds"><em>Third Culture Kids</em></a> by David Pollock and Ruth E Van Reken. </span><br />
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<span xmlns="">This has been a very eye-opening book and thoughtful read. I had so many ah-ha moments while reading it. For this lesson, we put out a small, informal survey to get an idea of how our group compares with others, particularly those at home in the US. We didn't get as many entries as we would have liked, but the information made the kids think. Some of them realized that growing up overseas makes them different, others didn't see the big deal. Pollock and Van Reken define a Third Culture Kid as someone who "spend(s) a significant part of his or her developmental years outside the parents' culture." I think the biggest impact will occur when these kids move back to the US. I have always found that the reverse culture shock, is so much more difficult to deal with than the initial move. As Ms. Van Reken states in the book:</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">". . .disappointment was greater because they had always presumed if they could make it 'home,' they would no longer feel so different from others. . . . Friends, relatives, and classmates are shocked at the TCK's ignorance at the most common practices necessary for everyday living. If they were true immigrants, no one would expect them to know all of these things." Pages 227-228</span><br />
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<span xmlns="">Being in the military world, moving often is common place and moves overseas always a possibility. Summer is approaching and that means PCS season. Van Reken's comment about being sure to unpack and "plant trees" upon arriving really resonated with me. One can't relax or enjoy life, if you're always looking for that next move. Yes, it can sometimes come faster than expected, but it may not happen for some time either. When I think it about it, we planted our first garden only three years ago. Prior to that, there had always been the thought of why bother, we're just going to move. So yes, she really says to plant trees! Plant something and watch it grow while you're here. Take advantage of all that your host culture has to offer. and perhaps someday you'll be able to return to see the fruits of that tree. </span><br />
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<span xmlns="">Do you have any suggestions or advice for a move overseas? Something you did to help make the transition easier? What about the "re-entry," how did you deal with those stresses? We'd love to see your comments.</span><br />
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<span xmlns="">Our Survey Results:</span><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1582629043908539348.post-52918475440674587582014-05-13T10:55:00.000+09:002014-05-13T12:31:30.672+09:00Earthquake Preparedness<div class="MsoNormal">
It’s been over three years since Japan was hit with the
Tohoko earthquake, the “big one.” Last week, Tokyo experienced one of the
largest quakes since then and we had another shaker this morning I’m sure for
many who are new to Yokosuka, and have never felt a quake before, it can be
quite a scary experience. I know it got my heart racing! Do you know what to do during an earthquake?
Are you prepared to ride one out?<o:p></o:p></div>
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Down in Yokosuka, not far from City Hall, is the area
Emergency Preparedness Center. This is a great little facility to check out and
learn about disaster preparedness here. Yes, it is all in Japanese, but the
pictures are pretty obvious and the staff very helpful. If you can go with a Japanese speaker, even
better. KPHS took a field trip here last
year that was a fantastic experience. <o:p></o:p><br />
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The facility’s main attraction is the earthquake
simulator. Here you can ride out a 6.5
earthquake and really get a feel for the power of Mother Nature. Although only a few of the kids were here in
2011 to feel the big one, they all enjoyed the safe experience. For another few, this was their first time
feeling the sensation.<o:p></o:p><br />
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Earthquakes here are frequent. Some are small, some have been pretty good,
such as that last week. The buildings
here are built to sustain large quakes, and that is a comfort to know. (Down at the Edo Museum in Tokyo, you can see
just how they’re built.) It is always a good idea to know your
surroundings. To have flashlights at the
