The Outdoor Hour -- Challenge #2

This week's challenge was to use our sense of hearing to observe our surroundings. We split up and went 6 different directions (seven, if you count Sarah who went to the kitchen table to work on her French homework!) and spent 20 minutes sitting quietly, collecting sounds.

Great assignment. Looking back on it, I think I should have taken the whole group with me and assigned places for them to sit -- I kind of got the feeling that the oldest boys listened intently exactly as long as it took to get 10 distinct sounds and then high-tailed it back to the house. On the other hand, though, I can't fault the lists they came up with!

All three of the older boys are working through Wordsmith (a creative writing program). The unit the twins are currently studying is all about expressing the 5 senses through writing. They really got into this science assignment! I asked them if I could post their lists and they said, "Sure!" but only Seth knew where his was right off the top of his head. [You have to excuse Jessee. The boys have been living in a tent for two weeks while the cement roof of their room dries. They're doing good if they end up being able to find two of the same shoe, let alone a week-old school assignment!!! ;^) ]

So, here's what Seth came up with...(including the formatting)
Mocking bird singing
Car rumbling
Waves crashing
Workers talking
Cement-mixer turning
Wind sweeping through
Motor boat
Trees swishing
Worker whistling
Flies buzzing
Door slamming
Shovel scraping
Dog barking

We all had fun with this assignment. Andrew and Evie struggled at first with sounding out words they didn't know. I reminded them that it wasn't spelling class, so they weren't going to be graded on their spelling. With the pressure removed, they relaxed and really got into listening. Andrew was so funny! "Mom, did you hear the guy with the hammer? What about the guy with the shovel? The guy with the machete?" Can you tell he's really into tools? I honestly thought it was the same guy all three times. And to think I used to worry about his hearing!

Evie showed her personality, too. She said she heard 5 or 6 different birds and two or three different plants moving in the wind (rustling, that is...we don't have Ents here).

After the twins shared their poetic lists, Caleb chuckled and said, "I really didn't go in for the whole 'fancy' thing. I heard..." and he read off his list. It was a good list and it showed he was listening! I told him that he wasn't going to be graded on style! :^)

Our plan for next week (first week of spring break) is to make these lists into scrapbook pages for our science notebook. I'll take a photo when we get it done!

The Outdoor Hour -- Getting started

Add this to my list of books I've had for ages but never got around to using in school.

Well, we're finally doing something with it! When I first received this book, I poured over it and practically drooled. Basic, plain-spoken, old-fashioned and infomative. Everything I love in a textbook. Why have I never used it, then? I dunno. I think it's because I just didn't have time to make up lessons and plan projects.

Then, about a month ago, I happened across this blog which gives practical application and step-by-step instructions for implementation. I'm hooked. It only took a month to get going on it, too! Wow! That's pretty good for me!

So, today we began our journey into nature study "officially". We have been outdoorsy pretty much all our lives, but now we have a Plan.

What did we decide after this first "Outdoor Hour Challenge"? Well, first of all, we all agree that 10 to 15 minutes is not a long enough walk. I think we'll allow half an hour next week.

Second of all, we agree that we'll have to do it a little earlier in the day, because if we wait till 11, which is how it ended up today, it will be too hot. Anyone in Canada envious? Just wait a couple of months!

So, we took a short walk. I was surprised that everyone really seemed eager to go. Usually getting group assent is a tough thing, but it happened pretty smoothly. We counted to 3 and then everyone pointed in the direction we wanted to go. Would you believe that everyone pointed in the same direction? Very cool.

We were only attacked by mosquitos once and then it was only a small swarm. I think Caleb decided to investigate mosquitos further. I suggested he investigate annihilation strategies. He liked that phrase. ;^) Andrew located a chorro cactus (quite prevalent around here).

Evie and Seth captured a cachora lizard with the camera. (I think in English they're called "blue bellies".) We saw so many tracks in the sand. I can't wait to discover what critters they all belong to!

I think we're going to enjoy our newly-scheduled nature walks...at least till June. Caleb suggested that we might investigate the wildlife at the bottom of the pool then. I hope there won't be any wildlife in the pool, but...well, we'll see.

I'll let you know next week how everyone's assignments turn out!