Salamanders are abundant in the area where we live. It's so easy to find them, just flip the boulder and almost certainly you'll find this cute animal. Apparently looking for salamanders was one of the favorite activities for both Ivana and Leona during the summer months.
And since it's been pretty warm these amphibians are not hibernating yet. Just last week we were by the lake and the girls found four salamanders. I couldn't stop admiring the smoothness of the skin and the beautiful coloration. They weren't too jumpy and seemed not to mind being held by curious little hands. Ivana said that she didn't know anything about salamanders.
Guess what we did... The girls each made a new book today. And it was about salamanders. We did the cover of the book by coloring and cutting out the printout of an animal. On the first page Ivana wrote salamander life cycle, from an egg to a matured adult.
"They lay eggs in the water. Then they hatch into larva. Then they develop lungs and legs and come to live on land. So when salamanders become adults they shed their skins and eat it."
On the third page Ivana drew a front leg of a salamander and wrote down that they have only 4 fingers. And there are 5 fingers on the hind legs.
Forth page we devoted to measurements. We drew two graphs, one in inches (4''-8''), and the other one in centimeters (10cm-20cm) to demonstrate the sizes of adult salamanders.
And then finally, on the last page they cut and glued little pictures of some animals that are insectivores, as we have learned a new term today.
So many people are wondering how come we don't use any curriculum for our home studying. And I don't see the need for one, at least for now. Real life inspirations are all around us!
1 comment:
Hi Ulia!!! I want to comment on your curriculum comment. I think you are so right that all the interesting learning opportunities are around us and kids in daily life! We, adults, just have to notice them, not to be lazy to research, and have some fun & creativity with kids!!!
For example, this past summer I went to Russia. I have a 12-year-old sister. You have no idea how hard I tired to find those opportunities/topics to get her interest on something to make her reading, not watching TV!!! Guess what... I wasn't successful! I just couldn't find anything that would interest her. She said straight to me, "I don't like to read; reading is boring!" Well, I think I wasn't creative in the finding something around her life that'd interest her. I was a bit frustrated... that's for sure!!!
Ulia, do you have any suggestions for a teenager?
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