Teaching Economics in Life and in School ~ part 1

It is the time of year when you are probably already set on what you will be teaching, and more than likely you have already planned for what you need and made the necessary purchases. However, if you are like me... at some point you may have dropped the ball and decided your summer break really was a magical time for you and somewhere in your fairy-land wishing you didn't want to plan or even think about school.

In all honesty, I have thought about school.. a lot, actually. I have been working diligently, trying to be a help and a blessing by creating materials that will be a blessing to homeschooling families.  I just haven't wanted to sit down and "plan" out our weeks and days as fervently as I have been wanting to write and teach. :)  ...sigh...

My husband gave me grace yesterday when I confessed,  " I am just not ready." He said, it's ok Dawn. Your always ready when you need to be.   I thought about that and realized, he is right. He was giving me permission not to worry about it because it didn't matter and doesn't really.. if I don't have it all 'planned' perfectly  on paper. I have most of it mapped out in my head, but it is the connecting of the two where I need to refine  my skills.  However, this post is not about that it is about Economics!

Do you find  yourself wondering what to do when it comes to this subject? Maybe trying to find the best tools to teach or books to read. Economics can be a dry subject, really.  Just thinking about it for some people makes them want to jump out of their chairs. Then for the type A personality folks out there.. you know who you are.. YOU love this! :) It is planning, it is numbers, it is order. Ahh...maybe some of our leaders in positions of authority should take yearly economics classes, huh?  I won't get up on my soapbox with that subject, but it is a plausible idea.

Take time to think about how important teaching economics to our students is and then consider what it is you really want them to know.

There are so many ideas floating around that will bombard us at some point and truthfully being aware of what is real and what is supposed will help us prepare our children for economic liberty. ( is that even a concept that is possible?)

As I have floated thoughts back and forth in my own mind, wondering if I should even be the one to attempt teaching this subject to my children.  This is one of my own weak spots, because I would oftentimes rather not think about "money". Yet, it is in the sense of knowing what is necessary, what is right, what is good, what is important that we can base our concept of economics.

I am beginning to formulate my own ideas in relation to the study of Economics that I want to direct my children through and to as they tackle this subject in their life. These ideas, I believe can be applied to every aspect of their lives.

Let's look at a definition of what Economics is first of all:
It is the study of production and consumption of goods and the transfer of wealth that is necessary to both produce and obtain goods.( taken from the website www.whatiseconomics.org)

With that in mind.. economics affects everything in our lives. It affects people, industries, resources, labor, investments, taxes, governments, ....on and on.  ( what else is there)

My definition of economics  encompasses more. It is the way we relate our needs with our gifts towards others to both give and receive so that our needs are met.

Now, we can teach that it solely relates to money and monetary issues, but it doesn't. Read this article by Leonard Read called, I Pencil.

We can apply Economic Principles to every area of our life, not just our finances. In fact, I wonder if we could look at things with a shrewd eye, as most do when it comes to their finances, if we would begin to see a change in so many other areas of our lives.  Take some time to think of the principles I suggested and see if you can also find the economics of your life( relationships - the Lord first and then  your family and then others, prayer, work and  of course, finances) increasing exponentially.

Things I want to consider when teaching economics to my children:

1. Commit everything the Lord and to prayer

2. Be a Giver

3. Be wise

4. Be hardworking and diligent

5. Be timely

6. Save

Commit everything to the Lord and Prayer:

Philippians 4:6-7 tells us to submit our requests unto the Lord, being careful for nothing. ( No..thing) Bring it all to the Lord, in honest submission and trust that He is able to work out all things for your good when your heart is steadfast for Him. ( Romans 8:28)

1Thessalonians 5:17 reminds us to pray w/o ceasing.  Keep the details of your life present before the only One who can give you the Wisdom to make wise decisions, both fundamentally and economically.

Matthew 6:33 teaches a pivotal economic principle.. To seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and know then that all the "things" that you have need of will be given to you.

Be a giver:

I want to always bring everything back to Scripture for my children. Always bring it back to the beginning. I am reminded of how Abraham gave to Melchizedek in Genesis 14:17-24. I am not pointing out an absolute in relation to economic principles beyond the concept that Abraham GAVE out of his abundance. That is one of the significant economic principles of I want to teach my children, to be so wholly committed to the Lord that they do not hold on to the things of this world as their bounty and they would be generous givers.