ready; be prepared. Check out <a href="http://www.ready.gov/earthquakes" target="_blank">Ready.gov</a> for earthquake preparation and what to do. To get information about an earthquake, visit the<a href="http://www.jma.go.jp/en/quake/20140513084159495-130835.html" target="_blank"> Japanese Meteorological Agency</a>. This is the picture from today's quake. It was a 4.9 in Chiba.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1582629043908539348.post-20288289629142004742013-03-14T14:51:00.001+09:002013-03-16T22:57:19.731+09:00IntermissionI am sorry the blog has not been updated in so long. Please know that we are still active and trying to get the blog back in action. Until then, we can be found on Facebook, under <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/312634334107/" target="_blank">Kanto Plain Home Schoolers.</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1582629043908539348.post-13196816175845874512011-03-27T04:05:00.000+09:002011-03-27T04:05:05.954+09:00Online Resources<div align="justify">Our board recently met with Ruth Russell, Yokosuka's School Liason Officer. I really wish we had done this sooner as she came with a wealth of online resources that are available to military families, particularly Navy, dealing with education. I haven't had a chance to look through many of them, but wanted to share and make sure that everyone is aware of these gems. </div><div align="justify"><br />
</div><div align="justify">First, we have <a href="https://wwwa.nko.navy.mil/portal/home/">Navy Knowledge Online</a>. In addition to resources for sailors, there are also resources for younger students: downloadable audio-books, foreign language lessons, e-books, college prep and so much more. If you have any problems registering for the site, contact Ruth as she is an administrator for the site. Connected with NKO is also <a href="http://tutor.com/">tutor.com</a>. As military families, we have free access to 24/7tutors, in all subjects K-12 as well as college courses.</div><div align="justify"><br />
</div><div align="justify">Do you have high school students needing test prep? <a href="https://www.march2success.com/index.cfm">March2Success</a> is the place to go. This is run through the army, but still available to those of us on a navy base too. March2Success provides online test prep for state exams, SAT, ACT, and ASVAB.<br />
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Please share any others you may have. Always on the look out for more resources!</div><div align="justify"><br />
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1582629043908539348.post-62036336639983239692010-12-09T08:38:00.002+09:002010-12-09T08:47:37.801+09:00Science Resource: Seymour SimonSeymour Simon is a children's science author whose books couple vivid photographs with good, easy to comprehend writing. He has a long series of books about bodies in space like the planets, comets and the moon.<br /><br />His website <a href="http://www.seymoursimon.com/index.php">SeymourSimon.com </a>has an author blog, children's resource and game section and an educator section that might be of interest. The kids' and educators' sections have a registration process to ensure that kids have parental permission to use the site.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1582629043908539348.post-38831110565532938752010-11-29T08:27:00.002+09:002010-11-29T08:31:39.944+09:00College Credit By Exam<div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Burning Question: Where to take CLEP/DSST while stationed here in the Kanto Plain of Japan? Do you have a high schooler, especially a Jr/Sr level schooler and wants--nay, <i><b>needs</b></i> to take the CLEP/DSST?</div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Well I found info... Que audience applause... Thank you, thank you.</div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Now, as I had discovered through half a school day spent on the phone being bounced around from one office to another, not much help is available to us through college hill on base if you are not active duty military or a high school graduate dependent of a DOD sponsored individual. Thanks to the lack of support and services, I have been keeping this pot simmering on my back burner to find a way around this quandary and have been richly rewarded.<br />
<br />
</div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">I recently (as of this morning) came across information in how to get CBE: Credit By Exam. This is done via CLEP or DSST. While in Japan, you can take CLEP without constraints (ex: must be military or already enrolled at the college etc...) at Temple University, Tokyo; and DSST also in Tokyo at CAS and Temple University. </div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">I hope this helps out. Below are the links of where I garnered this informaiton along with the addresses of the two sites in Tokyo. </div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Good Fortune and Happy Monday--oh, and Holidays too!</div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
<br />
