He did a great job and was, more importantly, so proud of himself. He did burn a finger and his forearm, but he reacted quickly and it's barely red.
Jun 9, 2016
It's the Little Things ~ Mal Makes Pizza
Today, Mal said, "I'm going to make my own pizza. Big kids don't ask grown ups to make their pizza." He has done parts of the prep of a frozen pizza before, but today he felt ready to do the whole thing. I was nearby and coached him through setting the timer and cutting the pizza. He preheated the oven, opened the pizza, placed it in the oven, and removed it on his own.
He did a great job and was, more importantly, so proud of himself. He did burn a finger and his forearm, but he reacted quickly and it's barely red.
He did a great job and was, more importantly, so proud of himself. He did burn a finger and his forearm, but he reacted quickly and it's barely red.
Jun 8, 2016
Max Scholar TOS Review
While MaxScholar offers the MaxScholar Reading Intervention Programs, I was very intrigued by some of the more unique components included in this review. Some things weren't typical for language arts. MaxGuru uses biographies, geography, and popular music to help students learn vocabulary and grammar, and develop reading comprehension.
MaxGuru includes*
MaxPlaces was very similar. Mal read about New York City and some places in Asia that he found interesting. That's followed by the highlighting and comprehension questions as well. Mal's highlighting score brought his overall score down, which was unfortunate.
There was a MaxReading placement test that was very similar to the activities in these two sections. It started with the boys in level 7 and ended placing Mal in level 5 and Xav was left in level 7. Everything looks like that is grade related leveling. Honestly, I was surprised they leveled as high as they did. Especially Xavier. Once, in the pretest, Xav was asked a question that none of the answers listed were correct. If a level is a bit difficult, lower levels can be accessed by choosing another chapter.
Xavier's favorite segment was MaxMusic. I admit, we "sheltered homeschoolers" were not familiar with some of the artists, but there were classics, too. He didn't love the verb highlighting. He also doesn't really know the "to be" verbs. Guess we'll be working on that! There isn't any instruction. This is definitely a supplemental program. What he did like though, was the Fillers and Piano segments. In Fillers, the lyrics are missing a few words. There is (usually) an orange space with the part of speech of the missing word (adverb, noun, etc.). He clicks on that and several choices drop down. He completes the segment of the song for a score. Xav's favorite part is the piano! He follows along as several notes are played at once and then he repeats the pattern. He feels like he can really play the piano.
Xav did also like playing Hangman. He *was* a bit disappointed, though, when he intentionally blew a game and nothing happened to Blob Bob. He felt it was "false advertisement."
Using CLOVER, in MaxWords, the kids learn about syllables. I like that each of the six sections tell a rule and then follow up with a few example questions to help cement it. This is really the only place that I thought there was actual instruction. The activities really cemented it.
Anytime you or your student run across an issue or a glitch, simply click the question mark in the upper right of the screen. You can see that below. A report box opens up and you just tell the issue you encountered and send it off to MaxScholar.
Parent Reports
The Crew had parent accounts as opposed to teacher accounts, so we did not have the ability to adjust levels for our students. You can zip an email off to MaxScholar, though, to request changes. I didn't use this service, so I don't know how timely the response is. I suggest that MaxScholar allow parents to have this kind of access for homeschoolers. I know I would have preferred to make changes myself.
I can make reports with any date range I would like. The main report page shows the percent of usage in each section. This is Mal's page which shows he has spent most of his time in MaxReading.
Then I can click on "See Detailed Report" to see scores and other details for each section. I didn't think this report was really very detailed though. Mal's MaxPlaces had an average of zero with no completion date of scores for any places he had done. He had completed a couple of cities, but they don't show on the report.
MaxScholar's MaxGuru has amazing potential. I receive regular emails detailing updates they have been making based on feedback. Some of the updates only apply to teacher accounts, so once again, I would really like to see homeschoolers receive teacher account privileges on their parent accounts.
We'll be making more use of MaxWords and MaxPlaces this year. I'm sure Xav will want to continue playing hangman and the piano.
MaxScholar is for children in PK to 12th grade.
Find MaxScholar on social media.
