I'm planning on starting a literature and writing class for high school students if I can find a few interested homeschoolers.  The theme of the class would be "Stories Can Change the World."  The idea all began when a fellow homeschooler and I were chatting about how it would be great to study Les Misérables for an entire semester.  A couple of weeks later, I was reading about Elizabeth Gaskell, who I knew as a contemporary of Charles Dickens.  It turns out that she was also friends with Charlotte Brontë.  Suddenly I realized how many of the authors from the mid-1800's wrote books with the idea of improving the world they lived in.  Dickens is obvious, as is Gaskell.  Charlotte and Anne Brontë also wrote books that exposed some of the social evils of their day.  Add in Victor Hugo, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Louisa May Alcott, and you can see how the authors of that era influenced the world they lived in.  I started thinking how much fun it would be to mentor a class, reading some of these authors, discussing them, learning about the actual society they lived in.  Then, of course, I wanted students to accomplish a project themselves, so the idea of writing their own story was born.  Whether the story is fact or fiction, the story of their life or of an ancestor or just something they made up, they can learn so much from the writing and revising process.

Here is what the class will look like:

• Cost will be a modest fee (probably $15-20 for the year) to cover supplies.  Families will provide their own copies of the books to be read, but these will be classics that can be purchased as cheap paperbacks or free for Kindle.
• Classes will be held once a week at my home in west Layton.
• Fall semester the class will choose 3-4 books from my list to read and discuss.  These books will all be from the mid-1800's and will all have at least one societal issue that is brought to the public notice.
• Spring semester we will study Les Misérables for the whole semester
• Fall semester each student will prepare an oral presentation on a social issue from the 1800's.
• Spring semester each student will prepare an oral presentation on a social issue from our day.
• Each class will include some writing exercises.
• During the fall, students will outline and rough-draft their story (ideally writing a novella length story, but this can be adapted to individual students).
• During the spring, students will complete rough drafts and revise their stories.
• As a final reward at the end of the year, each student will receive a bound, print copy of their story.  Through createspace.com, we will have the books assigned an ISBN, a price for ordering on Amazon, etc., so that any doting parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles can buy a copy for themselves. 

This class will be awesome for students who are ready to work hard and read the authors I've mentioned.  With the writing, I will be able to adapt to the level of individual students to a certain extent, but the reading will need to be done in order for this to be a positive experience for the whole class.  While this is primarily a language arts class, there will definitely be elements of history and government to be explored as well. I am targeting my own 16 year old daughter in creating this class, so I'm hoping to find at least a couple of older high school students to join her.  If those students have younger siblings, I am open to hosting some classes for them as well, depending on the willingness and ability of other moms to help.  I have a 14 year old girl and 10 year old boy/girl twins who could participate in other classes.

A little bit about me:  I recently moved from Texas to Layton, but I grew up in Logan, Utah.  I have a BA in Political Science from the University of Utah.  I've always loved to read, and I've always loved to discuss the problems of the world and possible solutions, so I see this class as a great opportunity to bring those two loves together.  I come from a conservative, LDS worldview, but that does not mean students have to have that worldview.  I just want parents and students to know what they're getting.  Last year I helped mentor a Shakespeare Conquest class in my homeschool group in Texas, and I loved working with the youth in that class.  I am very excited to mentor a class where I get to choose the reading though.  I have 5 kids, ages 10-18 whom I have always homeschooled.  I consider myself an eclectic homeschooler as I find inspiration from various philosophies.  I most closely align with leadership education and Charlotte Mason.

If you are interested in this class or have questions for me, please email me at lauralyna@gmail.com

Just testing this out to see if I still know how to post to this blog.  I'm thinking about using it to help me with a homeschool class I'm hoping to start, so I wanted to make sure...

Cutting instructions for temple envelope

Cutting instructions for the temple envelope:

Here's how I created my pattern: I started with a paper rectangle 18 inces by 24 inches.

I added a triangel on one end that was 18 inches wide and 7 inches high measuring up the middle.

Then I had a separate piece that was the same as the triangle part but with a three inch high rectangle at the base. Using these two pattern pieces, I cut one of each from my fabric.

On the triangle fabric, you need to mark the following: One line straight across about 3 1/2 inces north of the point. One inch below this line, make a short, one inch line parallel to the longer line.

Then, one line to each side of the middle line of the triangle. Each should be about 3 inches to the side of the middle to create a six inch wide pocket.

Finally, you need three pieces of ribbon to embellish with. One should be about 10 inches, one 16 inches and one 18 inches. These will be sewn across the triangle piece.

