How to do a Picture Study
I am a fan of Charlotte Mason, but there’s an area of instruction that in the past I have pushed aside. I am all for living books. In fact, I really need to get more bookshelves. My kids love notebooking. We use watercolors to paint and colored pencils to draw. Then my boys write what they have learned. I also have my kids do copywork. They copy poems and Bible verses. That’s easy to do, right? But what I have found intimidating is doing a picture study. Why? Well, because I am so unfamiliar with art. In fact, in college I was relieved to know that I didn’t have to take an art appreciation class. At the time, I had little knowledge of artists. It seemed better to stay away from the unfamiliar world of art. Fast forward twenty years later (yes, I am rather old now), and I am homeschooling and making brave attempts to appreciate art with my kids. Maybe there’s a fellow mom out there who likes Charlotte Mason, but finds it hard to go about teaching art appreciation to her children. I have had practice with picture study, but I wouldn’t say I am much good at it. It sounds intimidating to hold up a fine piece of artwork and hope that my children will have some remote interest in it. However, I have learned that even the minimal effort of just looking at artwork with my children and talking about what we see does increase their appreciation. Here are some things I have learned. Look and Share Charlotte Mason has a really simple method for looking and talking about artwork. First, you show the artwork to your child or children. All they do is look at the painting for a few minutes until they have studied all the details and can picture the image in their head. One challenging aspect is lengthening the amount of time spent looking at a portrait. At first, it was only a few seconds, but we have made steady improvement. Also, if the painting is interesting, then it’s easier to stop and stare. When we studied hummingbirds, we looked at John James Audubon’s Anna’s Hummingbird. It caught my kids’ attention because you see a female and two male hummingbirds, a nest, and one of the male hummingbirds flying upside down. There was a lot to talk about. They had trouble being quiet and looking at it because they immediately wanted to talk, but not everything will be perfect, will it? Remembering Paintings We did Treehouse Schoolhouse Nature Study a few years ago, which includes picture study. That’s actually where I first learned how to do a picture study. I don’t think I did a great job, but we have pulled some painting from that nature study and my kids always say that they remember this painting and that painting. It surprises me because I know I didn’t do a great job, but somehow my instruction kind of worked. My point is this: You don’t have to be good at picture study to grow your child’s appreciation of art. You can do a picture study even if it’s out of your area of expertise, which is probably most homeschool moms. You can grow into your role. Creating a Replica The hardest part of a picture study is making a replica. I am currently working on getting my kids to make replicas of paintings we study. Perfectionism runs strong in my family. When you tell a perfectionist that they are to create a replica of a masterpiece, they know they can’t live up to Rembrandt or Monet, right? Why bother if it won’t be perfect? That’s such a hard mindset to break out of, but a picture study is great tool to break that way of thinking. We aren’t great at making replicas yet, but we might be in a year or two….or three. I have found that letting my boys copy one part of the painting can help make the whole ordeal seem less scary. Increased Attention I said earlier that I have seen an increased ability in my kids to stare at a painting for a long time. We started at about ten seconds to about a minute and a half. That’s improvement! Staring at something not on a screen AND taking note of all the details, well that’s certainly discipline. What an age we live in where we can scroll on our phone and hardly pay attention to much of anything. I think a picture study fights against the inattention problems phones and screens have created. Final Thoughts Homeschooling takes you out of your comfort zone. Moms (and dads) begin teaching content that weren’t actually trained to teach. I have never taken an art class, but I can still talk about art with my children. Doing picture study with your kids may take time to get the hang of, but it’s pretty neat when your kids can name famous works of art. Even if picture study doesn’t go as planned, keep at it. Fruit doesn’t come quickly. Carly from DesertHomeschoolDays.com
Review on Whistlefritz Spanish Curriculum