Be wise:

A thorough study of the book of Proverbs will enlighten anyone on the concept of wisdom.  Being wise, economically, is really just practicing common sense. And can I say, being trustworthy... trusting the Lord to also meet your needs and guide you in your choices.
Proverbs 1:5 says that wise men add to their learning, gaining wisdom.  - Encourage the skill of studying
Proverbs 13:20 says that when we walk with wise men we will become wise. - Encourage seeking wise counsel in all decisions.
Proverbs 9:12 tells us that our wisdom will reward us. - The wisdom of the world is foolishness in the eyes of God. Always temper everything with the Word and remember that those eternal rewards outweigh the temporal ones, however, God provides both eternally and temporally and in that acknowledgement we will be rewarded when we diligently seek him. ( Hebrews 11:6)

Be diligent and hard-working:

The Bible reminds us to be diligent and hard-working.  Deuteronomy 8:18 tells us that  it is God who gives us the power to get wealth, and in Proverbs 10:4 we read that when we are lazy and idle we become poor but a man who is diligent to work with his hands becomes rich.

I often remind my children of the verse in 2 Thessalonians 3:10,  A man who does not work does not eat. My youngest child had this verse memorized at an early age. :) I am not a hard taskmaster, but I must have quoted it multiple times to help her understand the importance of diligence.

If you go to Ecclesiastes chapter 5 you read about the vanity of riches. In verse 12 it says that the sleep of a diligent worker is sweet. Not only does working hard, often times it is those small steps...little by little that add up, but it is health to our body as well as our bank account.  My children are learning, that ill-gotten gain means very little and so with that comes less responsibility.  As will gifts, when given in abundance we tend to abuse the very  nature of that gift.  This is easy to miss in our materialistic world which  we live in.  Especially, here in our nation where all we need is truly at our finger tips.

My husband is a worker and I am so thankful for his diligent faithfulness. He is showing our son how to take care of his family by being purposeful to meet our needs by using his hands. He has a gift to fix anything and it has served him well on many occasions by granting him favor over others. His willingness to work when asked has placed him before others on the job because his boss knows he can count on him to do the job and do it well. This is a pivotal lesson for our children to learn. To be diligent, hard-working and trustworthy in their work.



Be timely:

Being timely is a lost art in our modern culture. And to be honest, not an area I have conquered in my own life. This goes hand in hand with diligence, but it can delve a bit deeper. We want to teach respect for others and for authority.  Being timely with their investing and with their bill-paying will affect their finances drastically.  Applying it to the economics of their lives, will give them a character trait which shows their respect towards others and the value of their time.

Time is a commodity( a great economic vocab word there).  It is something most people wish they had more of. Something many wish they could get back. This is a huge learning lesson here at my house because mom's love language is time. If there is one thing that can bless me or cause me to feel a bit overwhelmed is a loss or a waste of my time.  Most often the Lord has big lessons for me when it comes to this area., but I want to teach my children to value time and to honor that time the Lord has given them to live out their lives for Him serving others.

Save:

Saving, for God's glory and as He leads, is one of those gifts we can give ourselves. I have found that when I do save, it isn't always used the way I had planned. :) God is good with that and this is where I want to teach my children the habit of obedience.   Luke 2:51-52 is a precious reminder of the habitual obedience that I long to teach my children. This, however, is not something I can hammer into them.. it is a heart issue. It is something I commit to the Lord and trust that He is ever at work in their lives for his good pleasure.

The art of saving can be both a blessing and an opportunity to bless others.  I have watched how faithfully others have significantly helped not only their financial standing when putting away little by little pieces over time, but in one swoop can alter the life of another by generously giving what they have saved when there is a need. This principle deeper roots that lend towards blessed is the one who gives more than the one who receives, however, it is the idea that when we save always be willing to obey the Lord in what He may be asking you to do with it.

This comes to the end of my list but I want to tie it all up with a story.  I love to bless others. I feel so blessed by God's grace and his mercy. I love to see people smile. It is a joy to feel like I can be a help to someone, but sometimes I don't want to 'give'. Sometimes I have felt like I give, give, give....  Times like this when I am living in the 'Land of Me'.. I miss the beauty of generosity entirely.   All that I have belongs to the Lord. All that I HAVE belongs to Him.  It is not mine to own or to hold on to. I will not take it with me.  What I will see though, are the hearts of those whose lives I have sown the Word of God into as I lived my life here on this earth.  My children are my greatest mission field, I long to see them standing with me face to face before the King of Glory crying out Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lamb of God.  

