Posted by Cindy on September 21, 2009
Have you ever noticed that God made seeds with adaptations that give them the best opportunity to make it to fertile land and grow into new plants? Hooks, wings, feather, rolling shells, floating bodies and yummy fruit whose seed will be pooped out are several examples. We took time last week during our nature walk to observe seed adaptations using the notebooking page found in the NaturExplorer Fruit and Nut study.
Here’s just a sampling of the seeds we found. This time of year is wonderful for finding fruits, nuts and seeds!
Okay, not a seed, fruit or nut, but I couldn’t resist this picture! This friendly little Fritillary spent several minutes fluttering between this Queen Anne’s Lace and a stalk of Yellow Ironweed.
Posted by Cindy on August 19, 2009
This month’s nature study is focusing on wildflowers. Our farm is just abundant with wildflowers this time of year! During last week’s study, we placed a blanket among a field full of wildflowers to read books and praise the Lord for His magnificent beauty.
Afterward, I sent the kids off on a scavenger hunt. They had a ball running around the field trying to check off each and every item.
Mahayla on the wildflower scavenger hunt.
Caleb checking off his scavenger hunt list.
Eli scavenging wildflowers to hit with a stick.
After the scavenger hunt, each of the big kids had to go in search of one flower that was new to them to bring back to the blanket. They had to identify it and write down various characteristics and information on a notebooking page.
Filling out a notebooking page for the flower of their choice.
Caleb's flower = Heal-All
Mahayla's flower = Evening Primrose
As usual, we had such a lovely time basking in God’s creation! You can find the notebooking pages we used (and more), plus TONS of wildflower activity ideas in the NaturExplorers unit Wonderful Wildflowers.
Posted by Cindy on November 4, 2008
I love Colonial History and, after this unit, I think my children do, too. We covered everything from the first colonies of Roanoke, Jamestown and Plymouth to the settlement of all 13 original colonies to life in colonial times. Thanks to our “spine” books, Hands-On History: Colonial America and Colonial Kids, the unit was packed full of great notebooking/lapbooking activities and tons of hands on experiences.
Some of the hands-on activities included making butter, playing leapfrog, bb gun target practice, sewing, embroidery, knot tying, writing with a homemade quill pen and ink, making candles, knitting, decoupage, making hasty pudding and so much more.
Mahayla’s assigned reading turned into two books for this unit, Calico Bush and Indian Captive. (She is a voracious reader!) I only asked her to complete a “report” on one. I gave her a little book called Book Reports by Frank Schaffer Publications which gave her many ideas for fun book reports (mobiles, dioramas, timelines, etc.) She chose to write a book report and give an oral presentation.
Caleb’s assigned reading was Witch Hunt: It Happened in Salem Village. Among many picture books, we also listened to Night Journeys and The Witch of Blackbird Pond on tape in the car.
I was able to find lots of fun freebies online for this unit, too…..
Jamestown Online is a fun game that allows you to make decisions like the original settlers would’ve had to make. In the end (it only takes a few minutes), you see how well your colony survived based on your choices. My kids loved it!
Colonial Williamsburg Kids Zone has all sorts of historical online games that also reinforces academic skills. They are short, sweet and fun!
PBS’s Colonial House site has several fun interactive games and quizzes. Would you have survived the colony?
Quia has a fun colonial quiz.
This Salem Witch Trial Site has a neat video about the trials.
The Colonial America 1600-1775 site is FULL of great links!
I’ll be sharing a few of our favorite projects from this unit in other posts later this week. Right now, we’re off to the Revolutionary War!
Posted by Cindy on October 31, 2008
We’re finishing up our Thirteen Colonies & Colonial Life Unit this week. I’ll be posting soon about the biggest chunk of the unit, but I wanted to take a minute to highlight the 13 Colonies lapbook/notebook we put together using this book.
I had to do the legwork of locating library books about each of the Thirteen Colonies, as well as Roanoke, Jamestown and Plymouth. But the wonderful activity ideas were ready and waiting in the book. It turned out to be a lovely way to document a bit of info on each of the colonies we learned about.
Posted by Cindy on October 8, 2008
That’s what we did yesterday! All in the name of nature study, of course. 
) With some of Dad’s older socks (one white pair and one dark pair) the kids were instructed to run through as many fields, patches of weeds, fence rows – whatever they could find – and then come back home in ten minutes time.
Before
After
They took some time to remove as many different seeds and such that they could find and observed each one of them under a magnifying glass. After talking a bit about this method of seed dispersal, they completed a notebooking page on their finds.
Art study was in the form of an art club meeting this afternoon. Kim had all sorts planned for the children. They learned a ton AND had great fun. Thanks, Mrs. Kim!
