Poetry Reading

We started going to the Blue Manatee Book Store once a  month for a homeschool poetry reading.  Each month the kids can read their own poems, read one from a book, or recite from memory.  This is great for practicing public speaking as well as a great place to share what they are learning about.  It is always a rush to get down there and its always on a busy day, but once we get there, we are always happy that we went.

As a new homeschooling family, we are trying to find things that fit with our schedule, and make the kids feel like they aren't "schooling" as much as they are just celebrating who they are and what they are interested in.  We were working on a unit study of ocean animals.  I let the kids pick any ocean animal that interested them and then let them explore.  It was amazing to see their brains open with knowledge as they studied these animals.  They were so excited to share each and every fact they were learning.  They wrote paragraphs and poems, made skeletal drawings as well as a habitat drawing.  None of them realized that they were really schooling in the process.  To them, it was just fun and interesting projects.  The kids, all with great pride, stood up in front of their peers and read the beautiful poems that they had written about their sea creatures.   As a parent, it was so wonderful watching them get to share their new-found knowledge and have all their friends clap for them.  I couldn't be more proud.  Slowly, but surely, I am finding my confidence in teaching my children at home.  I feel like I am starting all over myself, suddenly seeing the world through the eyes of my children.  There is so much to learn that I have missed.  It's funny, I hated school as a kid, but suddenly, I love learning.  I guess I have my kids to thank for that. :)

Monica (the mom)

All about Sea Horses

By: Claire

Who's that peeking out of the reef, it's a sea horse what do you think.

Sea horses don't have scales, but they do have prehensile tails.

What I know is super cool, sea horses don't live in schools.

When sea horses are 6 months old, they find a mate or so I'm told.

Sea horses swallow their food whole, so they don't need a spoon and a bowl.

They have 3 fins so to roam; sea horses call the ocean home.

Now that my poems at an end, I hope you will read it again.

Caterpillar, Caterpillar

by Guadalupe, Sebastian, Mommy

Caterpillar, Caterpillar with tickly feet.

Caterpillar, Caterpillar ready to eat.

Caterpillar, Caterpillar make a shell.

Caterpillar, Caterpillar sleep so well.

Caterpillar, Caterpillar say bye-bye.

Butterfly, Butterfly fly so high.

Caterpillar, Caterpillar as performed by Guadalupe

Kateri and Guadalupe with an impromptu Spring poem