Isaiah 54 tells me that a woman's spiritual children are often greater than those of her womb. It is important to sow seed of eternal value. Biblical Economics are what I am talking about. Sow truth and reap an abundant harvest for the King. Yet, when we are not faithless with what we have been given, even what we have been given can be taken away.  So, we must know the principles of economics in all areas of live, relating people, industry, goods and the transfer of wealth in order to sow those most important seeds of truth and love into the lives of all we encounter.


Now you ask me: What can I use to teach economics? :) Below is a list of resources I have found to be  superbly wonderful! Look for my next post that will discuss the importance of teaching economics in the light of history and giving our children the tools to understand the difference of Free Market Economics vs other world markets.

Blessings!

~Dawn

Some of my favorite Resources:
The Penny Candy Series from Bluestocking Press
Common Sense Economics 
The Freeman Magazine
Biblical Economics

RC Sproul and Compass Cinema have a new product called:

Economics for Everybody


Lesson Plans and Websites:
Stossel in the Classroom
www.teachingeconomics.org
www.federalreserveeducation.org
www.fee.org
www.economicsforteachers.blogspot.com
www.whatiseconomics.org

Physical Education at Home: Training towards the 5K

For the last 2 years I have made an increased effort to exercise more.  The benefits of this decision are obviously many: I feel better both physically and mentally, I have lost some of the extra weight that finds itself attached to me over the not-so-busy winter months, and I have been able to bring the kids into the mix and we enjoy the activity together.

This has been one of the best things I have done for myself in a long time, other than  spending time in God's Word much more, of course.  The time that I spend running allows me to have that quite time in prayer and contemplation before the Lord.  It has opened up a new level of listening and attending the the voice of the Lord for me.  When my body is busy and my mind is at rest, when I have absolutely nothing to think about but placing one foot in front of another, I can hear Him better.

What a concept! The body busy and the mind at rest~ leads me to the idea of how Jesus was able to rest in a storm. ( Matthew chapter 8)I know it is not the same, but for me it helped me to see how to learn to rest in Him even when it seems opposite.

I hope to address this a bit deeper in a devotion on prayer that will be on my website soon, so please come visit me  over there when it is up. I hope that it will be an encouragement to you. Let me just say that in face of what prayer is, what it does, what it accomplishes.... the more we are "out" of the recipe and allow the Lord to lead us in prayer the closer we are to what I believe prayer is meant to be.

Running has helped me have more energy and feel less pain in my joints and muscles ( surprising but true). It has helped to balance hormones and emotions that sometimes spring up during my days. :)  The benefits have not been just for me. I have seen how my excitement to take care of this vessel  has passed on to my children. Which is win win for us all!

It has been so fun to see them excited to run with mom, or ride their bikes, or walk.... whatever they choose, they just get moving. My husband joined in the fun and took the liberty to make me my own running path.  I LOVE it!!  It has been such a huge blessing for me.

 Let me tell you why:

When I originally started running, it was slow and methodical. First of all, I ran around  our paved barn yard ( which  worked so well for me when I started running).  Then I enlarged my run by running around the perimeter of the drive way  which circled the buildings and extra drive ways at our house. ( We live on a nice little farmette in the country which gives me so much enjoyment and space to run.) This year, we are running a path into the field behind house.  The nice thing is that where before I had to "count laps" to keep track of how far I have run, now I just have to go from start to finish and 1 mile is complete. :)

Our goal this year was to run a 5K event as a family. Some of us will actually run it, while others may walk, but we are going to do it together.

So how can we apply this to Physical Education in the home school?

• First of all we can take the time that they take each day and apply it to their physical education credit. For many of us, getting Physical Education in is a real difficulty. 
• We tend to get most of our outdoor activities and physical education credit completed during the spring and summer because it is so much easier to do. 
• Other activities we try to plan during the Fall and Winter months are:
• Archery, Swimming, and horse-back riding.
• Optional: you may find a nice co-op where you can attend a gym class.
• We have planned how to run effectively so they can aren't running so hard or fast that they become injured. I may have them ride their bike one day and run the next. 
• Choose a goal to work towards. Find a race or an event that you can enter as a family and plan how you can get ready for it.
• For some of your children it may just be getting out and walking while for others it will be the competitive running that excites them.
•  This website has a great plan for planning your journey from the "couch to the 5K".
• Then get out and DO IT! 

