After tutoring on this cloudy, humid day, we packed up and had school at the library! We did this several times last year and it really gave us a boost. New scenery, books as far as the eye can see, new computer games, quiet, aaahhh!! I almost felt like my old self there; getting back in my rhythm of fun learning.
We have been studying stars, constellations, navigation and such. The kids have really enjoyed learning about the wonderful lights God placed in the sky and how people from long ago used them to find their way. I learned that the big and little dippers are not constellations, but asterims. They are part of the constellations, Ursa Minor and Ursa Major or the Little and Big Bear, respectively. I found a great constellation book with glow in the dark stars! We would blast off to my closet flashlight in tow and discover new constellations every afternoon. It was a lot of fun and memorable! We kicked off our unit with a trip to the Planetarium at UT in Arlington. We saw "The Stars At Night, Are Big and Bright" (deep in the heart of Texas!) The kids made lite bright constellations, as well as created their own with black construction paper, chalk, then they poked holes in the paper, which sparkled like stars when illuminated. I gave them the task of making a planetarium. I handed them a black trash bag and a fan. It took some questioning on my part to get them to come up with a "planetarium", but they did do it. So what did they do, you may be asking? They placed the fan at the opening of the bag an turned the fan on. This held the bag in place and the air kept it open. Then they poked holes in the bag to simulate stars. So, when looking into the black bag, it looked like you were looking at stars in the night sky! Another great Konos hands on, thinking activity! Stellar, simply stellar!
In honor of The Year of Astronomy, we are extending our studies next week to include Planets and Moons! At the library today, the kids found books for their planet research papers. Mitchell chose Mars, while Madilynn will focus on Saturn.
They enjoy the fun computer games at the library and took turns going on a mystery tour while I worked with them separately on nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs. I ran into a fellow home school Mom, who also has kids who learn differently with Dyslexia. It always a blessing to run into her and I am quite certain, God orchestrates our chance meetings. We understand. We get each other's kids. We are not alone.
Oh this is great! I loved all your ideas. There are so many great myths that go along with the constellations also, so fun!
We just started a medeival unit and I really need to consult my KONOS book on that as I know there will be some great ideas. Thank you Lord for KONOS :-).
Hope your week is awesomely productive!
Blessings, Julie
Thanks so much for your sweet words at my place. I do miss seeing you here and am glad that you're checking in every now and then. But quite honestly I fully understand your staying away from it. It really can be too time consuming and cut into priorities (at least for me). I regularly ask myself why I keep doing it and the only thing that I keep coming back to is that I would miss so many of my blogger buddies if I quit altogether. I know I did last year when I did delete the blog. But, I think it's just one of those things that you have to do what's right for you personally.
You're a treasure :-)!
Blessings, Julie
I am a wife and Mother who's brain moves too fast, in too many directions, at the same time! I am quite eclectic and dichotomos in my approach to most things. I love French Country, painted furniture, flawless, traditional wood finishes and chippy peely, old treasures.
Something old next to something new is so charming. Sparkly is great if kept to a minimum. Needing schedule and list to accomplish most things, I get bored quickly with routines. I love conservative talk radio!
Chocolate is a fav as is cheesecake, pizza and fish tacos. I enjoy baking, cooking with new recipes, reading, being outside with the family, camping and watching a good movie. Writing is fun for me and maybe, just maybe one day I will write a book!
I wish I had a library in my house and the time to read each book.