</div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Article concerning CBE <a href="http://www.rosettastone.com/homeschool/articles/new-approach-to-college" style="color: #1c51a8;" target="_blank">http://www.rosettastone.<wbr></wbr>com/homeschool/articles/new-<wbr></wbr>approach-to-college</a></div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">CLEP in Japan <a href="http://apps.collegeboard.com/cbsearch_clep/searchCLEPTestCenterResults.jsp?searchCategory_country=Japan&DBACTION=SEARCH_TC&clepSearchType=International&x=35&y=10" style="color: #1c51a8;" target="_blank">http://apps.<wbr></wbr>collegeboard.com/cbsearch_<wbr></wbr>clep/<wbr></wbr>searchCLEPTestCenterResults.<wbr></wbr>jsp?searchCategory_country=<wbr></wbr>Japan&DBACTION=SEARCH_TC&<wbr></wbr>clepSearchType=International&<wbr></wbr>x=35&y=10</a></div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">DSST in Japan In the search criteria box enter "Japan" and for Region select "International." <a href="http://www.getcollegecredit.com/search.html" style="color: #1c51a8;" target="_blank">http://www.<wbr></wbr>getcollegecredit.com/search.<wbr></wbr>html</a></div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: 11px;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;"><i><b>CLEP and DSST</b></i></span></div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.tuj.ac.jp/default.html" style="color: #1c51a8;" target="_blank">http://www.tuj.ac.jp/default.<wbr></wbr>html</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.tuj.ac.jp/default.html" style="color: #1c51a8;" target="_blank"></a></span><b><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">Temple University - Tokyo</span></b></div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">3F, Test Center<br />
2-8-12 Minami-Azabu, Minato-ku<br />
Tokyo, 106-0047<br />
03-5441-9877</span></div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><i><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">DSST</span></b></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> </span></div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><a href="http://www.cas-jpn.com/aboutus-en.html#en2" style="color: #1c51a8;" target="_blank">http://www.cas-jpn.com/<wbr></wbr>aboutus-en.html#en2</a></div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">CAS Center for Advanced Studies</span> </b></div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="line-height: 19px; word-spacing: 1px;"><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">Sanei-Hoshino Bldg., 3F, </span></span></div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="line-height: 19px; word-spacing: 1px;"><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">10-2 Sanei-cho, Shinjuku-ku, </span></span></div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="line-height: 19px; word-spacing: 1px;"><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">Tokyo, 160-0008, JAPAN<br style="font-style: normal; line-height: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-spacing: 0.1em;" />International Phone : (+81)3-3226-7462 </span></span></div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="line-height: 19px; word-spacing: 1px;"><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">Fax : (+81)3-3226-7465 E-mail :</span><span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="mailto:info@cas-jpn.com" style="color: #bb0000; font-style: normal; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-spacing: 0.1em;" target="_blank">info@cas-jpn.com</a></span></span></div><div><span style="line-height: 19px; word-spacing: 1px;"><br />
</span></div>Imperviouschildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00557616927814829006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1582629043908539348.post-23553381335437902552010-10-27T08:00:00.003+09:002010-10-27T08:19:44.899+09:00Waiting for the TyphoonWell, it looks like we have another typhoon headed our way this week. I'm sure everyone has already started securing loose items on the balcony and in the yard.<br /><br />If you're looking for some interesting educational ideas for typhoons, check out some of these.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.howtoons.com/?page_id=150">Beaufort Wind Scale illustration</a> from Howtoons. Last year we did our own illustrations in the spirit of this chart during the "back to school" typhoon.<br /><br />Typhoons and hurricanes are the same kind of storm, just happening in different locations. <a href="http://www.weatherwizkids.com/weather-hurricane.htm">Weather Wiz Kids </a>has some good info on hurricanes and what causes the different resulting effects of the storm like storm surge.<br /><br />The <a href="http://www.weather.gov/om/edures.shtml">education section of the National Weather Service </a>has some good stuff on weather in general and storms in particular.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.education.noaa.gov/">NOAA has a great education site</a>. Weather, reef exploration, climate, marine life, etc are all profiled and explained. They have <a href="http://www.education.noaa.gov/Weather_and_Atmosphere/Hurricanes.html">tons of info on hurricanes</a>.<br /><br />If this strikes up an interest in weather science, you might be interested in the online weather course available from NOAA. It's called <a href="http://www.srh.weather.gov/srh/jetstream/index.htm">Jetstream </a>and it seems very good.