Facebook
Twitter
Pintrest
Google+
LinkedIn
YouTube
MaxGuru includes*
- MaxPhonics - phonics using the Orton-Gillingham Method
- MaxReading - develops reading comprehension skills
- MaxWords - learning about spelling, syllables, prefixes and suffixes, and Latin or Greek roots
- MaxMusic - using song lyrics to find verbs, understand the parts of speech, "play" the piano, and play a sound memory-type matching game
- MaxVocab - a dictionary of new words by reading level and vocab games (hangman, matching, and word searches
- MaxPlaces - select a city from the world map and read all about it, followed by comprehension questions
- and MaxBios - read biographies
MaxPlaces was very similar. Mal read about New York City and some places in Asia that he found interesting. That's followed by the highlighting and comprehension questions as well. Mal's highlighting score brought his overall score down, which was unfortunate.
There was a MaxReading placement test that was very similar to the activities in these two sections. It started with the boys in level 7 and ended placing Mal in level 5 and Xav was left in level 7. Everything looks like that is grade related leveling. Honestly, I was surprised they leveled as high as they did. Especially Xavier. Once, in the pretest, Xav was asked a question that none of the answers listed were correct. If a level is a bit difficult, lower levels can be accessed by choosing another chapter.
Xavier's favorite segment was MaxMusic. I admit, we "sheltered homeschoolers" were not familiar with some of the artists, but there were classics, too. He didn't love the verb highlighting. He also doesn't really know the "to be" verbs. Guess we'll be working on that! There isn't any instruction. This is definitely a supplemental program. What he did like though, was the Fillers and Piano segments. In Fillers, the lyrics are missing a few words. There is (usually) an orange space with the part of speech of the missing word (adverb, noun, etc.). He clicks on that and several choices drop down. He completes the segment of the song for a score. Xav's favorite part is the piano! He follows along as several notes are played at once and then he repeats the pattern. He feels like he can really play the piano.
Xav did also like playing Hangman. He *was* a bit disappointed, though, when he intentionally blew a game and nothing happened to Blob Bob. He felt it was "false advertisement."
Using CLOVER, in MaxWords, the kids learn about syllables. I like that each of the six sections tell a rule and then follow up with a few example questions to help cement it. This is really the only place that I thought there was actual instruction. The activities really cemented it.
Anytime you or your student run across an issue or a glitch, simply click the question mark in the upper right of the screen. You can see that below. A report box opens up and you just tell the issue you encountered and send it off to MaxScholar.
Parent Reports
The Crew had parent accounts as opposed to teacher accounts, so we did not have the ability to adjust levels for our students. You can zip an email off to MaxScholar, though, to request changes. I didn't use this service, so I don't know how timely the response is. I suggest that MaxScholar allow parents to have this kind of access for homeschoolers. I know I would have preferred to make changes myself.
I can make reports with any date range I would like. The main report page shows the percent of usage in each section. This is Mal's page which shows he has spent most of his time in MaxReading.
Then I can click on "See Detailed Report" to see scores and other details for each section. I didn't think this report was really very detailed though. Mal's MaxPlaces had an average of zero with no completion date of scores for any places he had done. He had completed a couple of cities, but they don't show on the report.
MaxScholar's MaxGuru has amazing potential. I receive regular emails detailing updates they have been making based on feedback. Some of the updates only apply to teacher accounts, so once again, I would really like to see homeschoolers receive teacher account privileges on their parent accounts.
We'll be making more use of MaxWords and MaxPlaces this year. I'm sure Xav will want to continue playing hangman and the piano.
MaxScholar is for children in PK to 12th grade.
Find MaxScholar on social media.
Pintrest
Google+
YouTube
Jun 3, 2016
The Moving Wall ~ Field Trip Friday
We actually took this field trip yesterday, Thursday. But with me, you get what you get.
The Moving Wall is a half-sized replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC. It has been traveling the US for about 30 years. There are actually two walls now. I took Dave when he was a young punk. We went with my dad, who is a Vietnam veteran, and my stepmom.
This time, we headed to Arkport, NY and to the field near Arkport Cycles. I took Mal, Xav, and Merrick, and we brought my mom along. It rained early afternoon and I regretted not going in the morning, but I had something else I needed to do in the afternoon not far from there, so I wasn't about to make two trips. Anyway, when we got there, the rain was long over and the sun was out. The field was mown so the grass was fairly dry.
