A flower is an educated weed.

A quote I ran across recently, really sums up our lessons this last week. Thank you Luther Burbank for letting me borrow "A Flower is an educated weed."

Growing from within the "Earth"

Learning best in the "Earth"

I know my kid is only 3 years old. I know she is not in school. I know she has a short attention span. I know the majority of her learning at this age is through playing and experiencing. When I talk about our lessons, please know I'm not strapping my kid down to a chair and demanding she read a novel and write a short story. I do not expect her, nor do I want her to be at a level that far surpasses her age. We are simply spending 5 to 10 minutes here or there throughout a given time of day in what we call "school time". All electronics are turned off at 9am and we "play" and "learn" through many different mediums for the next 3 hours. Many times I do not even think my kids pay attention to the "lessons" I have for them. But I chug along because the most important thing I want them to gain at this point is routine, a passion for knowledge and the skills to absorb information and learn. Oh and I really enjoy spending this uninterrupted time with m kids too. For me and them.

Learning letters at breakfast

That being said, it always makes me so happy to see when my Big Sis DIVA has actually paid attention and in fact IS absorbing the information I am teaching and not just gaining skills to use her mind later. This week we learned about Earth. I talked to her about it and she would respond here or there or give me that blank 3 year old stare. We just continued on and I hoped for the best. Then at my parents over the weekend, Big Sis DIVA noticed a glass clear globe, an Earth. She looked at it from across the room and without be provoked and shouted, "Earth". Then proceeded to tell her Gah that Earth was a planet. I was tickled that she had learned AND retained the knowledge of the week.

Learning to sort Trash, courtesy of Classroom Freebies Too

I printed a Stash of play dough mat's a while back. This one fit perfectly!

We are spending two weeks covering the same theme. Earth, Recycling and Nature. You might can see why; that is a ton of topics and could go on forever. I wanted to cover earth day in our lessons, but I also wanted Big Sis DIVA and Princess Pork Chop to be introduced to Earth as a planet and to get out and see some nature. So, I structured the 2 week period to encompass all of it.

While out strolling in nature, we were lucky enough to watch a nasty storm roll  in. Complete with  impressive clouds and noise. Part of "Earth's" activities.

We had to taste the rain of course!

This week we looked at the Earth in all its forms. Pictures of the planet Earth. Dirt, by looking into the sky and discussing where we are. you name it. If I could fit Earth into the conversation I did. We talked about recycling and not being wasteful. We also spent a lot of time outside playing in the dirt, becoming one with nature. Honestly we did not have a lot of classroom time this week. We explored more out in nature and discussed life as it happens. I think that is the best way to learn, personally.

We found a small ant hill and watched as the ants worked in the "Earth"

This little guy snuck up close to Big Sis DIVA's foot. He caused quite a scare and was  deemed the "scariest  monster" ever.

We are hanging this one in our classroom this week to accompany our lessons, thanks to  Teachers pay Teachers