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1582629043908539348.post-4406526170283099752010-10-01T08:03:00.002+09:002010-10-01T08:07:53.003+09:00Japanese History and Art Activities<a href="http://www.ellenjmchenry.com/index.html">Ellen McHenry's Basement Workshop </a>site has some interesting hands on activities that would be fun for homeschoolers. Check out the <a href="http://www.ellenjmchenry.com/id73.html">history section</a>, which includes some Japanese activities, like a <a href="http://www.ellenjmchenry.com/id121.html">pop up Bunraku stage</a>. Bunraku is Japanese puppet theatre like what is described in The Master Puppeteer.<br /><br />Hat tip: <a href="http://ournestof3.blogspot.com/">Our Nest of 3</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1582629043908539348.post-29407411858070945612010-09-08T18:40:00.002+09:002010-09-08T18:46:24.481+09:00Where to Put the Homeschool StuffWe had a homeschool space challenge a few weeks back. Mommy To Bees was sweet enough to post some photos of her dining room to show how she's arranged <a href="http://mommytobees.typepad.com/mommy_to_bees/2010/08/our-current-homeschool-area.html">homeschooling stuff in their Ikego home.</a><br /><br />She also has some cool pics of the <a href="http://mommytobees.typepad.com/mommy_to_bees/2010/08/organizing-homeschool-lori.html">homeschooling files and their contents</a>.<br /><br />Anyone else have photos they're willing to show off of how you keep homeschool stuff in your home, either military housing or Japanese homes?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1582629043908539348.post-24161014638451566922010-08-29T20:42:00.006+09:002010-08-29T21:03:10.678+09:00Interesting Japanese Grasshopper<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkHQXxG917EXCD8ii7g5NFLc5FZU90TZKx5wo8r8E1H4AsUKvfbhAxgXp4dvOhmOQ_kK07kK8pVnyMYxwhZnzBXY6VHbFi4Z8IeOCOboxcC8kMnhTcUEbY7luPaG6b8oOemWNcROB_YduZ/s1600/IMG_4434.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 247px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 197px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510797146315836946" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkHQXxG917EXCD8ii7g5NFLc5FZU90TZKx5wo8r8E1H4AsUKvfbhAxgXp4dvOhmOQ_kK07kK8pVnyMYxwhZnzBXY6VHbFi4Z8IeOCOboxcC8kMnhTcUEbY7luPaG6b8oOemWNcROB_YduZ/s320/IMG_4434.JPG" /></a><br /><div>I was trying to identify a giant insect that we had land on our balcony last summer. In the process I found a cool site with little posts about insects and other animals in Japan. <a href="http://natural-japan.net/">Natural Japan </a>is based in Kyushu (southern Japan). But even so, it has some good info. If you can narrow your search down to an order (like <a href="http://natural-japan.net/?cat=35">arachnids </a>- spiders, <a href="http://natural-japan.net/?cat=28">lepidoptera </a>- butterflies & moths, or <a href="http://natural-japan.net/?cat=8">orthoptera </a>- grasshoppers & related insects) you can click on that term in the sidebar and see all the entries for that order.</div><br /><div></div><div>By the way, the lovely on the balcony was an oriental long headed locust. Below is another one that we found last fall on the soccer fields. I think it's interesting that they seem to change colors as the rice in the fields changes from green to golden brown. If you're headed out to harvest rice this fall, or just hanging around the soccer fields, keep an eye out for these hoppers.</div><div> <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 242px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 226px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510799827070749170" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSX9A9h0mb_uKm0Qbc9OiyYuKIBRzjUOwETChsuzuTP2-ZIdTfLELhsgOnmMoZ5lyoRK3Uvq8yiEHq9yKrdgv8GsEL_D1OTZYDX7lA8PNnrP0kJrex01oDj1FXTMfXC3AD6gwJivvmgefM/s320/IMG_4829.JPG" /></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1582629043908539348.post-14593590676265164232010-08-19T09:20:00.004+09:002010-08-19T09:31:44.400+09:00Young Person's Guide to the OrchestraIf you are working on music appreciation this year, you might find the <a href="http://listeningadventures.carnegiehall.org/ypgto/index.aspx">Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra game </a>useful. It is a computer game that follows the pieces in the Britten symphony to teach students about the different instruments in an orchestra. The game is a production from <a href="http://www.carnegiehall.org/article/explore_and_learn/art_online_resources_listening_adventures.html">Carnegie Hall Listening Adventures</a>.<br />Listening Adventures also has a feature for Dvorak's New World Symphony. Rather than a game, it is more of an illustrated performance. Images of both the featured instruments and the notes of the melody help you to "see" what you are listening to.