Radiation Protection

Here is a very informative article that I have copied and pasted about protecting our bodies from radiation. I received this from Dr. Leonard Horowitz's email newsletter and find it to be good to pass on to anyone interested. Since there is no link to it, I will keep it here. I'm glad to see that Ayurveda's triphala made the list!

URGENT PRACTICAL ADVICE ABOUT RADIATION PROTECTION

Dear Friends of HealthyWorldStore.com:

Below is the best article with the most practical natural ways to protect yourself and your loved ones from radiation exposures that are expected to begin soon on the mainland US and Hawaii. I do not know who the hero is who wrote it, but it was forwarded to me, and now from me to you.

Hoarding of potassium iodide supplements are expected to continue, and we have very few bottles of Brown Seaweed Extract left in stock. We expect to have a couple hundred more in stock next week, so get it while you can. Expect a run on miso soup in health food stores, and baking soda in supermarkets, as well.

Our store is currently well-stocked with ZeoLife containing natural iodine, but we expect to sell out of this product soon too, after this mailing in fact, because, as you read below, not only is a natural iodine supplement recommended daily during exposure periods, but zeolite is probably the best natural detoxification material along with edible clay.

We are normally well-stocked with edible (Prophyllite) clay, but expect these supplies to disappear quickly too, and will try our best to reorder depending on your need and demand.

Green Harvest is highly recommended now too, as you will read about the need for excellent organic green nutrients available in this product. I have been using this product daily for years.

For the recommended extra vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and antioxidants, PrimoLife would be an excellent single-product choice.

Right now we are working feverishly on manufacturing two new products to help attenuate ionizing radiation risks, and will let you know when these products become available.

We ask for everyone to pray for humanity, all life forms, and Mother Earth.

In 1998, I ended the book Healing Codes for the Biological Apocalypse stating that THE ONLY RELIABLE PROTECTION AGAINST RADIATION IS YOUR CONNECTION TO GOD. I pray that you received this message early enough to secure this sustaining relationship.

With much LOVE in 528,

Dr. Leonard G. Horowitz, Overseer and Managing Member, HealthyWorldStore.com



How to Protect Against Radiation Exposure

The unfolding events relating to Japan's damaged nuclear reactors is raising the concern in the U.S. of a worst-case scenario of multiple meltdowns with a consequent cloud of radioactive particles following the jet stream over to the U.S. The prevailing jet stream winds will impact Los Angeles to Alaska, and will include Hawaii. Radioactive pollution will reach the U.S. within 36 hours. It will then travel the typical jet stream across the U.S. that you see on your daily weather programs.

A coordinated cover-up of the severity of the situation is underway. This sort of behavior is typical of governments, especially when they are interested in protecting their power base and protecting the interests of transnational corporations.

Japanese health authorities are passing out iodine tablets to those in the vicinity of these reactors -- as it is common knowledge that the thyroid gland is a weak spot when it comes to radiation exposure. By flooding the body with iodine it is taken up by the thyroid which then blocks radiation uptake into the thyroid, reducing the risk for future thyroid cancer (which is already an epidemic form of cancer in the U.S. in part likely due to excess CT scans).

Such iodine saturation should occur 24 hours prior to exposure and be maintained during the duration of excess exposure. This solution is not without risks, especially when potassium iodide is used. That is because excess iodine can clog thyroid function, inducing either hypo or hyper thyroid. However, that risk is trivial compared to acute radiation exposure -- thus iodine makes sense. We like water-soluble iodine that in our experience is much less problematic when higher doses are used. Liquids can be applied transdermally, directly over the neck region or taken orally, and reapplied as desired based on concerns.

Protecting the thyroid with iodine seems to be about all public health officials are willing to recommend to the public. However, there are other important steps every person should consider. Radiation interaction within your body generates massive amounts of damaging free radicals, in turn potentially inducing DNA damage that may lead to future cancer -- often manifesting a decade or two later. This means it is a good idea to maximize your overall antioxidant defenses. Ideally, this system of defense should be bolstered in advance to provide maximal defense. Unfortunately the antioxidant defense systems of a majority of Americans are in shoddy condition.

Many nutrients contain antioxidants and many of these behave in your vital antioxidant network to protect your DNA from damage. In your diet these nutrients come from fruits, vegetables, whey protein, and whole grains. Additionally, almost any nutrient supplement with antioxidant properties, such as vitamin C, will help bolster your antioxidant team. We suggest that everyone consume a broad spectrum of antioxidant support as the minimum. Indeed, a cocktail of antioxidants (selenium, vitamin C, N-acetyl cysteine, alpha-lipoic acid, alpha-tocopherol succinate, and co-enzyme Q1) started 24 hours after a lethal level of radiation exposure has been shown to be highly protective.

There are three specific nutrients that have science showing they can protect your body against radiation damage: tocotrienols, antioxidants from berries, and lipoic acid.

