The Wild Child

THE DAILY GROOVE ~ by Scott Noelle
www.enjoyparenting.com/dailygroove

:: The Wild Child ::

Domesticated animals confined to farms, zoos, and
similar unnatural habitats lack a certain "spark"
found in their wild counterparts. They've been bred or
trained to live apart from their nature. They've
adjusted to their lack of freedom.

Put a wild animal in a cage for the first time and
behold the fury! What else would you expect from a
creature who still knows it's supposed to be free?

Children are born free and wild, and they don't
readily submit to "domestication." And thank Goodness
for that! Because those who retain that spark are the
ones who will uplift humanity in generations to come.

Today, look for evidence of the spark of wildness in
your child... and *celebrate* it! Trust that s/he will
civilize in due time. And meantime, let that spark
ignite the flames of an authentic, passionate life.

Time for a review

Ezra has been playing massive amounts of Over the hedge computer game. He is very dedicated and rarely asks for my help. I am glad to see such a commitment and dedication to something. He has also been more and more willing to sound out/read words. It is coming along. I have noticed multiplication creeping into his thoughts. I did introduce it last year so it maybe time to go over it again.

Terje is been coloring A LOT! He used to hate and refuse to color. He found some superhero coloring books and now he is a fiend. He is still enjoying coloring Manga characters. I hope this develops into a desire to learn to draw. He has been practicing letters on his own and with me. I try not to interrupt his letter learning because then he stops. He is also completing rhyming and non rhyming sentences in books we are reading. He signed his name on his Kings Island pass with no trouble! Last year it was a struggle to get 3 letters out of him.

They unloaded the washer/dryer yesterday. I know they can do more chores than i have them do and I believe we will get back to kids helping out more.

Dad took them to the Raptors (birds of prey) show at the library. they were high strung and only slightly interested in the birds. mostly they wanted to be the center of attention.

Also while watching Justice league this week they have been getting more into the plots and characters. They are learning their names, powers, and weaknesses.

Our Caterpillar Discovery!

Today Terje and I found a caterpillar on the parsley. (James and Ezra are in KY climbing)
So we got out the bug book and discovered it was a swallowtail!

We also discovered when you touch it a Y shaped soft horn shoots out of the head. It also secretes a foul smell!

Varified by

http://www.uky.edu/Ag/CritterFiles/casefile/insects/butterflies/swallowtail/swallowtail.htm#black

Learn to Read

I was laying on the couch reading and I took a break; rolled over and asked Terje if he was ready to learn the ABC's like other kids his age (in Kindergarten). He said he knew his ABC's. Yes that is true but only to sing them. He can't id them all on paper, let alone write them down.
I said he needed to be able to do that so he can learn to read someday.
Ezra pipes in with Mom you said one day it will all just "POP" and I will be able to read. That's how it happened for you.

True again, however, I had people offering basic information to me along the way.
Ezra "Well why hasn't anyone given me that information?"
I have tried but you didn't want it.


Anyway the conversation continued and we went off to the library with the intention of getting hooked on phonics again(it was out). but perhaps the I will try to read bug is back in his pants. Terje let it all go. He might be the one to get it by watching.

Tuesday

Terje has been all about sorting items. Today is was bugs and spiders.
He is interested in finding the alphabet in the world around him.


Both boys received prize #1 for summer reading program.

Today storytime was all about Germany.

RocketShips

Popular Mechanics for kids is a fun educational show for kids. We watch it on DVD from the library. The most recent episode was on rocketships. So here is our rocketship creations. Ezra led the way in creating these. He gathered all the materials and got us started. Dad helped too.

We ended up spray painting them. The boys choose silver, beige, and black.

Frogs, well Toads

We have been reading a lot of factual frog books, as well as folk tales and fiction. It has been a fun experience to growing our toads.

We collected some tadpoles from a local pond. We set up their home in a 10gallon tank. It had rocks, sand, a live plant, and creek water. We watched them grow and develop. Then they started dying. We read more. Turns out they were toads. Well also tadpoles eat plants, Frogs and toads are canivoruos. So the fat in their tail stump sustains them from the time they get out of the water until the time they start eating meat:)

Once we learned that we let them go as soon as they would hop on the rocks. We are hopeful for their survival. They eat a lot of insects. MAybe they will eat some aphids from the garden. THe boys put several in the shady spots of the garden.

