MAY 2018 FIELD TRIP: Cahokia Mounds

ILLINOIS HISTORY has been one of JJ's subjects this year. A few weeks ago, he began studying about the early inhabitants of Illinois - the Mississippians from CAHOKIA MOUNDS.  So, we decided to schedule a field trip, and ended up visiting over Mother's Day weekend. 

EL and JJ at Cahokia Mounds.

We arrived just in time that afternoon to join a free, guided, walking tour. My mom is in this photo with the kids, waiting for the tour to begin. 

Here we are on the walking tour, learning about the different types of mounds on the grounds. There are 3 different types:  Platform, Ridge-top, and Conical.

This was one of the mounds we passed on the walking tour. I believe it is a ridge-top mound, which was probably used as either an area landmark or a burial ground. By this point in the tour, we had  been outside for about 10 minutes and realized how hot it was getting (near 90 degrees!). My mom and I could not handle the heat, so we exited the tour and all went back to the air conditioned Interpretive Center.

 

One of the murals inside the museum shows what the village might have looked like.

After watching a short theatrical presentation about the village, we explored the museum and saw life-sized models of the natives and their surroundings.

A view of some of the foods they ate. Their diet consisted of squash, corn, seeds and beans, berries, wild game and fish.

Here is one of the recipes displayed which the natives probably ate.

Some of the arrow heads that were found on the grounds.

JJ looking at another mural.

David is watching a short video about Wood henge, which was a large en-circled area used to keep track of the seasons.

 

Family photo in the museum.

I did not take this photo, but found it on Wikipedia. This is Monk's Mound, a massive platform mound, most likely where the high chief lived. It is the largest man-made earthen mound north of Mexico. This is the only mound at Cahokia Mounds that is allowed to be climbed. As you can see, there are stairs leading all the way to the top. JJ really wanted to make this climb, however, it was near 94 degrees by then! So, we decided we would return in the Fall, when the temperatures are cooler, and make the climb then.

Cahokia Mounds is a free (donation-based) historical landmark in Collinsville, IL. If you get a chance to go, it is an interesting trip. Just don't go on the walking tour when it is in the 90's, unless you bring lots of water and are accustomed to high temperatures. 

APRIL 2018 FIELD TRIP: Lincoln Log Cabin Live-in Program

Yesterday was the 3rd year JJ participated in a "live-in" program with our homeschool group at LINCOLN LOG CABIN STATE HISTORIC SITE. This was his last year to participate due to aging out, but he has really enjoyed this program. The students are dressed in period clothing and are "transported back in time" to the year 1845. The girls wear dresses and aprons while the boys put on work shirts. They spend a couple of hours performing duties and chores that were typical on an 1840s farm.

Here is where the students start out. They are told the rules, and then dressed in their costumes. Several families had to cancel this time, so there were only 4 boys and (I think) 9 girls. In previous years, we have had up to 15 or more in each group.

The boys pushed a wagon over to the stable to load dirty straw onto. This is a working farm with real animals, so the chores are real, also.

Here are two of the boys using pitchforks to load the straw. JJ is on the right.

After the straw was loaded, they pushed the load down the sidewalk and took it to a place to dump it.

Another chore for the boys was carrying wood from the wood shed to the wood box inside the cabin. The boys were also allowed to saw wood using a two-man saw, but I didn't get a picture of that chore.

Here is JJ carrying wood into the cabin where the girls have a fire going and are working in the kitchen. 

The girls were nice and warm inside the cabin, making Johnny Cake for us all to try. EL was asked if she wanted to participate, and she said no, but we stood in cabin for awhile to watch what they were doing. She's the one in the hat.

The boys are taking turns dipping candles. The girls did this also. When they were finished, each student was allowed to take home one candle as a souvenir.

JJ and a friend are carrying a heavy bucket of spikes, which were needed for the next chore of splitting a log.

The boys are lined up and taking turns hitting the spike with a sledge hammer.

JJ is taking his turn with the sledge hammer. This was his favorite chore.

It was a chilly day, but at least the sun was shining. JJ's arm muscles were sore the next day, but he was happy to have taken part.

MARCH 2018 FIELD TRIP: Greentree Saw Mill & Amish School

March 29, 2018 - A trip to Greentree Hardwood Saw Mill, run by the Amish in Flat Rock, IL

We went upstairs into a little room with a viewing window. This was taken from the window, looking down at the action of the saw mill. The logs were cut with machines/robotics, but man power was also needed to help move things along. 

We left the saw mill and hopped into a small bus owned by the family who planned this field trip. They took us over to an Amish school down the road from the mill.  JJ is on the right.

The Amish schoolhouse

We were allowed to sit quietly in the school rooms to observe while the students had their Math class. There were 9 students in this classroom, and I think 7 or 8 in another classroom with the younger children. The Math curriculum they use is from Rod & Staff.

The teacher of the older students showed us a class nature project they are working on. This is a jar filled with eggs from Yellow Perch fish. The eggs were clear, and we were able to see very tiny fish moving around inside of them, getting ready to hatch out soon. 

After the school, we finished our trip by visiting the Amish grocery store a little further down the road. The smell of fresh bread was very evident as we walked in the door. Several families had fresh sandwiches made in the deli section. We brought our own lunch but still did some shopping at the store.

On one of the walls inside the store, there is a display of musical chime clocks for sale. EL loved these and asked me to take to a picture of them so she could draw them later. She said she wants one of these for her bedroom. 

Several of the boys hanging out after lunch on the porch.

We all enjoyed the trip and learned some interesting things we hadn't seen before. I had JJ fill out a field trip report and he said this about the saw mill:

They bring in a big log and they use a machine to cut the wood. When the wood has been cut on one side, the machine flips it over and starts cutting again on the other side of the log.

