Well let me tell you, this Lewis and Clark unit, is certainly taking us on a bazillion different rabbit trails! I intended for this unit to be over with by now. But, the story is so interesting and there are so many different areas to explore. Fauna. Flora. Geology. Earth Science. Geography. and lots of History. Not to mention Indian studies. I've decided instead of rushing it...we'd just relax and see what unfolds?

Today, it was all about rivers. I had purchased the two books above...sometime ago..at Goodwill. Both are full of easy, understandable information. Drainage basins, underground rivers, caves and dams. Which, I might add...Tommie thoroughly enjoyed saying, "dam" over and over. And, over again. The first picture he's building a dam, in the bathtub. Which led to a deep conversation about hydro-electric power... actually, this was discussed at Cub Scouts last night... he had a lot of questions... Brad was able to explain things to him...I'm just not into turbines and generators.

Well, would you look below? That's the poster I was telling you about in the previous post! That's the posterboard! Those are the colored pencils! smile, wink, nod.
About Language Arts. What makes the most sense to me is using real facts about whatever unit we're on. Yes, it does take a little extra time on my part. But, it reinforces the unit as well as applying LA to living literature.

We're doing the notebook method...Tommie works out of one 3 ring notebook for each unit. I made two pages full of true sentences. He is required to dissect them...noun, proper, personal nouns, verb, adverb, adjectives, modifying predicates, articles, etc.

"Meriwether Lewis was suffering from severe carbuncles."

"The Shoshone Indians made canoes by covering a wooden frame with bear skin."

"Lewis and Clark brought Thomas Jefferson a black bear back from their expedition and Jefferson kept it in a cage at the White House."

It really makes me feel like I'm accomplishing something when we "cross-curriculum!" Plus, I'm really enjoying learning right along with him!

Today, found me wondering about this thing we call education? No doubt, each family has to define what it means to them.... but, I really wonder which road is best, sometimes? Will my son fail because he never had homework? Will he be a success because when he didn't get something...I figured out a way so he would? Will he fail in life, because he never held a textbook in his hands? And, never strapped a backpack on? Or will he soar, because he only used living books and had chores every morning while the buses smoked by? Ummmm, I guess only the big guy upstairs knows the plan he has for him. I can only add salt.

Sometimes, I sprinkle on the salt with media education! Yep! I really always have. There are just so many wonderful educational videos out there! And, channels, too. Last night, we watched a dvd, that Brandi loaned us... Master and Commander, the far side of the world. In fact, our Michigan History teacher recommended it. I was glad Brad watched it with us- it was a bit over our heads...Brad was able to intercept. It certainly was well done.

I subscribe to PBS'S on-line t.v. schedule..it's sent right to my email. We've watched so many worthy educational shows and movies! Click here to sign up for the free schedule!

We also enjoy the History Channel ...listed on my sidebar. They too, can send you a schedule.

Yesterday, we went to a local Youth Theatre, with our homeschool group. Which consisted of just one other family. Besides the homeschooler who was in the play. The theatre was so very cozy. The play, Tuck Everlasting was awesome. Better then awesome! Phenomenal. There were a couple of school bus loads of children in the theatre, too. I was happy to see them out of the brick and mortar walls. You know...out in the real world! They all seemed to love being out, too!

Today, I needed someone to call. Someone to say...just relax...he IS learning.

You see, I had this great little one day unit on salmon and learning about rivers. Oh yes, Tommie was going to ENJOY and LOVE learning about estuaries, gorges, deltas and tributaries! I just knew this would be quality education- according to Holly...(smile, wink, nod!). Why.... I had a poster out, colored pencils, a good book... yeah, I thought, this is good! I even had a few vocabulary words for him to look up and identify... about salmon: spawn, sperm and red blood cells.

Instead...he decided to rewire his dad's semi lights. He made several samples of different battery operated -wire connected lights. Hauled them in the house. Tried and tested various batteries. And, hot glue gun.

I'm standing with the colored pencils. I looking down at the poster board. Thinking...what about delta's?

At this point, I wasn't interested in being an authority figure and commanding him to obey my schedule... I clenched my jaw...took a deep breath and let his interest lead him. When he was finished, he did complete the poster board and river terms. But, on his own good time... not when I cracked the whip. And, it was pleasant for both of us.

For our homeschooling, I find that, "when the student is ready... the teacher will appear." And, isn't that true for us adults? If we were forced to learn something exactly at 11:10- and we really wanted to complete a project...how would we feel?

Well, it's something to think about anyway.

Just blogging about a really good school lunch that I conjured up! TACO POCKETS! What helped is... I was able to get each of these tubes of Pillsbury crescent rolls for .30 cents each at Krogers! They're on sale for a dollar and I had a stack of six .35 cent coupon-- Kroger's doubles. Needless to say....I loaded up.

You just roll them out so they're a rectangle...fill with your filling of choice: hamburger seasoned with taco seasoning, Mexican cheese and leeks.


Pinch the sides together and sprinkle more cheese on top! Bake as normal-- or what the package on the tube says!

Serve! Plus, you can make these up ahead of time- bake, cool and stick in the refrigerator. Reheat the next day! My growing boy, gobbled two of these up at one meal! Yowza!

First things first.


SHAMROCK


SHAKES


ARE OUT!


This is a bad picture of inside the cup...but understand, I was going for creative photography. Unsuccessfully.

