July 2016

We've got some catching up to do!

(And a caveat ... this is likely to be a little clunky the first few weeks, as I get into a comfortable grove of what works for me in keeping this blog-journal of our home education days).

After a break from our usual home education routine, we got back to work midway through July.

The end of July month was very 4H heavy, with a rush to complete our annual Project Books and then our 4H County Fair. 

For his Project Book, Hawkeye wanted to include a picture of his recent awards; here he is with his Valued Club Member medal, Club 4H Spirit medal (awarded to just one club member who has best exemplified the 4H spirit each year), and his ribbon for the winning entry to the Junk to Treasure Club Contest. 

Hawkeye entered his Project Book into the Fair to be judged, and was awarded a blue ribbon for his efforts! He also volunteered in the Ice Cream Shack and in the Ticket Booth (where he handed out programs and maps, helped answer questions about the Fair and helped me make some change for ticket sales). And then he also had a few chances throughout the week to just enjoy the fair itself. Demolition Derbys, meeting Nascar racer Patrick Szabo, entering a corn eating contest, visiting a working tin smith (who was so generous with his knowledge and gave a wonderful demonstration of his skills) and touring the show animals. We really do love our County Fair!

We also had a few opportunities to do some creek play; we go armed with plastic cups, nets and our identification books. And of course, we just play too!

We attended a lecture and hands on collecting walk with our local Wildlife Conservancy group, about Nighttime Lepidoptera, aka moths! The lecture was given by Dr David Adamski, and discussed the characteristics of moths, their evolution from the prehistoric era. We were then able to go outside, and look at the moths and other nighttime insects attracted to the catch sheet by a black light. As we were out past bedtime, and in a park further out from our suburban home, we were also able to do a little star watching. Hawkeye did an Astronomy project with his 4H Club last year, so we brushed up on some of the things we learned; finding the Northern Star, Orion's Belt, Cassiopeia and the Seven Sisters. 

And scattered through all of these events, have been our nearly daily Nature Walks. Even a five minute trot around the neighborhood qualifies in my book! We look at leaves, visit a favorite tree, check out blossoms and berries and listen to the birds (and sometimes try to identify them by their song alone).
As part of our morning walks, Hawkeye will often take nature photographs, that he then adds to his nature-themed Instagram page, Mudheads. 

Reading
We continued daily reading (Easy Reader, Level 1 books) and played on the Teach Your Monster To Read app.

Math
Continuing our work through Life of Fred: Edgewood

Ongoing Reading
My Book House, In the Nursery (daily)
Aesop Fables (daily)
The poems of Walter de la Mare (daily)
Fifty Famous Stories Retold, by James Baldwin
     - Grace Darling
     - The Story of William Tell
Seabird, by Holling C. Holling
     - chapter 20
     - chapter 21
The Burgess Bird Book for Children, by Thornton W. Burgess
     -  The Towhee and the Indigo Bunting
Among the Forest People, by Clara Dillingham Pierson
     - The Night Moth with the Crooked Feeler
     - The Bees and the Kingbird
Just So Stories, by Rudyard Kipling
     - How the Alphabet Was Made

Chapter Books Read
Ramona Quimby, Age 8, by Beverly Cleary

History Books Read
The Matchlock Gun, by Walter D. Edwards

Non-fiction Books Read
The Mary Celeste, by Jane Yolen 

Picture Books Read
Dear Mili, by Wilhelm Grimm
The Little Brute Family, by Russel Hoban
Tim and Ginger, by Edward Ardizzone
Many Moons, by James Thurber