Even though EL has graduated from school, we still take her on trips like this and she likes to fill out a field trip report also. She said this about the Amish school and store:

We went to the Amish school. The girl is learning some Math. We went to the store to get some stuff. I saw fidgit spinners, puzzles, big wind chimes, and musical chime clocks. I liked the musical chime clocks. The clocks played beautiful chiming music. I liked the wind chimes outside.

FIELD TRIPS February 2018: IGA Store & Feed Mill

In February, we took two field trips with our homeschool group. The first one was to Martin's IGA on February 6th. The second one, on the 27th, was hosted by Farm to Family Ag Tours through the Illinois Farm Bureau and the University of IL Extension. We went to a feed mill that was still under construction, and also to a cattle farm.

MARTIN'S IGA

Storefront

Produce Department

Cake Decorating Department

Fork lift putting a pallet on a high shelf in the stock room

Checkout lane

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FEED MILL & CATTLE FARM

Inside the new feed mill - under construction

An expensive pellet maker

At the cattle farm

Visiting a cow at the cattle farm

We Are Persevering With Homeschooling

It seems we have finally gotten into a good school routine here, and we are starting to accomplish some of the goals that were planned out for this year. I am so thankful for that because - I won't lie - we had a very rough start to our school year this year and, I gotta tell ya, there have been times when part of me really wanted to quit.

Homeschooling my 14-year-old son is not easy! Its not the teaching part that is hard; I can usually handle that - and, if there is something I don't know the answer to, then we look it up (thanks, in part, to Google). The hard part has been his attitude about schoolwork.  He is not a fan of school - never has been. I'm guessing its because school is hard for him due to his learning difficulties. I understand that. But, I have always been a positive thinker and I have a difficult time with "complainers." He is the type of person who doesn't hold back his negative thoughts, so I OFTEN hear his complaints and feelings about his schoolwork. It irks me to no end; and, I guess maybe I take it too personally at times. I spend countless hours trying to find the curriculum that best fits his personality, and best fits his learning style (as well as my teaching style), and then I get excited about how great our year is going to be and how much we are going to learn. Then, my efforts are met with complaints about the curriculum, or about the work that needs to get done. I want him to have the same kind of excitement about learning as I do, but he doesn't. So, it is frustrating, and it is hard.

On our hardest days, I have prayed, "Why can’t he see how much I am doing for him! Will he ever appreciate me for it? Will he ever learn to do his work without complaining and just do it because its what he is supposed to do? How can I motivate this kid to love learning?"

And, then, the Lord reminds me that, yes, it is hard; but I need to persevere. It will be worth it in the end.

James 1:2-4 - Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. (NIV)

So, no.... I’m not going to quit just because its hard. One thing I have always tried to teach my kids is that we don't give up "just because its hard." So, that applies to me as well.

But, I want to be clear about something... I would never say it is wrong to enroll a child into an organized brick and mortar school. I would never say every child should be homeschooled. Every family and every situation is different, and not every schooling option is the best fit for every child. But, for me and MY family, homeschooling is what we have chosen to do. It is what my husband and I feel is best for OUR family. So, I know I, personally, need to keep going. With God's help, I am bound and determined to get this kid through High School.

JJ is just being funny here. He knows he has frustrated me, and he is making "light" of it. LOL. He is a good kid, and is trying to do better. I love him dearly and wouldn't trade him for anything.

   

A Visit from Cousin Jon & Sam Judd

Cousin Jon from Kentucky came to visit us for a week. He and JJ are not just cousins, but the best of friends. They talk on the phone almost daily, text each other, Skype, and play some online games together. Their interests are very similar. So, when we found out my brother's friend, Sam Judd, was going to come minister at our church on October 15th, we worked out a way to have Cousin Jon dropped off on Sunday, October 8th. Jon is also homeschooled, so he was able to take the time away from home. However, the boys did not get away from doing ALL of their schoolwork. 

Jon and JJ took Monday, October 9th off from schoolwork because it was Columbus Day. But, they were required to spend the mornings of Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday doing their work. Then, Friday was another "holiday" for us, just because we wanted it to be.  It's not every day that we get a visit from Cousin Jon, seeing as how he lives at least 6 hours away.

They also did some chores together while Jon was here. Here they are picking up the pears that continually fall from the tree in our front yard every Fall.

They also took numerous bike rides around town on the days it wasn't raining. Great exercise for them, and kept them off the video games for awhile.

Sam Judd came on Saturday, October 14th, and ministered at our church on the 15th. It was a great visit with him, and we enjoyed getting to know him. He is an excellent speaker, and a great musician. So, be sure to check out his website, listen to samples of his music, and contact him to see when he might be available to minister at YOUR church:  www.samjudd.com

 

Sam left on Monday morning, the 16th, and took Jon home with him. It was fun to have him here. I am glad we were able to take advantage of this opportunity for the cousins to spend some enjoyable time together.

SEPTEMBER 2017 FIELD TRIP: Lost Creek Orchards

On Wednesday this past week, we took our first Fall field trip (not including the total eclipse trip we took on our first day of school). We went to Lost Creek Orchards for the 5th year in a row (and our 6th time in total). By now, we know this orchard really well, and it is actually more of a tradition for us than a learning experience. We enjoy the familiarity of this trip, the laid back tour, and also the social time with others in the group.  So, even though JJ is in High School now, we will continue going on these trips as long as we are able, and as long as he still has an interest in going.

JJ chatting with friends before the tour

EL posed for a nice picture by some pumpkins

Walking through the corn maze

Several boys taking a break after walking through the orchard

Heading down the hill back to the lodge

EL is pretty as a peach!