I always thought the Moving Wall was huge, actually. I still think it is. Xav's first comment was, "It's not that big." Whatever kid. First thing most people do is stare at it and take it all in. Then you just start looking at individual names. I know from last time that no one in my family or with my family name are on the wall. I also know The Bigger's family name *is* on the wall, though they doesn't seem to be closely related.
When you're ready to look for names, there are awesome people there to help you look up names in a giant book. The information includes their names and hometowns, as well as a block number and a row number to help you find them. Each piece of the Moving Wall is given a number. One is at the center with an E or W after it. The numbers climb higher as you move away from that center point. Each segment has a different number of rows on it. Some only have a few rows of names and some have over 100 rows on them.
We checked Daddy's family name and were not surprised to find none. I wanted the boys to do a rubbing though, so we grabbed an octagon crayon and a couple sheets of their papers. We just chose random names to rub. If you can find a name you know, it's much more personal.
Some girls were wandering around with a Wall app on their phones, interrupting the docents who were leading people to the books and explaining the wall. I was actually very irritated by that. Those volunteers, many of whom were former military, were so deeply involved in getting the Wall there. The radiated such a deep respect for it. I was just flabbergasted that people were so oblivious to the where and the who of the location.
Volunteers arrange the whole thing locally, usually schools, veterans, or other groups. There were such a nice group of people in Arkport. They hosted a hospitality tent, manned the books, watched over the wall, and answered lots of questions.
It was really interesting and probably a once in a lifetime visit for most. Considering we've never been to DC and don't have plans to go, the Moving Wall is a really inspiring substitute. Check the schedule, and if it's going to be near you, I highly recommend a field trip to see it.
The Moving Wall is a half-sized replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC. It has been traveling the US for about 30 years. There are actually two walls now. I took Dave when he was a young punk. We went with my dad, who is a Vietnam veteran, and my stepmom.
This time, we headed to Arkport, NY and to the field near Arkport Cycles. I took Mal, Xav, and Merrick, and we brought my mom along. It rained early afternoon and I regretted not going in the morning, but I had something else I needed to do in the afternoon not far from there, so I wasn't about to make two trips. Anyway, when we got there, the rain was long over and the sun was out. The field was mown so the grass was fairly dry.
I always thought the Moving Wall was huge, actually. I still think it is. Xav's first comment was, "It's not that big." Whatever kid. First thing most people do is stare at it and take it all in. Then you just start looking at individual names. I know from last time that no one in my family or with my family name are on the wall. I also know The Bigger's family name *is* on the wall, though they doesn't seem to be closely related.
When you're ready to look for names, there are awesome people there to help you look up names in a giant book. The information includes their names and hometowns, as well as a block number and a row number to help you find them. Each piece of the Moving Wall is given a number. One is at the center with an E or W after it. The numbers climb higher as you move away from that center point. Each segment has a different number of rows on it. Some only have a few rows of names and some have over 100 rows on them.
We checked Daddy's family name and were not surprised to find none. I wanted the boys to do a rubbing though, so we grabbed an octagon crayon and a couple sheets of their papers. We just chose random names to rub. If you can find a name you know, it's much more personal.
Some girls were wandering around with a Wall app on their phones, interrupting the docents who were leading people to the books and explaining the wall. I was actually very irritated by that. Those volunteers, many of whom were former military, were so deeply involved in getting the Wall there. The radiated such a deep respect for it. I was just flabbergasted that people were so oblivious to the where and the who of the location.
Volunteers arrange the whole thing locally, usually schools, veterans, or other groups. There were such a nice group of people in Arkport. They hosted a hospitality tent, manned the books, watched over the wall, and answered lots of questions.
It was really interesting and probably a once in a lifetime visit for most. Considering we've never been to DC and don't have plans to go, the Moving Wall is a really inspiring substitute. Check the schedule, and if it's going to be near you, I highly recommend a field trip to see it.
May 31, 2016
Essential Skills Advantage TOS Review
Essential Skills Advantage has come a long way since my family last had access in 2014! It's very streamlined and fun. Last time, I think it just covered reading and language for K-6th grades. We have been able to review the Complete Home Learning Suite which has grown to include all these subjects!
I have to say, it was the geography that really sucked me in. I think it's super important for us to learn about, but when you have kiddos struggling to read or do math, you don't think as much about that kind of subject. This will be a perfect summer learning opportunity while we set aside some of our other subjects.
