This mama was floored that her baby somehow by osmosis now knows how to paddle the right way. I swear I never "taught" him this. It just happened. Sometimes I would just sit back there and stare as my sweet boy paddled us along under his own power.
Reading, check. Plenty of waterside signs and boat names to sound out.
Rules Of The Road, check! We have a favorite Them Eastport Oyster Boys song (Marina, Marina) where Z has heard the phrase "Red Right Returning" a million times. It means, if you are returning to a smaller body of water from a larger, you keep the red markers on your right (and by default if there are only green markers, you keep those on the left). The opposite applies for leaving the smaller body of water for the larger. Here is a little boy who barely knows his right from his left, and once again he showed ME. Not only did he fully understand the rule, he was able to flip-flop it for the way out and tell me which was to steer us around the markers. He was so proud of himself.
Science, double check! Of course we spotted more wildlife than I could catch with my little camera. Our goose family, water snakes, fish jumping like crazy, great blue heron, red winged blackbirds, muskrats, cormorants. And Zach spent the trip back to the boat experimenting with drag. He was putting one foot, then two in the water and noticing aloud how it impacted our speed.
Recess, check. Lest you think I am trying to make every moment a lesson, think again. The reality is we were just out for a pleasure paddle, and Z was just doing what curious almost 5 year olds do. I was the one categorizing in my head how this normal morning outing could become a homeschool lesson if I broke down everything that was said and done. Come fall, I will need to start doing this sort of exercise on paper, for the state, so I guess you could say I am practicing. More than anything, Z was kicking back and enjoying the experience... a lesson I need to learn myself.
9 comments:
I love it! That's exactly what we're doing too. It's amazing once you get looking at it how "schooly" stuff and "real life" stuff fit so nicely together. It makes me wonder why in the world we ever tried to separate them out in the first place!
Nothing like the great outdoors to work in some awesome learning experiences!
This is such a great blog! How fabulous that you are such an adverturesome family :) I'm going to enjoy following it (and I agree with what Erin J said above)...whey we separated school from life makes no sense...living IS learning. It doesn't stop when some silly bell rings - LOL! Thanks for sharing :)
I am loving the simplicity that you start off your entry with. I would say that our supplies would be a butterfly net, a shovel and at least 3 buckets. This was us last summer
http://ourdayourjourney.blogspot.com/2008/07/grab-your-bucket.html
Living is learning and learning should be fun and exciting!!! With luck, I'll have my husband on board with home schooling before fall.
ErinJ - Very wise words my dear!
wholarmor - true, I always giggle thinking about corporations paying big bucks for outdoors retreats.
Jen - Thank you for the kind words.
Christine - thanks for linking up! I love following all of the amazingly creative things you do with your daughter.
amen to this! living, and experiencing life as it comes to you...*is* 'schooling'! fantastic stuff here. :)
Oh kayaking! I can't wait to do that too! G's sister convienently lives a short distance from a bay...and owns a kayak she is happy to loan us when we come over to visit ;-). Your pics made me stir crazy to get out!
I am just finding your blog and it's wonderful...I love the simple life you lead...how amazing to live on a boat with little kids! That is inspiring! :0)
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