Tuesday's Top 10: Learning about Pilgrims

Thanksgiving is such a special time.  We remember the history of our country, enjoy the harvest of crops, spend time with family, and share our blessings with others.  Turkeys are a big part of the Thanksgiving celebration, but this year in our homeschooling we will focus more on the Pilgrims and their journey.  I've gathered together 10 activities that will help us both learn and celebrate the Pilgrims' voyage.

Top 10 Activities for Learning about Pilgrims

1.  Read Stories of the Pilgrims.

As part of our Heart of Dakota curriculum, we will be reading about the faith, bravery, and hardships of the pilgrims.

2.  Watch Charlie Brown:  The Mayflower Voyagers.

This film is added as a bonus feature in A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving.  

It is also available on YouTube.

3.  Use Pilgrim and Native American figures to retell the story and for play.

Another mom shared these on our Heart of Dakota facebook page.  These figurines will be perfect to go along with our stories of the pilgrims and their encounters with Native Americans.  

Jamestown Settlers

Powhatan Indians

4.  Make a Mayflower craft.

Here are two handprint ideas I have found.

And here is a Mayflower ship that the boys can easily build.

It will go great with their Jamestown settlers. :)

As a Mayflower craftivity, we will also make a suitcase for the Mayflower with a list of items needed for the journey.  The writing can be expanded to tell a story of someone on the trip.  Many possibilities!!

5.  Compare and contrast our life today with what we learn about the life of Pilgrims.

We will use a Venn Diagram to compare modern times to Pilgrim times.  

Two books that describe the life of pilgrim boys and pilgrim girls are Samuel Eaton's Day and Sarah Morton's Day.  After reading them, we can compare and contrast the lives of pilgrim boys and girls.  Here is a Venn Diagram example:

6.  Thanksgiving Story Bracelet

We plan to read this poem about the Pilgrims journey and the first Thanksgiving.  The colored beads on the bracelet match the poem.  You can download the poem here.

7.  Pilgrims Blessing Mix

Here is a snack mix that represents the Pilgrims' life.  It could make a great gift. :)

Here is the original post.

8.  Make a Pilgrim hat and Native American headband.

You can find the Pilgrim hat directions here. 

And here are the directions for the Native American headband.

9.  Visit a Colonial Village

The American Village in Montevallo, AL is a "nationally pioneering classroom and American history education center."  They offer a one-of-a-kind Thanksgiving experience for children...Living America's Story.  This is just one example of such a place near our home.  I'm sure there are many others throughout the states.

10.  Read Squanto and the Miracle of Thanksgiving.  

This entertaining and historical book shows that God is the hero of Thanksgiving...not white men or Indians.  It comes highly recommended!

After reading about Squanto, we will make a craft (with goldfish and corn) to show the way Squanto taught the white men to plant corn.

We will make a Squanto Snack to go along with his planting corn technique.

And we will also create Indian names for everyone.  Hmmm, maybe something like...

"He Who Talks too Much." ;)  This should be fun!

I can't wait to get started!  And I wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving!

Jenny

    

Pumpkins Everywhere!

Pumpkins, pumpkins everywhere.  Once the calendar reached October, we were ready to bring out the scarecrows and pumpkins.  Our crop studies on corn and peanuts were such a hit that I decided to spend some time on the pumpkin as well.  :)

  

We kicked off our pumpkin celebration by reading The Pumpkin Patch Parable.  This charming story shares how a farmer picks, cleans, and turns the pumpkin into a glorious sight.  On a much grander scale, God's love transforms our hearts...he chooses us, cleanses us of the "yucky" stuff, and gives us a new face in Christ.  This has become a favorite book, and we read it each October.  I also share it with our 4 yr. old Sunday school class.  It also allows kids to see the growth process of the pumpkins from seed, sprout, vine, to pumpkin.  Here's a great YouTube video that shows a time lapse of the pumpkin vines growing.   

  

Of course, making a sweet treat was agreed on by everyone!!  So we baked pumpkin cookies with sprinkles.  They didn't last very long. ;)

Then we gathered our pumpkins for a little investigation.  The boys used unifix cubes to measure the height of their pumpkins.  Then they compared their towers to see whose pumpkin was taller.  

I introduced the word "circumference" and Old Crow used a tape measure to measure around his pumpkin.

