Today we went to the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley for our field trip group (although my sister, our kids and I were the only ones who went). The museum is located in Winchester, VA. The museum complex includes the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley, the 6-acre gardens, and Glen Burnie Historic House. We toured the museum and the gardens today.
The Shenandoah Valley Gallery shows a history of the valley from Paleo-Indians to the 1930's. It is very interactive. There are computers and video monitors where children can listen to traditional music or learn about early settlers. There are activities related to the German heritage and history of slavery in the Valley. All of the kids really got into the Scavenger Hunt. It was not very complicated. It could be completed by simply reading the titles for each of the displays or paintings. My oldest son actually said his favorite part of the museum of the Portrait Gallery in the Julian Wood Glass, Jr. Gallery. Currently they have an exhibit of O. Winston Link's railroad photography. My kids are train enthusiasts, so this was very popular with them too.
The gardens were beautiful. I think the kids liked the Asian garden the best. There is a water garden, rose gardens, a vegetable garden, and more. There was a garden Scavenger Hunt, which focused on the abundant statuary throughout the gardens.
When we left one of the older boys said that was a great field trip. Everyone was able to tell me at least one new thing they had learned. Some were about portrait painting, others were focused on the settlers having to make their furniture. The museum staff also gave me a pamphlet for the kids called "War Comes to the Valley," about the Civil War in the Shenandoah Valley. We didn't visit the Civil War Room in the museum, but the booklet is something we could read at home.
We took about 1 1/2 hours to tour the museum and 1 hour to tour the garden.
For more information about the museum, gardens or about Glen Burnie visit the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley's website at http://www.shenandoahmuseum.org/.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Fort Raleigh
A few weeks ago, while in vacation, we went to Fort Raleigh in Manteo, North Carolina. We went late in the day, and did not participate in any of the ranger led tours or activities. Although Jamestown is the first permanent English colony in the Americas, Fort Raleigh was the English's first attempt. In 1586 the group of colonists lead by John White set out for Virginia. When the colonists arrived in the New World, they were forced to stop at Fort Raleigh, previously a base for privateering. Governor White was forced to return to England for supplies and once he arrived in England he was not able to return to his colony until 1590 because of war with Spain. When he did return, the settlement had been completely abandoned. The only clue was the word "CROATOAN" carved in a tree. The colonists were never found.
There is a small visitor's center with displays about artifacts found at the site, tools, Native Americans, and depictions of the Native Americans by Thomas Hariot, the scientist and chronicler of the ill-fated voyage. There is a reconstructed moat, earthen wall and palisade, like White found when he returned to Fort Raleigh in 1590. There are trails through the woods, with markers that identify many of the flora and how the Natives and early European settlers used the plants for food, medicine, and building materials. Many of the markers include first-hand accounts of how profitable harvesting the lumber of the region could be.
The boys probably enjoyed the nature trail the best. They would run from one sign to the next. Luckily the markers didn't include lengthy text. My 9-year old thought it was interesting to see the way they used to spell (like "f" being used for "s"). They liked the fort, but were disappointed they couldn't climb on it. My husband and the boys did have fun plotting how they would be able to sneak over the moat, earthen wall and palisades. We talked about what could have happened to the colonists.
Located on the Fort Raleigh complex are the Elizabethan Gardens. The boys and I have gone several years in a row. We love it. There are many beautiful flowers to see. It is a mature garden with wonderful large trees. One big oak tree, that is 300 years old, has a hole in its trunk that was patched with bricks. There is a fountain in the sunken garden and a gazebo overlooking Roanoke Sound where the boys like to take a rest. A beautiful statue of Virginia Dare, the first English child born in the New World and White's granddaughter born just before he returned to England for supplies, is tucked in the beautiful foliage. Last year, my oldest son, got a houseplant as his souvenir. It is some kind of geranium, and it is still living.
The Waterside Theatre, where the play Lost Colony is produced each summer, is also located on the complex. The play tells a fictional story (based on first-hand accounts of those who visited the colony before and after its disappearance) of those first colonists. We haven't gone to the play. I wanted to go this year, but decided it might not be a good idea to take my four year old. I think next year he will be able to sit still for two hours and not be distressed by it.
The Elizabethan Gardens and Waterside Theatre are not managed by the National Park service. There are separate fees associated with attending the play and visiting the gardens. If you are in the Outer Banks area, I would highly suggest visiting Fort Raleigh.
Visit the National Park website at www.nps.gov. Here you can find links to all the national parks and national historic sites throughout the country.
There is a small visitor's center with displays about artifacts found at the site, tools, Native Americans, and depictions of the Native Americans by Thomas Hariot, the scientist and chronicler of the ill-fated voyage. There is a reconstructed moat, earthen wall and palisade, like White found when he returned to Fort Raleigh in 1590. There are trails through the woods, with markers that identify many of the flora and how the Natives and early European settlers used the plants for food, medicine, and building materials. Many of the markers include first-hand accounts of how profitable harvesting the lumber of the region could be.
The boys probably enjoyed the nature trail the best. They would run from one sign to the next. Luckily the markers didn't include lengthy text. My 9-year old thought it was interesting to see the way they used to spell (like "f" being used for "s"). They liked the fort, but were disappointed they couldn't climb on it. My husband and the boys did have fun plotting how they would be able to sneak over the moat, earthen wall and palisades. We talked about what could have happened to the colonists.
