10 October – Page 3 – Learning With My Boys

Christopher Columbus Unit Study

In this unit study we learned about Christopher Columbus and his journey to America. We also learned a little geography and about some different landforms including peninsulas, islands, and mountains. We used the books Columbus by Ingri and Edgar Parin D’Aulaire and Hands on History Christopher Columbus by Mary Tucker to accompany our daily lessons. This unit study was made for elementary students and has 7 days worth of lessons. I did this unit study with my 1st grader and recommend it for Kindergarten- 3rd grade.

Christopher Columbus Unit Study

Christopher Columbus Book List

Books can be read by the child or by the parent to the child, depending on the child’s reading level. I don’t think that a child is ever too old to be read to.

Books I used in the lessons…

Columbus by Ingri and Edgar Parin D’Aulaire

Hands on History Christopher Columbus by Mary Tucker.

In 1492 by Jean Marzollo

Other age appropriate books…

Christopher Columbus by Lisa Wade McCormick

Christopher Cloumbus by Stephen Krensky

What’s So Great About Christopher Columbus by Amie Jane Leavitt

Christopher Columbus by Marion Dane Bauer

You Wouldn’t Want to Sail With Christopher Columbus! By Fiona Macdonald

Christopher Columbus by Jan Gleiter and Kathleen Thompson

Halloween Bonfire -11

We had a Halloween Bonfire again this year. This time we set up a table outside with all the pumpkin carving tools and told people to bring their own pumpkins to carve. The boys actually helped us gut the pumpkins this year… in the past they have said it was too slimy for them. T really like looking at the candles in them. It was fun making jack-o-lanterns together!

We roasted hot dogs and smores too. This was the biggest bonfire that we have ever had, was a fun time!

I bought caramel apples this year instead of making them… they were much better! J just LOVES caramel apples!

Check out our fun Halloween Bonfire from last year!

Halloween Bonfire -10

We decided to have a bonfire for Halloween this year. First we went to a nearby pick-your-own pumpkin patch to choose two big pumpkins. We rode in a wagon pulled by a tractor to the pumpkin patch. After choosing our two pumpkins we placed them in the wagon with T and pulled them to the car so we could take them home and carve them.

My husband and I decided to try more difficult designs this year. We each choose our design and dug in, the carving defiantly took longer than our usual triangle eyes and toothy smile jack-o-lanterns. In the end we were very pleased with our work.

We roasted hot dogs for dinner, and had soda for drinks.

We roasted smores for dessert and had homemade caramel apples and candy corn too.

The kids loved it and we all had a great time!

Toddler Fall Portraits

I love fall in the Midwest with all of the colored leaves. J is loving the weather too, since he likes playing outside so much! I followed him around trying to get some cute photos as he explored.

We took some fall pictures, he was much more cooperative than I thought he would be. He like’s trying to play with the trees, rocks, and leaves. He even posed by the tree with his hand on it for me, and sitting in front of it.

22 months old now.