Xavier is a huge science fan, so he enjoyed having the 3rd grade science program. He just finished THREE science classes at co-op (yes, all the kid took at co-op was science and PE type classes), so he enjoyed having yet another science outlet. Xav can work on it whenever he wants to, completely independently, which makes *me* happy.
Merrick (I may have mentioned this before) LOVES school, as in {bigfatpuffyheart}'s it. This is not something he can complete on his own, though. Xav or I usually sit with him to help. A few times there has been something that doesn't require reading, but mostly he needs assistance. Even when he did need reading, he did great matching the first sounds in the answer with the words on the screen.
When the boys would complete an activity, they hear encouraging things like
ESA can be used on iPads and Android devices. I asked Xav (my poor guinea pig) to try it on my Kindle. He was able to use it in my browser, but he did need to do a fair bit of zooming in and out to see well or touch the right locations. He was frustrated, but completed several activities. I don't really recommend using other devices, but we love ESA on the laptop. That's portable enough for most things anyway.
Merrick and Xav often used ESA during the week when Malachi had appointments. They like to invade his sessions, so I would take the laptop to their room and they would "help" each other complete their activities. It was a great way to keep them busy and distracted.
I was able to monitor their progress easily. I simply log into my classroom and select "marks" under the boys' names. I can see all of the subjects each of them had done. The first screen shows how complete each subject is and the average score achieved. Clicking the blue circle under that, I could see the same information for each sub-heading. Clicking further still, I'm shown each activity under that. If I click one more time, I see how many attempts Xav made on each activity and the average for that activity. Xav didn't repeat any activities, so I basically just see the same information from the previous screen.
I can create a report which shows the number of activities completed (ex. 5/6 or 12/12), a letter grade, a percent correct, and any notes I want to add. That can be done at any point in the program. Once a section is completely done, I can print a certificate. It shows the date you created the certificate rather than the date of completion, so if you need that to be accurate, you'll have to get them done right away. You can save them as PDFs.
ESA is an impressive educational supplement, especially if you are looking at online learning for children who enjoy using media over textbook learning.
Find Essential Skills Advantage on social media.
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Google +
LinkedIn
Blog
- Science for K-3rd (earth and space, physical, and life sciences)
- Reading for K-6th (phonics, reading, and comprehension)
- Math for K/1st-6th (number concepts and math operations)
- Spelling for 1st-6th (fun with spelling, spelling master, spelling stumpers)
- Geography for 3rd-5th (map and globe skills, world, US, and Canadian geography)
- Language and Grammar for 3rd-6th (creative writing, grammar, vocabulary building)
I have to say, it was the geography that really sucked me in. I think it's super important for us to learn about, but when you have kiddos struggling to read or do math, you don't think as much about that kind of subject. This will be a perfect summer learning opportunity while we set aside some of our other subjects.
Xavier is a huge science fan, so he enjoyed having the 3rd grade science program. He just finished THREE science classes at co-op (yes, all the kid took at co-op was science and PE type classes), so he enjoyed having yet another science outlet. Xav can work on it whenever he wants to, completely independently, which makes *me* happy.
Merrick (I may have mentioned this before) LOVES school, as in {bigfatpuffyheart}'s it. This is not something he can complete on his own, though. Xav or I usually sit with him to help. A few times there has been something that doesn't require reading, but mostly he needs assistance. Even when he did need reading, he did great matching the first sounds in the answer with the words on the screen.
When the boys would complete an activity, they hear encouraging things like
- A crowd saying "WOW!"
- "Good job!"
- A guitar riff.
- and "I appreciate your effort."
ESA can be used on iPads and Android devices. I asked Xav (my poor guinea pig) to try it on my Kindle. He was able to use it in my browser, but he did need to do a fair bit of zooming in and out to see well or touch the right locations. He was frustrated, but completed several activities. I don't really recommend using other devices, but we love ESA on the laptop. That's portable enough for most things anyway.
Merrick and Xav often used ESA during the week when Malachi had appointments. They like to invade his sessions, so I would take the laptop to their room and they would "help" each other complete their activities. It was a great way to keep them busy and distracted.
I was able to monitor their progress easily. I simply log into my classroom and select "marks" under the boys' names. I can see all of the subjects each of them had done. The first screen shows how complete each subject is and the average score achieved. Clicking the blue circle under that, I could see the same information for each sub-heading. Clicking further still, I'm shown each activity under that. If I click one more time, I see how many attempts Xav made on each activity and the average for that activity. Xav didn't repeat any activities, so I basically just see the same information from the previous screen.
