Summer time fun! Bucket List Day 3 - Science

I'm joining with a team of awesome bloggers to bring you some fabulous ideas 

Blog friends participating :

       Kelli @ Adventurez In ChildRearing

Honey @ Sunflower Schoolhouse

Joy @  My Home In The Smokies

Tonya @ The Traveling Praters

Jeniffer & Melissa @ Sisters ‘N Cloth

Tara @ Feels Like Home Blog

Lisa @ Creativlei

Nancy @ Proverbs 31 Jewels

Jennifer @ Teaching Boys

Day #3 - Summer Fun with Science 

We took a trip to our local science center and participated in their robotics class! 

As you can see - we sat in a class where the instructor projected the computer screen on the wall and showed the students how to use their individual laptops to program their personal robot to accomplish a simple task. It took several very precise commands to move the robot a few feet and have it swing an arm to hit a ball. The boys thought it was great! I liked that they used some math, and had the experience of working with those type of precise computer talk (that's my non-techy explanation). 

You can bet I was lost the whole time - but the boys didn't seem to have a problem with it and I stayed busy taking pictures - so no one noticed the dazed and confused look in my eye! 

We get in free with our ASTC membership. We joined one of the museums on the ASTC list within driving distance and it gives us access to some 300+ museums around the country! There are about 6 of them that we can get to easily enough from where we live. We even got a discount when we joined MOSI in Tampa, FL - 1/2 price for the annual family membership - because I told them we are  homeschoolers and ASKED for it! I did show proof with our (free)  homeschool ID from Homeschool Buyers Co-Op (also free to join).  

What kind of events are going on at the museums near you? 

I'll be sharing more science fun on the Homeschool Mosaics site in my new column                                        "Exploring Science . . . naturally"  I hope you'll join me there to gain ideas and information for creating an exciting lifestyle out of your homeschool science adventures! 

Here are links to a few of our favorite science projects:                                                                                #31 Days of Exploring God's Creation                                                                                                      A walk in the woods                                                                                                                                   #5 Days of Exploring Creation - Exploring Science step by step                                                                                                                      

Our Homeschool Week - with links to Homeschool Freebies

In my life this week…

   We're in the Top 25 - you can vote once per day if you will I'd greatly appreciate it! Your support means a lot to me - you keep me going! ;) 

In our homeschool this week…

Lots of bugs! We also did some work in the garden 

We are excited to be working on our Bible Bee - What a fabulous program! 

You can still order the material for your family - the bible verse cards, and study guides are 

amazing - we'll be focusing on memorizing scripture all summer!

Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…

We took the ferry boat over to Palm Island on Saturday for my goddaughters birthday 

It was wonderful to gather with old friends - seeing our children grow is pretty special! 

My favorite thing this week was…

We always enjoy our time in the kitchen together - join our link up on Tuesdays 

for "Kids in the Kitchen" to share your recipes and encourage others to bring 

the family back to the table together! (no kids required - but we sure like 'em) 

Let's hear it for the boys. . . 

About 6 months ago - Walker - 7 yrs - gave his heart to Jesus - I am thrilled that he is 

so excited about learning scripture and even caught him staying up late reading the Bible 

this week. How could I be upset about that? I'm so NOT! It makes my mama heart so happy
to see him growing in the Lord. There is nothing better than seeing your children come to Jesus! To see them reach out to grow their relationship with His is awesome. 

3 in 30 - reaching goals just 3 at a time …

1. Loose 10 lbs- I'm off to a decent start - my clothes are just a touch looser - enough to encourage me


2. In the Word-  Proverbs 31 study- is going well - I didn't post scriptures on the fb page this week because I was quite literally "under the weather" - raining here all week and that hurts my bones. (yucky)

3. Blog pages- have not updated them yet - but today is the last day of my 5 days of Exploring series

*a little progress on each goal - I did get a bit of organizing done too ;) 
If you need help setting goals and encouragement to reach them - join our 3 in 30 group! 