Choosing a math and a reading curricula when homeschooling can be tough, but choosing a foreign language curriculum can seem even more daunting. As someone who enjoys looking through curricula, especially Spanish curricula, I am happy to recommend Whistlefritz as a good choice for younger children who are just beginning to study a foreign language. It’s a multi-sensory, immersive language learning curriculum that is lots of fun for young language learners. Whistlefritz sent me a copy of the Spanish Educators Collection. We paused our regular Spanish lessons (Flip Flop Spanish) and did lesson 9, which is all the kitchen, la cocina. After trying a lesson, I found that this curriculum is ideal for…. What Does Whistlefritz Cover? There are forty lessons that include topics like colors, the human body, seasons, family, furniture and rooms in a house, food, and a lot more. It teaches all the basic words that you would need in an introductory Spanish course. How Are the Lessons Set Up? The lessons are scripted and very easy to follow. Looking at the next lesson ahead of time is recommended since there are often materials that are needed, and some pages that need to be photocopied. The length of a lesson is about 30-40 minutes. Each lesson starts with review. Afterward, vocabulary is taught and students practice speaking the target words. Lastly, there’s a closure where the skills are reviewed. I loved the extension activities at the end of each lesson because they are playful and interactive. Some lessons have videos to watch. Some have books to read like Margaret Wise Brown’s Buenas noches, luna. Others have a song to learn. My children have already learned this content through other Spanish curricula, but if I were to use it, I would make each lesson last a few days in order to really make sure vocabulary has sunk in (rewatching videos, rereading books, and doing the extension activities). Whistlefritz Videos The videos feature a native speaker who speaks Latin American Spanish. She speaks slowly and clearly, and in complete sentences. She doesn’t speak in English to explain anything. It’s just Spanish. This is important because being immersed in the language is the best way to learn. Her pace is good. It’s not too slow making you feel like dumb, but it’s not too fast either. There are also children in the videos with whom she speaks. I really appreciated that because it allows my children to hear a conversation. Most of the time, the children respond with simple answers, but it’s still helpful to hear questions in Spanish. There are also fun songs that help children (and parents) learn the vocabulary words. The videos repeat the vocabulary a lot. Children will hear the vocabulary words in questions, statements, and in songs. The videos are in many of the lessons, but not all of them. They are available online or you can purchase them as DVDs. My six year old liked the videos and was glued to the screen. My oldest, who is eight year old, was less interested. The videos are geared for younger kids, so ideally they are great for kids around four to seven years old. Everyone’s kids are different though. Whistlefritz Homeschool Guide Whistlefritz provides a free home educator’s guide. I found it very helpful because it recommended that the lessons last a year. You have permission to go slow and have fun! For example, you could do lesson one on a Monday and rewatch the videos, listen the songs, and do the extension activities during the rest of the week. Last Thoughts Teaching Spanish to your kids when you don’t know Spanish sounds hard, but there are so many great resources like Whistlefritz that make it doable. Once you realize that you can teach and learn a second language with your child, you’ll feel like coolest mom in the world. And after you do something hard like l teaching your kids Spanish, I think you will feel very proud of yourself. Carly from DesertHomeschoolDays.com
Being a Student of Your Child
I love seeing cool ideas for homeschool lessons, or learning about new curricula that is on the market. I start imagining how fun it would be to do everything. But then reality returns. If I add on every new curriculum or fun field trip to our day, my children would not appreciate it. Through trial and error, I have learned to find a balance between seeing a cool idea and being a student of my child. What Is Being a Student of Your Child? Being a student of your child is studying your child and learning who they are. I know it sounds pretty basic. You are probably saying, “I know my kid!” What I mean is knowing them as a whole person – how they learn best, what helps them relax, what frustrates them, how do they calm down when frustrated, what awakens their mind, how do they think and perceive events in life, what sins do they struggle with, etc… Knowing who your child by seeing them in a variety of contexts over many years can give a parent insight into how homeschooling could look like for that child. Studying my children has helped me ignore or toss out ideas that might be nice, but ultimately wouldn’t work great for my kids. It’s knowing my kids so well that I can easily predict how some event or an activity is going to go, and then calculating if it’s worth the effort. The result of studying my children has made homeschooling easier and enjoyable. It takes reflecting, thinking, and careful observation to know how my children like to learn, what helps them thrive, and being able to connect with them. Asking Myself Questions After I see a brand-new curriculum (one that looks way better than what I have) or a cool field trip we could go on, I ask myself questions: Can we afford that? Would my children like it? Would this help them learn? Will all, or most, of my kids benefit from this or that? Am I the one who wants to go on this field