We need to build a toad house for the garden.

Saturday

Terje has been correcting my english and grammar all day! An example: On the water mom, not in the water.

All 4 of us have a Nature Center Thru Hike guidebook. THe goal is to hike all the trails, get a stamp, and earn a water bottle. Last year the boys and I did it together and we earned tshirts. This year dad is joining in the fun! It may make it harder getting there but it will be fun! Plus now when the boys and I go it will be relaxed and we can enjoy other aspects of the center. We hiked the Redwing trail at the nature center. It is about 3-4 miles! It is the longest trail there. The rest should be easy peasy. We did it with a few stops for snacks. Also a coloring break. There was no mud on the trail and this trail in known for the mud. It has been really dry out lately.

Ezra held a corn snake! He handled it like a pro. Terje was hesitant but got right in and touched it. James faced some fears and held it. I stood way back and took video and pictures.

We continued our discussion on erosion, poison ivy, and moles. We also talked about deet, wildflowers (fleabane, wild roses, and ox-eye daisies), and why the creek beds were dry.

It was a lovely time. Terje hiked like a trooper. He had one minor fall with a scuff on his hand. Dad almost wiped out. Ezra had a rough morning. HE got stung twice on the butt (at home). Never did find the offender. Then took a nasty wipeout on the gravel. He bleed deep red blood from his knee, the other was scuffed, and his hand was scuffed as well. He made it through but it was a more challenging time for him.

observing without disturbing

LEarning to Listen, watch, and observe without touching, making noise, and generally disturbing the animals around us.

I made the boys sit on a bench on the edge of Lotus Pond (CNC) for 5 minutes. We were quiet. We watched. We listened. We saw and heard things that we hadn't in the past. In the past they are touching the water, being loud, and scaring the animals away.

We are going to continue this practice. Maybe it will lead to a quiet meditation at home. That would be really useful.


It was also Art on the Trails day at the CNC. SO we packed up our water colors and headed off. We also used colored pencils that they supplied. Terje and I drew a daylily. Ezra drew a frog, tadpole, and eggs, and a pond. Then off to more flowers and the pond. Ezra used muck to paint muck around his pond picture.

We also used the watercolor paints to paint pond scenes.

We saw the toads that are brothers to ours. So we do really think they are toads and not frogs. The boys found a few large bullfrogs, leopard frogs, dragonflies, adn a huge tadpole. We learned bullfrog tadpoles can take a couple of years to mature. They (like frogs) bury themselves in the mud over winter and then continue growing in the spring.

Thursday May 10, 2007

Our garden is growing so well. we have eaten spinach and 1 strawberry.
The pole beans and teepee are set to go. So are the sunflowers and the raspberries!
lots of herbs too. Now it is time for momma to weed and mulch.

The tadpoles are getting active. they are swimming all over the tank. we can see little leg sprouts forming!

Ezra read Brown Bear, Brown Bear today! Little to no problems!

Terje is starting to really recognize beginning sounds. He continues to rhyme words. I can hear Ezra trying to join in on the rhyming. Progress!!!

Terje finally stopped and listened to directions today! Can this please continue. a lot of our differences are over his in ability to listen to the WHOLE directions 1st.

Ezra and I set up a rope in the tree. Then we used the ascenders to climb a little way up. E flew up no problem. Terje had problems until he listened to the full directions.

They found all sorts of snails, slugs, and bugs in the neighbor's wood pile.

Ezra and I started to build, actually formulate a plan for a container water feature. We will get Dad's help with the logistics:) I think we may already own many of the parts. That's always good!

what have we been up too

garden
tree fort
skip counting
tadpoles
new fish
clothesline
rabbits
leaves of learning
public school
riding the bus
hot weather us outside all day
sugar muffins by ezra
bartering
hammock
rocks
nature center, trails, pond, log cabin
tundra
north south poles
sun bread
fairy house/town

kites

kite show- a cold windy day.
we went with the Glutz family. we didn't stay long. it was COLD and WINDY! we did see Raptors, Inc. THey had a few birds of prey there. (indoors)

kites at rachels
-kites from paper

kites at home
more kites from paper

Free Cone Day

We started the day with a trip to Ben and Jerry.com. There we played games and watched a video on how they make ice cream, including an interview with a dairy farmer from the co-op. It kept our attention...all 3 of us!

