Kinder web

Lots of really easy stuff but also has things on time, money and fractions
Kinderweb

Native American studies

As part of our curriculum this year we will be working on studying Native American culture (social studies). I might drag it out throughout the year but for right now I have some great books to start with:
Corn is Maize (Aliki)
-a nice little story book
Plains Indians (Pluckrose)
- more factualy but with good illustrations
The First Americans (Sherman)
- An adult book but has great illustrations/photos
Daily Life in a Plains Indian Village (Michael Bad Hand Terry)
- lots of illustrations/photos, I hope it realy sucks her into the life at the time.

Nothing drives that home better for my little one than crafty stuff:

I found this site for some crafty ideas.

This site looks a little more advanced so I might wait to do some of these in a couple of months or so. I think M would enjoy the Cornhusk doll.

Possible field trips:

I know that a simple drive up Rte1 would result in some places to stop but with gas prices as they are, I want to try and plan this out.

Pueblo Pottery of Maine in Limington. It looks like it is solely a gift shop but it does have lots of Native American goods.

Abbe Museum in Bar Harbor. There are also exhibits in Acadia Nat. Park but they are only open Spring to October. This looks like a great museum to visit. Here is a listing of places that might be worth a visit but most don't have a website nor do they seem as fabulous as the Abbe Museum. This looks like it might be a better list of Native American sites to visit in the state.

At the Wildlife Par in Gray there is an ongoing Pow-wow (July 13-Sept 14). The pow-wow is open 11 am to 2 pm.

This should keep us busy for a while.

link

Just adding another link to look at when I have time.

http://www.homeeducator.com

Why homeschool

I like this article

This is a fabulous summary from the article posted above:
I don't think homeschooling is for everyone. Heck, lots of parents welcome that 9 to 3 break from their kids. And many parents are so devoted and involved, they make public schools better for everybody, and I admire that.

But I'm not that patient.

No, until our society can stop the violence, pay teachers what they deserve, fund superior classroom technology, get past the arguments about religion, tailor education to individual children, abolish the bureaucracy and define "Waffle Stix," I'd just as soon do this myself.

Besides, we enjoy teaching our children. And that's reason enough.