the most? (Does anyone else have that problem? Mom being more excited about a field trip than the kids?) Does this mess up a nap time? Are we busy in the morning as well? (A busy morning and afternoon are tough for us in this season) What are we doing the day before or the day after? Running through relevant questions helps me figure out if an activity is going to make it in our school day. In the past, I have overbooked myself, and my children have never enjoyed that. I have found it helpful to say no to a lot, and say yes to a few things. The downside is that we miss out on a lot, but it’s something I have gotten better at accepting since my family’s needs come first. Knowing Your Child’s Strengths and Weaknesses My children love to be at home. Often times when we go on a field trip, one of my kids almost always asks, “When will we go home?” Their strength isn’t going from one place to the next. Homeschoolers often post pictures of themselves out and about on field trips or traveling. They are out and about doing so many cool things. But what if your kids just want to stay home and read? Or make strange things out of cardboard and duct tape? Or make muffins with grandma and play with only one kid from church? I am describing the ultimate introvert here. I have learned to let them be who they are. Yes, it’s good to push them out of their comfort zone (we do go on field trips, co-op class, church, sports practice), but not to the point where they are constantly exhausted and crabby. My kids’ strengths are what I call quiet learning. They don’t want to be out about all over the place all the time. Their world is small, and they like learning quietly. My kids aren’t going to be signed up for a thousand of activities or go to the park every day because they would hate it. I have learned to be okay to give my children a small world where they can figure out who they are and know their strengths. Knowing How They Learn Everyone homeschools differently. I find it fascinating that so many different families can find a different way to go about schooling that works for them. Here are some things I have learned about how my children learn best. Knowing What Excites Them Have you ever seen a spark in your kid’s eyes? I have! When one of my kids was four years old, he asked me what the moon was made of. I told him it was made out of rock. He stared at the moon for a good while in disbelief that a rock was floating over him. The idea of planets and rocks in outer space brought life to his mind. Whenever I plan our school, I leave time for him to find those topics of interest that keep his mind going. Here are some things that my kids really love to do: Last Thoughts It’s easy to google a homeschooling problem, find someone’s answer, and implement it….and then see how it didn’t actually work. Why? Usually when that happens to me, it’s because I forgot to think about who my kid is. Being a student of my child has lessened the wasted lessons. It’s also just makes me appreciate my kids more because I can see their strengths. Homeschooling isn’t always following the curriculum perfectly, or doing lessons that look exactly like someone else’s. It’s first looking at your child and adapting their learning so it matches who they are. Carly from DesertHomeschoolDays.com
Learning about Birds in Arizona: Part 2
We are just about finished learning about birds in Arizona. For the past few weeks, we have been learning about birds such as cactus wrens, roadrunners, quail, and hummingbirds. Birds of prey will be later this spring. We read a lot of books, memorized a poem, learned a song, watched birds in the backyard and we even made a paper mache saguaro boot. Picture Books about Birds in Arizona Unfortunately, there are very few picture books specifically written about birds that live in Arizona. There are lots of picture books about quail, but I wasn’t thrilled with any of them. The next best thing was to read picture books that either include some birds that live in Arizona or cover a broad species of a bird (like a wren). I supplemented with videos on YouTube to learn more about the specific birds in Arizona. Here are some of the books we enjoyed. About Woodpeckers by Cathryn Sill A Nest is Noisy by Dianna Hurts Ashton Lizards for Lunch by Conrad J. Storad In the Desert by Ann Cooper The Boy Who Drew Birds by Jacqueline Davies The Nest That Wren Built by Randi Sonenshine The Big Books of Birds by Yuval Zommer Feathers, Not Just For Flying by Melissa Stewart Features a red-tailed hawk. Observing Birds in Arizona I planned to go birding last week, but we all got nasty colds. That’s how life goes sometimes. We had to be content to watch what was in our backyard. Over the course of two weeks, we saw a roadrunner, a crow, a cactus wren, a curved-billed thrasher (one of them enjoys flying in our house every now and then), mourning doves, quail, hummingbirds, a cowbird, and a house finch. We use our Kid’s Guide to Birds of Arizona to help us identify birds, but we also enjoy using our smart bird feeder. It has a camera on the feeder and identifies the bird and records them as they eat. It’s very cool! During the weekend, we went to a park where we found what seemed to be three cactus wren nests. Unfortunately, my kids