History Group Gatherings--Indians

A Study of Indians West of the Mississippi River

Maintain an enthusiasm for learning throughout your life. Find joy in continuing to learn about yourself, other people, and the world around you. Choose to actively participate in the learning opportunities available to you.   

This is counsel given to youth as found in the "For the Strength of Youth" (older version).  We used this as our gospel connection as the importance of learning about the Indians.

We spent the day learning traditions, customs and folktales from the Navajo (southwest),        Sioux (plains) and Tlingit (northwest) tribes.

We read different folktale by McDermitt and Paul Golbe and then made a craft.  These girls are showing off their Navajo inspired belts of sliver and turquoise.

While making raven masks I read to them a story of how the 'trickster raven' brought light (the sun) to the people of the northwest.

Showing off their raven masks!

Delaney is showing her "winter count" only the wind wasn't being very helpful.  The plains Indians would record their history on leather by drawing symbols in a circular fashion--starting in the middle and going outward.

We also read excerpts from Pres. Spencer W. Kimball in an older Institute manual about the importance the Lamanities would have in the future in building temples in Missouri.  Maybe someday, our future missionaries will be called to share the gospel with the Native Americans.

Building a House of Character

This year, the theme for our history group will be 'Building Our House of Character".  We got this idea from a talk by Bro. Dan Hunter at the home school conference in May and also from Little Britches by Ralph Moody  

"A man's character is like his house.  If he tears boards off his house and burns them to keep himself warm and comfortable, his house soon becomes a ruin.  If he tells lies to be able to do the things he shouldn't do but wants to , his character will soon be come a ruin.  A man with a ruined character is a shame on the face of the earth."

This year, we will identify different traits of character in the people and actions of history.

 We will be studying the events and people of history from 1850's to our present time.  Our first month is 1850-1900 events that happened in the US....except the Civil War....that is next month. November will be the same time period as now but on the world stage.

 To kick off our new school year Jen planned for a westward bound trip.  The kids were divided into three families.  At the first station they had to lasso their horse to earn the right to pick the supplies they needed from the general store.  The family who has everyone lasso the horse first, gets first pick of the wagons and supplies.

 Cailin, Beryl, Amber and Janet were the first family to garner supplies.

 Jared, Clarissa, Liam and Krystal were the next family to come shopping.

 Delaney, Jessica, Grace and Marshall will be going by handcart.

 A family photo  No smiles please.:)

 While on the trail the pioneers often had to forge and clear the path for them to travel.  At their first stop, each family was told to clear a path to help them get to their next destination.

 Cailin's hard at work.

 Thorns and briers didn't get this family down.  Now that they are out, Delaney and Grace take a bit of time to play.  They all enjoyed a wonderful water break too.

 Foraging for food was always a blessing for families who mostly lived on cornmeal mush (from accounts we have read).  Here they are picking up apples....which family is the quickest?

 Yeah, for Liam's family!

From a book that Jen has called "Don't Know Much About: The Pioneers": we learn that in 1876 Grasshoppers are declared Public Enemy #1 in Minnesota, and the government offers children up to fifty cents for every bushel of dead grasshoppers collected.

For fun, Jen gets 100 crickets for the kids to collect and the chickens get a feast afterwards.

 Our modern pioneers have overcome various challenges and are now ready to build their home and begin homesteading.

 There guys have enough time and supplies to even build a barn....way to go!

At the end of the events we took some time to process all that we have done and talk about what sort of character and faith it took to be a pioneer.
We had a great time.  This year looks to be a good one....

Peaches!!

 Yipeeeee, my peach trees have finally produced peaches that I can harvest!!  Yeah!!  I'm so excited!!!
We planted them about 5 years ago and each year they grow peaches, but they always fall off or turn mildewy and I can't use them.  Not this year.  Many of them did turn mildewy, but there were still plenty to eat, can and use for cobbler!

 We picked two boxes full and out of those came 18 quarts, plus some for eating and a peach crisp.
Sister Nielson and Sister Stringham came by to help can them. What a blessing!

Our First Week of School

Our first day of school-- Monday August 26, 2013
Activity-- A Field trip to the Radford Theatre

We got a behind the scene look of the historic landmark---and still running--movie theatre.  The new owners have recently remodeled and update the technology.

It was amazing to learn that this film projector has been in use since the 1920's.  It was just two months ago that it "retired" and the new computer generated projector took it's place.  Barry and I spent our anniversary 1.5 years ago seeing The Hunger Games....and this projector showed the viewing.

Here is one of the new owners showing the new computer equipped projector.

.....and now for the show....We watched Disney's Planes.  We all liked the movie and I was thrilled to find that it actually was a good intro for our school year studies of modern history and science (WWII, geography, and physics).

During the first week, Cailin, Beryl and Jared spent the mornings working on writing skills.  They took part in an Institute in the Excellence of Writing class, level B intensive.

Connor also started the this program using the level C DVD lessons set.

I had found some fun art projects for the middles group to work on.  Gotta love Pintrest!

We have also started a Read-a-thon for a week to kick off the school year.  The kids can read any sort of books they want that have to deal our history or science topics of the year.....anything from 1850's to present in history or literature and physics/chemistry for science.
Delaney's really taking off with reading.  She's found the Magic Tree House books and Ramona books to be some of her favorites.

We're off to a great school year!