I can create a report which shows the number of activities completed (ex. 5/6 or 12/12), a letter grade, a percent correct, and any notes I want to add. That can be done at any point in the program. Once a section is completely done, I can print a certificate. It shows the date you created the certificate rather than the date of completion, so if you need that to be accurate, you'll have to get them done right away. You can save them as PDFs.
ESA is an impressive educational supplement, especially if you are looking at online learning for children who enjoy using media over textbook learning.
Find Essential Skills Advantage on social media.
Google +
Blog
May 30, 2016
Recipe - Pieless Apples
I was tinkering in the kitchen the other day, when I decided to cook up some apple pie filling. I wasn't trying to quite make the syrupy, drippy, thick, yummy kind. Though that is tempting now that I think about it. I decided to use a granny smith. I cored it and sliced it into 16 pieces. I didn't bother to peel it. I melted a tsp of butter in a small pan and let the apples cook a few minutes. Then I mixed about 1 tsp of granulated sugar, a tsp of cinnamon, and a 1/4 tsp of nutmeg. I stirred that in the pan and let it bubble away while the apples continued cooking. I added a little water (a couple TBSP) as needed just to keep things from burning and speed up the apples.
Verdict
It tasted pretty good, but I determined it would need a bit more sugar. I intended to use two tsp of sugar next time. What I actually ended up doing was using a sweeter apple and brown sugar. Use the basic instructions above with the following ingredients and let the apple get pretty cooked.
1 tsp butter
1 apple (pink lady or other somewhat firm sweet variety)
2 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg
water as needed
Serves two. Seriously. It does. Xav ate half of one, so it had to serve two.
This would be so good with granola, oats, or ice cream.
Verdict
It tasted pretty good, but I determined it would need a bit more sugar. I intended to use two tsp of sugar next time. What I actually ended up doing was using a sweeter apple and brown sugar. Use the basic instructions above with the following ingredients and let the apple get pretty cooked.
1 tsp butter
1 apple (pink lady or other somewhat firm sweet variety)
2 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg
water as needed
Serves two. Seriously. It does. Xav ate half of one, so it had to serve two.
This would be so good with granola, oats, or ice cream.
May 27, 2016
Heart Island, NY - Field Trip Friday
Every May, our co-op enjoys an amazing field trip that involves a bit of a drive, a hotel stay, and a bigger than your usual field trip kind of destination. This is what all that fundraising we do throughout the year is all about. So a big THANK YOU to everyone who buys fruit or fudge and shops at Hannaford's for us!
Boldt Castle on Heart Island was on our list of possibilities last year and came in a close second. We added it back in this year and chose it. It was a great trip. From the hotel, to the boat ride, to the actual castle in the Thousand Islands, everything was perfect. It was breezy and cool, but not cold or rainy. Since we were outside a lot, that made a very pleasant trip.
We stayed at The Best Western in Watertown. The boys could *not* wait to use the pool! In the evening, Micah was able to get a run on the treadmill, so his schedule wasn't terribly interrupted. It also had a huge room for breakfast and we took it over for games and a pizza party in the evening. We also enjoyed their full breakfast Monday before we left for Alexandria Bay.
Uncle Sam Boat Tours took us to the island and to the yacht house on a nearby island. I don't want to get ahead of myself about that place! The people were all terrific and no boats sank with us on board, so I consider that a success!
The Castle
The castle was being built by a hotel magnate George Boldt for his wife as a gift. Louise died before completion and the home was never completed. It was left to rot where it stood and was vandalized. The Thousand Islands Bridge Authority owns and is rebuilding the "castle" and other buildings. Almost all of it is accessible to the public.
I want to say there were six levels from the foundation to the top. In the foundation, there was a small pool. One side of the foundation opened right out at ground level. A tunnel led out to the grounds on the power house side.
The entry and grand staircase with kitchen, dining rooms (formal, maid, and servant), reception areas, den (or library), and sitting room were on the first floor. On this floor, there also was a ballroom with a pipe organ and doors opening to the veranda that looked out over the gardens.