Located on the Fort Raleigh complex are the Elizabethan Gardens. The boys and I have gone several years in a row. We love it. There are many beautiful flowers to see. It is a mature garden with wonderful large trees. One big oak tree, that is 300 years old, has a hole in its trunk that was patched with bricks. There is a fountain in the sunken garden and a gazebo overlooking Roanoke Sound where the boys like to take a rest. A beautiful statue of Virginia Dare, the first English child born in the New World and White's granddaughter born just before he returned to England for supplies, is tucked in the beautiful foliage. Last year, my oldest son, got a houseplant as his souvenir. It is some kind of geranium, and it is still living.
The Waterside Theatre, where the play Lost Colony is produced each summer, is also located on the complex. The play tells a fictional story (based on first-hand accounts of those who visited the colony before and after its disappearance) of those first colonists. We haven't gone to the play. I wanted to go this year, but decided it might not be a good idea to take my four year old. I think next year he will be able to sit still for two hours and not be distressed by it.
The Elizabethan Gardens and Waterside Theatre are not managed by the National Park service. There are separate fees associated with attending the play and visiting the gardens. If you are in the Outer Banks area, I would highly suggest visiting Fort Raleigh.
Visit the National Park website at www.nps.gov. Here you can find links to all the national parks and national historic sites throughout the country.
Monday, July 6, 2009
Preventing Summertime Brain Drain
Well, summer is flying by and I haven't been keeping up with this project. I can't believe it is July already!
It is important for children to have some review through the summer. As a former teacher I can tell you that when the students returned to school in August, it was like they had lost a grade's worth of material through the summer. You always spent September, and sometimes part of October, reviewing material they should have already known. Since I homeschool a struggling learner, it is especially important that we try to keep what he learned for third grade fresh in his mind.
I purchased a Grade 3-4 "bridge"-book, a workbook that reviews concepts from the previous grade in preparation for the next grade. The one we have is published by Evan Moor. I like the books by this publisher. I'd used some of their materials when I was teaching in second grade. They can be great supplements to use in your lessons. The activities in the book are very short (15-20 minutes a day) and provide means for the child to self-monitor independent reading and to reflect on what they might have learned throughout the week. Each week's activities cover topics in reading comprehension, grammar, handwriting, math, problem solving, and geography.
I've also been encouraging my husband to randomly quiz both the boys on things that they learned last year. We try to not make it obtrusive. If we are at a store or read about something in a book that relates to something they've learned, then my husband or I will ask them a question about it. The little one is learning colors, shapes, numbers, and letters. He loves to tell you he knows the letters or numbers on signs. Our older son likes to show what he knows too. So a single question about why the town might have erected that statue in front of the courthouse could lead to him telling you all about U.S. military history.
We are still going on field trips. They are a bit more informal than those we went on during the "school year." Instead of having a formal lesson and writing reflections about what was learned, I might read them a story or talk to them about what they might see or learn and then after the trip I encourage them to tell me about their favorite part and something that they learned on the field trip. The boys still have a great time and learn a lot from each trip.
Games are great. My oldest son loves to play board games. Kids actually learn a lot from games.
Even if you don't purchase a workbook or do mini-lessons with your child, just interacting with your children. Encouraging them to help you figure amounts at the grocery store, to talk to you about prior knowledge before reading a book or what they read about in the book, to play games as a family. All of the these things can foster those connections in the brain that keep the essential knowledge from getting buried deep in their brains. So, instead of spending a month or more reviewing, you can delve right into new, exciting material when you start lessons in the fall.
It is important for children to have some review through the summer. As a former teacher I can tell you that when the students returned to school in August, it was like they had lost a grade's worth of material through the summer. You always spent September, and sometimes part of October, reviewing material they should have already known. Since I homeschool a struggling learner, it is especially important that we try to keep what he learned for third grade fresh in his mind.
I purchased a Grade 3-4 "bridge"-book, a workbook that reviews concepts from the previous grade in preparation for the next grade. The one we have is published by Evan Moor. I like the books by this publisher. I'd used some of their materials when I was teaching in second grade. They can be great supplements to use in your lessons. The activities in the book are very short (15-20 minutes a day) and provide means for the child to self-monitor independent reading and to reflect on what they might have learned throughout the week. Each week's activities cover topics in reading comprehension, grammar, handwriting, math, problem solving, and geography.
I've also been encouraging my husband to randomly quiz both the boys on things that they learned last year. We try to not make it obtrusive. If we are at a store or read about something in a book that relates to something they've learned, then my husband or I will ask them a question about it. The little one is learning colors, shapes, numbers, and letters. He loves to tell you he knows the letters or numbers on signs. Our older son likes to show what he knows too. So a single question about why the town might have erected that statue in front of the courthouse could lead to him telling you all about U.S. military history.
We are still going on field trips. They are a bit more informal than those we went on during the "school year." Instead of having a formal lesson and writing reflections about what was learned, I might read them a story or talk to them about what they might see or learn and then after the trip I encourage them to tell me about their favorite part and something that they learned on the field trip. The boys still have a great time and learn a lot from each trip.
Games are great. My oldest son loves to play board games. Kids actually learn a lot from games.
Even if you don't purchase a workbook or do mini-lessons with your child, just interacting with your children. Encouraging them to help you figure amounts at the grocery store, to talk to you about prior knowledge before reading a book or what they read about in the book, to play games as a family. All of the these things can foster those connections in the brain that keep the essential knowledge from getting buried deep in their brains. So, instead of spending a month or more reviewing, you can delve right into new, exciting material when you start lessons in the fall.
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