Next, we cut into our pumpkin to learn about the inside.  We found lots of slimy, stringy, yucky pulp and tons of seeds!  We compared the amount of pulp found in the two pumpkins.  One pumpkin had a lot more than the other...each pumpkin is unique!!

Memphis Belle enjoyed scooping and playing in the pulp.

We added faces and candles, and now we were all set for a fun time of trick-or-treating.  

Crazy Horse loves to play Starfall on the computer...especially the pumpkin activity.  So I found that they offer a pumpkin app for the ipad.  The boys were able to weigh different pumpkins, balance the scale, and then compare the weights.  They also enjoy playing with the faces of the pumpkins.

We played with paints and worked together to come up with orange paint.  Old Crow and Crazy Horse were quick to realize that mixing together red and yellow would give us orange.

Lastly, we took our pumpkin seeds and some yarn (the pulp) and created a picture to represent what we found inside the pumpkins.  

I'll end with this Scripture that was included in The Pumpkin Patch Parable:

"In the same way, let your light shine before men,  that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."

Matthew 5:16

Jenny

Tuesday's Top 10: Joining a Bible Study

Today is the first Tuesday since my small-group Bible study ended.  Our 8 week study of the book of James  was a wonderful and mighty experience, and now that it is over, I'm feeling a little bereft.  I miss having my girlfriends over for dinner, sharing sweet girl talk, and listening to Beth Moore as she brought the life and message of James alive.  After a short break, we'll begin a new study and I'm looking forward to that time together again.  

As today began to draw to a close, I couldn't think of a topic for my "top 10."  The more I reflected over our recent Bible study, the more I realized this would offer a perfect Top 10.  Some of you may wonder, "What in the world does this have to do with homeschooling?"  Well...Mama is an important factor in the homeschooling equation.  She needs to be filled with wisdom, grace, and the Holy Spirit.

So I go to the well...where I will be filled.

Top 10 Reasons You Should Join a Bible Study

1.  You grow and mature in God's word. 

2.  You can commit scripture to memory.

3.   You are able to fellowship with other believers and build a community.

4.  You can develop relationships and friendships with other women.

5.  You can eat good food.  

And even if you miss the meal, you'll never leave hungry. :)

6.  You can share your concerns and troubles with others.

In a room of Christian sisters, you'll be wrapped in love and mercy.  This love and encouragement is so precious!

7.  You are able to pray and offer praise together.

8.  It allows an outlet for you to serve and minister to others.

Meeting the needs of those in your group & working together to meet the needs of those in the community. 

9.  It offers a level of accountability.

10.  Because it's Biblical.

Jesus used the small-group strategy in teaching his disciples.  Luke 6:12-13

The early church began in small groups.  Acts 2: 46-47

We are encouraged to meet together.  Hebrews 10:25

I'd like to hear why you love your small-group Bible study!  And if you haven't joined one yet, I urge you to find one and begin an awesome journey with the Lord. 

In His love,

Jenny

Tuesday's Top 10: Netflix for Kids

As a child, I remember renting a VCR player and movies from the local video store.  Many years later, while in college, DVD players were becoming the new thing.  Then came TiVo with the ability to rewind live TV.  Wait a minute...huh???  Is that even possible?

This new technology continued to spread and now we have smart TVs, DVRs, and Blu Rays. And with these we now have more capabilities than ever before...including Netflix.  Netflix offers a wealth of both entertainment and education.  Because of this, it is one of my family's new favorite electronic toys!  With the streaming capability on televisions, computers, and ipads, learning comes alive visually.
And the entertainment value isn't so bad either.  ;)

Top 10 Netflix Picks for Kids

1.  Mighty Machines

This is by far one of the boys' recent favorites.  Trains, planes, and heavy machinery geared towards kids!

2.  All About

Helicopters, Construction, and Boats are just a few of the different episodes.  

3.  Veggie Tales

Humorous stories with a strong focus on Godly character traits and Biblical stories.

  

4.  Modern Marvels (The History Channel)

A behind-the-scenes look at man-made wonders and technology breakthroughs.  Great for all ages! 

  

5.  How Stuff Works

An explanation of the stuff "that makes the world go round."  

6.   National Geographic

Wildlife and exotic, foreign locations are brought right into our living room.  Parental guidance may be needed on certain portions.  