Letter of the week "P" …

"P" is for Palm Tree with no pfilter :) 

Helpful homeschooling tips, Freebies or advice to share…

 Take a moment to check out my final day of the series - there are 3 freebies there for you - at least one new one you've not seen before - up for grabs!

Linking with - Holy Spirit Led Homeschool , The Imagination Tree , Creative Family Fun , Read.Explore.Learn. and these: 

                    


    

5 days of (everyday) Exploring God's Creation - Day #5 - Exploring Step by Step

I've had such fun sharing these ideas with you this week! I hope you've been able to gather some inspiration and ideas for getting out with the kiddos to explore God's wonderful creation. 

Just in case you missed it: 

 Day #1 - I offered a free creation Bible verse printable for those who sign up for the monthly newsletter - (there isn't much danger of being overrun by emails from me - as I have yet to finish the first months newsletter) It's scheduled to go out by the end of June and will contain more ideas and freebies for your family adventures. You can still get that printable - just sign up on my side bar or click the link here

Day #2 - Was all about "why bother?" to get outdoors with your children - hint - (It's all about HIM) Intelligent Designer - intelligent kids who study His creation - healthy in mind, body, and soul 

Day #3 - Keeping it simple - the value of a family walk - more reasons why it matters and how to make it a bit more special (finding ways to bring glory to God by investigating His creation) 

Day #4- Loaded with links to information to help you teach on nature - tips for simple, local, daily exploration and crafts to reinforce the learning with your children. 

Which brings us to Day #5 - Exploring step by step - I want to finish the series by going over with you a step by step example of our process in studying nature and sharing some of our favorite resources. 

 I generally take what I like to think of as a "directed - interest led" approach in our homeschool. Some may see that as a misnomer - but it works for us. By finding the right materials along the way - I am directing our studies - but I pursue topics of interest to my boys to ensure their whole hearted participation. Tricky! I know - and it seems to be working. 

Step #1 - Round up curriculum materials that work well for explorers!

 Our favorites are Apologia's "Swimming Creatures" - "Flying Creatures" -

 "Exploring Creation with Botany", 

Trail Guide to Learning-Paths of Exploration - Paths of Settlement -

 or for older students Paths of Progress  by GeoMatters

 Unit Studies by Amanda Bennett,

 Free Notebooking pages from Notebooking Fairy

 (I highly recommend you get the Notebooking Success ebook for your studies)  

 Free or membership pages from  Notebooking Pages 

(check out the All about Birds pages and the Nature Study pages) 

 Make a plan - I study over the curriculum and browse the various Notebooking pages we have available and lay out a rough outline of what I want the boys to study based highly on their interests. 

Add Scripture - Our creation bible verses are a big part of our studies. 

Step #2 - Schedule field trips or nature walks -to coincide with your studies- putting it on the calendar means you are more likely to follow through - even if it's a simple walk in the woods or trip to the park.

See tips for finding local resources from Day #4 here.  We purchase an ASTC Science membership yearly - this year I got it for half price - because I asked for a homeschool discount!

 Don't be afraid to ask if there are any discounts available -

 Let them know you are a homeschool family. The worst thing they can say is No and you might save your family a bundle - in our case it was a savings of almost $50.

The ASTC Passport Program  gives us access to hundreds of Science Centers around the country. 

Step #3 - Plan crafts, art and experiments to go along with your studies - See Day #4 for ideas - with the internet and Pinterest readily available - it's easy to organize your ideas. You are welcome to follow my boards here - Link to Homeschool Art Projects here and Nature School board here -

 Gain more insight and ideas for making the outdoors a regular part of your homeschool through my 

31 day series here - which includes free camping list printables and much more! 

Free Downloads for you- 

     Get the Creation Bible Verses printable by joining our monthly newsletter

     Like our Facebook page and get a Wildflower Unit Study  

     And for visiting today and checking out the 5 day series  download this Clouds Unit Study 

It's been an honor to contribute to the 5 days of Mothering and Homemaking Series! I do hope you'll check out the posts from these lovely ladies - they've been a blessing to me! 