Tocotrienols are a unique form of vitamin E that offers protection that regular vitamin E does not. In a recent animal experiment carried out by the U.S. Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute it was shown that gamma tocotrienol can protect against whole body radiation exposure.

Excessive radiation exposure damages DNA, especially DNA relating to the system in our bone marrow that produces all the red and white blood cells that are vital for survival. Therefore radiation exposure has adverse consequences on circulatory health and immune system competence, disturbing energy balance and increasing the risk for cancer. Of particular importance are the hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) that constantly rejuvenate blood and can become any of the white or red blood cells, as well as the hematopoietic progenator cells (HPCs) that transform into specific blood cells. Both HSCs and HPCs are the life force of blood cell rejuvenation and essential to your good health.

Stem cell colonies (HSCs) are 80% - 86% maintained in gamma tocotrienol-treated mice, while they were 50% reduced in controls. Similarly, progenator cells (HPCs) have recovered completely within 7 days in gamma tocotrienol treated mice, while they remained at 30% for weeks in the controls.

A detailed analysis of the bone marrow showed that gamma tocotrienol maintained the regenerative integrity of bone marrow cells. Gamma tocotrienol protects hematopoietic tissue by preserving the HSCs and HPCs and by preventing persistent DNA damage.

Another recent animal study shows that gamma tocotrienol can offset the adverse effects of radiation exposure, including the reduction of peroxynitrite, the most damaging free radical. This is important because as free radicals begin forming their reactions can cascade into producing large amounts of the most damaging of all free radicals, peroxynitrite. Short-circuiting peroxynitrite formation in response to radiation exposure is of immense importance to protecting DNA.

Lipoic acid is a very small and versatile fat- and water-soluble antioxidant. Animal studies show that it helps maintain the antioxidant defense system in multiple body tissues upon radiation exposure, especially protecting the brain, liver, spleen, kidney, and testes.

The health status of some 6,000 workers from Latvia who went to clean-up the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant has been followed for several decades. These workers suffered higher-than-normal rates of problems in their nervous, digestive, respiratory, cardiovascular, endocrine system (especially thyroid) and immunological systems. A study conducted on some of these workers 10 years after the fact showed that 600 mg of lipoic acid for two months was able to normalize many, but not all, of their lab abnormalities. Too bad they didn't have protection prior to and during exposure. Pretreatment with lipoic acid has been shown to significantly reduce radiation exposure damage to the brain.

Recent animal research conducted by the United States Department of Agriculture showed that blueberry and strawberry extracts helped prevent brain damage from radiation exposure. Interestingly, the polyphenols of each fruit protected different areas of the brain -- supporting a variety of dietary berry intake and/or supplements with multiple berries. Having an adequate antioxidant defense system for more optimal health is common sense. During times of increased stress your needs for antioxidants rise -- and this relates to any type of stress. Radiation exposure is simply one more type of stress -- a rather nasty type. The demands in your life or existing health concerns may already be testing your antioxidant bank account. Bolstering your antioxidant defense system to compensate for a potential challenge is common sense.

If you have been exposed to too many X-rays or CAT scans, if you fly too much, work with diagnostic medical equipment or are environmentally sensitive and have ingested elevated levels of radioactive contaminated food, air or water, you also want to partake of the following protocol on a regular basis


Sodium Bicarbonate (Baking Soda)

The oral administration of sodium bicarbonate diminishes the severity of the changes produced by uranium in the kidneys. The kidneys are usually the first organs to show chemical damage upon uranium exposure. Old military manuals suggest doses or infusions of sodium bicarbonate to help alkalinize the urine if this happens. This makes the uranyl ion less kidney-toxic and promotes excretion of the nontoxic uranium-carbonate complex. So useful and strong is sodium bicarbonate that at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, researcher Don York has used baking soda to clean soil contaminated with uranium. Sodium bicarbonate binds with uranium, separating it from the dirt; so far, York has removed as much as 92 percent of the uranium from contaminated soil samples. The United States Army recommends the use of bicarbona te to protect the kidneys from radiation damage.

Sodium bicarbonate can safely remove paint, grease, oil and smoke residue, decreasing workers' exposure to harsh chemicals and eliminating much of the hazardous waste associated with other cleaners. "Sodium bicarbonate is able to clean in areas where other substances pose fire hazards, because baking soda is a natural fire extinguisher," says Kenneth Colbert, a general manager for Arm & Hammer. This is the reason it's used by oncology centers to control chemo agent spills and it's actually used intravenously to protect patients from the hazardous toxicity of chemotherapy.

Uranium is one of the only metals that get significant bonding from carbonate. Just flushing a lot of bicarbonate through the system, along with whatever kidney support you are going to use, will be very helpful. There is no better therapy for radiation sickness than intense sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) and magnesium baths with the appropriate clay added in. Even sodium thiosulfate can be added to these baths and that instantly neutralizes any chlorine in the bath water while simultaneously providing sulfur for the vital sulfur pathways.