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1582629043908539348.post-61613955437304031182010-08-15T09:53:00.002+09:002010-08-15T10:26:38.073+09:00Online Art ResourcesI've been putting together my plans for artist study this year and found a great resource from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. It has essays on various themes from artistic movements to artists to specific subjects to specific objects. For example:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hi/te_index.asp?i=10">Japanese Art</a> (over 30 essays)<br /><a href="http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hi/te_index.asp?i=20">Greek and Roman Art </a>(over 90 essays)<br /><a href="http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/hors/hd_hors.htm">Horse Armor in Europe</a>, with links to related essays and exhibitions, including <a href="http://www.metmuseum.org/explore/publications/pdfs/arms_and_armor/arms_and_armor.pdf#page%3D4">Let's Look at Armor</a>, which compares European, Japanese and Ottoman Turkish armor.<br /><br />There was some discussion on the KPHS email list about Janson's History of Art. There is an extensive <a href="http://wps.prenhall.com/hss_janson_historyart_7/51/13137/3363289.cw/index.html">companion website for Janson's </a>that includes study guides and activities like fill in the blank, true false questions, essay questions and maps. If you hover above the chapter numbers at the top you can see what the chapter topics are. I haven't checked yet, but I would expect the base library to have at least one copy of Janson's History of Art in the collection.<br /><br />One more nice art resource is the National Gallery of Art's website. It has both an <a href="http://www.nga.gov/education/classroom/">art education section </a>with lesson plans and activities by artist and topic; and an <a href="http://www.nga.gov/kids/">NGAKids</a> section that includes fun online activities using various artists and movements for inspiration. They have <a href="http://www.nga.gov/kids/linkguides.htm">children's guides</a> and longer Family Guides. These can be helpful when visiting exhibits at local Japanese art museums, which might not have printed or audio guides available in English.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1582629043908539348.post-7240855293862416172010-08-14T07:36:00.005+09:002010-08-14T08:27:41.234+09:00Books, Books and More Books<div align="justify">I am bad, really bad when it comes to books. I LOVE books and always have. I read constantly and usually more than one book at a time--which some people have a hard time grasping. I am currently visiting the US and going crazy with all the books here: discount stores, used book stores, library sales. It's almost too much! I find I can't part with my books either for I enjoy reading them over, and sometimes over. As such, I am also trying to work at instilling this love to my children. Yes, they too love books, but I want them to also love literature. I do think there is a difference. Right now, they too <em>love</em> books, but they haven't quite come to appreciate good literature, even children's literature. As I sit here at the computer on these last days of my vacation, I have been doing a ton of searches on the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">internet</span> and have found all sorts of fun stuff involving <em>good</em> books.</div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2bsRHaq-4HpokZC7F9dOuIYx8IKeEgSqK8JQ_XffYZ2MUD7U8_qXmJ1KIFgM8AdZ37Om1uMNKeFiLNbx0rlOJy69llxnel72t2LsFbXYjlkuaArofiUPf82XUru8SoaEo1GeER9hCs7SN/s1600/spotlight_dahl.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 123px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 95px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505038701656499586" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2bsRHaq-4HpokZC7F9dOuIYx8IKeEgSqK8JQ_XffYZ2MUD7U8_qXmJ1KIFgM8AdZ37Om1uMNKeFiLNbx0rlOJy69llxnel72t2LsFbXYjlkuaArofiUPf82XUru8SoaEo1GeER9hCs7SN/s400/spotlight_dahl.jpg" /></a><br /><div align="justify">First, I am so excited to discover that September is <a href="http://www.roalddahl.com/Default.aspx?referrer=dahlathon&region=US"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Roald</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">Dahl</span> Month</a>. He has always been one of my favorite authors. I have fond memories of my second grade teacher reading us <a href="http://www.amazon.com/James-Giant-Peach-Roald-Dahl/dp/0142410365/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1281739440&sr=8-2"><em>James and the Giant Peach</em></a>. This was actually one of the first works of good fiction that I was able to get my son to read. He already knew the story from the movie and liked it, but the transformation that took place when he was able to compare the book to the movie. It was like . . .magic! And yes, he did agree that the book was so much better. I am really looking forward to following the activities and having the boys read some new <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">Dahl</span> books in the coming months.