Wow! It floats!

I am finally able to update my blog with pictures on the first shot.  Nothing is shutting down on me, and the pictures uploaded within 30 seconds.  Yes!  My new laptop is here.  Although, it has been quite an adjustment to windows 8.  Still not sure if I like it, but that is not what this is about.  It's about the kids.  Right?  :)

Friday was our last official school day about Fall.  We were blessed again with another day of temperatures in the upper 70's, making it the perfect day to go hiking and complete our observation bottles.  I knew if I had any chance of having my guys complete and finish the fine motor work I wanted to accomplish, I needed to do it first thing in the morning.  I started off our school day by teaching them a new song about the leaves falling down, followed by taking out the Wikki Stiks to trace the shape of leaves on the paper.  It was very challenging for Pierce, and he gave up after about 5 minutes.  He was more frustrated that it would not stick to the paper.  However, little brother decided he wanted to practice with the shape sorter, so Pierce started tracing shapes with the Wikki Stiks.  Awesome!

After we worked on that, I told them that the rest of the day would be outside, since we had to take the dog for a hike and find stuff for our bottles.  I gave each of them their backpacks, and we jumped into the car for a hike.  We landed at Black Rock State Park, since it was local, and there was a threat of rain in the afternoon. They had so much fun filling their backpacks with various fall items.  We took a look at the different leaf shapes, we learned that pine cones can be tall or short, skinny or fat.  They also observed that pine needles were much different from leaves, and that pine trees do not turn red like regular trees.  (This is why I will always stick to my saying that nature is the best classroom).  Carter found a hole in the tree and wanted to know what lived in there.  Before I answered, Pierce told Carter that it was where a squirrel was hiding his acorns, and we probably should not touch his home.  Very well spoken by a 3 1/2 year old.  :)

Once we came home, we had to empty everything out of the backpacks, and start the sorting process.  I gave Pierce a chart of what type of leaves belonged to what tree, but he didn't understand that even if they were smaller or larger than the picture on paper, they still belonged to the same tree if they were that shape.  But, at least he has been introduced to it, and made attention to the different types of trees there are.  Once everything was sorted, he was able to fill his observation bottles.  It was a simple idea I had found in the back of my curriculum book, and I thought it would have no lasting effect since we had been outside all week.  But, I was wrong.  He has loved showing everyone his bottles.  And his most astonishing discovery?  Pine cones float in water.  He is amazed by this.  He even showed his great grandma last night how they float, and his auntie, and he explained to each one what he put in there.  Carter loves these simple bottles.  He shakes them and then points out what he finds (he usually looks for the acorn tops).  Lesson learned yet again;simple stuff is awesome.  No matter what their age is.  

The child is obsessed with acorns.  Obsessed!

I am so happy that he takes his school work so seriously...

I gave them some free time; I hate structuring their entire day.  They need free time to learn and explore so they can figure things out on their own. I also needed to make lunch, since the boys have been on major eating binges lately.  Anyhow, I came out to the deck to let them know lunch was ready, and this is what I found...

I have to say I am very glad we got rid of the other sand table, since this one is much sturdier.  I guess sitting in a sandbox of birdseed provides a much richer sensory experience.  

After nap, we made fall colored sugar cookies.  I figured I would cheat and buy the pre-made roll of sugar cookie dough, and I am never doing that again.  They came out horrible after they were baked, and lost their shapes completely.  However, the boys had fun turning the dough colors, rolling it out, and using the cookie cutters.  And of course, they had fun eating them as well.  

I cannot believe that it is already Sunday afternoon.  This weekend has flown by, but we had a blast having dinner with grandma, and then staying up until midnight with Auntie and her kiddos.  This morning we made pumpkin gak, but that totally deserves a post of its own. It is awesome.  :)  Hope everyone is staying dry and having a great day.  Normally I put away the stuff from last week's schooling, but this time I am just going to add the farm stuff to it.  They boys love fall, and everything about it.  And they love farms.  Lets see how it goes combining the two.