Bicarbonate and Nuclear Fallout

If the bombs start dropping anywhere on earth, or if you live near a nuclear plant, you will want to have a large amount of sodium bicarbonate on hand. Minimum stocks should be 25 or 50 pounds. Normally we recommend someone start with using one pound of bicarbonate in a bath but that could easily be two or three pounds in an emergency situation. You will also need a lot of magnesium salts and the very best and most penetrating of them is the magnesium chloride in the form of magnesium bath flakes. Dead Sea salt is also fine for this application because it is high in magnesium.

Exposure to radiation causes a cascade of free radicals that wreak havoc on the body. Radiation decimates the body's supply of glutathione. Nebulization is one of the best ways to quickly increase glutathione levels as is the use of glutathione rectal suppositories. The main cancer risk from inhaled uranium oxide and other airborne radioactive particles is from tiny insoluble particles lodged deep in the lungs. That's a good reason to nebulize both glutathione and bicarbonate directly into the lungs and one must wonder why governments and health officials haven't sponsored this.

Uranium oxide can be inhaled by soldiers and civilians, it sticks to the lining of the lungs, it is taken up by cells of the immune systems and gets into lymph glands, bone, brain, hormone producing glands, ovaries and testes. It stays in these organs for many decades and is only very slowly excreted in urine. Nebulization topically treats the lung tissues allowing for best effect on contaminated lung tissues.

The scientist with the greatest genius, especially when it comes to mercury chelation, is Dr. Chris Shade. He has developed a sophisticated detoxification system based on enhancing the natural removal of metals through the intestines. Though his specialty is mercury, detoxification and chelation of radioactive poisons use the same pathways as mercury. He has developed three products that are effective for the removal of mercury including a liposome formula that allows us to get glutathione into the system via oral administration.

Combining his formulas with chlorella powder gives the best possible medical formula to help remove radioactive contamination as long as iodine, magnesium chloride, a super-food, spirulina-based powerful chlorophyll-rich formula that is easy to administer in high quantities because of its exceptionally pleasant taste, and edible clay are used as well. The intense levels of will quickly help build up a person's immune system and help them recover from the RNA/DNA damage caused by radiation exposure.

Uranium-238 is being eliminated in the hair using heavy metal detox protocols; to date there is no natural chelating agent known to mobilize and eliminate uranium-238 from body tissues.

Cilantro will move heavy metals and radioactive material out of the brain cells into the detoxification pathways with rectal suppositories of Detoxamin working on the liver's glutathione pathway to get the material out through the intestines. The internal consumption of edible clay and external clays dramatically facilitate this process. Zeolite clay baths are a very effective way of removing heavy metals from the body and increase one's chances of survival if exposed to nuclear fallout. Also activated charcoal powder in water will bind these toxins and pass them out of the body.


Iodine

Iodine is the most obvious and important element in protecting against radiation damages. Radioactive iodine will plunge into any and all iodine receptor cites that have no iodine in them due to iodine deficiencies. This is a serious problem because over 90 percent of people in North America are iodine deficient. This leaves them incredibly vulnerable to radioactive iodine, which is one of the principle forms of radiation given off in nuclear accidents and from nuclear weapons.


Intravenous Cocktails

In cases of serious exposure, IV cocktails with high dosages of vitamin C, magnesium chloride or sulfate, sodium bicarbonate and very pure seawater full of all the minerals necessary for life would be ideal. Dr. David Brownstein administers a slow IV vitamin C drip--usually 25-50 gm, with minerals, and he adds 10cc of sodium bicarbonate.

The addition of bicarb to the IVs made a huge clinical improvement.


Nutrients to the Rescue

Spirulina and chlorella have been used heavily by the Russians after the Chernobyl nuclear plant disaster. And the Japanese love their miso soup and that was said to help some of their citizens survive the fallout after the Americans attacked two of their cities. We recommend a green powder in high doses that is high spirulina and chlorella content because it is like rocket fuel for the cells, providing them with a broad range of concentrated nutrients.

Miso is effective for detoxifying your body of radiation. During World War II, two hospitals that were located side by side were hit with atomic radiation, in one hospital people consumed Miso and all of them survived while many people in the other hospital that did not take miso died. Miso is rich in vitamin B12 therefore it is suitable for vegetarians who are in shortage of vitamin B12. For best results do not cook miso.

There are a number of foods that can better help our bodies tolerate the effects of pollution. Eating lower on the food chain minimizes our chemical intake. Consuming more whole grains has a multitude of benefits, unless you are intolerant to certain grains. Their high fiber content binds with toxins and lessens intestinal transit time. Their vitamin B6 content nourishes the thymus gland and their vitamin E content helps the body to better utilize oxygen. The grain buckwheat is high in rutin and helps to protect against radiation and stimulates new bone marrow production. The mucilaginous fiber in seaweed helps to prevent the reabsorbing of radioactive strontium 90.