We are continuing the journey from our couch to the 5K this year, hoping to finish our first family 5K in September or October.  Hopefully this has encouraged you to start your own journey as well.

Blessings!

What Summer Break Means to Me

It's that time of year again! Are you thinking " Summer Break! Time to relax, enjoy the beauty of living in the Midwest, read a good book, have fun with the kids, etc."

Yes, it is. :) And a hint, these Spring, Summer and Fall tend to make up for some of those crazy Midwest winters. I wish I could take a picture of the beauty I see when I look out my window. My favorite time is right away in the morning when everyone is quiet, I am all alone and I can sit and enjoy what I see. I can sit and bask in the presence of my awesome Saviour and enjoy the gift of just being alive. I think He gives us those little moments to carry us through the rest of our day. The times of chaotic rumbling which seems to define life for me. Do I ponder the chaos or grow in it? Hopefully, I can grow through and train my children well, but such is the mode right now...growing children, gardens and bees ( and sometimes laundry!) :)

So as I ponder the beauty of creation, consequently how can one ever deny the amazing gift of the Creator when looking upon the demonstration of a sunrise and the massive power of a thunderstorm, the serene beauty in a gentle wind and the tenderness of a timid rain shower.

Genesis 1:1 says " In the Beginning God created the heavens and the earth"

The Bible shows us the awesome power of the creator in a myriad of ways which disproves theories which try to lay claim to an explanation for all we see.

John 1:3 tells us that " Through him all things were made;without him nothing was made that has been made."

As I relax in this time of resting, though that is a term I would never apply to my summer schedule, it is a time of pondering, a time of considering, a time of reflecting and a time of renewed hope.

Hope is a loaded word. I find when my hope is placed in things that are not of God or in plans that are not initiated by His hand, in my life, then my hope becomes deferred.
Proverbs 13:12 tells us that " Hope deferred makes a heart grow sick but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life." Hmm.. think on that for a minute.

Deferred hope detours us from our destined path and reroutes our life towards a time of sickness, loss and perhaps death. Death of dreams, death of desired outcomes, death of desires which were well-springs of life. Yet, when we set our hope on the one who makes our bitter experiences sweet, there is a depth of peace and resilience which can not be deferred, deterred or rerouted.

So many times I have found my own thoughts wandering and allowing my feelings to overtake the truth of His plan, His purpose and the future He has set for me. Jeremiah 29:11 tells us that the plans He has for us are to prosper us and not to harm us, to give us hope and a future. Where in that scripture do we find deferred dreams, detoured highways or rerouted plans?

Does the Lord change our plans, yes.. perhaps "Our Plans" but He does not change and I find a great peace in knowing that He is always good. That there is hope in who He is and there is a profound joy in His presence.

I have known those moments of peace that passes all understanding which gives me a solid foundation to stand on in moments of trial and pressure in the storm. I have been so thankful for the intimate way He will reach down and fill my heart with a hope that is immeasurable knowing that He will work out all things for good to those who love him.( Romans 8:28) I have been reminded of Psalm 103 and how He has redeemed my life from destruction and removed my transgressions, covered me with loving-kindness and tender mercies and given me good things so that my youth is renewed as the eagle's.

Psalm 91 reminds us that we are to hide under the shadow of His wings that no evil would befall us nor calamity come near to our dwelling.

Hiding His precious promises is a hope found in Psalm 119:11 which reminds us of the power of His word, which keeps us from evil.

Back to my summer plans:

I am not someone who enjoys just "sitting". :) I like resting, but I am always thinking. Sometimes the Lord has to sincerely get a hold of me and remind me that He is the author and finisher. :) However, my summer is one of planning.

I love to plan.. I am learning to implement those plans. And learning to be ok with "imperfection" in my plan ( aka...me and my abilities.. but that is an entirely different post for a different day.)

I find though that my plan isn't always doable. Meaning.. I tend to overfill my schedule, my planner, my to-do list as if I was wonder woman and then ponder why I can get it completed. It is times like this I have learned that God has a sense of humor.
Psalm 127:1 reminds us that "Unless the Lord builds the house, they who labor.... labor in vain."

As we enter our 10th year of homeschooling there is so much to "unlearn" and so much to ponder. What have we done right? What can we change? What should we do?