didn’t care too much about the nests. Me, however, I thought they were so neat! Is it me, or do homeschool moms sometimes get way more into their children’s learning than their kids? Anyway, cactus wrens build multiple nests to confuse predators. They are about the size of a football and have a small circular opening. Late February and early March as a great time to hunt for nests because the branches are still bare. Making a Saguaro Boot Birds love to make their nests in giant saguaros. Instead of making a nest, which is what we did in Ninos and Nature Nature Study (a nature study in Spanish), we made a saguaro boot. A saguaro boot is the hard lining of the hole that a bird carves out in a saguaro to use as their home. We blew up a balloon about the size of a grapefruit and covered it with strips of paper mache. We made sure to make an opening towards the side. Then they dried. Afterwards, we popped the balloons. I made one as a trial, and it turned out great. My kids made theirs on a cloudy day, and it took so long to dry. Some of balloons deflated due too much glue on the paper mache. This craft is only good for sunny days since it needs to dry fast. Final Thoughts Yesterday, one of my kids was in tears because his brother and I saw a cactus wren, but he didn’t. It was a hard moment for him. Whether you homeschool or not, it’s fun to get excited about the same thing together. Yes, there’s designate time for lessons, but sometimes the best learning happens on walks or playing outside. What I like is that learning is low-key and not stressful, and that makes life more enjoyable, doesn’t it? Be sure to read my previous post about learning about birds in Arizona. Carly from DesertHomeschoolDays
Homeschooling with a Crawling Baby
My fourth baby recently turned one, and these days, he is crawling from one end of the house to other in record time. Homeschooling was easier when he slept a ton and was either on his tummy for tummy time, the baby wrap, or his bouncer. He just stayed where I put him. Amazing! But things are not quite the same anymore. I like every stage my kids go through, but I will admit that homeschooling with a crawling baby is a bit harder now that he can grab and dump just about anything in sight. How does homeschooling with a crawling baby work? Homeschooling During Nap Time If you ask anyone for advice on how to homeschool with a crawling baby, chances are they will say something like, “Homeschool when the baby naps.” By the way, you should also do laundry, clean the house, cook dinner, meal plan, rest and read, and plan school while the baby naps. So basically, my baby needs to nap all day long. Personally, I like to homeschool my kids when my baby naps. I could do other things when he naps, but the reason why I choose to do school during that time is because homeschooling is my priority. The less distractions my boys have, the better. I have learned to do other chores with a baby at my side. I can cook dinner and be interrupted a bunch of times, but it doesn’t really impact everyone in any way, except that dinner might be late. Lessons that was interrupted are less effective. I use All About Spelling for phonics instruction. It’s well-known for using letter tiles on a white board. I could use an ipad with the letter tiles, but I prefer the kinesthetic experience for my kids. My baby also really likes the board and crawls as fast as he can to that board when it’s out (we hide it behind a couch) and messes up all the tiles in the blink of an eye. It’s bothersome all right. My point is that some things are easier with a mobile baby, like reading aloud during a snack or doing math outside while the baby craws around on the grass, while other things are harder like phonics. I have learned to do the things that are harder while he naps. Doing School Outside Of course, babies don’t always nap when they are suppose to. Nor do they always nap for as long as they need. Often times, my baby is right beside us at some point of our homeschooling. Doing school outside is very helpful with a crawling baby. I put him on the grass with some toys while I do school with my boys at the picnic table close by. Not only does the baby get to play outside and get all dirty (Kids need to get dirty), but he also gets some vitamin D. Eating During Read Alouds Most days we do a snack while I do a read aloud from our nature study or our geography studies (Around the World with Picture Books by Beautiful Feet). We also read poetry and listen to a song during this time. My baby sits in his highchair and eats with us. The food keeps him quiet, most of the time, so I can read. Wearing the Baby Sometimes wearing my baby is helpful during the window of time when he’s getting tired, but isn’t tired enough for a nap. It’s also nice to wear him so he gets more snuggles, but more importantly, it keeps him from grabbing things when I am teaching. I wear him on my back a lot. Being Mindful of Storage When my daughter was crawling, she found my All About Spelling boxes and dumped out multiple boxes all over the floor. If you aren’t familiar with All About Spelling, the cards are numbered 1-200 and are stored in order in a small box. It was a mess, and it took a long time to clean up and organize everything. After