Who’s Normal Anyway?

M got the book “The Danger Zone - Avoid Living in a Wild West Town” from the library and decided he wanted to learn all about the Wild West last week. I decided to try and plan it out a bit more so we can make a lapbook. I quizzed him a little bit on what interested him in particular, then with some help from A we sorted out what we’d learn about each day. So Monday - USA in 1700s and the expansion west, Tuesday - the California gold rush and sheriffs, Wednesday - cowboys, Thursday - Native Americans, Friday - settlers. I found the Evan Moor History Pockets booklet Moving West really handy for basing this unit study around, though I’ve simplified it down for M’s attention span/tolerance for filling things in.

Monday

We started by talking about how Europeans arrived to settle in the USA in the 1600s (he’s learnt about the Pilgrim Fathers before and watched “Pocahontas”) and where the first 13 states were. M marked them on a blank USA map. We read about westward expansion in a couple of Usborne history encyclopedias we have and talked (very briefly) about the French and Spanish also claiming land in the USA and some of the wars. M marked the Mississippi river on the map too, as the point from which the “Wild West” began.

I found a lovely interactive game at M’s level about the Lewis and Clark expedition. He played that through and we printed off the final map for his lapbook, showing their whole journey and added some places to his USA map.

Then we read some stories about people who explored the West and looked at the Yellowstone National Park website and M chose and printed out some photos.

Tuesday

We read the section in The Danger Zone about sheriffs and talked about what a sheriff did. Then M coloured some cowboy clothes to make a sheriff picture.

Then we talked about the California Gold Rush of 1849 and looked at the routes to California from the East and ownership of California. We added California to his USA map. M made a Gold Rush booklet and decorated it with gold glitter glue.

Wednesday

We read the cowboy information in The Danger Zone and talked about what cowboys did and why they wore the clothes they wore. M dictated descriptions about the various items of clothing and made this tabbed book.

We had beans for tea in honour of the cowboys

Thursday

We talked a little about the Native American tribes today and especially about the ones on the Great Plains. M was distraught about the Buffalo herds being destroyed. He wanted to make a Native American picture for his folder so we used the Making Friends site again.

Friday

We finished off M’s Wild West project by talking about the homesteading act and the settlers who moved west to farm on the great plains. We’ve been reading Little House on The Prairie (about the 3rd time we began reading it, we actually got to the end this time though) which has tied in very well. M found out about covered wagons and did some watercolour artwork as a background for a prairie poem.

Finishing Off

I helped M to arrange his pics and booklets into 2 folders that we fastened together to make a lapbook.

Cover

First Section

Next Section

Last Section

Today’s been a really good day - busy but enjoyable. First thing I took L with me to go and buy diesel and bread and milk type stuff (that came to £25 - aargh!) and left A and M at home making an Easter display.

When I got back we all went out to the Good Friday service at Church. The vicar tried to nobble A to read but he played the dyslexia card and volunteered me instead. I never volunteer to read since a previous vicar was very picky about how I did and standing up in front of everyone makes me really nervous. But there weren’t many people there and I didn’t feel I could really refuse. I suppose not knowing about it til just before is preferable to worrying about it for ages in advance. Anyway, I had to set a good example because M was asked to carry a hammer and nails up to the front too and the reading I had followed on. This was my reading:

Nails are used to hold things together,
- not to tear apart…
…to construct rather than to destroy.
They are made to pierce wood, not a man’s flesh.

…that’s right, it’s their hard hearts,
their anger, their pride,
that are the real nails,
that pin Christ to the Cross.

The service was thoughtfully put together with a series of dramatised readings from the Good Friday events, modern hymns, reflections on aspects of the crucifixion interspersed with a few prayers and periods of silence. There was also an audiovisual presentation about meanings of Jesus’ death at the same time as anyone who wanted to went up to the front to light a candle. It was very solemn (but then Good Friday always is) but meaningful. L was a bit loud and gurgly though We stayed for a quick cuppa and a hot cross bun afterwards.

This afternoon we’ve been out to Wicken Fen where we did the Egg Trail and enjoyed the sunshine, scenery and peace and quiet. A tried out Tech’s Ergo and carried L all the way around - he likes it!

This evening I’ve been sorting photos and failing to see L tipping glitter all over the carpet while M has played out and then he and A have worked some more in the garden, digging the veg plot over again and watering plants.