Southern States

We are now learning about the Southern states. The Bible belt of America. We will taking the next three weeks to learn about this region as well as slavery.

On Monday we stopped off at Kentucky otherwise known as the Bluegrass state. We read books on Daniel Boone and added a writing page in our state notebook on him. Chip's favorite place in Kentucky was reading about Louisville. Home to the famed Louisville Slugger bats. I read a book called Louisville Slugger: The Making of a Baseball Bat by Jan Arnow and the kids made a bat out of construction paper and personalized them. Here is a picture of Coco's with hers.

We also learned that Corvette cars are made in Kentucky and ate at KFC for lunch. Baba liked this. We enjoyed reading about Kentucky and hope to visit there one day.

On Tuesday we headed off to the two Virginias. There was much to read about and write in our notebooks for Virginia. Many historical events took place in Virginia. I had the kids make a small folded book. Here are a few pictures of Chip's Virginia book.

The first page I had the kids draw the Native American and list the tribes that lived in that region. The second page they drew a page of Jamestown.

For the third page I had them draw Yorktown with General Cornwalis' surrender; ending the American Revolutionary War. The final page was the Civil War. I never knew that West Virginia was formed as a result of the Civil War. I learn something new each day as their teacher.

On Wednesday we were off to the Country music capital of the world...Tennessee. The kids and I learned out the king of the frontier, Davey Crockett. Baba loved to wear his coonskin cap and act out the scenes of the movie. We also learned out the Grand Ole Opry and the history of it's roots. They also drew pictures and wrote about coal mining and sang Clementine.

Thursday we basked in the Florida sun. It is known as the Sunshine state. We had fun making and drinking orange julius'.
The kids learned how to make a key lime pie from scratch. Baba had fun using the juicer for the limes.

The kids also made construction paper alligators and we read about the other animals that live in a swamp. I didn't get to do all I wanted to do with this one. I still need to teach them the difference between the Everglades and swamp. What is a habitat and ecosystem. Maybe when we study Louisiana I can revisit this again.

Friday we played hookie from school in the morning and went up to the local mountains with Daddy to play in the snow. We had a big storm here last weekend. It dumped a lot of snow on our mountains. We had our perfect spot all to ourselves. There is a great sledding area for all of us.

The snow was fresh and deep. Just like powder. I even used the orange slices I brought to make slushes for the kids to eat.

All of us can't wait to head up there again after another big storm.

Here is the long list of books that we read:

-B is for Bluegrass: A Kentucky Alphabet by Mary Ann McCabe

-Welcome to the USA Kentucky by Ann Heinrichs

- Louisville Slugger: The Making of a Baseball bat by Jan Arnow

-Daniel Boone: Frontier Scout by Tracy Borass

- The Legend of Daniel Boone by Eric Blair

-Welcome to the USA Virginia by Ann Heinrichs

-Welcome to the USA West Virginia by Ann Heinrichs

-Welcome to the USA Tennessee by Ann Heinrichs

-Sally Thunder Ann Whirlwind Crockett by Caron Lee Cohen

-A Picture book of Davey Crockett by David Adler

- S is for Sunshine: A Florida Alphabet by Carol Crane

- Wild and Swampy by Jim Arnosky

- Swamp Life by Theresa Greenway

- Welcome to the USA Florida by Ann Heinrichs

- Strawberry Girl by Lois Lenski