that, I learned not to store school materials like that within reach. The things that are within reach are things he can play with. It makes life less stressful. Being Flexible Really, all my baby wants is be near everyone. Most of the time he’s happy dumping out play food from the kitchen set, or eating cracker crumbs off the floor. Everything usually gets done, but if my baby needs more attention from me, it’s okay say I’m done with school. I don’t consider it being defeated, but rather since I am responsible to care for all my kids, if his needs are more intense one day, then I need to adjust. Last Thoughts What I am not saying is that homeschooling with a crawling baby is a breeze. A lot of the time it’s fine, but some days are hard. Sometimes there are hard moments where he’s fussy and loud, but then everything calms down. It’s helpful to think about it as a hard moment instead of hard day. Reframing it this way helps me enjoy the rest of my day. Carly from DesertHomeschoolDays.com
Homeschooling with a Baby
A week or two before I had my fourth baby, I had a fleeting thought – How am I going to homeschool with a baby? Some you of might wonder why I didn’t think of this sooner. I had nine months to think and plan, right? I have learned that sometimes over-planning is a waste of time. I decided not to really think about it a whole lot. It seemed better to figure it out after the baby was born. Fortunately, I had a few ideas that I thought would help. It turned out that homeschooling with a baby was easier than I thought. Tongue Tie & Feeding I didn’t start doing school until my baby was feeding normally. Most of my babies had tongue ties. With my first baby, the tongue tie experience was very overwhelming. The third baby (My second born son didn’t have a tongue tie), it was a little bit better. By the time my fourth baby had his tongue tie, it was hard, but it was not anything I couldn’t handle. He had his tongue released and started breastfeeding just fine. I was very thankful that life could move on. After all numerous the doctor appointments were done with, then we started school. Starting School Again I got some interesting advice after I had my fourth – Take six months off or jump right back into everyday things. There are many ways to approach homeschooling after a baby is born. My kids are small, so I need to be there directing them to some degree. They do well when there’s some sort of routine to the day. When there’s no structure, then that’s when more problems occur. For me, doing a little bit of school after a week after having the baby or so worked well. It wasn’t a lot, but we did enough to feel like we had some structure. Also, newborn babies sleep a ton. They love to be snuggled in a baby wrap and sleep for hours close to mom. As long as I had a descent amount of sleep and coffee, then I felt ready to slowly ease back into normal everyday life. Also, some things don’t stop after you have birthed a baby – co-op classes, sports, and church. In some way, it’s good to keep the normalness of life going. How to Balance School with a Baby Personally, I loved having a newborn and homeschooling. Here are some things that I did that worked with homeschooling and a baby. Final Thoughts My kids all loved having a baby brother. Today a family with four kids seems like a lot, but it doesn’t seem like a lot when you’re in the middle of all the wonderful craziness. I think it might be easy for some to see a baby as getting in the way of homeschooling, but having a baby made us love being at home together even more. It didn’t hurt anyone’s schooling. In fact, a new baby has always forced my older kids to become more independent. Sometimes people ask how I homeschool with a baby. It seems like they think my children sit in complete silence while doing workbook after workbook all morning. In that case, the baby better not make a peep! They probably aren’t imagining all the read alouds and snuggles. Homeschooling can work in so many different circumstances, and a baby always has a place in a homeschool home. Homeschooling with a baby is easy (although it might depend on whether you have an easy baby or not). Homeschooling with a crawling baby…that’s more of a challenge. I will write about that another day. From Carly at DesertHomeschoolDays
Learning About Birds in Arizona: Part 1
Last week we began learning about birds in Arizona. Our first bird we tackled was the hummingbird. We will be learning about other birds in Arizona later this spring. We plan to make a detour and study butterflies and plants in the Sonoran Desert, and then return to birds. The reason for a detour is because every spring we order caterpillars and watch them turn into butterflies. We have to order the caterpillars before it gets too hot. Otherwise, they roast to death in our metal mailbox. I call that a, “Phoenix problem.” We also want to observe plants and learn their names before it’s hot. Does anyone else not know the names of common desert plants? Ocotillo? Ironwood? Desert broom? I know some, but not as much as I would like. Now, back to birds in Arizona. We started off with reading some books about hummingbirds, memorizing a poem, and learning a song. The song has been stuck in my head for over a week. It’s a