This is how I spend my summer! Seeking His will and planning for our school year. Looking to His heart and asking Him to give me a vision. A vision I can write down and follow. I tend to rebel against a schedule, though I know how helpful one can be.... :) so I have to be careful when I plan that I allow myself room to be spontaneous and fly by the seat of my pants. I seem to be at my very best in that scenario.

side thought... I often wonder after those valuable teaching moments if they are less the poignancy of spontaneity and more the leaning not on my own understanding...the guiding of my path by One who is supreme knowledge and wisdom.... :)


Proverbs 29:18 tells us w/o a vision the people perish and Habakkuk 2:2 tells us to write it down plainly. I will continue this thread in another post about planning and what I have learned. But I must close now.. I have kiddos who are needing their momma, a garden who is needing its caretaker and laundry that is needing to be hung on the line.!

I wanted to leave a little gem with you. I found this company ( a different name then) when I began homeschooling. I still have their catalogs because of the profound wisdom within the pages. They are not homeschooling their children any longer, because they are all grown.. they completed the circle! :) But they still have a wonderful outreach to homeschool families and wisdom that has not expired. http://www.homeschoolmarketplace.com/


Blessings on your day!

Christmas in July!

It was so fun to come home today to a box of books awaiting my inspection!

New Curriculum!!!

Then, unbeknownst to me... as I was working in my bee-yard the UPS man came to deliver another box of curriculum. It was so cool. Just like Christmas in July.



I get so excited when the books I have ordered for the year arrive and we can leaf through them. I get a fresh vision, a new perspective, or some much needed encouragement of something to look forward to. Even in July. :)



Homeschooling has so many benefits and advantages. I love having the kids home and watching them explore, learn and create. I enjoy learning alongside of them and truly I have had a much better education while teaching my children than I did while in school. Yes, it means more to me now than it did then but the gift of teaching a child to read is priceless. The fun of seeing them learn something new for the first time or being able to witness the "aha" moment after working hard to sift through a problem is a great reward that I wouldn't trade.



Homeschooling is hard work. Some days we just don't get it done the way I'd planned, or perhaps, we just have to put the books away and remember that we are building up our children not putting them into boxes and labels that will ultimately hinder their God-given callings in life.



We are coming into our 9th year of homeschooling and I find I am filled with excitement and apprehension. Perhaps, that is a good combination though. In and of myself I can accomplish nothing but with Christ... in His power and His ability, we can accomplish what is often impossible. So I go into this year with many hopes and goals, but the most important is that the heart of my children would be continually turned to the One who gave His life for them. Our ultimate goal is to give them the firm foundation which rests securely on the immovable Word of God. All other things are shifting sand in comparison.



The plans I prepare must be covered in prayer so that none of me but all of Him come through in our days and weeks of learning. In that I know we will find success. In that we can glorify God and declare that it is all for His glory. One of the most important goals for myself is to keep my eyes on Jesus. To keep my heart lifted up and encouraged by daily exposure to His Word and precious time on my knees. It is my job to plant the seeds, God's to water and bring for the fruit. Fruit that will not fade or wither away, everlasting fruit that will be sown into future generations.





That is what I see in homeschooling, for our family. The chance to bridge a gap and prepare the future with the much needed arsenal of God's truths, along with the gift of a good and noble education. While I can't meet their every need, we serve a mighty God who is all sufficient and gives exceedingly above and beyond all our expectations. (Ephesians 3:20)



So I opened my boxes today eager for the new books full of amazing new things to explore and learn with my children. I pray I never lose this excitement and that they will catch the fire and live as life-long learners, eagerly seeking to know more of the wonderful world He created.





A few of my favorite Homeschooling Websites:

Heart of Wisdom Blog

Harmony Art Mom

Donna Young's Homeschool Printables and Resources

Homeschool Helper

http:// www.knowledgequestmaps.com

How To Teach Science

Charlotte Mason Method Homeschooling - Simply Charlotte Mason

Ofcourse can't forget my favorite resource for my books!
www.rainbowresource.com



Many Blessings!

Art and Music Unit Studies for Summer

I have really enjoyed the blog titled "Harmony Art Mom". She shares so many wonderful ideas that encourage you to use the principles Charlotte Mason taught. Below is a link to her blog where she has a free lesson plan to use this summer that focuses on Art and Music.

http://harmonyartmom.blogspot.com/2009/06/harmony-fine-arts-free-summer-2009-art.html

The Composer is Felix Mendelssohn. We have loved the CD's called Introduction to the classics. There is one on Mr. Mendelssohn called " The Story of Mendelssohn in Words and Music." It is a narrated story of his life with clips of his music scattered throughout the recording.

