Our homeschool highlight this week was … vacation!
What did we learn, besides the inevitable education that happens when you put 7 people in a small, warm space? Yes, there was air conditioning, but it was still warm.
Well, we learned that
-gibbons (monkeys) have strong territorial instincts. We heard different families howling at each other, with long wails, short high yips, and deep booms. The larger gibbons seem to have an airsac under their chins that they use to help them make this sound. All of them swung around busily, eager to defend their huge cages from potential intruders and not realizing that each otherfamily was also inside a huge cage.
-if you growl at a sleeping wolf, it will look at you with a startled but sleepily curious expression.
-ostrich feathers are gorgeous, especially when the ostriches dance for each other.
-fifes and drums can be heard over and under the sounds of early 19th century battle. Fifes sound wonderful and have a huge range. We’ll see how this new instrument works out for us, but I can already guess that the dog will not enjoy it.
-you can bake cookies over an open fire, using a hanging metal baking sheet.
-Brown Bess muskets are very special and make a huge bang. In fact, after we watched a skilled actor demonstrate his musket, members of our family went back to watch the demonstration over and over again.
-if you really appreciate what costumed interpreters are doing, they will go above and beyond the call of duty, doing things like
-baking a cookie for Miss 7,
-joining forces to serenade the three other Misses with a fife duo,
-explaining metal-working in detail to my hubby,
-telling us ever so much about history, the musket, and the region
Truly, we’ve had a wonderful holiday so far.
You can read more homeschool highlights, each containing some inspiration or helpful information, at Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers.
I’m so glad your vacation is going well. And yes, don’t overdo it!
We love having an apartment or condo while on vacation. It is so convenient to be able to cook our own food, not to mention substantially cheaper than going out all the time.
Wonderful list of things you learned this week!