Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Rabbit Trail Learning

Yesterday our gym class involved raking three yards and two driveways, for a total of 9 fully-packed leaf bags.
Our gym class score-board.
This morning we read Acts 19.  When we got to verse 10, we talked about the province of Asia, looked it up on a map of the first century A.D., and decided to write into our calendar for the day to "look up how Asia went from such a small province to such a big continent."  We finished reading Acts 19 (which took a lot longer than usual since we had lots to talk about from that chapter) and moved on to Asia.

When we started reading about Asia, we realized that it was in the northeast part of the world, which led us to talking about Japan and their flag, representing the "land of the rising sun."  We looked up other flags of Asia and the next hour and 15 minutes were devoted to each researching different countries in Asia.  The kids took that time to look up interesting facts about their country, find it on a map, and draw the flag.

After analyzing and comparing each other's countries of choice, we moved on to history, which was about Hammurabi and his code of laws. We decided to make our own code for our family.  The kids had some great ideas!
Our kid-created Family Code.  Subject to revision by the governing body

Since we really weren't following any schedule of learning today, we decided to look up some words from the books we've been reading, since we weren't all sure what they meant.  Maybe tomorrow we can compare notes and figure out how in the world these words can be used in sentences.

As I type, the kids are finishing up their independent work (piano, math, reading, knocking over and cleaning up basil plants, etc.) and all I can hear is loud singing.  In French.  They have their songs from "Jubal", our music and drama co-op, stuck in their heads.

Quelle est cette odeur agréable, bergers, qui ravit tous nos sens?
S'exhale t'il rien de semblable au milieu des fleurs du printemps?
Quelle est cette odeur agréable bergers, qui ravit tous nos sens?

I expect to hear "Still, Still, Still" or "Here We Come a-Wassailing" any moment now.

It's been a full day.  I'm so glad to have been part of it.  And I'm really looking forward to sitting back and putting my feet up after dinner.  Which involves leftovers.  That means I don't have to cook.  Yes!

5 comments:

  1. And since we just spent a weekend there recently, I know what you are talking about with the songs. Love it when Grandma gets to visit the grandchildren and hear about what they're involved in.

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    1. The kids love sharing what they're learning with you, too!

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  2. I'm so glad that you've taken this route in teaching your three at home. It seems that everything they are learning is a whole lot more practical than what they would have been learning in the provincial system. Kudos to you & to them for their amazing progress!

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  3. Sounds like a fun day in school. It's nice when they can actually enjoy learning because it doesn't feel like work. :)

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  4. Love hearing the Jubal music is being sung at home!

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