Throwback Thursday!

A series of older blog posts, mostly centered on homeschooling and children, that I began in 2008 as a way to update family on what we were doing.  Maybe some of the posts will be helpful to parents with younger children or new homeschooling families.

9/14/14
Today we read the first of three 'tall tales' in McBroom's Wonderful One-Acre Farm by Sid Fleischman.  We have enjoyed other Fleischman's books, The Whipping Boy and By the Great Horn Spoon, so I expected that this would also be an enjoyable read.

A tall tale is a story with exaggerated, unbelievable elements that are related to the reader as if they were factual and completely true.  Tall tales are part of our American Folklore heritage and also part of my personal heritage, if you've ever had a conversation with my step-dad or uncle.  As McBroom (Fleischman) teases, "I'll tell you about the watermelons in a minute."

McBroom decides to move his wife and eleven children out west in search of a better piece of farm land.  Upon the way, he meets a sheister named Hector Jones who cons gullible McBroom out of his last $10.00.   But the joke is on 'Ol Heck, because the acre of land that the McBrooms are left with is so rich, you could harvest a crop in a matter of hours!  "I'll tell you about the watermelons in a minute."

The reading level of the book is second-grade, age 7.  My children are past this level but it was a book I kept hearing about and had never read so I read it aloud to my fifth grade boy, complete with the country accent it calls for. Of course he rolled his eyes when I said I was requiring the book, which for him can be completed in one sitting, but I saw him smile a few times at the outrageous events that take place in the tall tale. 

I would encourage you to read this book aloud with your early elementary children and add in some fun family activities like sprouting bean seeds, writing your own tall tales and eating watermelon then having a seed-spitting contest. Adding a character lesson about telling the truth would also be a great addition.

And about the watermelon, you'll just have to read the story to find out what happens.


Originally posted 9/14/14 in my blog, Traveling with Children (Consolidating Blog Posts)

Summer Learning: Bay Scalloping in FLORIDA

Sadly, I missed the Sonlight May Blog Party, but I am back on track for June.  One of my favorite learning activities in the Summer is scalloping,  so for this month's blog post, I'll share an edited version of an old post about scalloping in Florida*.  Even if you aren't in Florida, maybe it will inspire you to find something in nature to study with your children and pair it with an activity.  Summer Science has always been a focus for us, especially when they children were younger.  

Bay scallops are bivalve molluscs that can be found on Florida's west coast.  They are usually found living in 4-8 feet of water and are bottom dwellers.   Previously harvested and sold commercially, they are now only available for recreational harvesting during a specific, regulated season.  A Florida salt-water fishing license is required for those over 15 years of age.  Open harvest season for bay scallops along Florida's Gulf Coast usually begins in July and runs through September.  You can find the current season and more info at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission site.

As a family, we enjoy harvesting and eating scallops.  Our favorite place to scallop is on Florida's Forgotten Coast, near Carrabelle, FL, which is right about in the 'Big Bend' of Florida. There is only a certain zone where bay scallops can be harvested.

http://myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater/recreational/bay-scallops/

 My children float for hours participating in a shallow-water treasure hunt searching for these fascinating and delicious molluscs.

One year, as we prepared for a trip, my ever-present thirst for knowledge reared its head and I began searching for information on the life cycle, migration habits, anatomy and any other information on scallops I could find, including recipes.  A unit study on vacation you ask?  
Why not?

This is what we look for while gently gliding through the water with our snorkel, mask, fins and of course a mesh bag to stash the critters.

Maybe you've only seen a scallop sauteed in butter and garlic or perhaps battered and fried? Upon initial inspection, the bay scallop doesn't really appear fascinating while resting in its natural habitat.  But, wait!  

The scallop has eyes, brilliant neon blue eyes, lining the edge of both shells!  This picture does not do justice to the gorgeous blue hue.   Doesn't it look like a venus flytrap?

The edible portion of a scallop is actually the adductor muscle that opens and closes the shells.  (There are two shells, hence the name bi-valve mollusc.)  

Ever seen a scallop swim?  Here is a great video showing the amazing maneuvers these molluscs can make.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has a page on the anatomy and life cycle of the scallop. Why not plan your own family trip to harvest scallops? 

