Grade 4, Lesson 2, Day 3 ~ The World Under a Microscope

Do you want to have some nature fun with your children? Hand them a jeweler's loupe and send them outside. Ask them to spend 5 minutes at it and don't be surprised when they are gone for 20, despite the heat.

Wednesday is our science day and today we were looking for shapes in nature. The boys really enjoyed this lesson; we will finish it on Friday by having them compare shapes in nature to human-made shapes. We looked at rocks, leaves, flowers and flower petals, succulent plants, cacti, spider webs, bark, twigs, spiders, and our own skin (T-Guy thought of that one!).

The lesson called for writing, and I saw the enthusiasm begin to dim in the boys eyes when they asked about that. We didn't do it; I wrote out our answers instead. I see no reason to lose the purpose of the lesson by asking my boys to write so much. I want them to be able to write, yes, but I also know that it is unlikely that they will ever do much longhand.

The heat is still present and the air quality still unhealthful, so we have another day of not playing outside. Luckily Wednesday is our library day and also the day we run nearby errands such as going to the post office or getting a few groceries. That will at least get us out of the house for a couple of hours.