Week 22: Wagon Trains and the Human Body

Week 22

State Studies 

(Illinois and Alabama)

Illinois

The girls completed their state pages for Illinois. They came out so nicely this week.

The girls really enjoyed the Growing Seasons book (by Elsie Lee Splear) we read this week. It is full of beautiful photos and information on American history and seasons that sparked more questions and studying. We loved that it was a story about sisters, too. I cannot recommend this book enough.

We also pulled out our cardinal projects and resources from Week 15.

and two more postcards were added to our portfolio

Alabama

We added these Alabama pages to our completed pages, also this very special post card.

We made sweet potato pie and learned about George Washington Carver. 

Did you know he created 118 products from sweet potatoes? 

We also read about Rosa Parks this week, taking some extra time, really brainstorming what her life, and her decisions would have been like. We discussed making bold, right decisions, and also living a life of humility, which Rosa Parks did beautifully!

We completed this Rosa Parks bus and writing activity.

On the inside they wrote some of what they had learned, in their own words.

Oh, those little windows are just so full of sweet. I love their little colorings at this stage of life.

We watched all the versions of the Helen Keller movie we could find on youtube and learned so many things about her life and were reminded how blessed we are! 

We also sent away for this Braille Alphabet card.

You can send away for one  here, It is free and a great addition to this week's learning. 

Wagon Trains

We read "West by Wagon Train" in our American Pioneer and Patriots book. 

And we looked through this book, as well.

We also created wagon crafts this week.

These crafts just use things we already had around our home.. And they are definitely imperfect. I love that about them, though.

Abraham Lincoln

(on money)

We talked about Abraham Lincoln a little bit and what US currency his face can be found on.

This girl completed this penny worksheet.

Here she is observing a five dollar bill.

Human Body Unit

We really enjoyed spending time in the afternoons learning and exploring more about the human body this week. 

Some of our favorite resources for this unit were

The Human Body Flip Book

The Human Anatomy Felt Set

The Usborne First Encyclopedia of the Human Body

Usborne's "See Inside Your Body" 

The Squishy Human Body by SmartLab Toys

On a different note, we were supposed to make a quilt this week and my heart is so torn over it. I have fabric, even a US map panel, and we just cannot do it. I do not have the time without a baby or a toddler to sew. It hurts a little to just set the fabric aside, but it is what it is. That is life. Sometimes things get done, but sometimes they just do not. It is such a delicate balance in our homeschooling. My girls are always so gracious about these things, too. I really appreciate their tender, thoughtful hearts in these times of needed mommy grace. Really.

and if you have extra time and talent and want to help them make a quilt, the fabric is still sitting in a basket, just waiting to be a quilt someday, any day.