catchy fun tune. Later, we set up our hummingbird feeder and filled it with sugar water. We also learned about John James Audubon and looked at one of his painting of hummingbirds. Lastly, we hunted around our backyard for hummingbird nests. Unfortunately, we found nothing. However, we were able to make our own nests using air dry clay. Picture Books Finding books about hummingbirds is easy, but finding books about hummingbirds that don’t focus on the ruby-throated humming bird’s migration to Mexico is hard. We don’t see the ruby-throated hummingbird here in Arizona all that often. The hummingbirds that are commonly seen in Phoenix are the costa’s hummingbird, the Rufous hummingbird, the Allen’s hummingbird, Anna’s hummingbird, and the broad-tailed hummingbird. I couldn’t find any picture books specifically about hummingbirds in Arizona, but the following picture books were about various kinds of hummingbirds, some of which are here in Arizona. Hummingbirds by Catheryn Sill Hummingbirds by Bonnie Bader The Kids’ Guide to Birds of Arizona by Stan Tekiela A Nest is Noisy by Dianna Hutts Aston Observe Hummingbirds I am learning a lot about the Sonoran Desert with kids. One thing I learned as we recently started observing hummingbirds is that the summer is the best time to observe them. Some of them migrate from Mexico starting in March and leave again in October. The Anna’s hummingbird stays here all year-round, so you can always see them flying around. However, there is a greater variety in the summer. We have honeysuckle trees all across our backyard. Hummingbirds like the color red. This worked out well for us. We were able to observe some hummingbirds and identify them. They fly away so fast, so it’s kind of hard to get a good look. We had fun and did our best with our Birds of Arizona book. Hummingbird Feeder We set up our old hummingbird feeder and watched them drink the sugar water. The recipe calls for boiling water, but I have never actually done that, and hummingbirds still come anyway. I just mix sugar and water. Our hummingbird feeder was old and no longer red, so we ordered a new one so that it would attract hummingbirds. Hummingbird Nest Towards the end of the week, we made hummingbird nests our of Crayola Air-Dry clay. My kids loved it! Hummingbird nests are as small as a quarter. Some nests are two inches across and one inch deep. We used those measurements to make sure our nests weren’t gigantic (because to a kid a bigger nest is a better nest). The nests dried after a few hours. Later, we painted them. Final Thoughts A lot of people here in Phoenix are transplants. That means that names of desert birds and plants are new to them. I knew very little about hummingbirds before I read about them with my kids. They are actually neat little birds. When I was a teacher I always felt like I had to be the expert. Oh what hogwash! I like learning with my kids. I am not an expert, but sometimes that works to a homeschool mom’s benefit. You and your kids can get excited about something together. Carly from DesertHomeschoolDays.com
When Picture Books About Saguaros Become Real
A few weeks ago, we studied saguaros for our Sonoran Desert nature study. What do you do after you have learn about saguaros? You go hiking in the Sonoran Desert and observe as many saguaros as possible. We went to the McDowell Sonoran Preserve where the picture books about saguaros became real. The hike had a lot to see. We were able to observe lots of saguaros, plus a pack rat midden, which is one of the many nocturnal animals here in the desert. We also went to the Desert Botanical Garden here in Phoenix, which also brought our learning to life. Bajada Nature Trail We went hiking at the Gateway Trailhead in Scottsdale, Arizona. A friend recommended this trail to me because it’s perfect for small children. There are a few trails to choose from, but if you’re like me and have a bunch of little kids, then the Bajada Nature Trail is the best pick. The whole trail is half of a mile. Some great features are that it’s stroller friendly, and that it has signs that help hikers learn more about the Sonoran Desert. The hike has lots of saguaros all around. While hiking, what we saw reminded us of the picture books about saguaros we had read, like Desert Giant and Cactus Hotel. Some saguaros had no arms, while some had many. We saw saguaros that had died and toppled over. Once it starts decaying, you can see the ribs and all the wood inside. A saguaro is considered a tree-like plant, but before moving here I never would have guessed it had wood inside. One thing I have noticed about saguaros is that they are often times growing right next to another tree that provides shade, like a palo verde tree. I never knew why they seemed to always be growing straight up in another’s trees space until I read The Giving Tree of the Desert. A palo verde tree can be a nurse tree that protects a saguaro as it first begins to grow. Eventually, the nurse tree dies and the saguaro keeps on living. We saw a bunch of nurse trees with a small saguaro growing under its shade. The saguaros were cool, but I found the pack rat midden to be the best part. The midden is clearly labeled on a sign and is easy to locate. It reminded me of Desert Night