Following the bombing of Nagasaki, a group of surviving macrobiotic doctors and their patients avoided radiation sickness by eating brown rice, miso and seaweed. They also did not get leukemia. Seaweeds also help to break down fatty deposits. High-chlorophyll foods like wheatgrass, barley grass, kale, collard greens, beet greens, swiss chard, etc. strengthen cells, transport oxygen, help to detoxify the blood and liver as well as help to neutralize polluting elements and stimulate RNA production. Sulfur-rich vegetables like broccoli, cabbage and mustard greens, as well as garlic, combine with heavy metals and help prevent free radical damage.

The sulfur compounds trigger increased expression of your glutathione system, which results in both metal detoxification and free radical neutralization. The other group of food compounds that do this is the polyphenolic antioxidants -- pine bark extract, green tea extract, grape seed extract, and Haritaki or terminalia chebula, an Ayurvedic fruit that is the basis for many medicines including the intestinal detoxifier Triphala. This fruit is used extensively in Tibetan Medicine where it is called the "King of Herbs." It has potent effects on the glutathione system and on expression of other intracellular antioxidants such as superoxide dismutase (SOD).

Research on animals indicates that curcumin (an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compound found in the curry spice turmeric) may help protect against radiation-induced damage to the skin. Other research in animals shows that the herb ginkgo biloba may help shield against organ damage resulting from radiation therapy. And aloe vera is a natural remedy for radiation-induced skin changes preventing or minimizing radiation-induced skin reactions.

Trees

We finished up our month of studying plants. The boys are very excited to be moving on to insects next.

Devotional: We talked about Bhagavad Gita 10.26 when Krishna says "Of all trees I am the banyan tree" and Bhagavad Gita 15.1-4 about the banyan tree. We also decorated the banyan tree in our yard with some nearby flowers.

Language Arts: We're halfway through Primary Phonics workbook 4. Govinda did pages 24-40. It covered some new stuff like words ending with 'le' like apple and compound words like chipmunk and pineapple. We reviewed 'th' and 'wh' and practiced differentiating similar words like tree and three and can and candle. I'm looking forward to starting r-controlled vowels next! I think he's ready for this new stuff now that the long/short vowel practice has been going on for a while. There are readers that go along with this workbook that I haven't gotten yet but may get soon since they look nice.

Math: We're doing well with Math Mammoth 1B on place value, practicing with tens and ones. He did pages 4-27. We also played with place value number and picture cards, and those really help get an idea of the difference between ones, tens, hundreds, and thousands. If we keep doing a page everyday, we will be done in 3 months.

Science: We read more library books about trees and drew some in our book. Govinda really likes the redwoods, so we got some extra books about them and he made one out paper for his lego men to climb. We reviewed all about plants and trees and stapled our plant book together. On to insects we go in our Creation study!

Last but not least is the wonderful news that I have been blessed with a new computer, which means I will be able to share more pictures soon. Thank you everyone for your love and support!

Flower-bearing Spring

Devotional: This week’s devotional was Bhagavad Gita 10.35 with Krishna saying “Of seasons, I am flower-bearing spring.” We talked about spring and the equinox and read stories about spring and flowers.

Language Arts: We’re really liking Primary Phonics. Workbook 4 is getting to be more challenging and still fun. He did up to page 24 this week, focusing on words ending with ank, ink, onk, unk, and ing. He really loves cursive, it seems to be more natural for him than printing.

Math: We had 7 more planned days with subtraction, but he kept saying it was too easy and wanted to move on. I said he could if he took the chapter test and got at least 20 out of 25 answers correct. He eagerly took the test and got 100%! One was originally wrong until he double checked it and found the mistake himself and corrected it. I guess subtraction is easy after spending so much time on addition! So, this week we finished up pages 82-84 of MM 1A. plus the test. Then we did the first 3 pages from MM 1B introducing place value and numbers to 100. We like this math program a lot. He’s having a lot of ‘a-ha’ moments with it.

Science: We added more to our plant book about local Hawaiian plants and their uses. We drew lots of flowers, including a 4 foot sunflower on the chalkboard. We labeled the parts of a tree and read about the rubber tree. Next week we will be finishing up our plant book and our month block of learning about plants.

Lots of love and gratitude to you all! :)

Technical Difficulties

My slow computer isn’t turning on today, so my updates here will be short for a while. I’m still recording our adventures by hand and will hopefully be posting again here soon. Thanks and well wishes to you all! :)Christina Krishna Priya Dasi

Flowers and Fruits

Devotional: We continued memorizing Bhagavad Gita 9.26 "If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, fruit or water, I will accept it."

