Summer Highlights Week 3-Another Busy Week

Monday-

We woke up in an experimenting mood and decided to work with the printing painting technique using stamp letters, a toothbrush, broccoli, stencils, bubble wrap, shells, toy wheels, bolts, and sponges.

Tuesday-

In the morning I found Hannah and Jamilah hard at work making sock puppets.  They entertained the little ones with a short puppet show before we headed off to the library for a scrapbooking class.  As usual I was really impressed with the quality of materials and  instruction considering it was a free program.  Even though this particular class was one we had to sign up for ahead of time, I still don’t understand why more people don’t take advantage of these free programs.  There were only about 6 children in the class and I think the limit was 15. Also, it turned out that the instructor was a fellow homeschooling mother whom I have known for several years now so that was another positive aspect of the class for the girls.

Hannah and Jamilah caught on pretty quickly and learned some fun scrapbooking techniques.   Hannah chose a botanical gardens theme and Jamilah chose an arts/crafts theme.

Wednesday- 

Wednesday was a stay at home cleaning/laundry day.  We did manage to listen to a short audio book while we folded laundry together called Stone Fox.  The story was about an 10-year-old boy who lives with his sick Grandfather and enters a dogsled race in hopes of winning the money needed to pay the back taxes on the grandfather’s potato farm so they could keep the farm. The boy had some fierce competition during the race from a Native American who races each year and is always the winner.  The result of the race surprised us a bit, but I won’t spoil the ending for those interested in the book. 

Another surprise we had this week which was a very pleasant surprise for the girls was that there is actually another addition to the classic Little House series  called  Old Town in the Green Groves. This novel written by Cynthis Rylant fills in two years of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s life that she didn’t write a novel about but were based on Mrs. Wilder’s memoirs.

Thursday-

We headed out to the park early in order to try to beat the heat which was almost impossible.  Some fellow Muslim homeschoolers met us there, so the children and I enjoyed ourselves tremendously. 

In the afternoon we baked a couple batches of fudge brownies which didn’t last long over here.

Friday-

There was a free Stories with Art session at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts that we attempted to attend but we ended up at the educational resource library instead of the library inside the main museum where the class was being held.  Even though we missed the class, the visit wasn’t a total loss as we did get to tour the Pre-Columbian Americas exhibit for the first time.  It was something that was on my list of things to do with the children, maashaa Allah.  The picture quality isn’t as good as it could be due to the fact that flash isn’t allowed inside the museum.

Finally, when we went back to the resource room there were cutouts of birch bark canoes and dugout canoes available, so the girls ended up with a museum tour and a hands-on activity of our own after all despite missing the scheduled class, maashaa Allah.

I hope everyone enjoyed their week as well. What did you do this week?

 Have a wonderful weekend! 

The Nonfiction American Girl Collection

In planning for our  upcoming homeschool year I discovered the nonfiction American Girls  Collection series through the help of the librarian at the local library.  My girls recently became interested in the historical fiction American Girl series, but I wasn’t aware that there was also a nonfiction series which accompanies them.  The books are chock full of paintings, artifacts, and factual information about each time period.

Take a Tour of Ellis Island

Previously, I mentioned that we were learning about Ellis Island in New York.   We finished reading the book, If Your Name was Changed at Ellis Island by Ellen Levine.

I also discovered a very informative, interactive tour of Ellis Island which contains audios of immigrants’ experiences on Ellis Island,  videos, and photographs.

There is also more firsthand immigration stories of yesterday and today on the website in addition to a teacher’s guide and book suggestions.  Looks like a wealth of resources on this topic here, maashaa Allah. 

By Our Hands: Virginia Indian Cultural Arts

Yesterday, I took the three oldest girls to view a Virginia Indian Cultural Arts exhibit at the nearby cultural arts center.  The exhibit consisted of photographs from the early 1900s and artwork from artisans of local Native American tribes including the Pamunkey, Mattopani, Monacan, Rappahannock, and Chickahominy tribes. 

