I took the kids on a fieldtrip today to a Ranger Station near the border and a place called Pena Blanca lake. It was a day full of surprises, not the least of which was that Pena Blanca lake is not a lake. It’s gone. And we drove an hour to see it. Things disappear in the desert and if it happens to be water, it’s not coming back any time soon. The Forest Rangers sounded so hopeful for the future. One even said they were courting possible convenience stores to build near the lake… that is, once it fills up. Which could take a Very Long Time.

It felt a little surreal, driving into an apparent Risk Zone and not realizing it. Around the turns in the canyon were hidden border patrol vehicles full of agents, watching our envoy. After letting us through the Padlocked Gate for Rangers Only, The Ranger in charge decided to hand us this card as we sat down for a picnic lunch:

Um, Yikes!

“Traditional responses may not be appropriate. Check your gut.” probably means something pretty bad.

Meet the ex-con Mule that used to run drugs across the border. The Rangers said he’s really grumpy all the time now that he’s on parole working for the Forest Service. Just so you know, drug runners aren’t very nice people and they treat their animals badly. And poorly treated animals are G-R-U-M-P-Y!

We had a good time and we met some wildlife:

And ran away from some other wildlife (whilst wishing I’d packed the telephoto lens):

We learned that we shouldn’t play with fire, handled forest fire tools, tried MRE food that the Forest Service eats during fires, caught insects, saw a movie about Saguaros, learned to saddle a mule and a horse, hunted for toads… it was a great expedition.

Good night!

I wanted to show you how we make history fun and memorable. We start with a textbook (The Story of the World) and make outlines and learn general information, make maps, etc. Then we do projects. For Daniel, this usually means building something. For Paige, this usually involves some art. The idea is to gain a general knowledge of a historical time (such as WWII) and then take some time to learn about various aspects of the time using primary source documents, recipes, models, and articles. I let the children choose what they wish to study in more depth. I love Learning Through History Magazine. These offer great articles and project ideas. These are the sources Paige used in her study of WWII, minus the library books we have already returned:

We make a plan, based on what interests each child. Paige wanted to do a project about the women who worked at home, so we re-created this picture and put it on the cover of her folder. (It’s just a manila folder folded in 4ths.)

Inside, she displays her summaries, outlines, maps, reports, artwork, and other research from the time period:

Maps are neatly folded into envelopes; Photos are mounted; written work is typed and well-edited. The rose wreath is made from Sculpey clay in honor of the slain White Rose German resistance leaders. She wrote reports about Rosie the Riveter, the Nazi Olympics, the Rise of Hitler, Jesse Owens, A Day in the Life During WWII, The Kindertransport and the Atom Bomb. She wrote an outline describing the winding up scenes from WWII. In her literature study, she is working on Anne Frank The Diary of a Young Girl. We will probably put her book report in this folder, too.

Here’s her folder from WWI, completed last April:

I got this idea from someone else. I don’t know who invented the idea, but I think the concept of it is great. It feels good to see all the work the children have done about a civiliazation or a time period in a neat little package. This is good for older children. I like smaller projects for younger children. I’ll take some pictures of what the little ones do for history and post it sometime.

Preparing a poetry unit for November. I read this poem today. Loved it. Thought of many people who live these virtues. If you’re reading this blog, you’re likely one of them. Our family and friends are Wonderful People.

If

If you can keep your head when all about you

Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,

But make allowance for their doubting too;

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,

Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,

Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,

And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream–and not make dreams your master;

If you can think–and not make thoughts your aim;

If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster

And treat those two imposters just the same;

If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken

Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,

Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,

And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings

And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,

And lose, and start again at your beginnings

And never breathe a word about your loss;

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew

To serve your turn long after they are gone,

And so hold on when there is nothing in you

Except the Will which says to them: “Hold on!”

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,

Or walk with Kings–nor lose the common touch,

If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,

If all men count with you, but none too much;

If you can fill the unforgiving minute

With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,

Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,

And–which is more–you’ll be a Man, my son!

Rudyard Kipling