*hint you can also find them on my 5 days of Mothering and Homemaking Pinterest board 

And linking with Time Warp Wife 

Hearts for Home Thurs

Raising Arrows - Welcome Home

The Better Mom 

(everyday) Exploring God's Creation - Day 4 - Easy Local fun

Everyday exploring means you don't have to go far or work too hard at it in order to do some great exploring! Consider your local parks - an empty lot in the neighborhood or community woods. What kind of State Parks or historical sites do you have nearby? Do you have any National parks within range for a fun day of exploring? June is National Oceans Month - That makes it a great time to study about sea creatures or to visit a local aquarium. Try the National oceans and coast park finder to see if there is a park within range you don't happen to know about.  If you can't get to one - try a virtual exploration  of sea creatures here   (not a Christian site - but has a great data base with scientific names & class of creatures) 

Check local resources. How long has it been since you stopped by the local Visitor Center? I have found much information through tourist resources and information right in our area! OK, so I live in a resort area - but I've done the same exact thing all around the country and used the information to plan wonderful family adventures. Pretend you're a tourist in your own town! 

In the picture above from top left in a clockwise rotation - we are exploring a historical landmark, investigating a gopher tortoise hole in the empty lot next door, walked down to the local neighborhood compost and nature park (where all the native plants are labeled), and shooting/ skipping rocks in a creek.

These are easy types of everyday exploring that the boys gain so much from! 

While we laugh and play enjoying the fresh air - it's simple to slip in a little lesson or bits of information about why it's important to use native plants in your yard - or why the rocks sink in the creek when the little stick boats float for our boat races - having fun while learning about buoyancy! 

Use what you have! Most everyone can find some kind of local park or nature center to put to some good use. Check with your local county web site to get started. There should be a "parks and recreation" section. 

Simply taking the time to notice the intricate beauty of the wildflowers and weeds and giving God the glory for His creation is a wonderful lesson for your children! What's in your yard? 

"All things came into being through Him, and without Him not one thing came into being" ...John 1:3 

Bugs and Wildflowers - Some ideas to implement nature study into your experience 

1.       Start a collection – become scientists, use scientificmethod, gather and record data

2.       Weeds matter - bring a notebook or sketch pad and draw neighborhood weeds

3.       Insects make the world go round - use a magnifying glass to inspect a few - talk about their unique designs and their special features - talk about what classifies them as insects 

4.       Reinforce the learning with crafts – make a clay bug or paper flower – put together a picture or scrapbook album of your find. 

10 favorite Family Fun Craft ideas and links: 

A color matching nature tray -                                         Painted Rocks -

            

Mud Cupcakes -                                                     Simple Birdbath - 

    

   

Nature Prints -                                                     Rock bugs - 

      

Clay Prints -                                                                 Sand-Cast Fish -                               

        

Water Scope -                                                         Observation Bucket -                                                      

    

Enjoy yourselves! Get out and make some wonderful family memories in nature this summer! 

Linking with these wonderful 20+ bloggers for the 5 days of Mothering and Homemaking 

Also linking with: The Better Mom  - The Taylor House   

Todays Creative Blog    and Not Just a Housewife

5 days of (everyday) Exploring God's Creation - Day 3

(everyday) Exploring God’s Creation doesn’t mean climbing Mt Everest.  I’ve heard from plenty of women who say they just aren’t the “outdoorsy” type. I can understand this – and sometimes I am limited to what I can do physically – and I want to encourage you not to underestimate the value of a family walk.

One of my fondest memories as a child stems from time spent with my family – simply walking around the block after dinner.  I live and grew up in Florida – where it gets down right HOT in the summer time. During the hottest part of the day – we learn to head indoors. We get out of the sun and into the air conditioning – either that or we live in the water – but even then we have to have sun protection.

Taking morning or evening walks is the answer to that problem – and might be a perfect solution for those who consider themselves the “indoor” type.  During the quiet times of the day (early and late) it’s a perfect time for mom and dad to hold hands and connect and do some family bonding outside together.

