Exam Questions: Term 3 2023

 

I Love Exam Week.

Charlotte Mason Exams are one of the most vivid and beautiful portraits of the essence of a living education that our homeschool contains. 

During Exam Week, we culminate and celebrate and commemorate our pursuit of Truth, Goodness, and Beauty over the past term. 

We bring together all that we've learned over 12 weeks and each child shares the ideas that have shaped them and become part of them. 

We celebrate all that we've encountered, discovered, mastered, persevered through, loved, endured, grown our affections for and been nourished by. 

We culminate our pursuit of ideas by drawing connections between them and choosing the best of them to share, narrate, create work inspired by, recite, and record. 

We commemorate twelve weeks of effort, diligence, breeding good tastes, edification, togetherness, pursuit of goodness, awe, wonder, frustration, perseverance, growth, beauty, and nourishment. 

It is truly a wonderful time. 

If you are new to the idea of Exams in a living education, I have written about them in this article, I have an IG highlight discussing them, and my Exams Workshop will walk you through them in depth and in detail. 

Here are all of our Exam Questions for Term 3 of our 2023 school year. 
I have an 8th Grader (T) and a 4th Grader (S).

Both Boys: 
(These are Exams conducted together, but you can see the variation in some of the questions for each. These are conducted together because I draw my children together for communal learning as much as I possibly can, and because one can do drawn narrations while I record oral narrations for the other, or they can wait patiently, and they can learn from each other while listening. This also adds to the ongoing conversation of the ideas we've encountered and the commemoration of them.) 

Bible- 
T: What characteristic of God do you appreciate most in this season, and why? 
S: Tell me about a characteristic of God and how we experience it by knowing Him.  

Group Math-
T: Explain reflection, rotation, and symmetry. 
S: What are some ways that shapes can move? 

Poetry- 
Describe the poetry of J. Patrick Lewis; do you like his work; why or why not? 

Composer Study- 
T: How would you describe the Planets Suite as a whole? What insight does it give into the work of Holst?  
S: How would you describe the Planets Suite; do you like it; why or why not? 

Psychology-
T: What is the difference between the mind and the brain, and how does a "growth mindset" occur in each differently?  
S: What is a "growth mindset" and what is happening in the brain when we have one? 

Handicrafts-
Finish your paper quilled turkey project. 

Science- 
T: Tell me about the Space Race and moon landings. 
S: Tell me about the exploration of space.  

Literature- 
Illustrate and narrate a scene from Pax. 

Special Studies- 
Choose a planet or another feature of our solar system; draw a diagram and describe. 

Group Language- 

Find an example of a glossary, index, table of contents, title page, and copyright page in a book. Tell me how to use one of these. 
  
Cultural Studies- 
T: What are some of the world's major religions, and what are some of its minor ones? Why is it important to understand the practices, beliefs, origins, spread, and impact of religions?  
S: Tell me about a religion other than Christianity. 

Folk Songs- 
T: How does Wellerman compare to other Sea Shanties and what does it communicate about the power of music? Illustrate Wellerman's lyrics.  
S: How does Wellerman compare to other Sea Shanties? Illustrate Wellerman's lyrics. 

Spycraft- 
Choose two skills that are important to being a qualified spy and a) tell me about them b)demonstrate them and c)tell me why they're important. 

Financial Math/Economics- 
T: Tell me about bartering, trade, currency, and supply and demand. 
S: What is barter and trade? 

Modern History- 
T: Tell me about the causes and impact of WWII.  
S: Tell me about the impact of WWII. 

Technology- 
What options do we have when we witness or experience cyber bullying? 

Career Studies- 
T: Choose two space related careers that you are interested in to compare and contrast; which do you believe you'd be better at and why? 
S: Choose a space related career to tell me about; would you be good at this career; why or why not? 

Nature Study-
What type of flora exists in your new yard? 

Picture Study- 
T: Tell me about the distinct types of work in the catalog of Georgia O'Keefe; which do you prefer and why; which do you think influenced modern art most significantly? 
S: Describe the art of Geogia O'Keefe; which work is your favorite and why?  

Etiquette- 
What is tidiness, why is it important, and how can the habit of tidiness be maintained? 

Citizenship- 
T: Choose two Presidents to compare and contrast; how did each impact the trajectory of US Politics? 
S: Tell me about a President you find interesting. 

