Garden Bugs!

Here are some tips and activities for learning how different bugs can help your garden grow! For more info visit www.gardeningtips.org

EARTHWORMS:


1. Earthworms make new soil and food for your plants.
   
2. Add leaves, eggshells, vegetable peelings and even shredded paper to your compost and watch the worms turn it into food for your garden
   
3. Keep your compost moist and turn it often, otherwise you may attract rodents and flies.  
   
   
   LADYBUGS:
   
   
   1. Ladybugs love to eat APHIDS! Both the adult ladybugs and babies (larvae) eat hundreds of harmful insects every day.
      
   2. A ladybug has two sets of wings. The top wings are used for protection and the second set of wings underneath are for flight.
      
   3. In the winter they hide in mulch and around the roots of trees, grass & shrubs until the weather gets better.  
      
      
      SOAP BUGS IN THE BATH:
      
      
      1. Add 1/4 cup of hot water to 1 cup of soap flakes. (stir until it forms a paste)
         
      2. Add (washable) food coloring. You can separate small amounts for different colors.
         
      3. Place into a shallow ice cube tray to get the main shape then add head or eyes.
         
      4. Place soap bugs in the microwave (on low) for ten minutes then allow them to dry for a few days before using them.

Learning through GARDENING

Just sharing a few simple concepts to think about when gardening that will enhance your educational experience!

Connect to Nature and Feel Good – Scientists have discovered that contact with certain bacteria found in dirt can increase serotonin levels.  Serotonin helps you feel happy! Happy children = Happy homeschooling! Exercise – Digging, raking, planting all require some movement. Movement = exercise! Develop Patience – Things don't grow overnight (or not that we can see)! Teach your kids that good things are worth waiting for. Care for Living Things – This is an important skill to develop, and at least with a garden you don’t get stuck with an animal to clean up after. Cause and Effect – Every living thing has basic necessities. Without them they perish. Plants need water, food, and sunlight. Without these things, they do not grow.

Math – Create a budget for supplies, measure plots and plant spacing, count seeds; record planting dates on a calendar, chart plant growth with graphs, figure savings, cook what you grow! The possibilities are numerous! Biology – Learn about plant structure, reproduction, and growth; investigate companion planting techniques and why they work; encourage beneficial insects; or make homemade organic pest sprays, study ecosystems, learn scientific names of plants and bugs. So many possibilities! Chemistry – Learn how to test soil chemistry and learn to amend your soil to suit your particular plants, the dangerous chemicals used in commercial gardening, organic matter beneficial to gardening, and so much more. Recycling – Create a compost pile or make your own seed pots from newspaper, egg cartons, or egg shells. Growing your own foods is a greener way to live afterall! Create a Garden Journal –  Use a notebook or sketchbook to keep records of which plants grow well where and when to remind yourself what to do next season.  Your children can also draw, paint, or take photos of plants to include in your journal. Keep records of research topics like box gardening, greenhouses, and recipes to try!

Learning happens all around us even when we don't think about it! Gardening is a GREAT way to enhance learning experiences! Even history lessons can be enriched when we discover how our ancestors survived by gardening!

Happy homeschooling whimsy friends!

SPRING has sprung!

Spring is one of the four temperate seasons, the transition period between winter and summer. Spring and "springtime" refer to the season, and broadly to ideas of rebirth, renewal and regrowth.

In spring, the axis of the Earth is increasing its tilt toward the Sun and the length of daylight rapidly increases for the relevant hemisphere. The hemisphere begins to warm significantly causing new plant growth to "spring forth," giving the season its name.

Spring is our FAVORITE season here in whimsy land! Beautiful weather, gorgeous landscapes, and new beginnings! (nevermind the pesky allergens)!

Happy first day of spring WHIMSY FRIENDS!!

Building birdhouses!

Cub Scouts has provided us with so many unique learning opportunities! Today we built and painted birdhouses from gourds. We learned that the entry hole size makes a difference as to what "cavity nesting" bird will nest in the gourd. The size we chose will accommodate bluebirds, wrens, swallows, and purple martins. The height at which the house is hung and the direction (in regards to wind) that the opening faces also play a key role in the type of bird that will make a nest in your gourd. Stay tuned as we discover what bird family makes its home in our gourd house!

http://www.amishgourds.com/site/1278922/page/443222

Random thoughts and daily occurrences!

Standing in line at the grocery with 2 kids under toe in the middle of the day often sparks the interest of the average busy body. "Why aren't you in school today?" the busy body asks one of my children. "I am home schooled." they politely reply. Usually (amongst the elder generation) that response suffices their inquisitive mind. However, when asked by someone of my generation, that response sparks one of 2 responses. "Wow, what a lucky kid you are to have a mom dedicated to teaching you." or "Oh my, I could never do that." The latter of which I respond with "really it's not as difficult as one might think."

These conversations happen far more often than one might think. Ask any home schooling family and they will tell you about many outings that have sparked the attention of a random busy-body. Some end in a pleasant manner and others not so pleasant. As hard as we try to not let the "not so pleasant" encounters get to us, they often eat away at our soul until we start to doubt what we know in our hearts to be the right thing for our children.

I think that without that little doubtful feeling, we could not grow. It pushes me to work harder at teaching my kids and leading them into a well-rounded education. That nagging voice constantly telling me my children will be socially hindered because I kept them out of the public school system drives me to find more out of home activities for my kids to participate in. It pushes me to teach my kids the importance of being polite even when it is difficult to do so.

Just some thoughts after a recent encounter at our local grocery store. Unfortunately, the encounter was not so friendly but it made me more secure in my choice to keep my kids at home. Their consistent politeness despite the "rude" comments made me proud.

Happy home-schooling and many blessings to you all! Stay strong and know you have made the right choice for your family!

Vetran's Day

My son's Webelo's Den was invited to participate in the Murray Middle School's Vetran's Day assembly. The boys presented the American flag and its history. The HS boys in the den demonstrated how to fold the flag properly. It is a rare opportunity that the HSers get to be a part of the public school events. I am proud of all the boys for presenting the knowledge they have gained in their scout studies and for demonstrating good citizenship!

Stargazing!

We had a rare opportunity to learn the night sky from 2 of the local astronomers! It was so amazing to see the stars, planets, galaxies, and other entities in the night sky! We learned how to locate the different constellations and about the stars that make them, how to locate the North Star (AKA Polaris), and how to use a telescope and binoculars to view the sky! We saw Jupiter and 4 of its moons, many constellations, the Northern Cross, the Summer Triangle, the Milky Way, a Nebula, and Andromeda (the galaxy closest to our own)! It is certainly an awakening to witness the greatness of our universe!