Entries in milestones (123)
Allosaurus
We are squarely in the Jurassic period around here now. We completed the species list and felt creatures for the Triassic, and then we watched Allosaurus, a special episode of BBC's Walking with Dinosaurs. Who could ever have believed a carnivorous Allosaurus could be a sympathetic character. We're all a little in love with Big Al now, so I know what felt creations are on my plate for tomorrow. This newest exploration we're on—the trip through evolution—is really the first time that I've utilized multi-media as a learning tool. When Calvin was younger we sometimes watched the Old School Sesame Street shows (volume 1 or volume 2), or sections of Planet Earth, but until now the TV or computer were merely rare bits of entertainment. I still don't view the TV as an educational tool, but entertainment is a part of learning, and vice versa, so when we found the BBC series that was kind of a match made in heaven, and we have two great iPad apps about evolution and dinosaurs as well now. They've been good jumping-off points.
Today we made Triassic felt and started Jurassic felt, we did a dinosaur puzzle, we played Allosaurus all morning. We both practiced the piano, and we did some math and map worksheets together. We practiced drawing, we sorted and shelved books in the library sale room. For Calvin the past few days have been full of sudden mental leaps, and even though phases like these always bring with them an over-tired, grumpy attitude, I have come to understand the cycle over the past few years: a sudden onset of grouchy, crazed behavior, even after plenty of sleep, has almost always been a sign of expanding mental capacities with him. He does this at least twice a year. In the past I've panicked, wondering what had happened to my usually cheerful son, but I've since learned to be patient and to look for the newest achievements.
Patience is something I am learning with motherhood.
Evolution, dinosaurs, milestones Non sequitur?
Meet our oddly metallic purple and blue jumping spider. He was tiny and cute and very happy in our garden. Five years ago I would have rapidly fled the scene, but yesterday I used my own (gloved) hand to carefully coax him into a cup so we could get some pictures. This makes me happy.
And on an unrelated note, but entirely worth mentioning, about seven months ago Calvin became determined to play Monopoloy. At the time he knew his numbers, but we hadn't spent any time on math as a subject because it hadn't held much interest. The frustration of Monopoly without prior arithmetic sparked that interest and got us trying Math-U-See, which has served us well in its own way. Now, seven months later, Monopoly has made a comeback, and to drastically different results. The learning wasn't a rush—it was all on his own schedule, and of his desire and determination, and he is pleased with the results, or maybe he just takes them for granted. That warms my heart.
That is to say...life is going well.
games, math, milestones, nature Growing
We went to the Chelsea Community Fair last night. This is something we try to do every year not so much for the midway, but to take in the sights, sounds and smells of the animals. Baby chickens, sheep, cows, hogs, horses, and goats. Vincent Van Goat was my favorite. We got smart this year and ate at a local restaurant on our way to the fair instead of consuming copious amounts of greasy, fatty fair foods. You can measure time by the events that punctuate life, and this year Calvin was big enough to ride certain rides by himself, even if he wasn't really interested in doing so.
And every year, after we see the animals and before the colored lights come on that dance and blink and light up the rides, we make our way to the viewing stands to see the demolition derby. Two years ago we took Calvin to see the derby for the first time and ended up leaving early when the loud sounds and disturbing sights made him more than a little nervous. Actually, it was the car that was pushed up on top of one of the concrete barriers that made him feel unsafe, and it was hard to argue with the logic of that assessment through the eyes of a three year old, so we left. By this year he had no memory of that ordeal and, being a little less sensitive to loud sounds and a little more secure in the laws of his own universe, we tried again. This time, like with the bike, he started out nervous, then ended up enjoying himself and we stayed to the not-so-bitter end.
It is in this way that we measure growth and time, is it not?
fairs, milestones