Nature Study

Well.  It's almost April, and I've finally gotten my act together, in terms of nature study.




Nature study is supposed to be a big part of our homeschool day.  But there are many, many days it doesn't happen at all.  Lately, though--we've really been enjoying making observations about what we see happening all around us.



And it seems that in spring there is always something happening!  Birds are building nests (one of them in our garage), flowers are blooming, our plants are popping up in the garden, and we're hearing more birds (maybe b/c we've started listening).






This morning, Lucy was busy with Nonnie--so the boys and I set out on our favorite walk through the woods near our house.  It rained heavily last night, and the snails were everywhere!  It was a great excitement to Elliot and Oliver, who studied them closely.

Here is Elliot being a sheep dog for Charlie.

Our walk was interrupted when an enormous black dog came tearing past us, completely terrifying all three boys (and me, too).  Then the walk was done.



Everyone wanted to go back home, safely away from enormous leashless dogs.  Oh well.

Spring Creek Forest Preserve

I love Spring Creek Forest Preserve.



It's about 4 minutes from our house and small enough that there are never more than a few cars there.  No paved walkways.  Just a perfect path through the forest with several scenic views of the creek. You have to see past all the litter, but it's really very beautiful.

I like it when homeschool and family time overlap.  This was basically our nature study for the week. 

Tinkergarten

We tried out a new class today -- Tinkergarten.



It's all about getting kids outdoors and helping them to "just be kids" in the way that former generations did.



Kids are usually so directed in their activities now, and very little of their time is devoted to unstructured, imaginative free play outside.




So Tinkergarten basically encourages that.




It's not completely unstructured, but the direction given is flexible and minimal.



In this class, the leader read Stone Soup to the kids and then encouraged them to make their own stone soup!



They pretended various forest finds were celery, carrots, potatoes, etc.  And they stirred up their watery, muddy soups with sticks.



It was really fun!

First Day of Kindergarten - Homeschool

Yesterday was the first day of Kindergarten, and it was quite a day.

 

No one's behavior warranted a lollipop at Charlie's swim lesson, which was a disappointment--though not unexpected by the troops.  

Some days everything feels like a battle.  It's unfortunate when those are also the days that your throat hurts, you're wheezing, and you have a cracked rib from coughing so much.



I remember sick days before I had kids.  It was amazing.



You could be sick all day long and just do nothing.



I didn't take many of them back when I worked full time, but I sure wish I could have appreciated them more.

But I digress.
 

We visited Daniel at work.  That was a treat because we'd never been to his Fairchild office since they moved to Richardson.




The kids could see all kinds of construction vehicles, cars, and even a train from the kitchen windows.  Quite a treat.



We inherited a hermit crab two days ago.



The kids are very interested in him, though they haven't settled on a name yet.  The girl who gave him to us -- she lives down the street.



I made it clear that I cannot guarantee any great longevity for him, and she said that was fine.




We'll just do our best.  But my track record with plants is not good.



Lucy just informed me, "the bug is asleep."  Time for a little taxonomy lesson.

Reading Lessons

Reading lessons are going well. 



It is special time with Lucy -- usually just the two of us. 



Quiet.  We don't do it everyday, but at least half the days. 



Daniel was kind enough to take some candid photos during our lesson the other day.



I'm not in a rush for Lucy to learn to read.  It will, in some ways, be easier when she can read to herself and read to Elliot. 



But that's not why we're doing reading lessons now.  Mostly -- she's just really interested in learning to read.



And there is no way I'm passing up the chance to sit beside her while she discovers this new world of literacy.  Look at that face.