Nature Study on a Massive Scale

We've been having a fantastic spring traveling to some fabulous parks. This is nature study on a massive scale! I love this time of year. 

Hiking is my favorite sport. 

Here's most of the Crew. Sadly, our two oldest had to work.

That's me at the base. Our trees are impressive! 

Mighty Sequoias

The famous view! 

Independent Science Class

I love independent learning. It's often the most effective way for a child to learn. I pulled this book off of the shelf and left it on the living room table the other day, without saying a word about it. Since then, it has almost always been in one or more children's hands. What a sneaky way to "teach" science!

I thought I had almost all of David Macaulay's books (just bought one from another homeschool mom on Friday, as a matter of fact). However, for this blog post I pulled up his Wiki and found that he has written many more than I have collected. I will certainly be keeping an eye out for "The Way We Work" among others. We love anatomy and I am positive that this book will be well worth finding.

Playing Cards

Playing cards are useful for so many things, We play number games, of course. They can be quite the tool to teach numbers to beginners. My older Lambies like to play poker, blackjack and "Doubt It". We all play "Spike and Mallet". I really enjoyed cribbage as a teen and young adult. I need to brush up on it and teach it to the Lambies. I have one, however, that is much more interested in the building properties of cards. He's trying to learn how to challenge this guy.

A Science Experiment!

My daughter, Polly, came to me today with a request. She had gotten down a science book and saw a simple, fun experiment she wanted to run with her younger brothers and sister. I looked it over, set down some ground rules and said yes. She ran off to the kitchen, delighted. I continued school with the olders in the living room.

When it was all ready, she called the Littles. She explained the experiment. For some reason, Missy didn't want to participate. She missed a lot of fun!

Here are Polly, Troubles and Jack learning about what happens when bubbles meet, observing that they are covered with rainbows and more! For further study, tomorrow we'll look at these links... we might play these games...and maybe even try one of these....





And they are having such fun doing it, too!



Hope you enjoy this spontaneous mini-unit study.

Masterful Inactivty

Masterful inactivity: My definition: The art of doing something worth doing when doing nothing.

My children have free time scattered throughout the day. I read with them one or two at a time, after having Bible time in the morning, then math and other “together” subjects. The children that I am not reading with have free time and help keep an eye on the smallest children. There is no T.V. or video games allowed before Daddy gets home, and sometimes, not even when he is home. So what do they do? They are engaged in masterful inactivity! What are some of the things they enjoy?

Legos, Legos, Legos!

My six and older set love to play chess with one another. They are also learning backgammon. Other board games are also popular. Some favorites: Battleship, Harold and the Purple Crayon (Polly’s pick!), Mastermind, Abalone, Stay Alive, etc.

The Dice Game: Gather five or six dice, set a winning number…for example, 300 points, and take turns rolling the dice and roll and add until one person reaches the goal. It’s simple, but very fun for the kids!

Card games such as Go Fish, War and Slap Jack. We also have a ongoing BlackJack tournament going on with the four oldest Lambies and Dad and Mom. We play it once in a while and keep track of chip totals. Trixie is the only one in the black!

Bible verse challenges. Have one child read the address of a verse and the others try to be the first to recite the verse.

Hangman and other whiteboard games are always fun.

Puzzles are a favorite.

My older girls cross-stitch, crochet and sew clothes.

My sons love to disassemble old electronics.

Garden areas can be tended (read that play in the dirt).

Animals are cared for and loved on.

Reading of “free-time” books is often indulged in.

The younger children like to play "The Animal Game". I (or an older sibling) provide clues and see how quickly they can identify the animal. I also play a variation with people from the Bible. For example: I am not an Israelite, but helped defeat Jericho. Two spies hid on my roof. I let them down a scarlet cord. Who am I?

Drawing, painting, watercolor pencils, clay, playdoh, etc. come out and engage their creative sides.

Physical games, like “Hide and Go Seek Back To Camp” (which involves both hiding and racing to a safe spot, eluding the person who is It), “I’maDarlin’” (plot narrated by Trixie): a gamewe made up where one child plays a parent, and the rest are children and the children, when they go to bed, they have to escape and the parent has to run after them and try and spank them, but when they get in bed they can’t get spanked, the parent has to hide in the hall and catch the children as they try to sneak past. ***I haven’t any problem putting the children to bed due to their playing this game!***

Playing outside on bikes and scooters, or playing tag is a top choice!

I hope some of these ideas will help you and your family enjoy some “masterful inactivity” during this long holiday weekend!

Cranial Helix Aspera

My son Troubles and daughter Missy love snails. They are entertained for hours by finding a snail or two and playing with them. They are very gentle and rarely ever crack a shell, let alone crush one. I don't mind this slimy pastime, as long as they wash their hands when they come in. This however, I did mind...a little bit.


But who can resist that face?

Dry Ice

(originally posted on my other blog 3-31-08)

My neighbor called at about 8:45 this evening with an offer I couldn't refuse. She had some leftover dry ice and was willing to give it to us. I have never shown the Lambies any, so I happily accepted. That led to an unexpected experiment at bedtime.
My eldest thought to grab and pour some of the fog (the pouring shot was blurry, though).


We will learn more about dry ice tomorrow during school time. I needed to get them to bed, since I am planning on painting tomorrow and need to get taping! I got much less done today than I had hoped!