Art-
Choose any piece of art and identify its color scheme. Make a replica in a different scheme. 

Geography- 
Tell me something interesting about London.  

Critical Thinking- 
T: What is a stereotype and how it impede good thinking and communication? 
S: What is a stereotype? Why should we avoid them? 

British History-
T: What was the Jazz Age like in Great Britain, and what did this indicate about the country's state? 
S: What was the Jazz Age like in Great Britain? 

Tales- 
T- Compare and contrast two types of fairies. 
S- Tell me about a specific type of fairy. 

Shakespeare- 
T- Why do you think Shakespeare ended Hamlet in the way that he did; what did this communicate? 
S- Tell me about the end of Hamlet. 

Architecture- 
Illustrate and tell me about one of the world's unique structures that fascinates you. 

Recitation- 
Recite Romans 8:12-17


Teddy (8th Grade) 

Math- 
1. 8/9-3/6
2. 3/4x 1/2 
3. 99.09-98.29
4. 5.6 x 6.41

Life Skills- 
What types of intelligence are there and why is it important to know the difference? 

Language Arts- 
Tell me about two aspects of fiction and how they are used by authors to craft a story. 

Logic- 
What is the definition of judgement and what does a judgement unite or separate. Give me an example of a judgement and tell me what has been united or separated by this particular judgement. 



Sheldon (4th Grade) 

Math- 
1. Draw an obtuse angle. 
2. 8:50 is _______ minutes to________. 
3. Shade 4/5 of the circle. 

4. 3/8 is _____ of ______ parts. 
5. If there are 572 boys and 629 girls, how many children are there in total? 

Reading-
Read aloud a poem of choice.  

Life Skills- 
How can emotions be similar but vary in intensity; give me an example; why is this important? 


Other Exam Week Activities: 
Exam Week Checklists &
Exam Week Interviews 

Display Work for Dad
(The boys are each choosing 5 pieces of work that they are proud of or that they believe showcase the ideas of the term and are sharing those with Dad, narrating them and discussing them.) 


If you want to read through more Exam Week Questions for other grades, I have previously posted our questions for several terms.

We Contain Multitudes; So Should our Feast of Ideas

The deaths of both Tim Keller and Matthew Perry impacted me deeply. 

Because the lives of both men impacted me profoundly.

One taught me to exegete both Scripture and culture with integrity, to reach across aisles in pursuit of unity, and to embody a settled faith.

The other taught me to connect through authenticity, the courage of vulnerability, and the power of shared laughter.

Both made me a better thinker, a better story teller, and a better human.

Both poured themselves out for the world, making an indelible mark with their respective crafts.

I loved them both, and despite the differences between their lives and work, I (and so many thousands of others) am more than I would have been if either had not existed…

Because, like Whitman 😘, I too contain multitudes.

I too need to experience the fullness of art and ideas and beauty and goodness and thought in order to experience the fullness of this life and of myself.

My reflection of Matthew Perry’s life and legacy, caused me to examine the ways in which my grief reminded me of and returned me to a short time ago when I was grieving Tim Keller, and I thought about how much I’ve learned about thought and ideas and the nature of the human mind.

Our minds need a multiplicity of ideas from every age and of every form and from so many kinds of people.

We need a multiplicity because we ourselves are precisely that.

We need humor and we need theology.

We need wisdom from varied sources and we need the gift of seeing through many sets of eyes.

We need art that takes on many forms and invokes responses from many depths within us.

We need the page and we need the stage.

We need to share in comedy and we need to sit with one another in tragedy.

We need to laugh and we need to see them told in our books and on our screens and in our living rooms.

We need academia and we need the academy of arts.

I’ve come to know with all of my being that the wells of thought that we’re drawing from must be wide in order to be deep. 

 

You Will Have Regrets…Choose the Ones You Can Live With

 

We will have regrets in motherhood. It is inevitable.

Every yes is a no or a “not entirely” to something else.

We don’t get it all done and we certainly won’t get it all right.

Avoiding regret is a futile effort, but I think we have to choose the regrets we can live with.

I may regret some “gaps” in my children’s education, but I would regret dishonoring their personhood exponentially more.

I may regret some experiences they never have, but I would regret not spending so much formative time with them so much more.

I may regret some moments I “missed” with them, but I would more profoundly regret losing myself entirely in motherhood.

I may regret some handicrafts that we never complete, but I would regret not preparing them for a technological world even more.

