Learning: It's awesome.

Here's a learning update for you!  Lots of pictures of what we do around here school wise.  It's been fun.  I think we've almost become unschoolers in that Fisher becomes interested in something and we sort of run with it.  But we occasionally still do worksheets. :) 

I especially love hearing/seeing Fisher teach his sister.  I believe it's also a good learning exercise for him.  A review of sorts.

 Piper working on her handwork.  Beading or "sewing" as she calls it.

We also really enjoy learning about arts and crafts.  I've told you where I stand on creativity.  It's pretty important.

Here we are learning about weaving.

 Fisher's not quite finished product.

Pipey's finished product.

Apple stamping on fabric.  I'm not sure what we'll do with these yet.  A wall hanging maybe?

Paper mache with Daddy.  They are making a pinata.  (still a work in progress)

An ongoing batik project that will become a quilt.  I love this picture.

We also like to use "real life" for our lessons.  A few weeks ago Fisher and I pulled up the carpet in the living room and dining room.  Real life.

Here's the before shot.

And here's the after.  My little tack strip removal expert was learning all about levers.

 Piper is observing cousin Shelby's cows.  Again, real life.

Sometimes James or I will come up with something that we can learn about and have a little impromptu lesson. For instance, we talked in the car last week about the different states of water. Gas, liquid, solid. We were on our way to hit the trail with Carly and Johnny which provided the perfect opportunity to witness two of those states in action. A stream with frozen sections. Then we talked about how applying the opposite of cold (that freezes) to the water makes steam or the gas. It was a fun little science lesson that we applied right there.  Hands on.

That's one of the things I like best about this.  The hands on learning.  It's one thing to read about science in a book, but this is something altogether different.  Finding something cool on the trail and talking about it.

Pine cones are seeds.

Baking is science and science is baking.  This project takes that to a whole new level.  James (with a little help from Fisher.  Though admittedly not much.) made a solar oven yesterday.  They started baking cookies.  Now, full disclosure, the oven building took a little longer than anticipated and the sun went behind the mountain before the cookies were fully cooked.  BUT, we plan to try again next weekend.  And really, how much fun would it be to always have your science experiment work out perfectly?

Man, it is bright!

 That's some powerful sunlight!

I don't have any pictures of this as I'm usually participating but we also play a LOT of games.  There are so many things and ways to learn by game playing!  Math & bug bingo, Appleletters, Candyland, Uno, Animal Yahtzee, Memory and more.  All learning. 

My favorite part of all this?  Watching him (or her) have difficulty with something and then getting to see the light bulb go off and watch all the pieces click into place.  I get to see him shine with pride as he figures it out.  Heck, we get to share our pride filled looks with each other.  There is a lot of high fiving going on around here.

You probably guessed this already as it's Friday and all...I'm linking this to the Peek of the Week over at Happily Home Sewn!






JKFP