The Artist in her study is Claude Monet. We LOVE studying about Monet. We have a number of books here that we pull out and read over and over. Our favorites are:

Linet in Monet's Garden by Christina Bjork
Monet ( Getting to know the Worlds' Greatest Artists) by Mike Venezia
The Magical Garden of Claude Money by Laurence Anholt
Monet by Frank Milner

Dover has a book called " Color your own Monet". We love these books because they are copies of the real painting and it gives you the chance to create a piece of art that copies the original. It is fun to try to make it look the same and also to make it look like our own creation.

There is a series of books books that I have grown to love that focus on either famous people or certain time periods. They are filled with facts and tons of ideas on crafts and activities that help pull in all that you are learning in one book. They have one on Monet called: Monet and The Impressionists for Kids: Their lives and Ideas -21 Activites by Carol Sabbeth


Here are a few unit studies on Monet that I found.
http://www.squidoo.com/monet-artist-study
http://www.freewebs.com/ipop31/gardening.pdf
http://www.eclectichomeschool.org/articles/article.asp?articleid=152


The Columbus Museum of Art has an awesome lesson plan on Monet. Click on the additional resources and lesson plans for pdf forms that will make a great Notebook on Monet.
http://www.columbusmuseum.org/learn/monet_education/index.html


More on Notebooking in another post. :)

Blessings to all!

Nature Study- Charlotte Mason Style

I am a huge fan of the writings and teachings of Charlotte Mason. ( who is she ???) Charlotte was born in England and began teaching governess' how to educate children in her school in Ambleside. Actually, she can be identified as an educational reformer, if you will, whereas she saw the child as a person... whole and filled with natural intellect and wonder, along with a innate ability to learn. This was not the mainstream thought at this time in history, believe it or not.

She used terms such as "twaddle" for books that she considered watered down or dumbed down and encouraged the use of "Living Books" or books that came to life in their stories, books that were about real things and people. She wrote a 6 volume seies of books called "The Original Home Schooling Series" that details her thoughts and beliefs on the nature of the child, home education, building character, parent/child relationships and educational philosophy. You can read them on-line here. http://www.amblesideonline.org/CM/toc.html

So what does that have to do with my post? Today we had Nature Study ..Charlotte Mason Style. :) I love it when I can see the gears turning in my kids heads and hearts and see a love for learning develop in them.

This past April I began my journey as a bee-keeper. It has been something I have wanted to do for some time and God finally provided the opportunity. I have a hive here at our house and another one down the road at my brother's home. Each time I go to the hives I come back to an assult of questions from the kids on how the bees are doing, are they making honey, are there new babies, how many are in there and of course the most important one.. did you get stung mom?

We put new supers ( smaller boxes that set on top of the actual hive body) almost 2 weeks ago and the bees are working hard to fill them up. While I was inspecting the frames in the lower hive body the bees had built extra comb onto the already established comb that could not stay there. When I pulled the frame out, the extra comb came off and fell out to the ground. I took that into the kids so they could get a first hand look at the amazing way God made these animals to do things only they can do. The queen bee is definitely doing her job by laying eggs all over the place and there were eggs, larvae, and bees that were almost to the adult stage in this comb. They were able to see the progression of the cycle of a bee's life first hand better than any book, poster or video could have done. It was absolutely amazing and it was that contagious excitement which then produced a desire to know more about this superb creature.

So what do we do now? Unit Study of course! I have lapbooks, reading books and print outs ready to add to the fun of what we learned just by observing nature in its element today. In Volume 1 of Home Education Charlotte calls this "intellectual food for the brains". She also includes this quote by a Dr. Carpenter that says, " The aesthetic sense of the harmonious, seems in its most elementary form to connect itself immediately with the Perceptions which arise out of the contact of our minds with external Nature."

Another favorite nature study tool to use along with this.. Anna Comstock's "Handbook of Nature Study". You can find this here.http://www.archive.org/stream/handbookofnature002506mbp/handbookofnature002506mbp_djvu.txt

Just had to share the fun! I love it when we have that real learning and the kids don't even realize it.