Day Thirty-One: Closing Up Shop... Or Not!

Who would like to join our group for a trip to the lavender fields?, the email read. Although, I warn new homeschoolers about taking on too many subjects and adding too many trips in their year, I tend to jump at every opportunity that educates my children about God's creation. And so this week, we will attend and, I'm sure be surprised by, God's design in nature once again. 

Because the traditional school year ends in the late spring, the world affords much scope for the imagination and it leaves us unable to close up shop on our school work. My goal at this time of the year is to complete math, writing, spelling and phonics before the end of June, but we will continue short unit studies and summer reading. Last year, my kiddos used "Summer Notebooks", in which they copied a Scripture verse, wrote out ten spelling words, worked out some quick math and researched one cool fact. This took less than a page and no more than twenty minutes to half an hour per day. Of course, there were many days it was set aside for important interruptions and vacation, but it was a valuable tool for keeping their brains exercised. 

Perhaps I should have blogged this set of thirty-one days earlier in the year, to share more school-ish things because spring truly inspires us to be outdoors more than in. However, I'm a firm believer that (if possible) being there is a far greater teacher than merely reading about being there :)  

White-crowned Sparrow

Eastern Towhee

Towhee's wife

Eastern Kingbird

Can you guess whose tracks these are?

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

waterfall at my in-laws'

Field Sparrow

Field Sparrow singing an adorable song (grab the free Merlin Bird I.D. app to hear many bird's songs!)

Dunlin-first sighting!

 Are you closing up shop on your schooling adventures for the year?