Shift: A Pack Rat Story. We got off the trail (I know you’re not suppose to do that, but it’s not rattlesnake season yet) and looked all around the midden. We found small holes a ways off that we think led to the midden. The whole hike took us about an hour or so. We stopped a lot, read the signs, and took pictures too. The Desert Botanical Garden The Desert Botanical Garden is an obvious place to visit if you are studying the Sonoran Desert. There is a lot to see there, but what we enjoyed the most were the Plants and People Trail and the Sonoran Desert Nature Trail. All around the garden there are tables where staff teach visitors more about the Sonoran Desert. One table had a saguaro boot that you could look at. Animals dig holes into a saguaro and live inside it. Once the saguaro has died and rotted, then the shape of the hole, which has hardened, is preserved and actually looks like a boot. I didn’t think to take a picture of that. The Sonoran Desert Trail has lots of different types of cacti. There’s also a cool mountain view with a board that identifies the different mountains. The Plants and People Trail show how natives lived in the Sonoran Desert and what they used to survive. Did you know that they used the wood from an old saguaro to make a pole to grab the fruit off a live saguaro? I sure didn’t. My kids had fun running into the replicated huts. There is also an antelope squirrel colony. We were able to get right close and really watch them. We haven’t learned much about them yet, but we have seen them on other trails like the Reach 11 Trail in Phoenix. I have read a lot of books about apple trees and oak trees with other nature studies. We liked them, but we never got to observe them. That’s why I think it’s really great for my kids and me to read picture books about the Sonoran Desert – we get to actually observe the trees, plants, and animals. That’s what nature study is all about. It’s really neat to see everything up close, and it’s even better to do it with your kids. I hope you try out this trail. You will enjoy it! For book ideas, read my post about picture books about saguaros. Written by Carly from DesertHomeschoolDays.com
Homeschooling Introverts
Homeschooling introverts is something I can easily write about because most of my children, including myself and my husband are introverted. I think some parents think homeschooling an introverted child sounds ideal because they more likely are going to be content being at home and are less likely to beg for friends to come over or go out somewhere. All of those characteristics can make homeschooling easier, but as with everything in life, there are also challenges. Here is what I have learned about homeschooling introverts. Give Them Downtime Even though I am an introvert, I prefer to go out more than my children do. When I hear of a cool field trip to go on or a fun outing, I am the one who is the most excited to go. Most days we go out somewhere. Sometimes it’s just in the morning, or only afternoon, or maybe the evening. Considering the amount of work it takes to get everyone ready, we do get out quite a bit. Since we have a busy schedule, I have learned to be careful with the amount of time we spend out of the house. I say no to outings for the sole purpose of letting my kids stay home and play. To some that may look like we have nothing going on, but the space to relax and play is necessary for them. Plus, the time at home helps me keep up with housework. Striking a Balance in Your Schedule Striking a good balance of staying at home and going out has taken a lot of trial and error, and it has changed as my kids have grown. When my boys were four and two years old, we would alternate between a whole day at home and a day where we go out somewhere. It kept them happy because it was good balance. These days, I have somewhere to go most every day. Since my two oldest boys are older, they can handle it fine. What I do now is I reserve a few afternoons a week for downtime. Invite Friends Over I used to be intimidated to invite people over to my house, especially if I didn’t know them very well. Over the years, I have become better at having people over for dinner or a playdate. My children have also grown in this area as well. When they were smaller it wasn’t always easy to have people over, but I kept trying. It was hard because I always wondered what people thought about me and my shy children. As I have gotten older, I don’t care as much about what people think. Instead, I care more about raising my children to be hospitable and welcoming to others when people come over. Let Them Find Their Interests This thought goes back to having downtime. My kids feel recharged when the home is orderly (sometimes that’s hard to maintain, but it’s possible) and they have time to pursue their interests. What I have seen is their interests – reading, drawing, studying maps or the learning about the weather – have made them interesting to talk to. It’s their interests that bring their minds to life. For introverts, ideas are almost as essential as meals. Kids like this tend to have a rich inner thought life. All that alone time is not a waste of time. Choosing How to Socialize If you talk to any introvert, they will admit that they