 

Point things out along the way - taking the time to point out a birds nest in a tree, a frog in a pond, or a special cloud formation in the sky – opens up the opportunity for more dialogue with the family. It's a chance to do some everyday exploring in nature and give glory to God who created it.

 It's an opportunity to share that with your children - and a way to help them see God in a different light - as a caring intelligent designer who carefully and intentionally ordered every detail in creation. 

By taking time to explore the world He made - we are giving honor and glory to our Father in heaven-
even if it consists of simple family walks - it's the focus and the fellowship that matters most! 

Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.  Revelation 4:11

I'm joining these wonderful blogger in: 

Each of our 20+ bloggers are writing about various topics of interest that fall under the main 

topic of Mothering and Homemaking - I encourage you to check them out - I've been so impressed

with the various areas of interest and the information provided from a group of women who care! 

5 days of (everyday) Exploring God's Creation - Day 2 - Why bother?

 Why Explore God’s Creation with your children?

Everything in nature points to an intelligent designer. I believe you have to work at it pretty hard to take God out of the picture and believe anything else. There are wonderful resources available to learn more about this idea. Explore the Grand Canyon with Noah Justice and Explore Yellowstone are great dvd’s to share with your children. If you are on the fence about this whole “Creation” thing – please consider reading the book The case for a Creator by Lee Strobel or get The case for a Creator for Kids. Lee Strobel is a journalist who set out to prove the theory of Creation wrong – as he dug in to investigate – he uncovered some extremely vital information set forth in his books.

Exploring God’s Creation with your children will enrich their relationship with Him. God’s fingerprints are all over His Creation – it’s in the beauty, the absolute magnificence, and it’s in the order! When we spend time appreciating something He made – we begin to see and understand – to appreciate Him more. It’s a wonderful opportunity to share creation bible verses with your children as there are verses available on most any topic of study. I’ve put together a nice collection for you to download when signing up for the Adventurez monthly newsletter.

Exploring is healthy! Getting outside is healthy for the body, mind, and soul. Science shows us that being outside in nature helps improve immune function in children. Having behavior problems with a child or two? Get them outside! Studies show that people in general have less anger, feel more revitalized, have less tension, less depression and more enjoyment and satisfaction when they spend time exercising in the outdoors.

Spending time in nature makes you happy! Any time parents are interacting with their children – they are providing a greater sense of well being and a strong nurturing connection. When you intentionally seek to connect with your children while connecting to nature – there is an even stronger bond and feeling of happiness. There is joy in studying  God’s creation. Have you ever gotten excited when you see a butterfly? Sharing that excitement with your children is an important part of family time. Families who play together stay together – families who play together in the outdoors – play together better!

Nature makes you smarter! Besides the fact that you learn a lot by spending time outside, it sparks creativity and is generally good for your brain. I love this article by Richard Louv called “Want your child to get into Harvard? Tell them to go outside” . I can’t personally speak to all that, but I can tell you that my children retain so much more of what they are learning when we reinforce it with outdoor activity.  As a matter of fact – any time we are having a hard time settling into our homeschool or sitting still – we go for a nature walk and it works like a charm.

Most of all, studying and investigating the work of our Lord, brings Him honor. We were made to give honor and glory to God above. By stopping to notice the intricate details of His wondrous creation – we are glorifying our Father in heaven.

How to? It doesn't have to be complicated. Nature is as close as your own back yard or the local park. One of my favorite memories from childhood is the after dinner walks we used to take together as a family. Be sure to get some brisk exercise and then slow down to smell the roses - or the wildflowers! Look closely to see what is hiding nearby. There may be a tiny bee gathering nectar from a flower or those weeds you keep passing by could have intricate little flowers. People sometimes think they need to set aside a day or many hours for an adventure. All you really need is 10 minutes to an hour to refresh body, mind, and soul. The important thing is to just do it - daily! 

Linking with : Wooing Our Children's Hearts and - 

Resources: 

*article by Jane Kirkland – Education.com entitled “Nature is not a destination”

*article by Sue Beilby – “Healthy Exercise” 

*article by Richard Louv - "Want your children to get into Harvard?"