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Half a Hundred Acre Wood

Half a Hundred Acre Wood

Christian homeschooling integrating Classical and Charlotte Mason principles

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Studying the Star-Spangled Banner and Other Stuff

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Let’s see… we studied the War of 1812 almost a month ago, but we had a special arrival that caused me to embrace my natural tendency towards procrastination. After all, he would only be home a week before heading to Greece…

Yes… that is the *real* Parthenon (not the one in Nashville). My husband sent me this photo via text all the way from Athens! (We are still awaiting the Verizon bill telling us exactly how much that little text cost.)

Perhaps next year I will brave loading up four boys to head to Greece with him. I just wasn’t quite up for it this year. But… isn’t this amazing?!? My husband hiked all around Athens, right there where Paul preached the Good News to the gentiles!

But… I’m getting ahead of myself.

It feels very much like we live in double-time when Gary returns from Brazil. Time goes twice as fast when your husband is gone half the time. In fact, we have all sorts of things on our to-do list to catch up on, like going to the dentist. We almost always arrange back-to-back appointments so we can go as a family to such things (seriously, every minute counts for us!), during which time the van operates as our moving classroom.

This week’s books were some that we grabbed when we visited the great state of Maryland. (O, say did that Star-Spangled Banner wave over Fort McHenry! We LOVED visiting Baltimore!) We had a simple picture book, Francis Scott Key and “The Star Spangled Banner“, a reader Francis Scott Key’s Star-Spangled Banner (Step into Reading), and The Star Spangled Banner in Translation: What It Really Means, which explains (and places into context) the words of our national anthem.

We also added an amusing book about Andrew Jackson: Seventh President, 1829-1837 (Getting to Know the U.S. Presidents), since his rise to fame came from a battle he lead after the War of 1812 ended (and his home The Hermitage is within an hour’s drive). The books by Mike Venezia are great, and this one is a favorite because of his portrayal of President Jackson’s feisty personality.

In addition to our patriotic hymn study (and the boys laughing at my attempts to play our national anthem on the tin whistle), we spent some time learning about the Star-Spangled Banner. (Have you seen our Script-n-Scribe Americana?)

We wrapped up our little history study with an art project with acrylics on canvas. It’s not until we attempted to paint the U.S. Flag that we realized we didn’t really know exactly what it looks like off the top of our heads. (I’m always in awe of our lack of attention to details around here.)

Other things that happened this week:

I was informed that I’m not allowed to throw away things like this empty laundry detergent container. It is being used for Levi’s “smelling exhibit.”

We started working on the Little House in the Holler. (Again.)

We finished the ceiling of one room! (How’s that for progress?)

We played States & Capitals Sequence. Our family HIGHLY RECOMMENDS this game! It’s great for teaching state shape recognition and matching up capitals with their respective states! And… it’s fun!

Our homeschool group went to a Tennessee Frontiersman / Longhunter Demonstration…

…and our family toured a Civil-War Era Stagecoach Inn called Wynnewood (more about this later!).

Finally, the evening before my husband left for Greece, we had a very exciting date night to see Casting Crowns and Mandisa in Nashville. Was I thrilled?

Ummm… yes, I think maybe I was.

A wonderful end to a wonderful week (even though we had to get up the next morning to head back to the airport!).

To know Him and to make Him known. Yes, Moms (and Dads!), we were made to THRIVE!

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By Brandy Ferrell October 28, 2014 Leave a Comment Tagged With: HOMESCHOOL CHRONICLES, OUR FAMILY

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