Homeschooling

Trench Warfare in WW1

December 14, 2018 By Annette1 4 Comments

Dry feet, new socks, dealing with gas, different trench designs, lice, rats, rain and misery. This is what made up the soldier’s life fighting in the trenches of World War One. A tough life for soldiers.

Trenches were 10 feet high with sandbags stacked around. Dug not only in dirt (like I thought) but also through rock, in sand etc. They went through coal mines, railroad tracks, streams and more.

Soldiers rotated through being in the front line to being in the support lines. Different counties had their own routine… anywhere from five days to one month.

They had a daily routine of protect the trench (stand to), hate, breakfast, weapon and foot inspection, daily chores, and a lot of boredom and at night “stand to” (protect the trench).

Life in the Trenches

Together we discovered this interactive website that taught more about life in the trenches.

Duckboard and Poetry

Duckboard was a new word to us and so we learned that it is a board consisting of a number of wooden slats joined together, placed so as to form a path over muddy ground or in a trench.

We read the poem Break of Day in the Trenches by Isaac Rosenberg.

We learned about the life of a Canadian Soldier in the trenches. It wasn’t an easy time for man or beast. A fair bit of time was spent examining the different parts to this section.

We saw photos of life in the trenches. Listening to people talk about their duties, adds realism, you know?

This video was very helpful in teaching us the terminology of the trenches.

This video taught us more about the support lines, and how the trenches were made. Explained where they were placed as well.

This video demonstrated why trench warfare was so very difficult. The armies, basically in a stalemate. Both sides got their positions and simply held them. Sometimes losing, but getting them back. Back and forth, back and forth. Not really going anywhere.

Of course battling in the trenches met fighting off pests like rats and lice (with could cause trench fever), and trench foot. We learned more about combating trench foot here.

Hands-On

We took a couple of approaches to our hands-on work for Trenches.

First we made models of trenches.

We have plans to make sample trenches of the German trenches as well. You can see what they look like on this page.

I thought it was important to truly understand what trench foot was like and how quickly it could hit the men. We took some pigs feet, one we left just in a sock, another was washed and dried with a change of socks twice a day, and another was washed, dried and had Vaseline applied twice a day. I will be writing up a post to tell you more about trench foot and our experiment.

Resources to further understanding

We made use of a couple of resources as well. Click on image to go to resource.

SchoolhouseTeachers.com has a section on World War 1 as well. It would be worth your time to check it out.

World War II Night Before Christmas

December 13, 2018 By Annette1 2 Comments

Study the World Wars this year has opened my eyes to the tremendous hardship the soldiers faced in the first World War. The Great War was hard, but the Second World War brought it’s own difficulties. Those are pointed out in World War II Night Before Christmas.

From The Cover

Santa visits the Allied troops in Normandy on Christmas Eve, 1944. He brings them blankets, rations, coffee, and warm winter clothes…items that the Allied troops lacked in the frigid temperatures of Normandy.

What you Get:

Full Colour images and a poem reminiscent of The Night Before Christmas. The lines bring out the dangers the soldiers faced, as well as their fears and dreams. And who should appear at the end? Santa of course (you’ll need to read of his gear).

I appreciated that he listed names of soldiers in the war, and carefully wrote in a way to educate without alarming children listening to the familiar lyrics of Night Before Christmas.

My Thoughts

I have to admit I did struggle with the Nazis are evil and we are good. Do not misunderstand me, I do not believe that Nazism is a good mindset to follow. But I do struggle with the notion of Santa saying Americans are good and those they fight are evil. It is very much a “yay, America” book. That aspect came across stronger than I would have preferred.

What I do like is that in the midst of worry and fear hope happens. Santa comes and brings the soldiers exactly what they where in need of, just when they most needed it. That message is one that children need to hear. Perhaps not that Santa is the answer, but that hope always exists for those who wait for it.

World War II Night Before Christmas
Mike Guardia
Melanie Stephens (illustrator)
Magnum books
36 pages, softcover, picture book
Christmas, WW2, Santa

Reviewed for the author.

Other books by Miake Guardia

It’s Snowing in Hawaii.

Christmas 1914

December 11, 2018 By Annette1 6 Comments

In the middle of November, my son, host son and myself took in Christmas 1914 at Fanshawe Village. We had a fantastic time and learned ever so much. As it drawing nearer to Christmas I thought I would tell you all about it! 🙂

Our visit started with a reenactment of the Christmas Truce of 1914. First they walked us through a trench with men telling us about their experiences, the cold, the hunger, the muck and the constant threat surrounding them.