The second floor housed the family bedrooms and bathrooms. There also was a small theater for modern day visitors to see a short film about the Boldt family, the life they led, and the building and abandonment of Boldt Castle. The end of the video was a bit silly, claiming the Boldts' spirits have been seen roaming the grounds. This is also where the gift shop is located.The entire floor was not finished and part of every level from here up was closed off.
The third floor seemed to be intended for nice sized rooms as well. Maybe for guests? I didn't look at the architectural plans on the wall. I should have because from here up, I'm guessing about the purpose of each area. (Ah ha! I found the Boldt Castle map brochure which shows floor plans. You can check it out. I'm leaving my impressions of the upper levels here, but they aren't 100% accurate.)
The two higher levels, I imagine would have housed servants. There was one odd, round window I noticed and couldn't figure out. But when I went out on a balcony, I could see that it made perfect sense on the face of the building.
Around Heart Island
Heart Island has several out buildings. There was a power house where the generators to power the island were to be kept. It's connected to the island by an arched bridge. It was severely damaged by a fire in the 1930s and now has some displays and old photographs of life on the river. It was neat to see the games and other entertainments held on the St. Lawrence.
Alster Tower, or the "children's playhouse" was an incredible stone building surrounded by nooks and crannies and small sized doors. The bowling alley was in this building as well as a billiards room. The plans called for bedrooms and cafes and dancing areas. This was the most castle-like building of them all to me, resembling a corner defense tower that would be set in an exterior castle wall.
The Dove-Cote once held the water tank for the island buildings and is where they kept fancy birds. It was the first tower built on the island.
There was a lovely gazebo in the gardens around the island which had several heart shaped areas and fountains. There also is a swan pond, which is actually void of swans.
The entry arch was stunning. We didn't go in that way, there is another dock where visitors are brought in. It once was the entry where guests would arrive. It was never completed, as it was intended to have covered walkways. Three stags, or harts (a play on the heart theme?), were placed atop the arch.
This is the part where we pointed out the yacht house on another island and the boys asked how we would get there. Micah said, "Swim, of course."
The Yacht House
The yacht house is located on nearby Wellesley Island. Here, antique boats are housed. We not only saw all of the wonderful boats, but Xav asked many appropriate questions and we learned about the screw jacks that raise and lower the boat decks for storage or use, respectively.
The steam yacht, The Kestrel, was housed there. It was donated by a private owner. Other boats on the premises, have been provided for display by the Antique Boat museum.
The building also housed the Yacht House keeper and his family. The first floor of their tower home was also open to visitors.
I kept looking at the whole estate, especially from the river, and admiring the beauty of it. Micah said he looks at it and just sees a lot of maintenance. I think Dad Boldt probably wouldn't have had to worry about the maintenance himself. He would have hired plenty of people to take care of all of that. There is still so much work to be done, it's mind boggling.
I found an inflation calculator which tells me $1,000,000 then is over $24,000,000 today, so the Boldt family certainly had plenty of money. No matter how wealthy someone is, though, the abandonment of the island was a terrible waste of money. And I'm a bit romantic myself, but I thought never stepping foot back on the island (where neither of them died) seemed silly.
It was a really fun day with our co-op friends, definitely one of my favorite trips.
Boldt Castle on Heart Island was on our list of possibilities last year and came in a close second. We added it back in this year and chose it. It was a great trip. From the hotel, to the boat ride, to the actual castle in the Thousand Islands, everything was perfect. It was breezy and cool, but not cold or rainy. Since we were outside a lot, that made a very pleasant trip.
We stayed at The Best Western in Watertown. The boys could *not* wait to use the pool! In the evening, Micah was able to get a run on the treadmill, so his schedule wasn't terribly interrupted. It also had a huge room for breakfast and we took it over for games and a pizza party in the evening. We also enjoyed their full breakfast Monday before we left for Alexandria Bay.
Uncle Sam Boat Tours took us to the island and to the yacht house on a nearby island. I don't want to get ahead of myself about that place! The people were all terrific and no boats sank with us on board, so I consider that a success!
The Castle
The castle was being built by a hotel magnate George Boldt for his wife as a gift. Louise died before completion and the home was never completed. It was left to rot where it stood and was vandalized. The Thousand Islands Bridge Authority owns and is rebuilding the "castle" and other buildings. Almost all of it is accessible to the public.
