History Reading List 2012-2013 : Lewis and Clark

I am so excited about studying Lewis and Clark next year!  Such an adventure. 

"The Captains' Dog" is written from the point of view of the dog that accompanied them on their journey.  I think it will be an interesting twist.

Of course, we will take time to read up on Sacagewea...

We love us some National Geographic in our house.  What better than a DVD all about the expedition?

We also have the DVD "America: The Story of Us" that we will watch.

For science, what better than to focus on a nature study of sorts?  I think it meshes nicely with the history lesson.

What We're Reading...

Right now in our history studies we are focused on the 1780's-1790's.  We learned about the French Revolution, the Haitian Revolt, Napoleon, etc.   I found this book at the used book store and thought "Oh! This will be right up our alley!"  So I bought it.

"Fever 1793" is  a fictional tale of a very real historical event:  the yellow fever epidemic of 1793 in Philadelphia.  The central character is Mattie Cook, a tween aged girl who, in the beginning, is a little on the lazy side.  Of course, as the yellow fever begins its' march through all of the families of Philadelphia, she learns quickly that in order to survive she needs to be strong and have faith.

I can't tell you much more because I don't want to give anything away! 

Several of the characters in the story were real people at the time of the epidemic, and in the back of the book the author gives a brief history of each person. The author does a wonderful job weaving together the fictional and non-fictional to provide an exciting, interesting, educational tale.

My kids are really enjoying this book.  I am using it as a read aloud and having discussion questions after each session.  There is so much thought-provoking material to be discussed.

I will add that there are a few instances that are a bit 'bloody' and death, of course is prevalent.  My children have not had an issue with either, and they tend to be sensitive, so while it is mild, it is there.

And.of course, like any good homeschooling mother I threw in a mosquito and yellow fever study just to be sure we had a well rounded experience. ;)

I recommend "Fever 1793" highly if your students are covering this period in history!

Nothing Says "Spring" Like Next Year's Curriculum!

It's that time of year again, when homeschooling moms start getting excited over all of the curriculum choices for next year.  Or confused.  Or overwhelmed. 

I had a brief fling with the notion of online school...which I just couldn't do.  Maybe in a year or two, but not yet.

Ever since I started homeschooling 4 years ago I have longed for a 'boxed' curriculum-one that had everything in it from A to Z that I loved and my kids loved and didn't cost a fortune.  Anyone found that yet? Yeah, me neither. 

So, I want to change stuff up for next year.  I feel like we are in a rut. 

I have always been an admirer of Sonlight, but felt it was so darn expensive.  And the fact that they use so much fiction.  I wanted more non-fiction.  Cue Winter Promise! http://winterpromise.com/    They have great non-ficiton books on their booklist that mesh wonderfully with Sonlights fiction selections.  That, along with our local used bookstore and Amazon.com, have been the determining factor for next years curriculum.

Next year will be the 1850's- Modern Era.  So we will be pulling selections from Sonlight's Core E for fiction and WinterPromise's Later American History and Culture http://www.winterpromise.com/american_culture.html  for non-fiction.  What drew me to Winter Promise is the fact there are plenty of books they use that have tons of hands on projects, which we love.

Math will remain Saxon.  My kids love it, it's affordable and has tons of review. What's not to love?

Science will be a mixed bag, as always.  Since we will be studying Thomas Edison, electricity will be a focus, along with physics and technology, as technology had a boom in the modern era. Also, since Charles Darwin will be in there as well, genetics ,evolution and intelligent design will be studied as well.

Art will focus on modern artists...Mondrian, Warhol, Kandinsky, Grant Wood and Wyeth, as well as photographers such as Ansel Adams and architects as well.

Music this year will include a study on opera http://www.squidoo.com/opera-for-children  which excites me to no end! 

Language Arts will include Spelling Power, Latin and Greek root words for vocabulary, and possibly Growing With Grammar for grammar. 

Writing stumps me.  Anyone have a writing curriculum they love? 

What about you?  Are you changing things up next year or sticking to the tried and true? I'd love to hear your plans for next year!

Crazy Bird Lady

If any of you needed confirmation that I am crazy...here it is.

Last week we went to a local pizzaria for dinner. 

Right away my daughter noticed all the sparrows flying in and out of the awning of the roof.  "Look Mama!  They have nests!"

As we stepped up onto the sidewalk, she stopped.  "What's that?" she asked, pointing to a small, pink, squirming thing on the sidewalk.

It was a baby sparrow, probably just hatched, that had fallen out of the nest.  We all stood over it, feeling helpless.  The awning was too high to reach.  My daughter had a very pained expression on her face, but said nothing.  

Reluctantly I followed the rest of the family into the restaurant.  Half way to our table I turned around, grabbed a napkin of another table and went outside. There was no way I could sit there and eat while thinking of that little thing struggling just to survive out there.  And there was no way I could let my daughter see me stand by and do nothing.  What kind of message would that be?

So I gently wrapped that little pink thing in a napkin and brought it back into the restaurant, much to the delight of my husband (read with sarcasm)  and kids.  The kids...they were delighted.

During dinner that little bird started peeping for food.  To keep him quiet I soaked bread in a little water and fed him on the sly.  The folks at the table next to us were in on the 'secret' and were offering up advice, mostly to the tune of "It's just going to die.  The mama bird will kick it out if it smells a human.  Don't waste your time." 