7.  Thomas the Train
Talking trains with a multitude of facial expressions and strong British accents.  The kids love it!!  They often get their wooden trains and reenact the stories.

8.  The Land Before Time
Little Foot and his gang often find themselves in a sticky situation.  But it's nothing that a little teamwork and determination can't fix.  :)

9.  David Attenborough: Wildlife Special
Beautiful footage of God's amazing creatures.  Each episode looks at a different animal in their natural setting. 

10.   Military Channel:  Top Tens
Military weapons and systems throughout history are ranked and rated.  A top pick for Daddy and the kids love to watch as well.


Now that Memphis Belle is older and able to express her opinions, I'm sure Strawberry Shortcake and Care Bears will soon be added to our favorites. ;)


'Til next time,
Jenny

Tuesday's Top 10: Celebrating the Peanut

After our study of all things corn, we then focused on the peanut crop.  This little goober has a huge impact on our culture and the market.  And it is worthy of our attention.  :)

10 Ways to Celebrate the Peanut

1.  Visit a peanut field.

To learn first hand how the peanut grows and how it is harvested, visiting a farm that grows peanuts is a perfect field trip.  My sister took us on a tour of her farm and gave us the most educational overview of how a peanut grows.  It is amazing how much the boys listened and learned...and actually seeing the plant made it more concrete.

They learned that peanuts grow underground on the roots.

So in order to pick the peanuts, they must first be inverted (plowed up and turned over) so the peanut will be on the surface.

The boys were able to ride in the tractor with their uncle and watch the peanuts being plowed.

Once the peanuts are inverted and have dried out over a couple of days, they are ready to be picked.  We weren't able to see any farmers actually picking peanuts because the dew had not completely dried from the fields.  We did however look at the machinery and see the trailers full of peanuts ready to go the the buying point.

2.  Visit a peanut buying point 

Once the peanuts leave the fields, they are taken to a peanut buying point.  They are tested for moisture, weighed, evaluated, bought from the farmers, and then loaded onto semi trucks to be taken to warehouses.

First, a portion of the peanuts are tested for moisture.  If they are too wet, they must be dried out before the grading can begin.  Here the boys are using the machine that checks the amount of moisture in the peanuts.

Up and up we went, high above the peanut trailers where 8 samples are taken from each trailer that comes through.  It is a very detailed process on how they measure, evaluate, and weigh the peanuts.

Old Crow is helping unload the peanuts trailer.  They will be stored until ready to be poured into semi trucks.  The trucks will either take them to warehouses or shelling plants.

3.  Examine the peanut and record it in your Nature Journal.

Old Crow's drawing.  It shows how the peanuts grow underground and must be inverted before picking.

Memphis Belle taking a closer look at the peanut plant and helped pull off some of the peanuts. 

4.  Study George Washington Carver

In honor of his many inventions using peanut byproducts, we learned about George Washington Carver's life and service.  We watched this biographical video.  It introduces GWC and tells of his walk with God and his many achievements.  Old Crow then completed a response sheet after watching the video.  We wrote descriptive words on peanut shapes and then glued them to a paper titled, "Who Was George Washington Carver?"

5.  Learn products made from peanuts.

While watching the video on George Washington Carver, it shared several of the products made from peanuts.  Old Crow searched and found some of the items mentioned in our home.

6.   Eat boiled peanuts.  

A southern snack at its best!  

7.  Use peanuts as math counters.

Memphis Bell and I used the peanuts to count to 5.  We then sang silly songs like "5 Little Monkeys" except we changed it to "5 Little Peanuts."

Crazy Horse counted and made groups of 10s with his peanuts.

Old Crow also made groups of 10 and then he counted by 10s.

8.  Play a peanut relay game.

We raced with a peanut in our spoon.  The peanut was carried and dropped in a bowl.  Then we raced back to get the next of 5 peanuts.  The winner was the first to have all 5 of their peanuts dropped in the bowl.  They had a blast!  Trying to keep our dog, Bonnie, from eating the peanuts was a chore!  :)

9.  Review how peanuts grow with a coloring sheet.

This coloring sheet was a great way to review how they grow underground.

10.  Play with peanuts

Just having fun with the peanuts was a highlight for them.  Memphis Belle would play for long periods of time just scooping and pouring the peanuts.

And Crazy Horse enjoyed pretending to plow them with his toy harvester. :)

'Til next time,

Jenny