Temple Envelope Tutorial

This is a tutorial for the temple envelope I'm teaching for our ward's Fabulous Friday. I'm starting the instructions from the point where the ladies will start at our activity, which means everything is cut and marked already. I'll post those instructions later if anyone wants them.

First we want to stick our ribbons down so they don't shift while we sew. Pinning can be tough with little ribbons, so I like to use a sewing tape that washes out. I wanted it narrower though, so you need to cut it into skinny pieces and then stick it to the back of the ribbon.

Place the ribbons where you want them on the triangular piece of fabric. There will be a button hole at the tip of the triangle and a hem on the long straight edge, so keep that in mind when placing the ribbons.

Sew the ribbons down. You want to be as close to the edge of the ribbon as possible without getting off the ribbon. Sew both edges of each ribbon.

Once you've sewn the ribbons down, trim them so they're even with the fabric edges.

Next you want to press your hems. You need a hem on the end of the big piece of fabric. Fold over twice and press.

Do the same thing on the end of the triangle.

Sew down the hem of the big piece. On the triangle, only sew the middle part of the hem between the two lines. You're hemming the pocket. The rest will be sewn down later.

Now, don't freak out on me, but you're going to put the wrong sides of your two pieces together. Pin the triangle to the big piece with the RIGHT sides showing.

Flip the big piece over and turn up the hemmed edge until the hem is lined up with the triangle hem. They should meet but not overlap, and of course the hems are on opposite sides of the fabric.

Now sew all the way around with 1/4 inch seam allowance.

Trim of the tip of the triangle, press your seam allowances and turn everything wrong side out.

You'll notice as you try to turn things wrong side out that you have a problem with your seam allowance. Where the two hems meet, the seam allowance twists, so make a small snip through the seam allowance right where the hems meet up.

With everything wrong side out, press everything so it's nice and neat and then sew all the way around with a 5/8 inch seam allowance. You're creating a seam with no raw edges. I've seen it called a French seam, but my Grandma taught me something completely different as a French seam, so I don't really know what's what.

Once you've sewn around, you want to turn everything right side out again, but those pesky seam allowances are twisted again. Just make another little snip right between the hems. Once everything is right side out, press it all so it's nice and neat.

Where you have the hem of the big piece, you want to sew just a little bit in from the edge to catch the raw edge of that snip. I don't quite know how to explain it because I just fiddled with it until I had it how I wanted it.

Turn your triangle wrong side out again and make a triangular snip where the straight edge meets the angled edge. This just helps things lay flat. Also snip off the end of the triangle again. All this will be enclosed when you're done, so don't worry about those raw edges.

Now you can sew from the edge of the triangle over to the pocket lines on each side. Again, here's your chance to catch that bit of raw edge from that little snip in the seam allowance.

Now, sew down the lines for the pocket. This is a little place to keep the name slip in the temple.

Now put your buttonhole in. I did mine about an inch lower than the shortest ribbon, and I used my sewing machine's automatic button hole maker. If you don't have that on your machine, you have my sincerest sympathy. If you live near me, come use mine. :)

Now top stitch the lace on. You can use the lace to cover if you're not totally happy with where those two hems meet up, but I was actually able to get everything really nice there.

Once your lace is on, sew on your button and you're done!

a conversation with Isaac

I listen to Isaac count, "thirteen-one, fourteen-one..."

Me: Isaac, what are you counting?
Isaac: I'm counting all the numbers.
Me: Well, that wasn't quite right.
Isaac: Why not?
Me (a little distracted): It just wasn't.
Isaac: Because there's no thirteen-one?
Me: That's right.
Isaac: Well, confinity is the last number.
Me: Yeah, that's right.
Isaac: What number comes right before confinity?
Me: Why don't you ask Daddy that one?
Isaac: Because he knows all the numbers?
Me: That's right.
Isaac: That's because he's really smart. You're a little bit smart, but Daddy is really smart.

Gee, thanks kid. But I just pawned the "last number before infinity" question off on Daddy. I think that makes me the smart one. :)

In honor of Felicity

Felicity celebrated her 14^th birthday this week. She is truly a daughter to be proud of: fun to talk to, kind and responsible with her siblings, extremely talented. To show off her talents, I'm including a story she wrote for our homeschool co-op. She's written longer things, but I really liked this one, and it's short enough to include here. Hope you enjoy it.