Load up and off to B & J's in Clifton (stopped at Rachel's..she drove). Free ice cream at the scoop shop. Ezra looked at all the people and decided they had a good business:)

We walked around then headed to the Anderson Ferry. A finish for our ferry riding Ohio River studies:)

Ezra has been using words like cooperation and compromise. He really uses so many words fearlessly.

Home for a 20 min clean up then off to the library for a Pig Party. The boys met the Pig from the Give the Pig a Pancake book. They had cookies, made pig decorations, and checked out some pig books. Ezra wants to get the library a real pig for the next party!

Thursday April 5, 2007

Aquarium with a plan.
We took notebooks and crayons so the boys drew fish/animals. Then we wrote their names down. I'd like to take this a step further and locate there homes on a world map..problem is i need a world map:) Terje also drew a picture of Jared. He is starting to add detail to his artwork.
Also Sharks and Starfish


The notebooks actually caused them to slow down and look at the animals. it gave me some time to read about a few of them.

Ezra is reviewing the 100 chart.

We read What is God? Terje wasn't interested but I can tell Ezra feels the feeling of God. It is kinda a segway into Easter.

Terje glued some work/pictures into his portfolio. Now I need Ezra to catch up on his portfolio.

We discussed the guinea pigs and how they depend on E and T to tke care of them. Which then led to the ? of who will care for them when we are gone? glad to see they get the point.
Getting them to pick up their legos was a struggle that tried my patience. They did it..then i taught T how to wrap up the vacumm cord. Meanwhile Ezra unloaded the dryer and washer! I was thankful for the help at that point. Slowly but surely I will get the boys to help around the house.

George's Marvelous medicine

by Roald Dahl
Oh my what a hit!
They had me read the book in one sitting:)

Now ezra wants to make a "medicine".

Monday 26, 2007

Nature Center- Wildflower trail with Katie and her kids. A little over a mile. Kids whiny at first...1st real hike of the season.

Beautiful flowers. Lots of lesser celandine, white trout lily, and salt and pepper.

Some mud, not bad.

Fynn and Clover came home with us. Inside/Outside...games, walks around the yard and creek.

Looked and saw lots of Forsythia on the way to drop off F & C.

Terje is now pointing them out to me:) and saying their name. Call it a flower and they call it a flower. Call it a forsythia and they will too!

Snake

*SNAKE! They found a snake in the backyard. killed it (chris) and put it in a plastic bag (we thought it was dead and this would be a cleaner way for the little ones to check it out.) It was alive still. so i say it once on the side of the tree....that'll kill it. Inside it popped out of the bag
and everyone went running! It died though. Then tossed it into the creek to float away.

*ezra has the snake on the end of a stick...OPPORTUNITY called...impromptu science class. I disected the snake for the kids. Karissa, Ezra, Terje, and Sammie watched as i cut into it pointed out different parts. Then Sammie used a stick and pulled at the intenstines... THEY FLEW UP AND HIT HER IN THE LIP! She was cool about it. We wiped it off and continuied. Ezra wants to keep the skin so we (okay me) skinned it and he is going to try to tan it. I found some directions online and i think i have the ingredients. Nobody wanted to cook and eat it. Good thing it's only a garter snake and i don't know how to cook snakemeat. well i didn't know how to skin one until today. slice it lengthwise , cut off the head, and the skin peels off like a pair of nylons

I wrote that about 2 wks ago. We soaked it in 1/2 rubbing alcohol and 1/2 gylcerin for 4 days. Rinsed it and viola! we have snake skin on our back porch adn we don't care now! But it was a very cool experience that I don't feel the need to do again.