probably prefer getting together one-on-one or in a small group, but not in a huge, gigantic, loud group. Our culture prefers the big crowds, but introverts usually don’t care for that type of socializing. In the past, we have done large group events, and most of the time none of my kids enjoyed them. That doesn’t mean I don’t sign up for those types of activities, but it does mean that I am mindful of how often I am participating in large group events. It’s good to be stretched, but it’s also good to know what situations help you make friends. I prefer one-on-one or a small group. I find that I’m not really socializing when I am in a large group. It’s the same for my kids. The one-on-one playdates are where we have made friends. Last Thoughts Being an introvert is a gift, and homeschooling introverts is also a gift. In a world where extroverted qualities are more highly valued, you can forget that skills like observation, concentration, pondering, and asking meaningful questions, are amazing skills to have (I’m not saying extroverts don’t have any of those skills). My kids can be quiet for a while reading, but then suddenly, they have so much to talk about and share from their books. They have strengths. Homeschooling helps me bring out their strengths. Comment what you have learned from homeschooling introverted children. Carly from DesertHomeschoolDays
Llamitas Spanish: Why It’s My Favorite Spanish Curriculum
Over the past two years, I have used different Spanish curricula. I first started with Llamitas Spanish, and it is by far my favorite. It’s fun and rewarding to spend time thinking and talking in another language, and it’s even better to do it with my kids. My children and I are not fluent, but we have fun learning Spanish. In my opinion, enjoying the learning process is just as valuable as becoming fluent. If you enjoy learning a language, then you’ll keep at it. Llamitas Spanish It is a thematic, open-and-go, Charlotte Mason inspired curriculum. It’s also my kids’ favorite Spanish curriculum too. Currently, I am not using Llamitas Spanish this year, but we still sing a few of the songs for review each day and read books from the reading list. Here are some of the reasons why Llamitas is my favorite curriculum, and why I cannot wait to use levels 2 and 3. Easy to Use Llamitas is an open-and-go curriculum. There are flashcards you can print out and decodables that need to be folded and stapled. Otherwise, there’s no planning. Everything is written in Spanish and in English. That means the parent who doesn’t know much or any Spanish can learn alongside with their child. There’s also no teacher book. The student book comes with directions for the parent to read aloud to the child. All of this makes teaching Spanish so much easier and far less intimidating. Mostly Screen Free I limit screen time in my house, but I’m glad to use it if it helps us learn. I like that the creator of Llamitas, Corrie Wiik, includes videos and songs that are found online. The videos help my kids understand the songs better. Folk Songs and Artwork One of my favorite parts of Llamitas are the Spanish folk songs. Some of the folk songs include Mi Burro; Asserín, Asserán; Juguemos en el Bosque and Mariposita. Each unit includes a few pieces of artwork from famous painters. Each piece of artwork has questions to ask that use the unit vocabulary words. Cross-Content Llamitas incorporates basic math into their lessons. This includes counting to 100, learning names of shapes, and adding and subtracting. Visuals accompany the addition and subtraction problems. The best part is that it all goes back the unit theme. The math work centers around the vocabulary words. Not Woke Some of the Spanish curricula that I have seen is woke and includes content that I don’t approve of. In level 1, the family unit is just about families. It doesn’t contain any LGTBQ content. It’s refreshing to know that it’s free from content that doesn’t need to be included in order to learn Spanish well. Additional Activities Llamitas also includes art projects and extra worksheet pages with each unit. The directions for the extra activities are online. That’s a plus because if you’re too busy to do the extras, then your children won’t ever know what they missed. Booklist Corrie has created a wonderful booklist for each unit that includes beginner and intermediate level picture books that go along with the unit study. I didn’t utilize the booklist a whole lot when I did level 1, but I really wish I had. Like, I said, I still use the songs for review with our current Spanish curriculum, but I will also be using the booklist as a resource for read alouds. Motivating Did you know that Corrie Wiik learned Spanish later in life? And yet she created a wonderful Spanish curriculum without being a native speaker! That made me feel so much better about teaching my children Spanish. I studied it in college and studied abroad, but I don’t consider myself fluent. Llamitas took away the fear of teaching a second language to my children. I don’t speak Spanish perfectly, but it’s not the end of the world. I try my best and have fun teaching and learning with my kids. Maybe you’ll try Llamitas Spanish. You won’t be disappointed! Carly from deserthomeschooldays.com