Beyond the Books: October

Another month in the books of our first year homeschooling preschool!  Again I wanted to share the ways we took learning past the books.  When I say books, really all we're doing is a couple of workbooks I found at the book store for writing and math.  Partially because he doesn't get this as much day-to-day and also just because he wants to learn!  I love that mindset in him!  He finished his first two books this month and was so proud of himself (as we were!)

 



AND he learned to ride his bike with no training wheels!  No book can teach that =)

New structures: as much as we could we talked about how each of these were made and why.

Harbor Docks

Covered Bridges



Lava rock observatory

Giant Compass!

Light house visit

New landscapes


Waterfalls



Coastal rocks



Tide rising



Ancient Lava Flows

New animals:

So much learning at the Whale Museum

New plants and how they work:

Kelp at the ocean: grows under water with air pockets

How logs can hollow out at the center



How pumpkins grow on vines in the field (and what the insides look like!)



How apples grow from trees (and how to pick them)



Carnivorous lilies in a bog 

On a stay-at-home morning (hence the jammies =) ) he changed the plates on our vehicles almost all by himself with his own tools!

 Our friends' little preschooler has been super interested in volcanos, so we decided to make our own.  I'd done the baking soda and vinegar before, but this time we added food coloring and dish soap and it really made it dramatic and longer lasting.  We also made our own volcanos out of a cup set on a plate, then covered in tin foil.  I attempted to make it look like a snow-covered peak by spraying it with hairspray and dusting with flour.  Such fun!

 

Then we got the guys in the kitchen helping us cook to make carameled apples.  I had help throughout the month cooking.  Such a great way for them to reap the benefits of their hard work and be careful with the measuring and stirring.

 

 

Cultural Experience: Highland Games!  Such joy watching the events and pipes, then they danced the night away with the Highland Country Dancers (P.E.?)!

 

 

There was so much more, but I'll leave it at that for now! If you'd like any more information about any of these things, please wade back through the posts of the last month or feel free to shoot me a comment or message!  Happy learning!