I mentioned to one fellow that it was cold. He said “yes, it is truly miserable”. This portion of the program wasn’t very long but it gave us a glimpse into what it would have been like for these soldiers. Living within all that and then learning to trust the men in the other trenches, at least enough on Christmas to greet each other. A tough call.

After we saw the re-enactment we were able to go around and visit the various buildings which reflected different aspects of World War 1.

Our first stop was at the church were we listened to a girl choir. Some aspects were not period (like the Santa hats and the organ) but that wasn’t completely the point. 🙂 The point was music was still part of that time period and we got to listen to songs about the time period as well.

Church

We sat through part of the program, but the boys were feeling antsy so we headed out to get some hot chocolate and have an impromptu snow ball fight. It was good to see the boys having fun together (until they ganged up on me). I ran quickly into the building with the hot chocolate. 🙂

The lady working this house helped us to understand how the French boys and the boys from other countries were treated.

Once done here we headed back to finish listening to the girls choir. They did an excellent job. I wish I had the recording from Christmas in the Trenches. The one young lady did an excellent job singing an excellent alto.

Red Cross Booth

We also stopped at the Red Cross booth. Here we learned about how the soldiers received care packages. There we could light a candle to remember those who had gone on before. It was great to write a Christmas card to a Canadian soldier currently serving.

Christmas 1914 re-enactment, writing letter to a soldier

Period House

We spent some time at a home set up for the 1900’s. We saw a pamphlet to help people adjust to living during the war. It was full of practical advice.

In this house we were walked through how people would have lived, and the story of one family. We learned the best way to string popcorn and saw period Christmas decorations.

Guard house

Our last stop was the guard house. Each of us got a period Christmas card, much like the boys would have received in the war. We learned abit about how injured soldiers were cared for. I have to admit, the fire was cozy warm. The men inside the building also educated the boys are terminology use, and many other items. Other than the hot chocolate I probably enjoyed this station the most.

Artifacts

Not to be forgotten was the artifact set up in the main building. This was a treasure trove of information. From the lady who had a display of period Christmas Cards, and an obvious love of communicating what was special about them. I never knew one could learn so much from an old card!

The boys were most interested in checking out the equipment the soldiers used and the weapons they carried. The person manning the both was very knowledgeable and from him we learned that most of the soldiers that participated in the 1914 truce died as a result of their actions. Their commanding officers for the most part transferred them to areas with active fighting. Their actions were firmly frowned upon, and thereafter in the war, some of the heaviest fighting was on Christmas day.

We learned a lot about gas masks, how they progressed over the years. What the gas did. Some gas dissipated easily, other gas settled in down lying areas and just stayed there. The lad tried on a gas mask and said “it’s hard to breathe’. Our instructor said “Now try running with that, carrying all your gear, in the mud”. My son’s face when he took off the mask said it all. Imagine how hard that would have been. The soldiers needed to carry them at all times.

This was an incredibly informative evening and I highly recommend if you have a chance to go, that you do so.

Want to Know More?

Some songs were written about this series of events.

Articles about it

Some books to check out.

Four Ways to Remember the Reason for the Season

December 10, 2018 By Annette1 6 Comments

Tis the season to be jolly fa la la la la la la la la.

It is the season to be jolly, it’s great time of the year, this time of hope that we are in. There is so much to see, do and be involved in. But think.. What’s the real reason? It’s the hope of the Saviour… not coming as a baby, as important as that is, but as the Saviour of the world. We so need to remember and to contemplate what that really means,. 🙂

It’s hard not to get caught up in the busyness of the seasons. In this post I will talk about some of my joys of the season, as well as some ways to remember the reason for the season.

My Joys:

In the baking of cookies. Papernauten anyone?

In the putting up of a Christmas village.. I do have to admit this year, I’ve reduced my Christmas village. We are trying to light our load abit and I’ve needed to cut my village. A hard decision but it all needs to fit into ONE bin.

Sometimes it’s hard to remember, to focus on the fact that Christ came to earth FOR US. And not just for a generic us but for a specific ME.

Four ways to Remember the Reason For the Season

So the question arises. Just how does one remember what truly is the reason for the season?

These are things that help me
1. Doing a daily advent activity. Often we have used a Lego Advent Calendar. 🙂 What can I say… it’s fun to put together Lego as one thinks about the events of Christmas. But lately we just have those dollar store chocolate Advent Calendars and read scripture daily. Different passages that speak to the true meaning of Christmas, and the story of Jesus’ birth.

