Reverse Engineering

My youngest son is all about engineering right now.  He wants to know how things work and why they work that way. He wants to be an inventor. He is a master of Lego and Minecraft.  To help him develop this interest, we are doing a course in "Reverse Engineering".  Each week I stop by a local thrift stores.  While there, I scour the shelves for mechanical items. 

He has a nice toolbox with a selection of tools already, so he just need the things to take apart.  The first thing he "Reverse Engineered" was an electric can opener. He took it apart as far as he could, then reassembled it and it did still work!  Then he took it apart and kept pieces like the cord and motor, screws and a few other parts.  He plans to eventually build something from all the useful parts he scavenges from these sacrificial projects. 

Lego is perfect for future engineers and their siblings. We spend was much time as possible with them. 

Reverse Engineering is even better when friends are visiting!  Here they are dissecting a food scale. Lots of learning happening and LOTS of fun!  I have a toaster ready for the next session and have my eye out for a rotary phone. I am also watching for a weed whacker or a lawn mower for small engine repair practice.  Next year, I hope he's ready for appliances! 

Practical skills are SO important in todays world! Seeing how things work is an integral part of practicality.  

Other resources:

The Way Things Work

The Way Things Work Now (on our wishlist)

How It's Made (I can't recommend this series highly enough!)

Thing Explainer 

Friedhoffer books (this one and others!) 

Engineering for Kids (I haven't used this yet, but we will watch this series this school year.)

Lego Technic (We watch for clearance sales and have even found some in garage sales!)

Lego Mindstorms (if I was rich! LOL)

Graduate 3!

So, I went a whole year without blogging here.

But here I am to announce the graduation of my oldest son!  This homeschooling thing is really a blessing. :)  What an amazing young man he is growing to be!

Graduate 2!

GirlofGod is officially a FREE ELF!  She graduated in May of 2015. This is one proud Momma.

Out of Retirement for Classic Units

I have mostly retired this blog, as perhaps, you may have noticed.  Some things have to fall out of the way when life gets busy.  I saw a link this morning on my Facebook wall, though, that called out to be blogged!  You know that I love classic children's books. I also love unit studies. They aren't exactly "Charlotte Mason", but I am not a strict sort of person. I am eclectic and love to pick and choose what works for us at the time!

Homeschool Share has put together a great list of links to unit studies based on classic books.  You'll find some familiar favorites, like Ferdinand and Corduroy, but some less common ones, too, like Harry the Dirty Dog, Maybelle the Cable Car and even Billy and Blaze!  This page will give you all the help you need to make a memorable summer program of reading for your preschooler or kindergartener!

Go take a look and choose one. Most of these books will be available at your local library, if you don't have them already. Each one is well worth investing in and keeping for your home library.  

http://www.homeschoolshare.com/blog/2014/04/free-unit-studies-based-on-classic-picture-books/

Really? REALLY??

How can it be possible that my oldest child is graduating??

Rest assured, you who have little ones. Bible centered and literature based education works. My daughter has done well and is prepared for whatever the Lord brings for her future.

Informal Reading Assessment

Everyone likes to have an idea of how well their child is reading. I found a nice little assessment page that will help you find the approximate matching grade level for your child's reading skill.

You simply have the child read the column of words and mark when they make a mistake.  After reading to a certain threshold (which is explained in the directions), you have their reading level. Simple!  I plan to do this over the next week with all of my young readers.

Informal Reading Assessment

The Overall Boys

This is a sweet little Primer I found at a thrift store. The Overall Boys and the Sunbonnet Girls were quite popular in the 1900's and far beyond. In fact, in the 1960's, my grandmother made a Sunbonnet Girl quilt for my baby sister who, sadly died at 6 weeks old.  I have that quilt now and it is precious to me.  I tucked each of my babies with it. The original copyright on my book is 1905, with a later copyright date of 1915.

The Overall Boys follows Jack, Joe, Tim and Ted as they explore their world. The text is not dumbed down and the Boys have REAL adventures!

Like the Sunbonnet Girls, their faces are hidden by their hats much of the time. 

Don't you just love the bodysuit swimwear?

Boys will be boys and have FUN!

My copy included this precious inscription, which documents my copy as being given as a birthday gift in 1919.

What a great find!  I love visiting thrift stores and discovering treasures.