Well, time flies!  We finished off our Westward Expansion unit with a “project week”.  On Monday, I gave the kids a test and a project list, both of which were to be completed by Friday.  I don’t always give tests, but I like to surprise them once in a while with new methods of assessment.  As for projects, Caleb had to choose three to complete and present, while Mahayla had to choose four.  Besides math and a little grammar and reading, projects were the only things on the schooling agenda.

(I’m not sure my links show up very well, so I wanted to point out that you can access my test and project list at hslaunch.  Run your mouse over those words in the paragraph above and they will link to the files.)

Here’s what the kids came up with.  As usual, I’m not only pleased, but very surprised at their ingenuity and eagerness to do a good job.  Give ‘em and inch and they’ll take a mile – that’s a good thing in this case!

Mahayla had to choose four projects.  She couldn’t decide, so chose to complete five instead.  (Next time I complain, remind me of this!)

A diorama and file folder report on Lewis and Clark

A quilt square.  She researched pioneer quilt squares on the internet and came up with this one named “Oh Suzanna”.  She completed the entire quilt square from start to finish without any help from me.  Not bad for a first timer, huh?  My granny would be so proud!

A five page report on Sam Houston, who happens to be in our family line.  She had to interview my mom who has done extensive geneology research, and had to find information on her own.

A cowboy meal of chili and homemade crackers.

Homemade Crackers

1 c flour

1 tsp baking powder

pinch salt

1/2 cube butter

1/4 c milk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Mix flour, baking powder and salt.  Use fork to mash butter in until it looks like crumbs.  Add milk and stir until dough forms a ball.  Sprinkle flour on counter and roll dough into a flat rectangle with a rolling pin.  Use a knife to cut the dough into small squares.  Place onto a greased cookie sheet and poke holes into the crackers with a fork.  Bake for 9 minutes.  Makes about 24 crackers.

And she was Flying Sparrow in their original play entitled “Cowboy and Indian”.  It was complete with five scenes, a playbill and a script!

Caleb had to choose three projects.  In his usual fashion, he chose projects that required lots of hands-on and little writing.  That’s okay, though, because he was still required to give a presentation about the projects.  Even with very little writing, the information he gleaned and presented was very good.

A model of the Lewis and Clark keelboat.

A model of the corner watchtower from a fort that might have been set up along one of the trails west.  He said he would have built the whole fort, but ran out of Lincoln Logs!

And he was Jeremiah (with a great country accent) in their play “Cowboy and Indian”.  As you can see, the play ended rather sadly.  Jeremiah and Flying Sparrow couldn’t find a better way to solve their conflict except through the use of guns.  Maybe we watch too many Gunsmoke episodes on Sunday afternoons?