</div><br />As home <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">schoolers</span>, I see that trying finding literature guides is a common endeavour. I have recently come across a few more sites that might be of interest and include some free literature guides to popular titles. First, there's <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">Glencoe</span> Literature. They have a huge list of guides and seem to be adding new ones. There appears to be a wide range of offerings and for most upper elementary levels and above, everything from <a href="http://www.glencoe.com/sec/literature/litlibrary/pdf/tom_sawyer.pdf"><em>The Adventures of Tom Sawyer</em> </a>to <a href="http://www.glencoe.com/sec/literature/litlibrary/pdf/wrinkle_in_time.pdf"><em>A Wrinkle in Time</em></a><em>,</em> classics and award winners alike.<br /><br />A site that I just found today and has a smaller listing, but does include books for younger readers is<a href="http://www.kidsreads.com/clubs/index.asp"> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">Kidsreads</span>.com</a>. This site doesn't have guides as such, but discussion questions for book clubs. Another book club site that has quite an extensive listing of books is <a href="http://www.litlovers.com/litguide_title.html#a"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">Litlovers</span></a>. This site is fantastic! It has all sorts of book info, but from what I have seen the titles are for an older audience, although many classics are included too. I liked this one for in addition to the questions, it also includes book info, a synopsis, and reviews.<br /><br /><div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsxWr-C6eWw2ABdvrMVEUUMdwDDCfHBfTFMzZ5wVmy3G9wo3fHKew-X0vBH8uXBCPa6cqLl5G2K9T0XHG2P-fmSvFJhlXP2KuUYuMB0JyTg758wnGKvz7QSjZiOq007RcUrLaEF6T8gogN/s1600/books4boys_logo.png"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 89px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 90px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505038699806979954" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsxWr-C6eWw2ABdvrMVEUUMdwDDCfHBfTFMzZ5wVmy3G9wo3fHKew-X0vBH8uXBCPa6cqLl5G2K9T0XHG2P-fmSvFJhlXP2KuUYuMB0JyTg758wnGKvz7QSjZiOq007RcUrLaEF6T8gogN/s400/books4boys_logo.png" /></a></div><div align="justify">Finally, there's <a href="http://us.penguingroup.com/static/packages/us/yreaders/books4boys/printables.php">Books 4 Boys</a>. If looking for guides is a big question, finding books that boys want to read is even bigger. This site has recommendations by age, author, theme and for all age levels, from picture books to young adult. There are no true guides, but several books do have discussion <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">questions</span> to accompany them. Some of the newer books even have excerpts available.</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">If you have a favorite book or author, please share. I am always looking for new books to read and share. Happy reading!</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1582629043908539348.post-86751991133882818592010-08-12T11:09:00.003+09:002010-08-12T11:16:36.336+09:00Hiking Around Yokosuka<p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Here are some hiking trails in the area.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"><a href="http://blakeney-academy.blogspot.com/2009/01/daibutsu-hiking-trail-kamakura.html">Daibutsu hiking trail</a>. This is a longish trail in Kamakura that can be hiked in several different segments. We started in Hase (near the Great Buddha), hiked the ridgeline, then came down into town and hit a couple of the Kamakura shrines. You can also hike all the way up into Kita Kamakura. Pretty gentle hike once you get to the top of the ridgeline, but would be very slippery when wet. </span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">More <a href="http://guide.city.kamakura.kanagawa.jp/eng/stroll/course/index.htm">walks </a>and <a href="http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3113.html">hikes in Kamakura </a></span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">This is my source for <a href="http://cocoyoko.net/walking/index.html">other hikes around Yokosuka</a>. </span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">The site is in Japanese, but I use Google translator. The trail maps are all in Japanese and don't translate, but I've had pretty good luck by matching up the kanji for the train stations to figure out where the trail goes. These range from easy city strolls to trail hiking.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Last week we did the <a href="http://www.cocoyoko.net/walking/eria/taura_back.pdf">hike from Keikyu Taura to Yokosuka</a>. This one is about 5 miles, but has a lot of change in elevation. It goes up to a plum forest park in Taura that has a really great kids' playground if you are taking younger kids as tag alongs. </span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">We hiked this one by taking the train to Taura and hiking back to the base. Lots of vending machines along this route, so you don't have to carry a ton of water. There are also drinking fountains and bathrooms at both parks where you can refill water.