Saturday, December 3, 2011

A Simple Lesson

I don't own a science curriculum. Or a spelling curriculum. Or a vocabulary curriculum. Does that mean that The Boyz aren't learning any of these things?

This morning, Mikey brought down an old, little book called The Spotted Salamander. He read it out aloud to me. It talked about the signs of spring and melting snow. It described the physical characteristics of the spotted salamander, his habitat and diet. It described mating rituals, reproduction, and the development of the baby salmanders. The book described parts of the food chain and other land and pond animals. The nicest part is that is was written as a story.


The story touched on real experiences that Mikey has had. It talked about skunk cabbage, which he had been introducted to at Cub Scout Camping this fall, and rising tree sap that was covered in a nature center class he had taken.

Mikey sounded out words that were challenging for him, we taked about some common spelling rules and some sounds that 'break the rules'. Among some of the words he stopped at, and we defined were 'waken', 'thrusting', 'thawing', 'beneath', 'shrill', 'remaining' and 'roused'.

The book had beautiful illusrations and he enjoyed the story.

If you ask Mike if he learned any science, phonics, vocabulary, or spelling today, he would tell you no. Usually Mikey says, "we don't do much school". I am glad we don't 'do much school'.

“I have never let my schooling get in the way of my education.” – Mark Twain

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