Last week

Ezra-
We temporarily finished our Ohio study. We talked about the flag. Colored the flag and created an Ezra of Ohio flag:) We discussed the Indian story of the Ohio River. The Legend Of Ohio
Dandi Daley Mackall

Ohio-beautiful river.
Then we found the beginning and end points of the Ohio River. Ezra wants to drive it. Then finish with following the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico. I'm up for that someday. Instead we drove down to the Ohio River near our house. We drove for 3-4 hrs. We stopped at the Chilo Locks, no longer in existence but a beautiful park, paddle boat to explore, play structure, and visitor center. The center was closed but we read the outside tour guides and talked to the naturalists.
We also stopped at Mendahl locks, they took over for Chilo in the 60's. A stop in New Richmond, a riverfront town, a ferry boat ride across the river to Kentucky, and we were headed home. It was a beautiful day filled with experiential learning.

Attic Pulley

So Ezra and I did a project/adventure in our attic. We put a pulley in the rafters so we can pull heavy items up into the attic with-out having to carry them up the ladder. Ezra has always been fascinated by pulleys and attaching things to ropes, and stuff like that. So I figure this was a great way to build on his desire to use this kind of a resource. The funny thing is we didn't have to really use it for anything that heavy on this day, but everything still had to be hooked-up and pulled up into the attic on this day. Gotta love the little guy and all his passion! :o)

remember to trust not doubt

Today was one of those days. A day I doubt my home school approach. Only because I want to sit down and do some "work" but they are too busy "working" outside. We watched a reading video, The Electric Company, we read books, we played a round of the Amazing Race Game (geography), and they played outside. I know they will become readers and writers. It's just some days I want it to be NOW! The ability to express their energy, openly explore the world around them, and interact with kids of different ages is perfect but not when i want worksheets:) They played with boys, girls, babies, preteens, and peers today. Whew!

Together Ezra and Terje cleaned the guinea pig cage! That is a lesson in itself.
Ezra wants to study geography in the morning.

Library

Terje got his first library card today. He choose 4 books and 1 movie. All Dora the Explorer books. He didn't want to watch Bob the Builder with Ezra instead he wanted me to read his books to him!

Last night he "read" Blue Hat, Green Hat by Sandra Boynton.

He is generally listening to the chapter books I read aloud. However he never seems that interested. He is into short books like Dora, comic books (but only certain pages), and batman books!

flew by

this week has flown by! it was beautiful weather that was warm. it called us outside. the nature center, building stories in Abner's Cabin, staying the night at Jacob's house, playing, investigating, and exploring the creek, the woods, and our yard. digging in the dirt, seeing flowers spring up, digging up bulbs just to see what they look like, snakes, dirt bikes, building a raft.

Last night we had our water tested. Terje lay in the bedroom "reading" cat woman. Ezra joined the adults for the experiments. a few drops of this and that in our water and her purified water...what water would you want to bath in? drink? our water is horrid but it's not great. Ezra finished the evening by creating his own samples and experiments using healthy liver tonic, soap, and water. he actively participated in the conversation. the sales woman was amazed by his ability to communicate with her. I use the word communicate because that is one of Ezra's favorite words right now!

Today we got 2 guinea pigs. after considering and reading about hamsters, turtles, chinchillas, ferrets, lizards, and hedgehogs we went with the guineas. although i plan on getting a hedgehog. Their names are Linny and Ming Ming! The wonder pets!

We finished reading Stuart little. Terje was only half interested. Ezra listened intently until the last chapter. i think, I'll ask tomorrow, he was slightly disappointed by the ending. It had no closure. Now we must make something fun to show that we read and understood Stuart little. a discussion for tomorrow.

Make time for 1 on 1 conversations with each boy.

Also the boys were making music on multiple instuments this afternoon. Ezra wrote down the music, in his own way. He also had Austin draw pictures of the instruments he used.

A few days back the boys were doing yoga and Ezra drew poses and had me write down the names. I have got to can those. they were cool.

rain coats march 9th

Friday March 9th was warm.
We played outside all day!
Glutz family came over.
We sat in the sun, played in the bus, and something else that is escaping me. heavens i wish i would have written it down sooner than march 15th.
fed ex delivered the boys' new raincoats!

The First Post

We are venturing into a family blog.