Morning lesson in ornithology.

It is important to have a plan for the day and know what we are doing, but being flexible is the most important thing to always remember when homeschooling.
As we woke up the other day and were getting ready to start our day the educational opportunity just presented itself, almost literally right before our eyes. The girls did their beds, had breakfast and we were just about to finish with our morning stretching exercises, as we suddenly noticed a lot of commotion going on in our front yard. There were squirrels chasing each other, the cute little chipmunk was climbing up the tree trunk and then suddenly dropping to the ground and disappearing in the hole under the rock, the birds finally showed interest in that sack with dried up bread and the bird house/feeder we had made way back in the beginning of the winter.

All three girls were instantly glued to the window watching the lively natural show. The curtains went on the sides and stayed that way for the whole day, the "Birds of Pennsylvania" guide book was pulled out from the shelf and the learning about birds was as natural and exciting as could be. We were able to identify four birds, a Black-Capped Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, American Robin and a Hairy Woodpecker. We read in the guide all the fascinating details about these birds, observed their behavior in the wild, and were just glad to see fist hand the real signs of the spring coming. Finally!

With all the family dynamics during the day, having a baby and a toddler, we didn't accomplish what I had thought we would, but this early morning lesson just reminded me yet one more time that learning is living the life and being vigilant to things around us, and sometimes instead of memorizing something irrelevant for the moment, it is wise to learn something new what is happening around you and just enjoy the moment. That is it, enjoy the moment! After all, the destination is important, but the journey is what counts the most!

And while we were all occupied with bird watching, Evan was learning his letters! :0)