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Museum Hopping

With the temperatures soaring into the 100s over the last week, I have had to find activities indoors to keep the children occupied.  Even though all ages are welcome at the local museums, a couple of my family members agreed to babysit the little children, so the older children and I could more freely explore the nearby art and history museums, alhamdulillah.

This was our first trip to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts since the reopening this past May from major renovations.  I was shocked at how much the museum has grown.  It was hustling and bustling with tour groups of children and others who probably also wanted to get out of the heat.

My favorite area was the art nouveau.

I think this was a sneak peek from the Tiffany glass exhibit in which admission is required.

  

 

 

 

 

 

We also enjoyed the Impressionism wing.

Horses were the subject of many of the paintings at the museum and we spent the majority of the visit viewing them.

Of course, I couldn’t leave the fine arts museum until I found a Jackson Pollock painting in the abstract art section.

Right next door to Virginia Museum of Fine Arts is the Virginia Historical Society which has been offering free admission this year.   I took the children to visit a couple of years ago, but the didn’t get to wander around too long as the little ones wanted to eat and drink almost as soon as we got there.  I found this visit much more enjoyable with them at home, maashaa Allah.

There was so much to see at this museum as well and truthfully it would be much better to only visit a few of the exhibits at a single visit.  Since, I didn’t know when we would be able to return, we did it all in one day.

One of our favorite exhibits areas was called Virginians at Work.    You could spend half of your visit in this area alone.

The children also enjoyed the doll house replica of the Wilton House from the Colonial era which we had actually toured the week before.

The Colonial era clothing dress up area was a hit too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finally, all the children did get a chance to visit the science museum.  They have a new ecolab constructed where the children can analysis a stream and become a junior ecologist.  They were able to determine whether their stream sample had good, fair, or poor water quality based on the amount of certain macroinvertebrates present. 

First, they seperated the biotic organisms from the abiotic items.

Next, they viewed the organisms under the microscope in order to identify them.

Even my two-year old got into the action.  She tried to figure out how to look through a microscope.  It was hard to tell if she was able to view anything or not.

The stream samples were taken from rural(Prince William County) and urban streams(Arlington, Northern Virginia area) around Virginia.   They found the urban streams to be of poor water quality and the rural streams to be of good and fair quality.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Insha Allah, next week I hope to spend a bit more time with the little ones as the older children received more of my time this week.

Elizbethan England Meets Richmond,Virginia

My three eldest children and I had the opportunity to tour a late 15th century Tudor estate that once stood on England’s Irwell River during a homeschoolers and historic houses program.  Agecroft Hall,  once located in Lancheshire, England, was disassembled, crated, and shipped across the Atlantic in 1925 to be reassembled here on the banks of the James River in Richmond, VA. 

Although, we weren’t permitted to take photographs inside the manor house, I was able to get some shots of the outside of the house, the gardens, and the kitchen, maashaa Allah. 

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Rethink, Reeducate

We have come to yet another period  in our historical studies where once again there are many inaccuracies, lies, and cover ups.  It is my duty as a Muslim to relearn what I was taught in school or better yet what I wasn’t taught.  I am attempting to stay just one step ahead of my children as we are on the path of knowledge and discovery together.

 Currently, we are studying the Islamic civilization in Spain in 711 A.D.  As I was reviewing the chapter in the children’s history book which covered this, I once again realized that I needed to dig deeper for the real story, insha Allah.

Being able to teach  our children the truth in every aspect of  their education and upbringing is yet another one of the beautiful benefits of homeschooling.   Alhamdulillah, they are not being spoon fed falsehood and fabrications.  As  parents who are also the educators, we have control of what our children learn, insha Allah. 

For those of you also interested in relearning and thus educating your children on the truth, this video may be a good starting point, insha Allah.  In my opinion, it would be more appropriate for adults and possibly older, more mature children.

This BBC documentary may be better for general audiences, insha Allah.

Morning Out with the Little Explorers

After the substitute teacher, my mother, arrived, my preschoolers and I promptly ventured out in the brisk fall weather early this morning to attend a Little Explorers’ program at Pocahontas State Park.  The programs there usually focus on nature and the environment, but today the focus was on the history of the park. 

