We’ve had some fun lately visiting state parks. A couple weeks ago we went to Old Stone Fort State Park for Archaeology Day. We saw a movie discussing the history of the park and archaeological research done there, we went on a guided hike to see a waterfall, and the kids got to participate in an archaeological dig. The park ranger had buried items for the kids to find, but they had it gridded off like a real dig and they learned how to use tools that an archaeologist would use and how to measure the depth at which they found objects and how to chart it. Noah is reading a book called Archaeoligsts Dig for Clues.
We also visited Cedars of Lebanon State Park, where John’s parents stayed in their RV for a weekend. The kids got to camp with their grandparents and we took a short tour of their nature center and saw a butterfly garden. I would love to come back and explore there more in the future (its only a few miles from our house).
Today we got back in a “school” groove. We practiced our address and phone number...Noah had to write them in sentences, Marty had to fill in the blank, and Gloria practiced writing her name. Gloria finished her “B” Rod & Staff workbook and Marty & Noah each did a math sheet. Noah read some Frog & Toad and Marty read 4 Fun Tales. Campbell and I sang some songs out of an Old MacDonald songbook (all the songs are about a farm). We all sang our Music songs and we practiced greetings in Spanish.
Marty read a story from the Lion Storyteller’s Bedtime Book and a story about a boy named Jabo from Africa. Noah is listening to Charlotte’s Web and reading Wonderful Houses Around the World.
I haven’t been able to decide on a Science curriculum for this year so today I pulled out all the Apologia Young Explorers books and let Noah decide what he wanted to study. He chose Anatomy & Physiology. I think he’ll enjoy it. Hopefully we can start that tomorrow and we are going to go on an ABC Hike where we learn about animals and plants from Tennessee whose names start with each letter of the alphabet.