2. Spending time alone. YES.. alone… in fact sometimes I will squirrel myself away like a little spider, getting away from the noise and bustle of the world and just stay within my own cozy home. Reading a book, going out for a walk when no one is around, getting lost in the world of colouring and a Christmas movie. Just stuff for me alone. 🙂

3. Christmas music and books! In the past I read lots of books (like Alabaster’s song). Now I play Christmas music as I bake cookies, pumpkin spice muffins, and meals) and even while I’m sweeping the floor or doing laundry. Bring music that I like into the house. 🙂

4. Spend time with the Lord in church services, readings from the bible and Christmas poetry that reminds me of the season. There are some you might want to check out here and here.

We all have ways that help us to remember what is important about the Christmas season.

So tell me then, what’s important to you? How do you focus on that importance? How do you remember the reason for Christmas?

The Evolution of Homeschool Hours

December 7, 2018 By Annette1 6 Comments

Do you know a startling fact? Not all homeschool days last the same length of time! I KNOW.. it is SO different from public or private school eh? Homeschooling parents all set up their days differently, as many different ways as parents who teach. The funny things is… your days will evolve over time.

I thought I’d take a moment and walk you through how over lives have changed over past 8 years.

We started our homeschooling journey when the lad was 5, he’s now 13. When he was five, you know what we did? We walked and talked, we played and told stories.

I remember the advice a homeschooling friend gave me. Don’t buy curriculum until he’s 8 years old. You don’t know anything before then. Take your time and just have fun. Count everything, read a lot, take him everywhere and talk about what you doing, bring him places where he can ask questions and have his imagination turned. I took her advice to heart (beyond the buying curriculum, which in the end… we never did use). We held this course pretty much for the next three years.

I tell stories as naturally a breathing (people tell me I should always write them down but they never come out the same you know?) Through stories we learned history, practiced our math, tried out new words, and wove in elements of experiments. Did we use books and what not? Of course we did. But they weren’t the mainstay of our life.

My son has always been big into weapons and fighting. And we have gone through many renditions of armour. Back in 2012 we learned about warriors from Fiji whose weapons were shaped like pineapples. Schooling for us back then was a whole day affair of simply living life and learning. We tried different things like word walls and some book work but reading and talking about things worked so much better than anything else at this age. Bookwork perhaps took an hour at the most.

From 2014-2017 bookwork gradually increased. We learned some important lessons such as… even if a boy does math backwards (at least in mom’s mind) but gets the correct answer and can explain how he got there, it’s okay. Just means a mom’s mind and a boy’s mind work differently and math can still be learned. Ergo, I don’t teach math, but I do act in a supportive role! Early on, we discovered the joy of learning on-line. We kept reading, books at breakfast, lunch, and bedtime. So many great books we read, and the histories we went through, delightful!

We learned to work with how a boy set on routine works when his momma isn’t a routine/organized type person. It was HARD. On a positive note it meant that school would last exactly three hours or four hours. AND a boy learned to bend when “come on, it’s field trip day, NO, you don’t have time to do everything you usually do”.

One winter we spent hours learning about snow and compacting it and using water to create a thin, but durable layer of ice.

We still spent time exploring different ideas. Reading poetry and drawing what we thought it meant. It’s amazing sometimes where words can take us. How many different directions they can take us, and yet, at the same time, how often they can take us in the same direction. We laughed often and were amazed together. The cat often joined in the fun.

And now we are in 2018. With a lad doing most of his work independently. Needing a weekly conversation to see if we are on track. Learning together doesn’t happen quite as often. School happens differently now. A lad often getting up before his mother does. Doing his easy stuff in the morning before Dad gets up (takes about an hour). Then playing and doing things with Dad until it’s time to go to work. Dad gone, it’s off to do schooling again (takes about 2.5-3) hours. Sometimes we do things differently with videos being watched at night, research papers written on the weekend, flexibility is more easily managed now.

And now I have a boy who will volunteer to read a good section in a book to me out loud. 🙂

It is magnificent watching a boy learn and grow. To develop skills and confidence. I absolutely love it!

What about you? How do your days go? Have you seen changes in your scheduling over the years? Or if you are just starting out, are you prepared for things to change?