Science: We created flowers, leaves, roots, and sepals out of paper, the pistil and stamens out of pipe cleaners (we could only fit two), and the stem out of a straw to help remember the names of the parts of flowering plants. We drew and labeled the parts of a flower with a sliding piece of paper that reveals a pollen tube going down to the ovule. We colored and read about a different Hawai'ian plants and added them to our plant book. We read lots of great books about flowers, fruits, and gardens. How Groundhog's Garden Grew has been a favorite. We planted some seeds in the garden and weeded, too. Some beautiful plant drawings were also added to the plant book.

Language Arts: We started the next level of Primary Phonics workbook 4. We decided to skip workbook 3 because he didn't need that much review, and the new concepts he is already familiar with. So, pages 1-7 were completed. They focused on 'sh' and 'ch', which was review and good handwriting practice. This book gets into R controlled vowels later on, so it will soon be new, hard stuff, but he is ready for it. Govinda really wants to learn cursive, so I've been showing him the cursive letters on the chalkboard. Today, he wrote in his PP book with cursive! He likes how he knows where the letter starts...at the bottom, and it's fun how it keeps flowing without having to pick up the pencil. For reading, he's been practicing with Bob Books.

Math: He did Math Mammoth pages 73-82, which was more subtraction practice with fact families and their addition twins. He's really getting the facts down with the constant practice...no flashcards needed! He doesn't need to look at the abacus for most facts up to 10. He's been expressing his interest in place value and big numbers, so I'm looking forward to doing that as soon as we're done with subtraction in a week or two.

Thanks to all who care to read all of this! Infinite love and gratitude for you all! :)

Seeds, Roots, Shoots, and Leaves!

Devotional: We wrote on the board Bhagavad Gita 9.26 "If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, fruit or water, I will accept it." We added leaves, flowers, and fruits around the border and discussed the verse. We read the story of the sacred Tulasi plant from the book we own called Beauty, Power, and Grace The Many Faces Of The Goddess.

Science: We're adding more to the Plant book everyday. We've drawn and labeled the parts of a seed, plant, and flower. We're watching celery stalks soak up water with red food coloring and drawing it. We've gathered leaves and made many leaf rubbings with block crayons. We've been reading about a different plant everyday and recording it's uses and other important things to know about it. We used Kukui nut (Candlenut) juice to mend a cut (after reading about it). We gathered Kukui nuts, which are 50% oil, and polished our wooden toys with it. Of course we read many library books about plants and how they grow. One library book called Plants Of Old Hawaii has been great with its catchy poems full of information on plants along with a black and white picture which I copy for the boys to color while I read about it.

Language Arts: This week Govinda finished the whole Primary Phonics workbook! It's a great feeling. He had fun looking back through the 80 pages of 40+ days worth of drawing, coloring, and writing work. These past two weeks, he did pages 57-80. He can easily read many long vowel words now. PP helped distinguish the difference between them.

Math: Govinda did Math Mammoth pages 60-72. Subtraction is really going well for him now. Math Mammoth may seem like ordinary workbook pages, but there's something really special about it that is making math really make sense. It makes him think for himself more than any other math program we've tried, which is working well for him.

This week we spent some time remembering our studies of Japan and sent prayers for everyone there for the 8.8 earthquake and tsunami. We discussed survival skills and the history of earthquakes and tsunamis.

Intro To Plants

Devotional: We wrote on the devotional chalkboard Bhagavad Gita 14.4 when Krishna says "It should be understood that all species of life are made possible by birth in this material nature, and that I am the seed-giving father." We drew plants growing from seeds around as the border.

Science: This past week gently introduced our coming study vegetation with story books. Oh Say Can You Seed, Magic School Bus Plants Seeds, and The Lorax are their favorites so far. Govinda drew and labeled the parts of a plant for the main lesson book. We also found all of the seeds in the kitchen and put them in a glass with wet paper towels keeping them against the glass to easily watch them grow. We found mung beans, lentils, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, popcorn, wheat berries, rice, quinoa, millet, lemon seed, tangerine seed, and a cherry seed. The mung beans, mustard seeds, and wheat berries were the first to sprout. We discussed all the uses we have for plants and how important they are for life.

Language Arts: Primary Phonics is becoming more well loved every day! Govinda did pages 46-56, which focused on reviewing silent e words, 'oa', 'ai', and the long e sound spelled 'ea'. The highlight was a funny creation he calls 'pail man', a transformed picture of a pail in which Govinda adds a face to the book's drawing of a pail and draws a body, arms, and legs, sometimes upside down standing on his hands. I'm glad he's having fun writing 15+ spelling words every day to match the pictures. Primary Phonics is proving to be much more fun than spelling tests!

