I'm working on my "Excellent Adventure".  Before I go all foreign, I've decided to first have an adventure in American History.  Not during the Founding Fathers stage - that's for another study period.  I want to do 1800-2000 - I figure that's pretty steep in and of itself.  Maybe too big of a period - I may have to cut it down.  A lot happening there.

SOOOO....  I want to know what YOU would study if you were us.  What is it during that time period that might interest you?  I don't just want to touch on wars & stuff - I want the kids to get a good feel for what it was like to LIVE at that time.  Hopefully this will open up more doors for me in the future.  Here's what I've got so far:

Fashion (Thought of using costumes and Paper dolls)

Cooking/shopping (this is facinating - shopping & cooking changes with the times - ie: depression era cakes & war rations - I found this really cool print out that is a comparision sheet for prices of back then to now)

Space Travel (Oh wow - could go crazy here.  I wish I were back in Houston going to NASA!)

Presidents & Prophets  (Biographies)

WARS

Filmography/Entertainment

Slang  (I get a giggle over "groovy", and I still say "cool" - have you ever looked at old west slang?  It's a hoot!)

MUSIC/musicians

Depression/Dust Bowl

Westward Expansion

Pioneer Trek

Temple Dedications

Inventions

Electricity

Daily Life (you know - washing clothes in 1800 vs. 1900 vs. 1950 - care of horses for the west, taxis in 1910, etc.  Alot of this can be related to geneology, as Redbeard's family were all Yankees...  mine were Southerners and some Oakies - we're the first to make it this far west though..."

Gold Rush

Hair/Hat fashions

technology & effects on daily life (my kids still can't believe there was no internet when I grew up!)

toys (kids are always facinated w/what other kids did for fun)

books written in the era/authors

Church history/RS history

Other religion's history

ecology

women's rights

reconstruction period

slavery /civil rights movement

art/artists

immigration

transportation

I'm just brainstorming at this phase.  That's why I need YOUR ideas!  I know there's a whole lot more...  I promise to give links and itinerary.  I want to stress, this is NOT replacing TJed, or my Master Plan.  This is like a mini-plan, and whatever I don't do will go back on the Master Plan burner.  There's always time to learn more!  :)  I'm wanting to incorporate not only history, but science, math, the arts, daily life, etc.  I really want the kids to learn that together all these elements make up our culture - without one you would not have your current experience.

Thank you so much!!!!

:)  Texasblu

On the TJed MUSE yahoo group some ladies have been talking about EPIC Adventures - I looked over some of the work - reminds me of what I did with the states back when my girls were all little.  Someone mentioned that they had done something along the lines of "Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure" - and I admit, that intrigues me. 

So we rented the movie - I haven't seen it in years, and I have to say even Athena's eyes were dancing.  I asked them if they'd like to do that for the summer.  I figure whatever lessons we learn while Venus is gone, we can redo when Athena is gone.  Redbeard is off looking for a refrigerator box - if he can't find one we'll just have to build a phone booth, but as I only want to do this during the summer, I didn't really want to go through all the expense.  I thought this might be a fun way to keep learning going through the summer.  :)

Granted, as I look through the EPIC Adventure site - I am really interested.  But it's something I'll need to talk over with Redbeard, and I don't necessarily want to learn what they are learning right now.  BUT, I am interested in her workshop thingy that teaches how to put an EPIC Adventure together.  I personally think all you need is a little creativity, but it's always good to learn what others are doing - kinda gives yourself an opportunity to be inspired.

Anyway - back to the Excellent Adventure.  I asked the girls who or what they'd like to learn about - they left it wide open for me!  So, I'm off to come up with some interesting characters to jump start us.  Of course, there is always my Master Plan to fall back on -   :D  I think it's a matter of applying TJed principles in a fun manner for Love of Learning Kids.  I'm curious to see just how much Athena joins in!