The Tree Class

by Hannah age 9

See you not that to Allâh prostrates whoever is in the heavens and whoever is on the earth, and the sun, and the moon, and the stars, and the mountains, and the trees, and Ad-Dawâb (moving living creatures, beasts, etc.), and many of mankind? But there are many (men) on whom the punishment is justified. And whomsoever Allâh disgraces, none can honour him. Verily! Allâh does what He wills. (Al-Hajj 22:18)

 

In the class I learned a lot of things come from trees like toothpaste, candy, tires, maple syrup, and much more.

When we were hiking, we found a stump over 100 years old.

This chrysalis was camouflaged in the tree.

If there weren’t any trees, we couldn’t live.

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. 

A Mixture of Learning Experiences

Over the last couple of days, we have engaged in a variety of educational experiences including book learning, hands-on learning, and a field trip.   I have been spending some time teaching my 10 yr. old son some new techniques in spelling and listening to my 8yr. old begin a biography about Rachel Carson, an environmenalist.  In addition, the girls were ecstatic about cutting and coloring the paper dolls that went along with the chapter about the Byzantine Empire.

Justinian and Theodora Paper Dolls

Masha Allah,  the older three children and I participated in a watershed class at Pocahontas State Park where they learned about current environmental problems and solutions.    The instructor used a model of a town(enviroscape)  with a lake to demonstrate how the daily activities of people, businesses, and farms affect the health of its lake in addition to the health and economy of the town itself.

Enviroscape

After the indoor portion of the watershed class, we all hiked down to Beaver Lake from the nature center,  followed the path that the water would take downhill, and noticed what it might pick up along the way.

Tracking the water

After a marsh/wetlands game, we finally make it down to the lake.  Here, we found that the water had taken much soil and debris with it along the way. Therefore,  succession or eutrophication due to erosion has been filling up the lake.

Lake Succession

So far, I have enjoyed the beginning of this week with the children, alhamdulillah.  It has had a nice balance between at home activities and out of the house activities.  Also, I feel that the blend in presentations has been beneficial by meeting a wide range of learning styles.