More little critters!

As part of our nature study unit we have been participating in the South Shore Quests and have a great time doing so. It actually has been one of the highlights of this wretched raining as it has been perfect weather for hiking!

On our hike today we came to spot in a meadow that had snails EVERYWHERE. SC, KM and her "bestest" friend ~who wishes she was homeschooled and states this EVERYTIME we are out somewhere~ wanted to bring some home. I am always hesitant about taking things from their natural habitats, but there were SOOOOO many of them so I agreed, they grabbed 2 each and some grass and shoots and put them in an empty sandwich keeper...

and off we went to finish the quest.

Upon getting home they realized that they had not 4, but 7 little cuties ~ three had been hidden amongst the gathered weeds and reeds.

Then they remembered that we had an old fish tank in the garage, that would make the perfect little habitat for them! So we put in some dirt, collected some weeds from the yard, labeled and named them all!
Now we need CJ make a frame for some screen we just happened to have hanging around the recycle craft closet and we should be all set to see how our little biome comes along.
As of right now the little critters seem to be enjoying themselves!

Rain Rain GO AWAY!!!!

So if you live anywhere in the New England area I am sure you will be right there with me on this sentiment! I just want to see the SUN!!! We have still been able to do a lot of outdoor activities as it had been warm up until yesterday. Now it is just COLD, RAW, WINDY weather!

We have been on break for the past week, but of course that just means that we have no official lesson plan. We have however still been learning lots and we have been focusing on our local nature study and our fascination with astronomy. So here are a list of new resources that I have come across in the last week or so...

Nature Study -

• some of our original links are here
• Peterson Field Guides - The Young Birder's Guide to Birds of Eastern North America
  
• New England Wildlife - Pocket Naturalist
• The Pond Book & Tadpole Tank
• Wetlands, Marshes, & Swamps DVD
• South Shore Quests
• A Golden Guide - Butterflies and Moths
• Perterson Field Guides for Young Naturalists - Backyard Birds
• Peterson First Guides - Trees
• lots of additional local fields guide from library

Advanced Astronomy Study -

• here is a link to our original list
• Night Sky - A comprehensive Guide to the wonders of the universe
• Exploring the night sky
• Astronomy - Out of this World ~Basher series
• Astro-Dome 3D map of the sky
• Philips' Planisphere
• International Astronomical Union
• International Year of Astronomy
• Free monthly Skymaps
• Make a Star Finder at NASA site
  
• Amazing Space - also has lost of educator links

If you have any resources to recommend - please do!!!
We are always looking for more ideas and fun!

Another Busy one!

We had another rather hectic time last week, but it was again doing lots of things that we really wanted to do - which is always good!

We had some HOT days and since the pool looked like....

They decided to fill up the kiddie pool on the deck.

We couldn't get to the water toys so they went digging through the craft closet for things they could recycle into squitters, scoops and floaties!

We went to a local park to do our nature journal pics for the week - TAKE A PEEK!

of course SC was attached to KM, per usual...

they couldn't help wading in a bit

then it was back to the house for a picnic lunch...I was not cool enough to sit at that table!

We experiment with some new bread recipes...

KM said that these were better than the restaurant bread
and she can be a tough bread critic!

We worked on Ancient History and decided to turn the History Pockets into a giant lapbook!

Using this scholastic box as a tri-fold presentation board...

and pieces from different History Pocket books...
we think it is going to work rather nicely
We will let you know how things turn out as we progress through this one...but it will take us a while as we plan to work on the ancient at least through this next year!


Finally our homeschooling group did a benefit performance of Midsummer Night's Dream
for the museum where we have our coop classes.
They had another spectacular performance!
KM's favorite part is the fight scene, though she had a bit of trouble staying in character!
This is the cast mascot, who must be fit into each set!


All and all it was another GREAT week!

New Blog - Nature Journal

I was talking to KM the yesterday and we decided that since we both have our incredible new cameras and we have been spending sooooo much time outside taking pictures that we should start a Nature Journal photo blog. Soo we did!

Check it out - HERE!

First Hike of the Season

So yesterday was our local homeschool groups first hike of the season and we had such an incredible time!
My absolute favorite thing about homeschooling events is getting to see all the different aged children interacting with each other. It is just amazing to me having come from the PS world were children are so segregated from one another all dependent upon where their date of birth happens to fall. Two children born a week apart from one another and living on the same street could never be friends just because one is in 1st grade and the other is in 2nd - why is that? What makes people think that is okay?
ANYWAY - before I go on a tyrannical rant - here are some of favorite pics of SC and KM on the hike ----oh and I just have to mention that this was a two mile hike, the first mile SC was very content in the backpack, but then I decided I needed a break, so I took her out and SHE HIKED THE LAST MILE all by herself!!! WOOOHOOO you go girl!

Where are the kids...

Can you find them?

We went to the playground today on our way home from coop classes and the kids had the whole place to themselves! It was wonderful! I didn't have to remind them once to slow down for the little ones or to watch where they were going! They could go at full force and had a blast!

VASCULAR PLANTS EXPERIMENT

his was one of the simplest, yet coolest experiments we have done in a long time.

We cut out paper flowers...folded the petals up
Then dropped them in the water

Here is what happened:

Stomping Through Leaves

on a wonderful Fall day! What could be more fun!

We went exploring at a local preservation spot and found some really cool things...

Like 2 branches growing around a rock that was wedged in between.
It has been there for so long that the rock will barely wiggle.

A little rock bridge over a very pretty stream.

Two ducks having a conversation.

LOTS AND LOTS of shelf mushrooms. KM became fascinated with these on a hike a few years ago and every time she seems them she takes more pics.

Great Moment

The coolest thing happened yesterday afternoon.

KM and I were getting some workbook stuff done when I glanced out my back door and saw one of my dog standing at the edge of the yard. This is not a totally unusual occurence as we have 3 dogs, an invisible fence and woods behind the house that the dogs often just randomly bark at. This was different though because he was just standing and staring into the trees. The other 2 dogs were no where to be seen and were totally silent. I saw something move suddenly in the woods and I thought maybe it was one of our cats, however this was a slow move. I moved over to the window to get a different angle and could not believe what I was seeing...2 bucks ~ just standing there and eating. They were the most beautiful thing.

I wish wish wish I had a better camera, but considering mine is nearly 5 years old and this was about 75-100 yards into the woods. I really shouldn't complain!

I couldn't believe how calm they were. We spent nearly 30 minutes watching them walk around eating here and there. They would look up every once in a while and stare at us for a minute before bowing to eat some more. It was amazing and I am so glad we had the opportunity to see it!

Monday Hike

We went on a fantastic hike with our homeschooling group today!

After the crazy amount of stuff we got done this weekend, I was so exhausted and almost skipped out, but I am so glad that I didn't!

We went to an area that I have never been before and it was so much closer than I would have thought - or even mapquest thought for that matter - It is amazing how many places are so close by that I have never been to and I have lived in the same area my whole life. I was mentioning that to a friend a few weeks ago when we were at another field trip and she says it is probably because I am from here that I have never been to any of these places- but anyway...

I am even more exhausted, but it was worth it! The weather was perfect, the company was wonderful and the kids were amazing!!! Our hike host had planned on us only doing half the trail, but the kids wanted to push on - and push on they did - all the way to the top! I was so impressed with the little ones - 4 & 5 - hiking to the top and scrambling over the rocks. It was a wonderful day - we even got to throw some science in by stopping by the weather observatory on the way. One thing that I thought of SEVERAL times while we were hiking was I am ever so glad I did not have SC on my back! I don't know how those dad's did it today!

Congrats to all who made it to the top today!