I want to say there were six levels from the foundation to the top. In the foundation, there was a small pool. One side of the foundation opened right out at ground level. A tunnel led out to the grounds on the power house side.
The entry and grand staircase with kitchen, dining rooms (formal, maid, and servant), reception areas, den (or library), and sitting room were on the first floor. On this floor, there also was a ballroom with a pipe organ and doors opening to the veranda that looked out over the gardens.
The second floor housed the family bedrooms and bathrooms. There also was a small theater for modern day visitors to see a short film about the Boldt family, the life they led, and the building and abandonment of Boldt Castle. The end of the video was a bit silly, claiming the Boldts' spirits have been seen roaming the grounds. This is also where the gift shop is located.The entire floor was not finished and part of every level from here up was closed off.
The third floor seemed to be intended for nice sized rooms as well. Maybe for guests? I didn't look at the architectural plans on the wall. I should have because from here up, I'm guessing about the purpose of each area. (Ah ha! I found the Boldt Castle map brochure which shows floor plans. You can check it out. I'm leaving my impressions of the upper levels here, but they aren't 100% accurate.)
The two higher levels, I imagine would have housed servants. There was one odd, round window I noticed and couldn't figure out. But when I went out on a balcony, I could see that it made perfect sense on the face of the building.
Around Heart Island
Heart Island has several out buildings. There was a power house where the generators to power the island were to be kept. It's connected to the island by an arched bridge. It was severely damaged by a fire in the 1930s and now has some displays and old photographs of life on the river. It was neat to see the games and other entertainments held on the St. Lawrence.
Alster Tower, or the "children's playhouse" was an incredible stone building surrounded by nooks and crannies and small sized doors. The bowling alley was in this building as well as a billiards room. The plans called for bedrooms and cafes and dancing areas. This was the most castle-like building of them all to me, resembling a corner defense tower that would be set in an exterior castle wall.
The Dove-Cote once held the water tank for the island buildings and is where they kept fancy birds. It was the first tower built on the island.
There was a lovely gazebo in the gardens around the island which had several heart shaped areas and fountains. There also is a swan pond, which is actually void of swans.
The entry arch was stunning. We didn't go in that way, there is another dock where visitors are brought in. It once was the entry where guests would arrive. It was never completed, as it was intended to have covered walkways. Three stags, or harts (a play on the heart theme?), were placed atop the arch.
This is the part where we pointed out the yacht house on another island and the boys asked how we would get there. Micah said, "Swim, of course."
 |
| Swim, little fish boys! |
The Yacht House
The yacht house is located on nearby Wellesley Island. Here, antique boats are housed. We not only saw all of the wonderful boats, but Xav asked many appropriate questions and we learned about the screw jacks that raise and lower the boat decks for storage or use, respectively.
The steam yacht, The Kestrel, was housed there. It was donated by a private owner. Other boats on the premises, have been provided for display by the Antique Boat museum.
The building also housed the Yacht House keeper and his family. The first floor of their tower home was also open to visitors.
I kept looking at the whole estate, especially from the river, and admiring the beauty of it. Micah said he looks at it and just sees a lot of maintenance. I think Dad Boldt probably wouldn't have had to worry about the maintenance himself. He would have hired plenty of people to take care of all of that. There is still so much work to be done, it's mind boggling.
I found an inflation calculator which tells me $1,000,000 then is over $24,000,000 today, so the Boldt family certainly had plenty of money. No matter how wealthy someone is, though, the abandonment of the island was a terrible waste of money. And I'm a bit romantic myself, but I thought never stepping foot back on the island (where neither of them died) seemed silly.
It was a really fun day with our co-op friends, definitely one of my favorite trips.
May 26, 2016
Sunya Publishing TOS Review
Math facts are a bit of a struggle here. They haven't been memorized and sometimes I think they never will be. I'm always and forever looking for ways to make arithmetic a little more enjoyable. Sunya Publishing has a brand new game, Sunya - The Magic and Wonder of Math and Science Adding & Subtracting. It will be available soon. The Crew was able to get a sneak peek. It is great for fact practice.
We've been playing more card games lately and this one is perfect for us. It's a competitive game in that there is a winner. It's also a cooperative game, in that the other players can help play your hand. I just love that about Sunya. This card game is for ages 7 to adult and only requires one player, though it's recommended for 1-5 players.
What does Sunya Adding and subtracting include?