Math: This week Govinda finished chapter 1 on addition and took the test. He originally got 2 wrong, and when I asked him to double check, he corrected them. So, he scored a 91% or 100%, which is a good sign of success! We then started chapter 2 on subtraction and did pages 58-60. I was happy to hear him say 'subtraction is easy'! Since we worked so much on understanding the math facts as a whole and parts, he has realized that subtraction is the same as finding the missing part. This is a relief because when we were using CLE math back in fall, he hit a wall when we got to subtraction. I am seeing the benefits with the Asian method of understanding math compared to the American style of memorizing. Math Mammoth is a keeper for us!

Thanks to all of our well wishers for caring to read about our adventures in learning. Take care and God Bless!

Vegetation Book List

Antonio's rain forest by Lewington, Anna.
Banyan Drive : the stories of incredible people by Coombs, Ted.
The giving tree by Silverstein, Shel.
Grasses and grains by Greenaway, Theresa, 1947-
Grow, little one, grow! by Brigoli, Joy.
In the heart of the village : the world of the Indian Banyan tree by Bash, Barbara.
Janice VanCleave's plants : mind-boggling experiments you can turn into science fair projects. by VanCleave, Janice Pratt.
Leaves! Leaves! Leaves! by Wallace, Nancy Elizabeth.
The life cycle of a pine tree by Tagliaferro, Linda.
The Lorax by Seuss, Dr.
Plants of old Hawaii by Lucas, Lois.
Scholastic's The magic school bus plants seeds : a book about how living things grow by Relf, Patricia.
Spring is here! : a story about seeds by Holub, Joan.
The surprise garden by Hall, Zoe, 1957-
To be like the sun by Swanson, Susan Marie.
Why do leaves change color by Maestro, Betsy.
Oh say can you seed? by Worth, Bonnie.
Acorn to oak tree by Owen, Oliver S., 1920-
Coat of the earth; the story of grass by HEADY, ELEANOR B.
Fables beneath the rainbow by Hayashi, Leslie Ann.
Fables from the garden by Hayashi, Leslie Ann.
A fruit is a suitcase for seeds by Richards, Jean, 1940-
I can name 50 trees today! by Worth, Bonnie.
I'm a seed /by Marzollo, Jean.
Lily's garden of India by Smith, Jeremy, 1974-
Plant packages : a book about seeds by Blackaby, Susan.
Plants and animals of Hawai'i by Scott, Susan, 1948-
Science with plants by Unwin, Mike.
Seeds! Seeds! Seeds! by Wallace, Nancy Elizabeth.
The tiny seed by Carle, Eric.

Aquatics Book Art

Here's a picture of Govinda's artwork from the Aquatics Book he made. One picture is of an ocean scene with whales and sharks and other small fish. The other picture is the Hawaii state fish, the Humuhumunukunukuapua'a. He looked at a picture of one and carefully drew the design and colors.

Not Truly Fish

Devotional: We reviewed the story of Matsya and all other related verses to our study of aquatics.

Science: This past week was dedicated to starfish, jelly fish, and shellfish, which are not truly fish. They are invertebrates and do not have backbones, gills, and fins like true fish. Construction paper is always available for spontaneous arts and crafts, and Govinda made a jellyfish and octopus to add to his box of paper fish. I gotta get some pictures of these soon, they're works of art! We finished up the Aquatics main lesson book and it turned out really nice. He also drew a nice picture of these invertebrates for the main lesson book.

Language Arts: Primary Phonics pages 31-45 were completed. He really likes these books and sometimes does more than the 2 pages per day that I require. It's like a phonics and spelling workbook disguised as a fun and silly coloring book. It's all review for him, but the practice is really building his confidence. These pages were focused on silent e words and the vowel teams 'ie', 'oe', and 'oa'. We also did a few lessons from The Ordinary Parent's Guide To Teaching Reading, as we are just filling in the gaps to skip ahead to where I think his reading level is at. His reading level is way beyond his spelling level, and I'm considering reading the highest priority at his age and we'll get more serious about spelling in the years to come. Govinda is surprising me everyday by leaps and bounds by his sudden advancement in reading abilities. I'm planning on using OPGTR to eventually take him to a 4th grade level. He likes the tongue twister poems and silly stories better than controlled readers. Both the boys crack up from one poem story that says "the tank sank...yank the tank!"

Math: Math Mammoth pages 47-53. These pages were very full, but he was able to finish each one in one sitting. Each page focused on reviewing sums of 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10. Next will be the Chapter 1 test on addition, but I'm going to give it to him as another worksheet without calling it a test, but still observing how he does completely on his own. The constant practice and review of math facts is really helping him get familiar with them. He's even doing math for fun with sidewalk chalk and it seems he is thinking mathematically on his own. He likes MM and wants to keep going with it! The next chapter is onto subtraction!

