Week 1 with Weaver

We began using a new curriculum this week. I had been planning to save it until the "new" school year, whenever we began that, but I needed inspiration, the kids needed more to occupy them than asking me to watch The Magic School Bus or to please let them go catch worms for the turtle, so we started using Volume 1 of The Weaver Curriculum. 

In the first unit, the focus in social studies is on the development of civilizations, and the history in the community around you. Therefore, it is suggested that you ought to select some historical sites that may be of interest to your children, and go visit! We started our week with a visit to the location where the Battle of Dam #1, or the Battle of Lee's Mill, took place. 

There wasn't a whole lot to see, but we did sit and sketch the scene anyway.

You can't really tell, but the kids are standing next to one of the earthworks. Lesson learned: specify angle desired when you aren't the one taking the photo.

The first Bible lesson was on the Tower of Babel and how the people disobeyed God and chose to make a name for themselves by using bricks baked in an oven to make them strong, and they were going to do this in order to not be scattered over the earth. We just happened to take a trip later in the week to a place that we actually saw "fired bricks"!

Our next trip took us to visit the old old courthouse, built in 1810, and the oldest government use building in our city,  and the new old courthouse, built in 1884.

Built in 1810, this courthouse has 3 rooms.

The keystone for the 1810 courthouse with the names of those involved in its design and building engraved on it.

You would think they were about to be on trial, based on their expressions, but they actually really enjoyed their outing to the courthouses!

The 1884 courthouse

 The 1884 courthouse was built because the municipal case load had grown too large to be handled in the small 1810 courthouse. The 1810 courthouse became the county clerk's office when the 1884 courthouse opened in 1885.

Another part of the unit focus is on geology, and at this age, the geology we are studying focuses greatly on that which is around us. What sort of land formations are around us, the soil in our neighbourhood, where the highest point in the city is, etc. So... we took a trip to the highest point in our city. A manmade hill. Which isn't even as tall as the trees that grow in the field below it! This is the most popular "sledding hill" in our city, probably because it is the only real hill to my knowledge!

Standing on top of the hill-- they were amazed by this hill. I guess when you live on the coastal plains it doesn't take much!

 Our second Bible lesson was about the parable of the houses built on sandy ground and on a rock. We used popsicle sticks to build houses on sand and on a piece of my old broken baking stone, and used the spray nozzle at the sink to make it rain on each house and its foundation.

Building on the sand.

Building on the rock

Results!

As you can see, the sandy foundation washed out, and the rock stood firm. Point made-- we should build our lives on the solid rock of God instead of the shifting sand of the world. Or at least our houses. They are at a pretty literal age, and took it to heart that we need rocks under our houses. I wonder if they are going to try to dig down under our house's foundation to be sure it is secure... hmmmm.

Anyway, we also went and collected samples of soil and mounted them on a piece of poster board after examining them with magnifying glasses, and when the ground dries out enough to show a difference, we will check out different areas of our yard to determine the best place in our yard to build if we were to build something.

Along with all our activities, we have been reading a book about our state, learning about the symbols of our state, learning about community helpers, reading books about soil, geology, cities, and maps, and generally just enjoying having a lot to keep us busy. Between bouts of vomiting, since we have all been dealing with a stomach virus for a week. It finally seems to have subsided as of yesterday! :)

Yorktown

Last week was National Parks Week, so they were doing free admission for all for the week, and we took advantage of it and went to the national park at Yorktown, and then walked around the community a bit.









And then, on the way back to the car, we stopped to look at the bamboo. That stuff is HUGE!!




Anyway, there's some pictures from recently. :) I do have some I took this past week as well, they just aren't on my computer yet.

Rebecca is talking more and more, and signing more and more as well. It's becoming quite interesting, because she is actually starting to say&sign, which is not really what we were expecting, though we were sure hoping to have it happen!

We've been spending a lot of time outdoors, as it hasn't been raining much. Very unusual for this area, really. We're at the point that I'm starting to wonder if we'll be hitting drought conditions sometime soon. We've had a sprinkling of rain about once a week for two weeks. Anyway, other than the grass feeling a little dry, and the trees looking a little... ummm... yellowish green? Things seem to be faring okay thus far, and it's giving us the opportunity to use our sidewalk chalk and bubbles a lot! And, of course, there's the playground, which is always fun to do. Rebecca has learned how to get herself down the slides on her own, and just LOVES to go down them over and over now. The only thing is, we have to find playgrounds that don't have too many children, as bigger children are not very good about watching out for the little one.

Historic Jamestown

We took Amelia, Jacob, and Rebecca to a free weekend thing they had at Historic Jamestown, and had a great time! It was warm, but we've definitely had warmer days than that, so it was at least tolerable... in the shade, LOL!

I felt quite sorry for this woman, having to be so completely covered. She was our tour guide, until the attention spans of a five and seven year old gave out!

The wall outside Old Fort Jamestown

This is the reconstruction of the original barracks the first settlers lived in for those first couple of years. I find it amazing to think it is essentially the same size as our house, and yet it housed about 50 people! Yikes!

The third church constructed in Jamestown... the first two were destroyed by fires!

Our guide telling the story of Pocohontas.

The cemetery where they buried people those first few years.

Obviously... a monument commemorating John Smith.

A cannon!

It's corked, Justin said probably so things like birds wouldn't nest in it...

One of the gravestones in the church yard.

Ruins they've dug up (it's an active archaeological dig at Historic Jamestown right now).

Amelia

Jacob "writing" with his "quill pen" :-)

Rebecca riding on Daddy's shoulders!

Amelia and Jacob playing in the ruins. I'm pretty sure they weren't supposed to actually walk on the bricks, but it was totally open with invitations to go in and investigate, so they did!

A very cool looking tree in the middle of an empty field.

Jacob and Rebecca seem to really like each other a lot! They kept looking at each other instead of me, despite my trying to get their attention! :-)

The other side of the same tree.

This was the largest house (a mansion) built in Jamestown. It was finally "destroyed" by a fire after a LONG time standing.



They had a really cool virtual tour thing in this little pavilion with dramatizations and everything, so we sat for about 1/2 an hour and watched it.

Rebecca loves playing in the sand! This was at what they call the "Glass House" where they not only do, but teach glassblowing!

This is outside the entrance to Jamestown Settlement, which is the historical reenactment villiage... we didn't have the money to be going in though (would have cost us $30+) so we just took a picture outside. Maybe in a year or two we'll have the ability to go in...

We decided to take the ferry across the James River to Surrey, and then take a drive through the "country" to get home. It was Rebecca and Amelia and Jacob's first ride on a boat of any kind... we got rained on just a little!


This little bug was really neat The yellowy spots were rather irridescent.

And, on the same plant, there was a butterfly. :-)