We received an instruction book, two distinct decks of cards, and a number line.
The first deck consists of 60 number cards.
The number line runs from -3 to 21. It is 8.5" x 3" and includes examples as instructions for use. This is a handy game tool and a nice way to introduce younger children to the number line and negative integers.
The 25 page softcover Parent/Teacher Guidebook is comb bound. It includes instructions for play of several game variations, a copy of the fact and riddle cards, a few math facts and tricks, and a brief history of the Hindu-Arabic numerals system in use today, and from where the word Sunya derives.
In the word Sunya, the u is pronounced /ΓΌ/ as the "oo" in book. Sunya is a Sanskrit word meaning empty. When a player uses his last card(s) to win, he says "sunya."
The most basic of instructions for Sunya are for players to take turns making number sentences with their cards and to try to be the first to run out of cards. Players decide if they will add or subtract for this round. The dealer sets up a single digit number sentence using the appropriate operation cards and the 2-9 cards. The dealer then deals four cards to each player. The rest of the numbered cards become the draw pile. The player to the left will draw a card signifying the beginning of their turn. Next, looking at the number sentence in play and the cards in their hand, a new number sentence is to be formulated using any combination of cards in play and cards in the hand. In the addition version, an entirely new sentence can be made using all cards from the dealt hand or two new addends that equal the sum in play or a new addend and a new sum can be used. The first person to play all of their cards says, "Sunya." The winning player then draws a card from the fact and riddle pile and reads it out loud to the other players.
There are more rules pertaining to wild cards, blocked wins, and exchanging cards, but that's the basic game. Several variations of the game are also in the guidebook, including how to play with double digits, what to do with the zeros and ones. As a mom with a younger guy, I can also appreciate the included activities for young children. Merrick loves doing "school" and at his age, it's still all about fun.
Sunya Publishing is also releasing Sunya - The Magic and Wonder of Math and Science Multiplying & Dividing. I'm looking forward to playing that as well. We enjoyed playing and helping each other and I think you will too. Click the green banner below to read more about both games.
We've been playing more card games lately and this one is perfect for us. It's a competitive game in that there is a winner. It's also a cooperative game, in that the other players can help play your hand. I just love that about Sunya. This card game is for ages 7 to adult and only requires one player, though it's recommended for 1-5 players.
What does Sunya Adding and subtracting include?
We received an instruction book, two distinct decks of cards, and a number line.
The first deck consists of 60 number cards.
- 3 zeros
- 4 ones
- 6 each of numerals 2-9
- 2 Wild cards
- 3 operations cards (+, -, =)
The number line runs from -3 to 21. It is 8.5" x 3" and includes examples as instructions for use. This is a handy game tool and a nice way to introduce younger children to the number line and negative integers.
The 25 page softcover Parent/Teacher Guidebook is comb bound. It includes instructions for play of several game variations, a copy of the fact and riddle cards, a few math facts and tricks, and a brief history of the Hindu-Arabic numerals system in use today, and from where the word Sunya derives.
In the word Sunya, the u is pronounced /ΓΌ/ as the "oo" in book. Sunya is a Sanskrit word meaning empty. When a player uses his last card(s) to win, he says "sunya."
The most basic of instructions for Sunya are for players to take turns making number sentences with their cards and to try to be the first to run out of cards. Players decide if they will add or subtract for this round. The dealer sets up a single digit number sentence using the appropriate operation cards and the 2-9 cards. The dealer then deals four cards to each player. The rest of the numbered cards become the draw pile. The player to the left will draw a card signifying the beginning of their turn. Next, looking at the number sentence in play and the cards in their hand, a new number sentence is to be formulated using any combination of cards in play and cards in the hand. In the addition version, an entirely new sentence can be made using all cards from the dealt hand or two new addends that equal the sum in play or a new addend and a new sum can be used. The first person to play all of their cards says, "Sunya." The winning player then draws a card from the fact and riddle pile and reads it out loud to the other players.
There are more rules pertaining to wild cards, blocked wins, and exchanging cards, but that's the basic game. Several variations of the game are also in the guidebook, including how to play with double digits, what to do with the zeros and ones. As a mom with a younger guy, I can also appreciate the included activities for young children. Merrick loves doing "school" and at his age, it's still all about fun.
 |
| Ordering, Matching, and Counting. |
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)