I'm preparing for our next Creation science study on Vegetation and it looks like fun! :)

Whales and Dolphins

Devotional: "Krishna is an ocean of mercy" was on the chalkboard and the boys had fun drawing more waves and fish around it. We discussed what mercy and grace are. We also talked about Bhagavad Gita 10.24 when Krishna says "of bodies of water, I am the ocean".

Science: We read a lot of books about whales and dolphins. We saw humpback whales at the beach (thanks to the Lord for that perfect field trip). We compared baleen and toothed whales as well as the different sizes of different kinds of whales. We added a ven diagram to the book comparing the similarities and difference between fish and whales. We pondered how amazing it is that the Blue Whale is the largest animal in the world and lives off of some of the smallest animals in the world. The history of whaling was sad to learn, so we are so thankful that it has stopped. We will spend one more week finishing up our Aquatics main lesson book and will next move on to vegetation, as we continue with our Creation science study.

Language Arts: Primary Phonics pages 15-30 were completed, reviewing more silent e words with long a, long i, and long o. He surprised me by reading a very advanced library book, and it seems that more decoding skills have taken a leap!

Math: Math Mammoth pages 40-47 were completed, which focused on sums of 9 and 10 and review of greater than/less than and adding on a number line. Daily practice of math facts is starting to sink in! Next week we'll be done with this chapter on addition and will take a test and then move on to subtraction!

Matsya, Fish, and the Food Chain

We continued with our aquatics block with a study based on the story of Matsya from the Srimad Bhagavatam 8.24.

Devotional: 'Krishna is an ocean of mercy!' We wrote this on the devotional chalk board and drew lots of waves on the ocean of mercy.

Science: We read the story of Matsya several times, which taught the places where fish live...pots/bowls/aquariums, rivers and streams, lakes and ponds, and the ocean. Govinda drew a picture for each in the main lesson book. The Matsya story also taught about the aquatic food chain, which he drew. We discussed and drew how fish protect themselves. We read many library books about fish and how they live and drew many different kinds. The whale shark is the biggest fish and had a few special drawings in the book along with many sharks. Especially fun was the Hawaii state fish, the Humuhumunukunukuapua'a.

Language Arts: Govinda did 8 pages of Primary Phonics workbook 2 which practiced 'long i' words with silent e.

Math: He did 4 action packed Math Mammoth pages focused on sums of 8. Greater than/less than was reviewed.

Water Cycle

We started our aquatics block with the water cycle, based on the Creation book.

Devotional: Krishna is the taste of water! We wrote this on our devotional chalkboard and the boys drew rain, rivers, and ocean, and a glass of water. This is based on the Bhagavad Gita verse 7.8, which we discussed and reviewed.

Science: Govinda drew a beautiful drawing of the water cycle for the aqautics main lesson book. We learned this song to the tune of 'She'll Be Coming 'Round The Mountain':

Water travels in a cycle, yes it does! Water travels in a cycle, yes it does!
It goes up as evaporation, forms clouds as condensation, and falls as precipitation!

Language Arts: We stopped ETC3 and switched to Primary Phonics, which he likes much better. They're by the same publisher, but the drawings in PP are much nicer and in the mode of goodness. Even I didn't like the drawing on the cover of ETC3 and had to cover it up (it shows a picture for mad and made). PP is what Montessori schools use. It's like a good coloring book, and he enjoys coloring the pictures and writing the matching words. We may try some of the readers that go with it. He's gone through 8 pages covering 'long a' words with silent e. It's all review, but very needed to master those silent e words.

Math: We've been working our way through Math Mammoth and has completed 12 action packed pages since I last posted about math. We're working on mastering sums of 5, 6, and 7. He's catching on quickly and can do more in one sitting now. MM is working well and Rightstart isn't realistically happening at all. The RS abacus it essential for him to do MM, and he is starting to see the abacus in his mind.

Aquatics Book List

Aquatics Book List (water, ocean, fish, and marine mammals):