 

Edelweiss. The house shudders. I squeeze my eyes shut tighter. My legs get pulled closer to my chest as I tighten my grip on my arms. Edelweiss, I remind myself, Think of Edelweiss. My mind conjures up the image of the white flower in my head. It's soothing, one of those timeless calming things that pulls the mind to a safe place where it can shelter from any problems. But then a memory creeps in. Come on, Lisa! Stop looking at that flower, let's go! The impatient voice floods my mind with memories. I stifle a whimper by rocking back and forth. The wood floor creaks underneath me.

My eyes fly open, I freeze. And so do the half-dozen people surrounding me. The terror on their faces as they, we, breathlessly wait and listen for a sign that someone heard, is nowhere near how scared they really are inside. I know. It's like there's ice inside yourself and it just keeps on making you colder and colder. I close my eyes again, but they fly open again at the slightest noise. A creak, a tap, even the wind blowing around the old building we've taken refuge in makes me more alert and watchful. More scared. But I force my eyes closed anyway. Edelweiss, I remind myself once more. The calming flower takes its place in my thoughts once more as I shut out the sounds, and the memories. The memories of my family. The family that is no more. The family that was taken away by German soldiers, the German soldiers I miraculously escaped. That I am hiding from right now.

A door slams. I jump as boots clomp on the floor above me. My throat constricts even more. I try to keep each breath even and quiet, but it keeps on getting more and more ragged. My ears tell me that everyone else's is too. The footsteps above us begin to be the beat for our breaths. 

Then the footsteps creeping above us stop. I hear a door creak open. I pray that it isn't the door to the cellar, but one look at the landlady tells me otherwise. I slowly put my hand over my mouth to prevent myself from making any noise. I dig my toes into the soles of my worn shoes to prevent myself from rocking. I shiver, but there is no preventing that. My breath starts matching the faster steps of the boots coming down the stairs. In vain I try to slow it down. I lean as far back as I can into the wall behind me, and wish that the room I'm in wasn't so empty. Continuing this thought, I put to myself silently and sarcastically, Yes, also I wish I wasn't involved in this war. I wish I wasn't a Jew, and I wish, oh do I wish, that my family wasn't taken away. Dream on Lisa.

The boots have reached the end of the stairs. I know that the door is going to open any minute. I close my eyes and wish, ever so hard, that Death will be quick.

Edelweiss

 

Seven of Nine

We've been watching Star Trek: Voyager with the kids recently. Elisabeth looked up a picture of Seven of Nine on the internet and then made a sketch from it. I was so impressed because it's recognizable, so I thought I'd share it with the world. OK, I really just wanted to brag a little.

Overheard

Isaac: What's that in your hand?
Daddy: It's a staple gun.
Isaac: Can I hold it?
Daddy: Not this year.
Isaac: Tomorrow?
Daddy doesn't answer...
Isaac: Hey, maybe I should have a little one to shoot you with.

I love kids' conception of time.

I also love hearing Isaac and Tabitha talk about, "When we were a baby..." It's gotta be a twin thing cause it's never, "When I was a baby," or "When we were babies." It's as though they were once one baby and now they're two kids.

Why I don't like snow

It snowed here this morning. I don't think I've ever seen snow so early here. Amazingly, my tomatoes are still alive. I didn't cover them or anything since the colder weather is now here to stay, and I thought there would be no way they could survive snow. Apparently, the air near the ground was warmer than up where the snow was forming.

My kids love it when it snows, and I must admit that it does feel more like Christmas--even though the snow is already completely gone. But, really, I dread snow. Here's how it goes at our house:

Kids get up and see snow. Hurray! Everyone asks Mommy if they can play in the snow (all 1/32 of an inch of it). Mommy digs out hats, gloves, extra socks, warmest jackets, most waterproof shoes, etc. Since we use these things approximately three times a year, this takes a while. Big kids get themselves ready and rush outside. Mommy manages to get little kids dressed. Big kids come back in because they're already cold. Mommy sends little kids out. Two minutes later, little kids come back in because they're cold. Wet socks, gloves, jackets and shoes are sprinkled around on the wet floor. Everyone needs hot chocolate to get warm again. Dirty mugs and hot chocolate powder are sprinkled on the counters. Mommy makes kids help clean up. Mean Mommy. It takes half an hour to get ready and half an hour to clean up so that kids can play in snow for two minutes. Once kids are warm again, they want to go back out...

At least today the snow melted fast before they could want to go out again.

I feel like such a Scrooge. I used to really love the first few snow days when I was growing up. But in Utah, we were pretty well prepared for snow, and I didn't have kids then. I wonder how my mom felt about it.

Oh well, the kids had fun. Now if I can just convince Isaac that snow does not mean Santa came last night. :)