Junk Drawer Geometry

December 4, 2018 By Annette1 2 Comments

Pretty soon my lad will be taking a geometry course, so imagine how delighted I was to get a review copy of Junk Drawer Geometry. I now have 50 hands-on activities to help my son make sense of polygons, mobius strips and angles.

From the cover:

Geometry is a hands-on subject. What better way to explore the concepts of area, perimeter, and volume than actually measuring area, perimeter, and volume? With this helpful resource, you will polygons out of pipe cleaners and flexible drinking straws, explore Mobius strips made from index cards, model the Pythagorean theorem using cheese crackers, and much more. Junk Drawer Geometry proves that you don’t need high-tech equipment to comprehend math concepts – just what you can find around the house or in your recycling bin.

What you Get:

Divided into three chapters

Geometry tools: 14 sections such as Pencil Compass, Right Angle String, Unit Circle Glove etc.
Geometry labs: 18 sections such as Inscribed Angle Circles, Straw Triangles, Thumbs Up etc.
Fun Geometry activities: 18 sections such as Math Triangles, Circle Art, Tangrams etc.

There’s not an area of Geometry that this book doesn’t cover. Shapes, theorems, tangents, graphs, compasses, calipers, area and volume and so much more!

It was ever so helpful that each project comes with a materials list. I found that most materials are easily found around the house, OR easy to find at your local dollar or hardware store.

Step by Step instructions walk you through exactly what you need to do. The pictures clearly showing what you need to do, eliminating confusion.

I particularly appreciated that math behind the activity was clearly explained. From understanding the importance of circles, the relevance of figuring out area, why it works to your hand to measure items at a distance, and why marshmallows work so well to understanding volume.

$Junk Drawer Geometry$

My Thoughts:

Junk Drawer Geometry follows a similar pattern to Junk Drawer Engineering. Grayscale images with clear instructions make it so easy for the student to complete the activity. There is an excellent range of activities, some very simple, and others that are a bit more complicated. Step by Step instructions along with understanding the math behind the activity. Robert Mercer brings geometry into the real world for his readers. All of the activities are quite doable and you should have no problem finding the materials to make them. Definitely worth adding to your study of Geometry.

Junk Drawer Geometry: 50 Awesome Activities that don’t cost a thing
Bobby Mercer
Chicago Review Press
Ages 9+, 208 pages
STEM Challenges, Math, Geometry, Hands-on
Trade Paperback
Series: Junk Drawer Science

Reviewed for Chicago Review Press.

Colborne Lodge

December 4, 2018 By Annette1 2 Comments

When we were on vacation we needed something to do before we went to our airbnb apartment. Enter in Colborne Lodge in the southern end of High Park in London. Our guide was wonderfully informative and very personable. You’ll have to pardon me if the pictures are a bit dark, no flash was allowed.

Colborne Lodge was the home to John and Gemima Howard. Mr. Howard was an architect and engineer originally from England. The house holds a number of pieces of art work that he did himself. A lot of the art work he did involved ships on the water, usually in trouble.

They had one of the first indoor toilets. There was a small replica of it so that we could see how it worked. This area of the house was built in such a way that when the door was closed it looked like a solid wall. If I recall correctly, it was because not everyone was accepting of indoor toilets.

Our tour guide walked us through all the different areas of the house, telling us about each of the paintings. She gave plenty of time for questions to be asked and answered. The Howards lived a fair piece out of town. The house was comfortable for them.

They had this rather neat picture frame sitting on the mantel. I can’t recall if this one is authentic to the house. They needed to do a fair amount of work on the house as it had merely been shut up when the Howards’ had passed on. Vandalism and theft had happened before the house was turned into a museum. I loved the intricate detail on this picture frame and how it fanned out like a peacock. It would have been neat to see photos in it. I would happily have this in my house.

They had these tiny corner closets. I have not seen closets like this before in these early homes. It’s hard to imagine only have three or four outfits to wear.

We were walked through the various bedrooms, seeing their vanities, dresser drawers and the like. There were paintings throughout the house, most done by the Howards, and the odd one by friends.

It’s hard sometimes to know what our student understands, so when he stops to take a picture I wonder what caught his attention. I never did figure this one out as when I asked he just flashed a grin at me.

It’s a fair sized house with a basement, main floor and upper floor. It has a greenhouse or summer patio attached as well.

Oh, I almost forgot this part. They are buried on the property, but not really close to the house! We needed to cross the access road to get to it.

All in all it was a lovely visit with a good tour guide. We learned so much! If you are the Toronto area, take in Colborne Lodge.

Homeschooling