*This post was previously shared on my old blog "Traveling with Children"

Geocaching: Worldwide Treasure Hunting

What is Geocaching?

Geocaching is a game of treasure hunting that can be played world-wide.  Participants utilize GPS coordinates to place and locate geocaches (containers) hidden at specific locations. If this is the first time you have heard of geocaching, you will probably be surprised to know that there may be hundreds of them within 10 miles of your home! 

Geocaches are rated by size and level of difficulty to find.  The containers can be made of anything and placed anywhere, so some are tricky to find.  Today, we found one disguised as a sprinkler head!  Sometimes there are hints given or the hint can be in the name given to the cache.  For instance, the sprinkler head cache had a hint of "water, water, everywhere".

Some geocaches are tiny containers containing just a log for you to sign your username and date.  Others are boxes that contain prizes and if you choose to take a prize, you are supposed to leave something in return.

This is probably the most common type of cache we find.  It's great for beginners.  An old film canister covered in camo duct tape.  It's amazing how clever people get when hiding these containers.  

My son found this cache made out of a rubbermaid container. It had various small prizes to choose from, left from other cachers. He signed the log and left a prize in return for the one he chose to take.

My son is pointing to a very common 'hanging' cache.  These type are small metal containers, often camouflaged, usually hanging from a tree branch. This type only has a log and you will need your own pen.


Old military surplus ammo cans are often used as well.  These containers provide protection from the elements and ample space to hide treasures for geocachers.

Our most unusual, and terrifying, cache so far is one we found near a cemetery.  The hint had us turning over logs, almost expecting a rubber snake, which we have found before. Well, you can imagine how we jumped when we found this!   

A hollow rubber hand hidden under a decaying piece of wood.  The geocache was stored inside the open end at the wrist.  It totally freaked us out but the fright turned into laughter and continues to make us laugh whenever we remember that find.

When we were just starting out, we downloaded the FREE introductory version of the Geocaching app.  My parents actually introduced my children to geocaching.  For my son's last birthday, he received a geocaching kit and it included a 30 day trial of their premium version.  We have really seen the worth of that and will sign up after the trial ends.  I think the full app costs $9.99.

This game has provided hours of family fun, especially for my 11 year old son.  It is a great way to get outdoors but still provides that element of technology that he craves. It is also great for road trips and to explore new parks and other areas that may not be familiar to you.

Happy Hunting!

Winter Jam 2015

For several years now, our family has attended Winter Jam and this year was no exception. Winter Jam is a concert of ten diverse Christian musical artists and the admission is only $10 per person.  It is a first come-first served event (unless you pay extra for premium passes) so people line up really early, around the arena, waiting for the doors to open. I've watched the crowds increase in the last five years or so and last night when we arrived at 5:00, the lines stretched two city blocks.  The Arena has 15,000 seats and was completely packed, including the seats behind the stage.

Winter Jam began in 1995, founded by the band Newsong. Each year the line-up is a collection of all types of musical styles from rap to rock but one thing the artists all have in common is their faith in Jesus Christ.

This year, the headliner was Skillet, a hard rock band that is very popular and has three platinum albums to their credit.  Other acts this year were: Jeremy Camp, Francesca Battestelli, Family Force Five, For King and Country, Building 429 and few other new artists. Each artist shares testimony that is so uplifting and inspirational.

Tony Nolan was the guest speaker and shared his story of being adopted from an violently abusive foster care situation as a young child.  His pro-life passion for adoption was palpable as he encouraged the crowd to consider supporting Holt International Children's Services, a sponsor of the event.

My favorite part of this concert tour is seeing the unity among the artists, no matter what their style or denomination may be.  Often you will see one artist come on stage to join another and it is often a surprise.  Last night, Jen Ledger, the drummer and a vocalist for Skillet, came out to sing Hillsong's Oceans with Newsong.  This was quite a pleasant surprise because Skillet is loud and hard, while Newsong is a traditional Praise and Worship group.  The added surprise of them singing this powerful worship song together had the entire arena on their feet with uplifted hands.

The night ended with flames and a moving drum platform when Skillet took the stage. Besides engaging the crowd in a hard rock worship exeperience, lead singer John L. Cooper gave a powerful message of not being ashamed of the gospel.