Green Hour Challenge #2!

We are having so much fun with this!! We are still exploring last week's interests -- Dandelions and Insects. We are actually going to do a really long series of unit studies on insects based on Eric Carle's books (along with our normally scheduled unit studies) for the next several weeks, thanks to HomeschoolShare. Currently we are reading, Dandelions: Stars in the Grass, and Ladybugs: Red, Fiery and Bright (both by Mia Posada), as well as The Grouchy Ladybug by Eric Carle.

This week's Challenge is called "Using Your Words." We were challenged to take another 10-15 minute "excursion" outside, but before doing so to sit down with our children and explain to them how being quiet will help us to see and hear things better while in nature.

I just LOVE how God sets things up for me to win at this sometimes! Wouldn't you know that I had asked my great friends at Homeschoolshare last week about good picture books to use with the girls to encourage nature study, and one that they suggested was "Play With Me" by Marie Hall Ets. They love this book and it is about a young girl who goes out to a meadow to play and comes across all sorts of animals, reptiles and insects. She wants to play with them but they all run away from her. When she finally sits down beside the pond, upset that they all ran away from her --and remains still and quiet -- they all come back! They all sit down beside her and a baby fawn actually licks her! So, needless to say, we sat down on a blanket outside this morning and read that together before starting on our "Excursion." We discussed how she had to be quiet and still before they would come to her and how she was able to see them all better once she was. This made it a lot easier for them to understand, rather than me just telling them.....See, isn't God good sometimes?

Anyway, first we walked around in our backyard and we saw some insects but I wasn't impressed, so I decided to get their shoes on and go for a walk around our block. I should point out that I haven't dared to go walking with them by myself without a stroller or wagon before, but I didn't think they would get the same experience if they didn't walk themselves, so we attempted it --- and it was a success, YES!

So we ventured outside and IMMEDIATELY Jordan spotted a beautiful jewel beetle, which we were able to identify thanks to Miss Spider! It was so pretty and wouldn't you know that I would forget my camera! I did find this awesome picture though at The Garden Safari which seems to be a wonderful resource! This is pretty much what ours looked like, and they say they are also known as "Metallic Wood-boring Beetles" which would make since since not only do we have a lot of trees around here, but many of them are currently being cut down due to construction. Jordan and Cali were both really good at being still and quiet, and we watched this little creature scurry around for a good while... ok, maybe 30 seconds but for a 3 year old and a 2 year old, that was an ETERNITY!!

Other highlights were stopping to look at flowers, rocks, birds flying, watching and listening to wind blowing in the trees, watching a flag fly in the very strong breeze and looking at all the wood chips on the street from the recent tree cuttings.

After the walk, we were to challenge our children to come up with words to describe the experience. This was a bit tricky I think due to their age, so I helped a bit, but here are the questions and their answers:

- One word to describe what they Heard -- At first she said a snake.... No, we did not see a snake, so I tried again.... then we decided on hearing BIRDS

- Two words for something they Saw -- At first she said a snake and a worm.... we saw neither....(sigh)... Then we decided on FLAG BLOWING

- Three words for something they Felt -- Ah, she said Wind... this at least made sense and was actually experienced on our trip -- progress -- but not enough words, so together we decided on REALLY COLD WIND because toward the end of the trip we were walking with the wind blowing directly on us and it was very forceful!

We had a lot of fun....Thanks Barb for getting us out there again!!