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">I also like the <a href="http://dollarstoyen.blogspot.com/">Dollars to Yen </a>blog for hiking and park/playground ideas. The blog author lived in Ikego for a couple years and recently moved down to Okinawa. She has posts with good pictures of several of the local trails.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Books in the base library that are useful include 40 Day Trips Around Tokyo and 40 More Day Trips Around Tokyo as well as Trails of Two Cities. Another fun book is Kamakura: Fact and Fiction. This has wonderful history tidbits about what you will see all around Kamakura. All of these are in the Japanese interest section beyond the internet computers.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">Boy Scout Troop 15 in Tokyo has a series of <a href="http://www2.gol.com/users/fstriegl/scouts/boysdown.htm">historic trails laid out through the Tokyo metro area</a>. If you hike three of the trails, you can then buy one of the historic trail patches. </span><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;">(Trails are about halfway down the page.) This page also has a good reference for plants and poisonous animals in Japan.</span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1582629043908539348.post-75409838591673793992010-08-12T11:04:00.001+09:002010-08-12T11:07:01.721+09:00Not necessarily a School Room Challenge<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:arial;">The Kanto Plain Home Schoolers presents the Not Necessarily a School Room Challenge</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:arial;">Few of us have enough space for a dedicated school room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>But that doesn’t mean we don’t have tons of school “stuff”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>So how do you have your school stuff stored, arranged and organized so that you can find it, use it and still eat dinner at a table?</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:arial;">Share your school space ideas and pictures.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>If you have a blog, you can post ideas and pictures there and post a link in the comments section.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span><span style="font-family:arial;">If you’re like me, you might work better with a deadline, so send in your submissions by 27 August.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:arial;">I'm looking forward to seeing our own little version of an HGTV special</span>.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1582629043908539348.post-3204137877670170582010-07-27T11:36:00.000+09:002010-07-27T11:36:00.499+09:00Getting Excited About JapanSomething that I've struggled with on this tour is not really knowing what it is that I want to see and experience in Japan. Unlike France or Germany, I didn't have much of a mental image to go with Japan. <br /><br />I thought that might be the case with some other people here or who are on the way. I have often turned to the <a href="http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/indepth/featuredarticles/index.html">Japan National Tourism Board </a>site, which has not only city specific info for travel planning, but also a lot of good general cultural info about Japan. The KIE section, for example has several pages of information about the traditon of moon viewing in Japan. (The big full moon festivals are right around the corner in August.)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1582629043908539348.post-85240558534628695102010-07-26T10:18:00.003+09:002010-07-26T11:06:16.943+09:00Having Your Own Summer Homeschool ConferenceAgain on the organizational front, I found this blog post from a homeschool mom who is having a <a href="http://smoothstonesacademy.blogspot.com/2010/07/ssa-summer-conference-2010.html">personal homeschool conference </a>(would this be home conferencing?). This is something that she started doing last year and you can also read about that <a href="http://smoothstonesacademy.blogspot.com/2009/06/creating-my-own-homeschool-conference.html">here</a>.<br /><br />I've been listening to some of the <a href="http://www.welltrainedmind.com/store/audio-products/audio-lectures.html">Peace Hill Press conference lectures </a>as I plan what we're doing this year. Susan Wise Bauer also has some cool <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/peacehillpress">classical homeschooling Q&A videos </a>on You Tube.<br /><br />There are also some helpful (and even some free) lectures available at <a href="http://www.wordmp3.com/search.aspx?topic=yes&search=Classical+Education">Word MP3</a>.<br /><br />If you think about it, a typical school year would program in several days for the teacher to prepare for the beginning of the year, calculate grades and give feedback to students about their progress, transition to a new semester and even learn about and practice a new educational program. I don't think that it is unreasonable for us to take some of that same time to plan for our homeschool year.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0