I may regret some life skills that we don’t master, but I’d regret not mastering the skills of good thinking and good communication even more.

I may regret some behavior that I never quite figure out how to perfectly address, but I would deeply regret having “well behaved” kids who dehumanize and dishonor others.

I may regret not perfecting their nutrition, but I know I’d certainly regret teaching them to demonize food and complicating their relationship with it beyond repair.

I may regret some choices we make but the regret of not treating my children like human beings instead of possessions would be insurmountable.

I may regret some of their choices, but I’d profoundly regret not giving them the freedom to make them.

I may regret some of their opinions or positions, but I’d be weighed down by the regret of turning them into a replica of myself.

I may regret some things that I never quite get a handle on, but Iw old have regretted ignoring anything that I have paid attention to so much more.

This doesn’t mean that I don’t care about it all and that I don’t continue to imperfectly pursue more of it…

It just means that motherhood is full of choices, and I choose the things I know I’d regret most if I didn’t. 

For the Holidays, Less Isn’t Always Best

 

Festivity is worth our time and our intentionality…

And it deserves our joy.

The joy of holiday, tradition, liturgy, and seasons is worth delighting in.

No, none of these require a particular level or set of activities to be fully experienced, and of course I’d never say that we need to complete any particular checklist in order to enjoy Advent and Christmas.

But, what I do think is that we need to be reminded that the season is worth our effort and our energy and our preparation and our time and our commitment and our investment and our faithfulness.

We’re in the midst of a social media overcorrection, where the pendulum has swung from demanding too much to idolizing the art of doing as little as possible.

The problem with this, like with every pendulum swing, is that it ignores the heart of the matter. 

This season is worth your faithfulness to whatever level of goodness and festivity and richness you desire, are in need of, or wish to pursue. 

No, you aren't doing it wrong if it requires work and effort on your part.

It doesn’t have to be exhausting just for the sake of doing more. But if the more you’re doing is going to bring richness and joy and festivity that you desire…Do it.

It doesn’t have to be “easy” to be restful and peaceful.

Richness and festivity so often only come through things that we intentionally pursue, and intentional pursuits always require effort and commitment.

For Advent, Christmas School, and Christmas, instead of hyper focusing on how to make it “restful”, “Charlotte Mason”, or “Christian” enough… make it the fullness of it all by pursuing what is good and enjoying it wholeheartedly.

It is restful if it’s rich.

It is “Charlotte Mason” if it is good and true and beautiful.

And it is Christian if it is experienced joyfully.

Devotions, Decorating Cookies, Crafts…none of it is a waste of time if done heartily and faithfully. 

Pursue goodness intentionally…

And enjoy it fully. 

How I “Do It All”: Tools and Apps I Use for Organization

 

There are a variety of things I’m asked daily, and one of them is: “How do you do it all?”

You know that I have to say: “I don’t.” Because, I don’t. No one does.

But, what is really being asked is “How do you live this full life well?”.

And, while I don’t do it all, I DO do a whole lot.

And, by God’s grace, I do most of it (imperfectly) well.

What is really being asked about is discipline and organization and faithfulness, and so this newest series will address some practical aspects of those. 

And, the (much less practical) heart of faithfulness can be found in dozens of posts and in many of my workshops. ❤

First, here are the primary TOOLS I use to stay organized:

1) Legend Planner

I’ve tried many planners, and I always return to this one.

2) Delightfully Feasting Planning System

This is how I have organized and operated my homeschool for many years.

3) Google Calendar

I plan on paper, but after I do so each month, I enter all events into Google calendar and color code them so that I can always have it on hand. 

4) Trello

I have a post of all the ways that I use Trello; it is an invaluable tool for me.

5) Google Keep

Where Trello is a massive (but organized) digital clipboard that serves as a more long-term set of lists and collection of links, etc, Good Keep is a short-term digital notebook. It is where I keep temporary notes and lists and action items, and where I get things out of my brain at any given moment so that I can function.

6) Google Tasks

My planner is an organized framework of tasks that are categorized. Those tasks are then dumped into an uncategorized daily, weekly, and monthly checklist.

7) TIME

Planning isn’t optional

Working and maintaining my systems isn’t optional.

Systems and planners work when people do…and I set aside time every day to work mine.

👉 There is a tour of these tools saved to my Instagram highlights under “Do It All”