Explorers

We have our first two weeks of school done already. The last two weeks have been crazy busy. It is so nice to have a routine again. I think we are all enjoying that part of school. We have been studying the Explorers, Navigation, and the Constellations in our on line co op. Morgan has learned so much (and me too!). We have studied Leif Erickson (Yeah for the Norseman), Marco Polo, Prince Henry the Navigator, Bartholomew Diaz, and Christopher Columbus. WHEW! We have been mapping out where the explorers started their trips and what places they have discovered. We (yes, we, I am learning as much as Morgan) are learning a great deal about geography as well. Morgan is keeping track of what she has learned about each explorer on a notecard and once we have finished this unit we are going to try and put it together in a lapbook. It will be a great way to keep all the information she has learned in something easy to store. I will keep you posted on this project and if I can figure out how I want to do it I will post photos of our work in progress and the final project. Some of the highlights of our explorer unit so far have been: making the Viking shield, making a spice chart and researching where spices came from, making a meat tray sailboat, eating a sailors lunch (Landon liked it, but Morgan wasn't too sure), and staying on watch like the sailors. Being part of the online co op is great. There are tons of moms out there doing the same activities I am and we can share websites or books found over the internet. We definitely all learn from each other and get ideas for the projects etc.. It is very fast paced and there are many activities and projects. I love how hands on the learning is for the kids. They will definitely remember many of these things for a long time. Right now it is about being flexible and picking what activities work for our family and our schedule. It is just so hard to pick. So far we have been able to fit most everything into our daily work. We are having so much fun with school and I am amazed at how much I am learning right along with Morgan.

My little explorers on watch - looking for land! The swingset fort made a perfect ship.


Landon is very excited about the explorer lunch. Morgan is hoping she can have some "real" food after she tastes what is on her plate.

Here is the explorer lunch: cheese, beef jerkey, rice, almonds, raisins, a day old biscuit, and water with lemon juice. Tasty!

Lance came home for lunch the other day and we roped him into helping us learn about vectors and making meat tray sailboats.

Morgan drawing a picture of a caravel - a type of sailboat invented by Prince Henry the Navigator.

Morgan is making her spice chart and her helper is right there smelling all the spices.