Thursday
Apr052012
A "Delightful Double Existence"
Thursday, April 5, 2012 at 5:00AM
Here we go down the Interest-Led/Delight Directed Learning path again! It seems that this path is usually the happiest one in our homeschool.
After reading about Robin Hood in history my children kept talking about him and expressed an interest to learn more.
Since I'm not a huge lesson planner (I think too much detail and schedule can kill our creativity), I am able to pause our reading in The Story of The World for a couple of weeks to work on a thorough study of The Adventures of Robin Hood.
*This post contains affiliate links
The edition we are reading aloud (recommended in The Story of the World) goes along perfectly with a free lapbook/notebook at Homeschool Share.
This study includes Bible, history, geography, math, vocabulary, writing, science, and SO MUCH MORE!
I'm reading aloud a chapter each day and then Miss B and I sit together to delve further into each chapter. (I must admit I've having fun trying to muster up my best British accent and lots of different voices!)
The Homeschool Share plans are SO THOROUGH; the only planning I do is printing our lapbooking and notebooking components. My daughter is enjoying the mix of lapbooking and notebooking. She has been using my old scrapbooking supplies to make it interesting.
The Homeschool Share plans are SO THOROUGH; the only planning I do is printing our lapbooking and notebooking components. My daughter is enjoying the mix of lapbooking and notebooking. She has been using my old scrapbooking supplies to make it interesting.
All of this would be a lot of work for GMan, so he's listening and coloring a different Robin Hood scene each chapter. I also LOVE the character cards (with awesome printable stands, too!) that come in the unit. GMan has also been coloring these while I read.
My daughter (10) and I are enjoying learning more about The Crusades, The Holy Lands, and the many different occupations during the Middle Ages. I'm amazed at how much learning can be packed into one living book.
We've talked of character sketches and conflict in a story. I'm pleased with the level at which she's working through this unit study.
My son (7) is the one who will regurgitate words like "smote" and "bludgeon" in his daily play with his swords and light sabers. Outside my backyard has turned into Sherwood Forest. The LEGO scenes indoors have been of Sherwood Forest.
I am reminded of the words of Charlotte Mason:
Image courtesy Jimmie of Jimmie's Collage
My daughter (10) and I are enjoying learning more about The Crusades, The Holy Lands, and the many different occupations during the Middle Ages. I'm amazed at how much learning can be packed into one living book.
We've talked of character sketches and conflict in a story. I'm pleased with the level at which she's working through this unit study.
My son (7) is the one who will regurgitate words like "smote" and "bludgeon" in his daily play with his swords and light sabers. Outside my backyard has turned into Sherwood Forest. The LEGO scenes indoors have been of Sherwood Forest.
I am reminded of the words of Charlotte Mason:
Now I'm thinking of archery lessons!!
Don't you just love homeschooling?
Reader Comments (20)
This sounds very exciting. Your kids must be having so much fun. Go for archery lessons!
This sounds wonderful - fun, creativity, and learning all rolled into one! Yes, I think, if you can the archery lessons would be great! Or even just a Saturday morning spent trying out a bow and arrow for the experience would be lots of fun.
Sounds like the way we like to do school! You have certainly made it inviting.
Come link this to my history/geography meme!
You are just so darn GOOD at this! :)
This is exciting!!
My second oldest son (11) is enthralled with the Medieval time period. This could be a great route to go for us!
I've expressed an interest in archery to my husband a couple years ago. I think it'll be a great family activity! Maybe we can start this summer! :)
Thank you for sharing your resources.
Robin Hood was my favorite book when I was six or seven! I remember my mom reading it over and over to me:) So glad you are learning so much from it and enjoying it together. Love the new words in Gman's vocabulary too!
Excellent post, Mary! I wish I were better at going with the flow! Robin Hood is an exciting and interesting read, I'm sure, and definitely one we need to add to our TBR list!
My boys would love this! I love Robin Hood.
This is wonderful! Isn't Homeschool Share the best?? They have incredible FREE resources.We both loved Robin Hood when we did it a few weeks ago. I love the idea of archery lessons too!
LOVE G-Mans vocabulary!
I too am thinking of going down the child directed path for the remainder of this year and if al goes well continue into the next school year. Mainly letting my soon to be 8th grader that hates all things academic choose her own lessons and follow through on her own time.
Blessings
Diane
Thank yo so much for this post. What awesome links!!
I have never done a unit study with my children. I think this is the right time to begin. I have 4 children from 9 to 2 y.o. and I am finding it hard to meet all their needs at once.
I borrowed the Robin Hood book from my library today and will begin the Lapbook/ unit study tomorrow. I will let you know how it works out!!
Check out some of my links in my Learning Log of March on my blog.
Looks like a lot of fun! I completely agree with your point about lesson planning...I refuse to do it because it totally hampers our creativity. (not that I can keep my own ideas for projects quiet easily!) Love this Mary :)
(P.S. If you'd like, this post would be a great candidate for Look What We Did)
Ahhhh...sounds like so much fun! I miss those read aloud/lapbook/creative play days with my little Robin Hoods!
Excellent post...you must submit to the Charlotte Mason Carnival!
charlottemasonblogs@gmail.com
I'm with you on the archery! This is a neat example of how an idea can strike a child and cause them to delve deeper into a story or subject for a while.
:) you should totally go for the archery lessons. my kids would be ecstatic. we're reading the merry adventures of robin hood this term! too much fun. :)
thanks for the link to the coloring pages!
amy in peru
Mary, what a fun post! I love Miss B's notebook. I'm going to check out the Homeschool Share pages. And as for archery: my girls love it! They've done it several times through Girl Scouts. (And since I'm their troop leader, so have I!)
I'm seconding the archery lessons!
I love homeschooling and Story of the World too, I have learned so much, let alone the kids :)