State by State

We are continuing to trek through the states by the date of their statehood. Some states have given us opportunities to learn about famous people. For instance, with Ohio we read some about Johnny Appleseed and with Mississippi, we talked about Robert Fulton and his inventions including steamboats. We have also enjoyed some good food. For instance, with Louisiana, we listened to jazz music, made red beans and rice, talked about Thomas Jefferson's Louisana Purchase and Louis & Clark. We learned about George Washington Carver when it was the day for Alabama. We learned what an amazing student and scientist he was and in his honor we had peanut butter sandwiches and sweet potato fries for lunch that day. We started to talk some about pioneers trekking westward. The pioneers used their old torn fabrics to make quilts. Olivia made her own paper quilt for her dolls.

A recent favorite has been Maine. Our local grocery store has a tank of live lobsters that Olivia got to go observe and draw. He noticed that they move their antenna slowly. Then, since Maine has more lighthouses than any other state due to its rocky coast, we read about lighthouses, looked at pictures that mom and dad took of the NC lighthouses years ago, and then made a lighthouse craft.

We are reading our second Little House book, On the Banks of Plum Creek. This one is about the growing up years of Laura Ingalls Wilder. Olivia is just loving this book! I'm sure it is because of how adventurous Laura is. :) Prior to this book, we read Betsy's River Adventure, about a girl and her family that build and ride a flat boat down the Ohio river to the pioneer town of Cincinnati in 1808. 

We have learned about Jesus as the Vine and Jesus as Head of the Body. We discussed plants and did our celery experiment. We talked about the fruit of the Spirit and did some science experiments with fruit/fruit juice. We have also reviewed and learned some new information about how the body works. We have done some fun science experiments with lung capacity and taste/smell. Then we have read about how the church functions like a body with Christ as its head. We have talked about the different gifts that God has given each of us and how we can serve others with those gifts.

We are also going through the "Put On" Chart lesson book by Doorposts. This is a wonderful character study. It is very visual. The little kid puts on his shoes of kindness, watch of patience, etc. I would highly recommend this to anyone! I have really been focusing much of my time and energy on character recently. Because, what is knowledge if you don't have love, right? The greatest commands are to love God and love others.
1 Corinthians 13:1-3, If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

And of course, we are continuing on with reading and math but there just isn't too much to say about those. :) Olivia can read just about any library book in the kids department that she picks up. So I have been letting her pick out more books on her own recently. I do review them before she actually reads them though. :) I want her to continue to develop a love for reading. We have been working on writing and spelling more. She enjoys math and was very excited to learn to tell time. She received a watch for Christmas which she wears almost every day.