O.K. here is the poem we are memorizing that I had told you all I'd put on here. This is the poem that inspired my DD (along with Psalm 23( to write her poem. Hope you enjoy it as much as our family has.

"The Lamb"

By William Blake

Little lamb, who made thee?

Dost thou know who made thee,

Gave thee life, and bid thee feed

By the stream and o'er the mead;

Gave thee clothing of delight,

Softest clothing, woolly, bright;

Gave thee such a tender voice,

Making all the vales rejoice?

Little lamb, who made thee?

Dost thou know who made thee?

Little lamb, I'll tell thee;

Little lamb, I'll tell thee:

He is called by thy name,

For He calls Himself a Lamb.

He is meek, and He is mild,

He became a little child.

I am a child, and thou a lamb,

We are called by His name.

Little lamb, God bless thee!

Little lamb, God bless thee!

     My DD has dreams of being a writer & poet one day. She is working on a book right now, and is doing an exceptional job on it. She came to me last night and said, "Mamma, I want to read you a poem I wrote."

     I said, "O.K. let's hear it."

     This was her poem:

 "The Rose"

     William Blake is an English poet that we are currently studying. He is becoming very popular with my children. I just didn't think poetry would capture their attention like it has done, but out of all of our biographies we have chosen to read, he is the one they always want to start with.

     I never was too big on poetry when I was in school, but even I am enjoying myself. I was hesitant about bringing poetry in to our studies. I suppose I have gotten wiser with my age because I have been able to fall right in there with the children and enjoy myself also.

     After making the decision to use living books this year, I can already see my children engulfing the material that is being placed before them.

     We have been using quotes, poems, rich paragraphs, etc. from our biographies we are reading for our copy work. My children are developing an eye for great rich info, now that it is not being spoon fed to them by a text book.

     My DD followed me all over our house last night with a book and a high lighter marking rich material for future copy work. She even followed me to the bathroom and stood at the door reading and marking. I didn't exactly want her there, but it was a little funny watching her graze in a good book. She was devouring every word.

     By the way, she was reading from a 1978 Daily Guide Post. It is filled with famous quotes, poems, stories to go along with them about something that happened in history, etc. We high lighted page after page for our copy work in the future.

     Besides William Blake, here are the other books we are reading: 

 History: "George Washington" An American Life

                     By Laurie Calkhoven

                  "Benedict Arnold" Trader To His Country

                      By Jeannette Covert Nolan

     Library Read Aloud: "A Man of Prayer & Courage" George Washington

                       By Norma Cournow Camp

     Poetry: "William Blake"

                       By James Daugherty

     Science: "James Watt" Inventor of a Steam Engine

                        By Robert N. Webb

     Artist: "Copley" A Biography

                        By Elisabeth Ripley

     Geography: "The Hudson Riverof History"

                        By May McNeer

     I can see where people say living books make a great curriculum. They are so rich. A biography gives you so many details about the person you are studying. It makes the text books look like a short paragraph. My children & I are soaking up our studies like a sponge.

     Speaking of my children, my DD is back with another book reading more quotes & poems from an A Beka reader saying, "Here's more copy work." I think it is bed time, or I know it is past bed time for my DD. Not that I don't appreciate her collecting  copy work, but it is difficult trying to type & give her my undivided attention that she thinks she needs because she is talking. So I'd better go for now. Blessings to you all, Traci