29 Apr, 2011
Activity:
Making Lemon Meringue Pie
The following recipe can be found on AllRecipes.com.
Grandma’s Lemon Meringue Pie
Ingredients 1 cup white sugar 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 3 tablespoons cornstarch 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 cups water 2 lemons, juiced and zested 2 tablespoons butter 4 egg yolks, beaten 1 (9 inch) pie crust, baked 4 egg whites
6 tablespoons white sugar
Directions
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2.To Make Lemon Filling: In a medium saucepan, whisk together 1 cup sugar, flour, cornstarch, and salt. Stir in water, lemon juice and lemon zest. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until mixture comes to a boil. Stir in butter.
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28 Apr, 2011
Appreciation Week Duncan Teacher Appreciation Teacher Appreciation Week
In an open letter to teachers nationwide sent in honor of Teacher Appreciation Week (May 2-6), U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan acknowledged that teachers are frustrated and have come under attack in recent months.
He writes:
[Y]ou are frustrated when teachers alone are blamed for educational failures that have roots in broken families, unsafe communities, misguided reforms, and underfunded schools systems. You rightfully believe that responsibility for educational quality should be shared by administrators, community, parents, and even students themselves.
He acknowledged that many teachers are fed up with the teach-to-the-test effects of No Child Left Behind, and with being the target of accountability measures that don’t factor in other elements of students’ lives.
Many of you have told me you are willing to be held accountable for outcomes over which you have some control, but you also want school leaders held accountable for creating a positive and supportive learning environment.
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22 Apr, 2011
High School Time
High school can be a pressure cooker, but why? There are many skills to be learned in the great, wide world. Taking some time to learn a practical skill as an apprentice, starting your own business or nonprofit, honing your sport or artistic skills, or simply stopping, dabbling, and thinking are all good reasons to make some more time in your life. High school is a busy time, but it is also a time when you’re supposed to be seeking out directions for your life. You can’t do this without time to explore your interests and reflect on what makes you excited.
In our area, one high school has been offering students the opportunity to go to high school part time for many years now.
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17 Apr, 2011
Education
I have this idea that all homeschoolers are inherently rebellious. We rebel against the common system. We rebel against the traditional education. We rebel against state institutions which seek to indoctrinate our children. We take comfort in days filled with exploration as a means of education. We can assess without a test or grading system. We feel textbooks and plans are guidelines and suggestions. Does this describe you? Maybe not. It most certainly describes me while at the same time I am an advocate for any choice a parent makes on their child’s education. I do not believe all parents should homeschool. I do believe that education is a plate best served messy and by the child. Yet, I believe the cook should be the mom who guides, directs and schedules the day to include a sense of world schooling.
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11 Apr, 2011
She acted suitably impressed. “There are?”
“Yes,” he replied. “And the white blood cells look all puffy.”
You know, I’d never thought of it before, but a white blood cell does look rather puffy. Sort of like a big white pompom.
On other visits, we’ve discussed the shape of vertebrae, the role of the spinal cord, the way the electrical stimulation machine works, and why the doctor has to push on my back. At the medical doctor’s office, we’ve discussed blood pressure, taking blood, the way ears work, how infections grow, and what it means to eat healthy.
You’d think that the medical personnel would be too busy or impatient to answer my children’s questions, but by and large, they’ve been more than happy to explain what they’re doing and to interact with my little learners.
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11 Apr, 2011
Edmonton
Attention any students interested in working for the City of Edmonton in some fun, outdoor jobs this summer. There are a number of summer placements for students available including jobs as a lifeguard, park supervisor in provincial parks, and ride operator at the Valley Zoo. For more information see Mr. Bezubiak or Mr. McGee in the off-campus office.