About fish : a guide for children by Sill, Cathryn P.
Across the big blue sea : an ocean wildlife book by Wood, Jakki.
Amazing whales! by Thomson, Sarah L.
Baby whale rescue : the true story of J.J. by Arnold, Caroline.
Baby whales drink milk by Esbensen, Barbara Juster.
Blue sea by Kalan, Robert.
By the ocean : learning the long O sound by Richter, Abigail, 1971-
I wonder why the sea is salty and other questions about the oceans by Ganeri, Anita, 1961-
The magic school bus on the ocean floor by Cole, Joanna.
The rainbow fish by Pfister, Marcus.
What's it like to be a fish? by Pfeffer, Wendy
Amazing dolphins! by Thomson, Sarah L.
Curious clownfish by Maddern, Eric.
Dolphins and sharks : a nonfiction companion to Dolphins at daybreak by Osborne, Mary Pope.
Dolphins at daybreak by Osborne, Mary Pope.
Dolphins! by Behrens, June.
Fidgety fish and friends by Bright, Paul,
Fish, fish, fish by Adams, Georgie.
Follow the water from brook to ocean by Dorros, Arthur.
Hidden under the sea : the world beneath the waves by Kent, Peter, 1949-
I can read about whales and dolphins by Anderson, J. I.
Janice VanCleave's oceans for every kid : easy activities that make learning science fun. by VanCleave, Janice Pratt.
Mysteries of the ocean deep by Dipper, Frances, 1951-
Ocean friends by Nelson, Robert Lyn, 1955-
One fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish by Seuss, Dr.
Sammy, the seal by Hoff, Syd, 1912-2004.
SWIMMY by Lionni, Leo, 1910-1999.
Whales : the gentle giants by Milton, Joyce.
Winter whale by Ryder, Joanne.
Awesome ocean science! : investigating the secrets of the underwater world by Littlefield, Cindy A., 1956-
Clam-I-am! by Rabe, Tish.
Exploring the ocean depths : the final frontier by Jedicke, Peter.
Fabulous fishes by Stockdale, Susan.
Fish is fish by Lionni, Leo,
A fish out of water by Palmer, Helen Marion, 1898-
I get wet by Cobb, Vicki.
Let's try it out in the water : hands-on early-learning science activities by Simon, Seymour.
The magic school bus at the waterworks by Cole, Joanna.
Oceans & art activities. by Sacks, Janet.
*Splish splash by Weeks, Sarah.

Aquatics Verses:
Bhagavad Gita: 2.70, 7.8, 9.26, 10.31
Srimad Bhagavatam: 5.18.13, 6.6.26, 8.24

Water Cycle Song:
Water travels in a cycle, yes it does!
Water travels in a cycle, yes it does!
It goes up as evaporation,
Forms clouds as condensation,
And falls as precipitation!

Time and Space

We've read a lot of books about the sun, moon, and planets. We made a model of the solar system that hangs from the ceiling above Govinda's bed. The fan blows them so the spin! We are making a book with drawings of each planet. We drew the wheel of the sun with the 12 months as the spokes and the seasons as the rim. We drew the days of the week as they are named after the closer planets. We drew the phases of the moon with white crayon on black paper. We read from scriptures about our universe and discussed the differences between Vedic cosmology and modern astronomy. We drew on the chalkboard the sun and moon and wrote "Krishna is the light of the sun and moon", based on Bhagavad Gita 7.8.

Space Booklist:
Another day in the Milky Way by Milgrim, David
Bear shadow by Asch, Frank
Blast off! : a space counting book by Cole, Norma
Dogs in space by Coffelt, Nancy
Happy birthday, moon by Asch, Frank
*The magic school bus, lost in the solar system by Cole, Joanna
Planets around the sun by Simon, Seymour
*Sun bread by Kleven, Elisa
The sun is always shining somewhere by Fowler, Allan.
Sun up, sun down by Gibbons, Gail
Sun up, sun down : the story of day and night by Bailey, Jacqui
The sun's day by Gerstein, Mordicai
The sun's family of planets by Fowler, Allan
Sunshine, moonshine by Armstrong, Jennifer
Thomas on the moon by Awdry, W. Railway series.
What the sun sees ; What the moon sees by Tafuri, Nancy
Who likes the sun? by Kaner, Etta
Hello sun! by Wilhelm, Hans
Me and my shadow by Dorros, Arthur
My light by Bang, Molly
Regards to the man in the moon by Keats, Ezra Jack
Under the sun by Kandoian, Ellen
Where does the sun go at night by Ginsburg, Mirra

Space Verses:
Bhagavad Gita: 4.1, 7.8, 8.16, 10.21, 11.20
Srimad Bhagavatam: 3.6.15, 3.11.14-15, 5.20.45-46, 5.21.13, 5.22.5, 11.19.
Brahma Samhita: 5.52

Creation Unit Study for 2011

We will be studying aspects of science with homemade unit studies based on a wonderful book about the Vedic creation story called Creation: A Story From Ancient India by Rasamandala Das and Ananta Shakti Das. The boys love this book and we have already read it several times. It summarizes stories from the Srimad Bhagavatam with beautiful pictures.



We will be spending a month on each of the different subjects:

January - Time and Space
February - Aquatics
March - Vegetation
April - Insects
May - Reptiles
June - Birds
July - Mammals
August - Human beings/body

We'll read library books, make our own books, and do science experiments and art projects. After a year of geography, science themes seem especially exciting!

Picture-less 2011

We finished up our year long study of world geography through stories in December. It was a lot of fun and we all learned a lot! Now we will be spending the next year focusing on science unit studies.

Unfortunately, my iphoto has completely stopped working for me, so I am unable to post any pictures until I can get it fixed. I will keep posting our adventures in the meantime!