Civilian Conservation Corps

The park was constructed in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps which consisted of  a group unmarried young men aged 18-25 from families on relief.  A portion of the class was spent visiting a museum at the park which housed artifacts, photographs, and personal mementos of this period in the park’s as well as Virginia’s history. 

The instructor also led  a  discussion about  types of games children used to play years ago and games children play today. We realized that many of the games of long ago are still popular today such as marbles, jump rope, ball, hula hoop, and hopscotch.  

Hula hooping isn't so easy!

After attempting to hula hoop and hopscotch, the little explorers created some toys that children of the 1930s would have made to keep themselves entertained.  

The girls made a spoon doll.

  

The boys made a ring and stick toy.

It is always a treat to spend some special time with my younger children and a blessing to have my mother, a retired English teacher, at home with my older children tutoring them with their homework, alhamdulillah. 

Travel through the Earth

Many similar ways (and mishaps of life) were faced by nations (believers and disbelievers) that have passed away before you (as you have faced in the battle of Uhud), so travel through the earth, and see what was the end of those who disbelieved (in the Oneness of Allâh, and disobeyed Him and His Messengers). (Aali Imran 3:137)

At this point in our homeschooling journey, we aren’t able to literally travel and witness the places that Allah has destroyed due to their disbelief in Him.  However, we are able to virtually visit some of the places that have been mentioned in the Qur’an, alhamdulillah.

Here are some of the places we have journeyed to online as a reminder of the end result for disbelief. 

{Such are some of the stories of the Unseen which We have revealed unto you: before this neither you nor your people knew them. So persevere patiently: for the end is for those who are righteous} Qur’an 11:49

1. The resting place of Noah’s Ark on Mount Judi on the Turkish-Iranian border.

{When the word went forth: “O earth! swallow up thy water and O sky! withhold (thy rain)!” and the water abated and the matter was ended. The Ark rested on Mount Judi and the word went forth: “Away with those who do wrong!”}Qur’an 11:44

2. Madain Saleh in Saudi Arabia where Prophet Saleh (peace be upon him) was sent to the Thamud people.

To the Thamud people (We sent) Salih, one of their own brethren: He said: “O my people! worship Allah: ye have no other God but Him” “And remember how He made you inheritors after the ‘Ad people and gave you habitations in the land: ye build for yourselves palaces and castles in (open) plains, and carve out homes in the mountains; so bring to remembrance the benefits (ye have received) from Allah, and refrain from evil and mischief on the earth. Qur’an 7:73-74

3. Lost city of Ubar(Iram) where the Ad people inhabited to which the Prophet Hud was sent. 

Did you (O Muhammad (Peace be upon him)) not see (thought) how your Lord dealt with ‘Ad (people)? Who were very tall like lofty pillars, The like of which were not created in the land? (Al-Fajr 89:6-8)

Enjoy your travels!

 

 

Homeschool Day @ Tredegar Iron Works

While reading over my emails this morning, I came across a notification about homeschool day at Tredegar Iron Works in the city of Richmond.  It was a bit of short notice, but the price was right, we homeschoolers are flexible,  and the hands-on living history events sounded fun and educational for the children.  So after slapping together a quick-lunch, we were off to study some state and national history, insha Allah.

Some of the workshops that were planned for the children included learning about a common confederate soldier, a woman’s role in the Civil War, a Cannon’s Roar, and interactive stations.   In these workshops they enjoying marching in formation, learning about quilting, and working together to “fire” a cannon.

Admittedly, my little children weren’t very interested in the program as it was best suited for ages 7 and up, in my opinion, but I found other ways to make the outing beneficial for them as well.  There was an enormous open field with outside exhibits, look outs, and flora and fauna to discover.  We even found sand in which to dig near the picnic tables.  The train running high above the river  also fascinated  them.

Here is a video of some of the activities in which we participated along with views of the city.

After we returned home, my ten yr. old son had a ton of questions and I was grateful to have my husband available to listen and answer his inquiries, alhamdulillah.  My husband has done much historical research in his spare time; therefore, he is in a better position to explain historical events than I am able.