Have you heard about the 5 Finger Paragraph Rule? They've been talking about it over at Five in a Row. It's basically this: opening/topic sentence, 3 supporting/detail sentences and a closing sentence. Let me tell you...this method works wonderful for my reluctant writer! Not because he is creatively alive in his thoughts and he's on fire to get them on paper... No! Not at ALL! But rather...he knows what is expected. So far this week, he's written GOOD and ORGANIZED paragraphs on topics from his Lewis and Clark book: rattlesnakes, salmon and The Continental Divide. This may not seem like much to you... but if you knew how weak we were in writing...it's a giant step forward!

NOW MORE GOOD STUFF!

If you are a mother of a son, then you'll certainly understand how easy it is to explain The Continental Divide, the backbone of America to your BOY!!!!

Here's how I did it... go outside, straddle a rocky pile of snow, dirt, rocks, etc. Point out that the ridge is the Continental Divide. Dividing the waterway system. You can both take sticks and draw out connecting, branching rivers, streams, etc.

Meanwhile, while your straddling in your stance you can add that Antarctica is the only continent that doesn't have a divide. Tell him he doesn't need to remember this. (It's reverse psycology and believe me he'll want to know why...which will open up a window of teachable opportunity on Antarctica.) Hence, retaining it.

Okay, feet firmly planted, you then tell him that you're standing on top of the Great Divide...what? I thought it was the Continental Divide! Right. But, it can also be called the Great Divide. Teachable moment. Okay, back to the stance. You point North and tell him that the mountains run right into Canada, point South and tell him that then end in Mexico. But in United States, they start in Montana and end in New Mexico.

Tell him that if you were to straddle the ridge/peeks of the Rockies and SPIT to the left...his spit would go to the Pacific Ocean. If he spit to the right, his saliva would go to the Atlantic. Unless it got caught up in a basin (teachable vocabulary word) or although rare, it could get caught up in the desert. Now, he's going to be jumping around and wanting to take a turn at spitting. So, let him.... meanwhile you can ask him questions and explain what he's learned. Now tell me, do they do this in school? I never remember my teacher telling us to SPIT!

Give your kids a break... call a surprise trip...and head up for a SHAMROCK SHAKE!

The last quarter for Tommie's collections was found during Christmas time! All of us, grandparents included, enjoyed searching and examining the different designs! But, now that the collection was complete...it was like, okay now what??? I was happy to find a U.S. Presidential Dollar display folder at Family Dollar...for just a dollar! You can see he has a whopping collection of TWO!
Did you know....last Thursday, they issued 2009's first Collectors Dollar Coin? It's President Harrison. I pulled up to the drive in window, asked for the new coin and surprised Tommie with it. The instructor in our Michigan History class, had just spoke of Harrison-- so it ended up being a nice review! Right there in the car. Right in the bank parking lot! Keeping my eyes open for those teachable moments that are just all over the place!

I'm excited to share a few things we've been using, this past week in our homeschool! I found this wonderful Boy Scout Field book, this past summer at our library book sale. It's very vintage... but it's in excellent condition and loaded full of really incredible things for boys! Since, we're on the trail with Lewis and Clark...I thought it would be wise to have Tommie, look up, identify, draw and write about edible plants. Cattails, chicory and dandelions. More will be added this week.

A couple of other good resources that we're using is "Don't know much about President's." I highly recommend this book... it is written in very short paragraphs with a lot of punch. I've been making up reading comp questions, applied math and other question and answers for it. We were both surprised that Lewis and Clark brought Thomas Jefferson a bear back...and Thomas kept in in a cage at the White House. The other book is a beautiful Lewis and Clark book...it has a lot of good pictures and maps.

Tommie's been keeping his hands busy during read-alouds...he really got into leather crafting this week and needlepoint. Although, he would be embarrassed if I showed you this picture! I think it's sweet.

This week finds us still on the trail with Lewis and Clark and we'll be heading out to see Tuck Everlasting on stage .... what's your week look like?

Today, I got this bright idea...to head to our local nature center and recreate a fraction of the journey Lewis and Clark and the Corps of Discovery made. It was rainy. Cold and damp. And, muddy. And wet. But, I knew the trails and river walk, would be welcoming for explorers like us! And, lend a lot of different elements to the unit we're going through.

First things first. Lewis and Clark had to go to the Tim Horton's drive-through for a couple of Hot Chocolates!

Here's a bunch of snaps of things we saw! I thought the coolest was this flaming orange lichen...growing on a branch!


Wet and muddy...but we pressed forward...pretending to carry our keel boats and homemade canoe...which we covered in Elk Skin (it's suppose to float better)...but it doesn't...according to our study.

Here's something you can't go through life, NOT knowing... Sacajawea nickname? Know what it is? It's Janey.

My feet didn't get wet. But, my blindly obedient son..the one who totally does what ever I ask... without complaining or comments...(I'm being sarcastic!) refused to wear his snow boots. His feet were soaked. And, he made the childish mistake of telling me... my answer to him? "Well, that's how you learn!"

We counted a total of 37 deer! And, 3,000 turkey's. Okay, maybe not 3,000...but at least two dozen! Here's just one of 3,000 foot prints we saw along the trail...

Could this be sap? Probably so! I bet Lewis and Clark flipped their coonskin caps into the air when they discovered this!

Tomorrow, I'll be pulling out a vintage Boy Scout Field book..and having Tommie- chart and learn about edible plants in the wilderness. You know, just in case this recession gets worse...we can always eat cattails, chicory and yellow lily pad flowers.