"Ok, Shiloh, you have a spelling test today. Let me get your book." As soon as the words were out of my mouth, Shiloh was headed out the door with a piece of sidewalk chalk. Running away from his lesson? Not at all. Shiloh loves to take his tests on the driveway. And because it is so fun, the others are scrambling out of their seats wanting to take his test, too. After eleven years of homeschooling, I have learned a lot myself. One thing is to let the students have fun while learning. Why writing spelling words with chalk is more fun than a pencil, I'm not sure, but I sure have a better day when my children are eager in their work.
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| Shiloh enjoying his outside spelling test |
Another lesson I have learned is to use the curriculum that the kids love. This year we used
The Story of the World for history for Stanley and Shiloh. The book is so interesting that the other kids were finding excuses to be in the living room to listen as I read, and Stanley could be found reading the book on his own.
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| A simulation of the 1883 Krakatoa Volcano in Indonesia |
We finished Volume 1 early in the year, so I decided to fill in the rest of the year with some geography. That lasted for only a couple of weeks before I gave in to their "Can't we please do another
Story of the World book?"
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| Savannah modeling the Pikelhaube (spiked helmet) of 1842 |
Today as they were coloring a map of Africa as it was divided up by the Europeans and fixing a puzzle of Africa, one of them asked, "Mom, aren't I African?" "Well, you are kind of African-Americans except for Shane. You were born in Africa, but you are an American citizen." Hmm...won't that throw people for a loop when they mark that on an application!
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| Shae-Lynn & Shiloh coloring Africa |
Sally, your sidewalk chalk Spelling test is such a great idea! Since we don't have sidewalks near our house yet, how about writing with a stick in the dirt?! ;)
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