New School Year

We are back for a new school year! This year we are studying the Chronicles of Narnia. The series is a perfect example of the Plan of Salvation! With it, we are memorizing The Family: A Proclamation to the World. We have the first paragraph down: Benjamin can tell you what each pictures represents. It has been a fun first week.

We began our year with Solomon the Wise Old Owl.

Solomon taught us about C. S. Lewis and then read Peter Rabbit to diagram the 5 elements of plot structure. We then handed out presents =)

                     

 

 

It was a great day!

A Bunch of Ole Kooks

We got a book, Cooking Up US History, and there are lots of great recipes! We used the Berry Ink recipe and are looking forward to making candles and, hopefully, soap! If you are like me, you are wondering where the food recipes are? Well, there are a few for the Colonial Time Period. We tried Johnny Cakes when we went camping, so yesterday we decided to make Ole Kooks. I can’t find anything on the internet that tells what Ole Kooks are, so I need to check the authors resources =) Anyway we decided they are doughnuts! So, we rolled them in cinnamon-sugar! I am not a fryer, so some are a bit over done… BUT day old tasted just like Apple Fritters, minus the apple =) So, next time, we will add apples and eat them the next day!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ole Kooks

Ingredients

2 cups milk                                                                3 ½ cups flour (I used about 6)

1 cup butter                                                               ¼ cups chopped raisins

3 eggs, separated                                                     ½ tsp nutmeg

1 ¼ cups sugar                                                         ¼ cup milk

1 package dry yeast (1 ½ tsp)                                   hot fat for deep frying (I used Crisco)

¼ cup warm water

Steps

1. Put milk in a small saucepan

2. Add butter and warm over low heat until the butter gets soft. Set aside

3. Put the egg yolks into a small bowl. Beat well, adding sugar while beating. Continue beating until all sugar is mixed in.

4. In a small metal or glass bowl, beat egg whites until light peaks form

5. In a large bowl, mix together yeast and warm water

6. Stir in milk, egg yolks, and egg whites into yeast mixture

7. Add enough of the flour to make a soft dough. Add more if necessary. Knead to mix all ingredients

8. Put dough back in the large bowl. Cover with a soft cloth

9. Put dough in a warm place and let rise until double in size, several hours or over night.

10. Soak raisins and nutmeg in ¼ cup of milk for about 30 minutes

11. Pour off mils and mix raisins and nutmeg into dough that has risen

12. Prepare hot fat for frying by heating to 370 degrees

13. Pinch off pieces of the dough about the size od an egg. Fry them in the hot fat 10 to 12 minutes, until they puff up and brown ** this went a lot faster for me, but I was not deep frying. **

14. Drain on paper towels

**15. roll in cinnamon sugar**

 

Serves 10 ** I first made big ones. They really puffed up! So, I made bit sized ones and hade at least 3 dozen!**

Those Darned Socks

today we were learning about the daily lives of colonial children and we learned that they would darn the socks. So, of course we have some holes, so we got to work =) I only got pictures of completed work since I was helping Benjamin.

This is a great picture for art on perspective =)

 

So, this second picture was actually taken first. Isaac used pink thread for his black sock. When he told me he was done, I couldn’t stop laughing because he left the thread with the needle attached to the sock! Bekah had to help hold him down while I got the camera out =) The top photo is his finished job the second time around =)

Finally… the Yankee Peddler

So, this year we have gone to bribing our bambinos to do well =) They get wampum every time they do tasks. Well, in exchange for the wampum, the Yankee Peddler has gum, candy, pencils, glow in the dark teeth, tooth paste…etc =)

Classic Literature

When we started planning this year, I had some concerns as to what classic literature would fit our school year. Classic literature that is appropriate for upper elementary aged children. Well, God always answers prayers! During the American Revolution, families would read the bible, Gulliver’s Travels, and Robinson Crusoe! Happy Mommy =) We read the bible every day, so we decided to read Gulliver’s Travels first! I do not enjoy reading out loud for numerous reasons, so I get very happy when I find audiobooks at Librivox, which means free voice in Latin!

Which brings me to today. We just listened to the chapter where Gulliver has to convince the Ruler of the little people to let him go. So, how do the children get free from Benjamin's chain? By writing Benjamin the Ruler, a letter convincing him to let them free. I will provide their daily rations, lunch, when they are let go =)

Pocahontas and Massasoit

Our first topic in our first component teaches about the Lost colony of Roanoke and Jamestown.  So, of course, we got to meet Pocahontas!

We enjoyed making long houses…

Turning cartwheels….

and eating strange foods =) I looked up the wrong Indian Tribe, so our foods were all from the Pilgrim time period and region =) We liked the Boiled Bread!

The second topic is about the Pilgrims, so last weeks food completely fits! We took the food and headed to the great outdoors!

We headed for a waterfall to read about the Pilgrims. The plan was to find a rock and talk about stepping on the rock. Did you know that is a myth?! There is a rock that is set aside as Plymouth Rock, but we did that. Not the pilgrims =( So, I was a little sad because I wanted to study more about rock formations =( Oh well, we can still learn =)

Benjamin decided he wanted to study acorns. Now we need to look up New England acorns =)

Opening Day

School has officially begun! Last Monday, we officially started the Sky Mountain days. We did so by having a better routine, some independent work, decorating our classroom a bit more, etc. Then, on Friday, we had our school group opening day….

 

Meeting at the Liberty Tree.

Captain Moroni coming in…

On the Freedom Trail learning about Noble Patriots and gathering goodies…

With Captain Moroni and the Title of Liberty…

The school group with Captain Moroni…

All dressed and ready for the learning of colonial life (i.e. where the privy is)…

Playing colonial games…

In battle….

Meeting Patrick Henry.

 

Wow, what a perfect, busy day! Here’s to a wonderful school year!