Homeschooling

One of my favorite things about homeschooling is all the outside activities and classes plus getting creative at home to help them learn.  It's not all workbooks and seat work.  In fact I would say that's a 1/3 of our curriculum.  The other 2/3 are activities.

To study ancient egypt we learned about archeology and did a dig.  We learned about the mummification process (which is extremely fascinating ~ did you knkow that they pulled the brain out through the nose?) and we prepped a mummy that we'll bury in the backyard.  We had an egyptian feast and ate with our hands (which was a bit questionable because Ev thinks they had wooden utensils to eat and a book we read said they ate with their hands)  All in all, we learned the fun way, not just reading a textbook.  The textbooks give us the facts but we try to make them come alive.

We also get creative in areas beyond history.  For math, my Zaiah - Zaiah who can't sit still to save his life (even if he is sitting still his feet & legs are moving) likes to jump up and down our stairs while reciting his math facts.  We play dominos and card games that make you add.  We do fun read alouds & historical fiction,  and we have a great time in art & technology.  We did some culinary art this past learning period and one of our snacks were these adorable snowmen:

Ingredients:  Banana slices, mini chocolate chips, carrot slivers, apple wedge & grape all on a skewer ~ don't forget the pretzel arms.

Ev & Zaiah have been having an amazing creative bonding time in Daddy & Me jr. carpentry.  They just finished up a 3 week project ~ Z's new toolbox.  Z used a compound Miter Saw & Router.  He countersunk something our other, not sure on the lingo.  My point is he did some serious woodshop work for an 8 year old AND he did it all while working with his Dad.  If Zaiah could spend time with anyone he'd always pick his Dad hands down.  But Dad is closely followed by Grumps,  any of the Uncles, Papa D & Papa.  Mom is chopped liver . . . well not really :)

I used one of my cricut fonts as a template for the words, then Ev and Z carved it out with a router(?), I think that what they used.  Now Z wants to paint the inside of the letters.  Ev is expecially proud of his hammer carving :)