Means Academy: Life as it relates to books this week. {Oct 14-Oct 18}

This week the kids have been able to really relate to a few of the books they have read.  It is fun to see their eyes get big in realization that they can relate to that personally because they have first hand experience.  It makes the books seem to come alive a little bit.

They may not admit it, but even my older children can not resist the charm of Ladybug Girl in the series of books about Lulu and her adventures as LadyBug Girl by David Soman and Jacky Davis.  You can read it for free at WE GIVE BOOKS!  Haden was delighted when he discovered that Ladybug Girl had planted an avocado tree, just like him.  

Illustration by David Soman for the book Ladybug Girl.

Look how much Haden's avocado tree has grown in 2 months!

At the Means Academy we have been observing the life cycle of the moth/butterfly from egg to butterfly.  The effects they have on your garden greens make me cringe.  Haden was delighted with the book Don't Worry Bear by Greg Foley, which can also be found at WE GIVE BOOKS.  This follows a little bear as he worries about a little caterpillar friend inside his cocoon.

From the book Don't Worry Bear by Greg Foley

Because of all the damage the caterpillars were doing in my garden, we spent time picking them off by hand and destroying them.  Hannah recalled reading from the American Girl Series, were the slave girl Addy Walker's job was to pick huge worms off the tabacco leaves, and she was made to eat a handful as punishment for missing some.  That made us all cringe!

On a note of humor/culture/biligual kid's prospective, earlier in the year Josiah and Hannah read Peace Child (Incredible book-BTW).  In our cirricullum the discussion is brought up and statement made that since the missionary was spending so much time each day in language accusition, he must have learned very quickly.  Both kids were appalled by the statement and declared whoever wrote the cirricullum must only speak one language.  (tempted to add a bunch of hashtags here, I just might when I link this on FB) #whenmygkidsreadthisintwentyyearswilltheyevengetthehashtagreference  *sorry I couldn't resist.

This week we are reading about both the birth of our nation (the United States) and ancient history in living history books such as; The Hittite Warrior, Indian Captive, and The God King.  What books are you enjoying with your children this week and how have they been able to learn from then and relate to them?

Linking with A Mama's Story: