Spelling and Voting and Bowling...Oh My!

 It's month seven of our year of homeschooling and we're pumping right along!  The kids recently competed in the C.H.A.R.M. (Christian Homeschool Association of Rocky Mount) Spelling Bee.  I was quite impressed with the all the great C.H.A.R.M. spellers who participated.

Anna (middle) competed with the 1st and 2nd graders.

John (blue shirt) competed in the 2nd and 3rd grade division.

Christopher  (far right) competed with the 5th and 6th graders. 

Lessons continue each day in our core subjects. Below, Anna is learning about weights and measurements using a little help from Mommy's pantry.

And each month, the four of us do a unit study on a topic of the kids' choosing.  In our recent month-long study on U.S. Presidents, I decided to run an election between the boys for the distinguished position of "President of the Rec Room."  During the month, the boys learned how campaigns work and tactics politicians use, even including smear-campaigns and bribery.  (I shan't detail if either of my boys used those techniques in his run for office, but I will reveal that one little girl was promised that her brother would play Barbies with her for the month if he could count on her vote...)  The salary for being President of the Rec Room includes being given his video game time first each day, and its responsibilities include keeping the room clean and coming-up with new ideas for its organization.  But beware! The House (Mommy) and the Senate (Dad) do have the right to impeach if the Rec Room is not administrated properly.  The boys will learn what an incumbent is at the beginning of April, when we hold a re-election.

 Above, our ballot.  Below, our shoebox...I mean ballot box.

Each boy had to make a campaign poster, give a speech, and participate in a debate.  Christopher, our details-oriented child, chose to make his poster show him in the exact same outfit that he would be wearing on election day.  He also came-up with his own hand gesture, which he genuinely believes is original with him.  Hhhmm.  Is it just me, or does that look familiar???

 John sported his suit and tie on election day, and he created a rather clever logo for his campaign (not pictured) that looks like stairs - because the Rec Room is upstairs.  He then proceeded to give the longest, most passionate stump speech I think I've ever heard a politician give.  It saddens me that the length of the speech made the file too long to post to this blog.  It's a doozy.

 And the winner was...

CHRISTOPHER!!!

(FYI: Christopher enjoys it when you hum "Hail to the Chief" to him when he walks in the room.)  Thankfully, at the end of the election both boys made-up with a nice handshake and remain friends.   

 And for Phys Ed one day, we headed to the Rocky Mount Bowling Center and showed-off our crazy bowling skills.  

Ok.  I'll be honest.  The Barnettes don't have crazy bowling skills.
But we do have fun.  :D