March

March started out with a field trip to the oldest school building in Florida.  This 'Little Red School House' was not used as a school for long, it became a barn eventually and was later moved and restored.  Now they conduct field trips, a recreation of an 1886 school day, complete with ear and nail checks (for cleanliness), removing caps, reviewing manners, arithmetic, script practice (writing on a slate), and outdoor games.  Participants dress in period clothing and bring a lunch that would have been possible in 1886 (no plastic wrap here!).  They were assigned the name of an original attendee and had to research the family and stay in character while there.  It was fun!  Lise says she'd do it every day. . . Bug says, once was probably enough.

School- Circa 1886 "Ella Dimmick and William Moore"

School Games

A prim and proper classroom.  Not a peep!  1886 discipline was part of the program.

4H this month included bug olympics and the dissection of a cockroach.  The kids were pretty funny to watch as they pulled their bugs apart. . . not much different than what I remember from dissection labs.  Some of them were squeamish, some dug right in, and the smell was awful. 

Inching his way along in the 'Bug Olympics'

Lise is continuing with piano and we all picked up the ukulele, just for fun.  I decided to force family lessons on them for a few months to get it kick started. ;)  Plus, I think music is a great brain, hand-and-eye, discipline exercise!  This rusty, old brain hasn't used music for a looong time.  And the kiddos are picking it up quicker than I am.