I've learned to ignore that kind of advice a long time ago.

Fast forward: We made it home.  We placed the bird in my son's knit cap, placed in a shoe box, placed on a heating pad.  We soaked bread and bird seed and water and fed it.

I fully expected to find it dead in the morning. 

Surprise!  The next morning that little guy was peeping for food.  Oh crap.  Now what?

I suddenly remembered the cardinal nest in the camillia bush in the back yard.  It had eggs in it two days ago.  If one has hatched, I could slip the baby in there and maybe...MAYBE mama cardinal wouldn't notice. 

Luck would have it, one had just hatched. 
I slipped the baby into the nest and waited. 

Mama cardinal didn't bat an eye.  She has 'adopted' the smaller, uglier baby as her own.  I have seen her and the daddy cardinal taking turns feeding it.  At night, mama snuggles in the nest with them.

This whole experience has taught me two things:

1)  Mama birds can't smell humans.

2)  Don't ever listen to people if they tell you to just give up...that it will never work.  That it is 'impossible'.  Who knows?  If you stick to what you know is right and good....it just might.

Decaphobia

My baby girl will be ten next week. 

I KNOW.  Why is it so exciting when your oldest turns ten...and so sad when your baby turns ten?

Anyway, last night after ballet practice, she disappeared into her room.

I found her there an hour later, still in her little pink tights and leotard, laying on her bed and sobbing. 

"What's wrong?"
"I DON'T WANT TO BE TEN YEARS OLD!"
"Why not? It's very exciting to be ten!"

After a few moments of snuffling back tears came this:

"If I grow up you might not love me anymore."

My heart squeezed inside my chest when she said that.

So I held her and rocked her and assured her that yes, I will always love her.  Even if she grows up.  Even if she makes horrible mistakes and thinks no one could ever forgive her...*I* will love her.

So I tucked her in.

"Will you read me a story, Momma? " ( She hasn't let me read her a bedtime story in years. I was more than happy to oblige.)

I know what she's going through...that painful time of realizing, no, I'm not a baby anymore.  And the grown up world is scary...which is where I am headed. I want my mommy.

Maybe she realizes now that even through those scary times...she's stuck with me. 

No matter what.

Yes, It Is.

Yesterday my son checked out a book about weather and wanted to perform an activity in the book.  It required drilling a hole in the caps of two bottles, gluing them together by the caps (after having filled one with water) and when you turn it over and the water runs from one bottle to another...voila!  A vortex!

In theory that is.

My son got a lesson in drilling holes.  Fabulous.

Then came the 'gluing together' part...guess what?  No super glue.  Not even duct tape.

So I used masking tape out of desperation.  I KNOW.

Then the big reveal....which didn't work because the holes he drilled were slightly too small and the water dripped pitifully through.

So we discussed air pressure instead and showed how when you squeezed one bottle, the compression forced the water into the other bottle.

As we were cleaning up, hubby expressed his disappointment in the failure of our experiment.

"I think it went okay," I said. "He learned how to use a drill! Besides, we watched the Decorah Eagle Cam this afternoon and saw a chick hatch, so we have science covered anyway."

"Everything is a lesson with you, isn't it?" hubby muttered on his way out to the trash can.

Yes. Yes, its is.

The Blessing of Getting Older

Can I just clear something up right now?

Getting older is really, truly awesome.

Here's 10 reasons why:

1.  Big underwear.  I spent my 20's wearing those tiny little underwear.  When you are over 40, no one expects you to sport the Victoria's Secrets.  Comfy, big underwear rocks.

2.  Those wild oats are SOWN, baby.  No need to go out on the town to the wee hours of the night, drinkin and lookin for Mr. Right.  I have my Mr. Right at home with me, just where I want him.

3.  When I WAS 20, there was no Internet...no Facebook...no Twitter.  Thank goodness.  I would hate to know any of the crazy (read:embarrassing) stuff I did is not public fodder.

4.  I don't have to explain to anyone why I go to bed at 10:00.  It's what us 'old folks' do.

5.  No more tanning torture.  Remember those days of our youth spent laying out to get the 'perfect tan'?  Flip over every thirty minutes.  Raise your arms.  Sweat your fanny off.  Yeah.  If I get a tan now, it is purely incidental.

6.  So I have a big butt...who cares? I am alive and healthy. 

7.  Getting wrinkles and sunspots isn't that big of a deal.  Each one of those wrinkles was formed from a moment of smiles and laughter.  And my daughter calls my sunspots 'freckles'. So there.

8.  Courage.  Courage that stems from wisdom.  The kind of courage that allows me to step away from situations and people that would bring me harm or discontent.  Courage to stand up for something even when I am the only one standing up for it.  The courage to yell at the kids next door when they get on my lawn. 

9.  The older I get, the less I think about "Me".  I realize that life isn't all about "Me".  That in itself is liberating.  One surefire way to make yourself miserable is to only focus on "Me".

10.  Having children old enough to have meaningful, enlightening discussions with.  Priceless.

Oh, okay.  Make it 11 reasons.

11.  I'm old enough to remember the days before cell phones.  I'm not glued to it 24/7.  I fully utilize my voicemail.  I know that phone is truly for MY convenience.