The Little Red Schoolhouse.

Rebecca, Elijah and I had the wonderful privilege of attending a one room schoolhouse today. We didn't just didn't just observe, but actually became a living history museum for a little over 2 hours. They were totally immersed in the culture of 1886. They had to dress the part, act the part and only bring food and containers that were period correct.



The children all lined up for a group photo before the teacher opened the big doors you see behind them. They were all smiles until....


...the teacher, Ms. Hattie Gale opened the doors and had the children line up single file and prepare to enter the classroom. As you can imagine, one room schoolhouses were run very strictly. The children all took a deep breath and stepped back in time. Ms. Hattie Gale was authentic to a "T". Nobody was allowed to talk. Period. They couldn't even raise their hand to ask a question. The rules were explained and they marched in single file.


This schoolhouse was the first one built in Palm Beach County. It has been restored to it's original condition and is located at Phipps Ocean Park.


The children were each assigned a real student from that time and had to learn a little bit about them before attending class today. They wore name tags with their new name on it and were addressed by that name.


Elijah became John Wilder for the day. They each made a copy book before the field trip to write in. They were given slates, slate pencils and lead pencils to use while they were there.


Students were asked to copy the phrase "Good posture makes good thinkers." 100 times in their copy book. (What wasn't completed was to be "home work")


Like we have all read about in Little House on the Prairie books, students of all ages worked together and groups by age were called up to the front to study their level specifically.


"John" and "Levi" working on penmanship. It had to be done "just so".


The older girls worked on mental arithmetic. Rebecca became Maggie Lewis for the day.


During recess, the children played capture the bacon. The weighted sock was tossed into the center and if your number was called, you tried to beat the person from the opposite team with the same number to get the sock and get back in line. Ms. Gale made it fun, for such a simple game!


She kept picking on "John" and "Walter" and the children thought it was a hoot!


Period correct lunches were to be brought in period correct containers. We opted for beef jerky, apples and oranges. Others brought boiled eggs, cheese and home made bread. No lunch meat, chips, soda cans or juice boxes were seen at this picnic under a sprawling tree!


This little lady and her brother came in at least 20 minutes late. Ms. Gale stayed in character, reprimanded them and told them she would be speaking to their parents about their tardiness. She really gave them a scolding and I wondered how they felt just walking in like that totally unprepared for the "mood and setting" of this field trip. They took it well and were saying a solemn "Yes Ma'am" immediately. I think her brother was the youngest in the group and it was interesting to see how he would hold up. He did just fine!


Here is her little brother (I don't know either of their names) saying, spelling, saying a word and then using it in a sentence.


Elijah's, er, "John's" turn to say, spell, say...


Everyone had to read out of an authentic McGuffey's reader.


Ms. Gale went over some sound (Godly) character traits with them. I don't remember all she said, but it was about living honestly and always telling the truth, etc.


When 12 noon came around, everyone was allowed to step out of character and become themselves again. The smiles returned! Ms. "Gale" (I didn't catch her real name) did a Q&A with the children and posed for pictures with them.


"Good posture, young man!"


Ms. Gale pretending to put Eli in the "dunce chair".


Eli and Daniel pretending to warm their hands on the wood stove.


Rebecca with her lunch basket and HER authentic slate.


Ana and I were the chaperones for this trip and we had to dress period correct as well.


This was one of the most fascinating field trips for the kids this year and in spite of the serious atmosphere, they absolutely loved it! I also love how this went hand in hand with their history co-op they are doing on the Civil War. For those of you who are interested, the Civil War was 1861-1865 and this schoolhouse opened in 1886, about 20 years after the war ended. Did you also know that the Jupiter Lighthouse was lit in 1860? Civil War Confederate sympathizers removed the illuminating mechanism to darken the light for the duration of the war. My children also learned this week that their great-great-great grandfather John Wesley Foster was born in 1845 and fought for the South (the kids are NOT proud of that fact!) in the Civil War. He died in 1892. We have a photo of his tombstone but I'll save that for another post!

My Mother Has a Sense of Humor!

While my mom was here for Nate's birthday last week, we were talking and cooking in the kitchen. I voiced my frustration about not having even ONE spatula in the house! I have plenty of wooden spoons, but for some reason, not a single spatula. I never think to get one until I need it, but never think of it when I'm actually at the store. Anyway, I told Rebecca that she could please get me one for my birthday which was (is) coming up soon. My mother heard and made a mental note. As soon as she got home from visiting us, she went to the store and bought every spatula under the sun, and in every color, wrapped them all up individually in tissue paper, put them in a box and shipped it off to me. It arrived today and after unwrapping the first one, I had an inkling that there were a lot more to unwrap. So, I called her up on the phone while I unwrapped the rest. I felt like I was reading a Dr. Seus book. Red spatula, pink spatula, regular spatula, spoon spatula! What a hoot! The very last package in the bottom of the box was a coffee measuring spoon. I made coffee for mom and dad while they visited and suffice it to say, mom decided that I needed a proper measuring device. Yeah, I made some "grow hair on your chest" coffee. Sorry. I was distracted. Both times.


Thanks mom! You're the best! (did I tell you that I'm getting low on tea towels?)

(Almost) Sailing on the S/V Denis Sullivan

Today was the day we have been looking forward to for weeks! A sailing field trip aboard the Denis Sullivan, an educational sailing vessel. This three-masted replica of a 19th century Great Lakes cargo schooner is 137 feet long. When we arrived we were greeted by who we thought was the captain. Turns out we were wrong. He was part of the crew, but not the captain.


On board, the captain (in the green jacket) went over safety rules before we started. She seemed young to be captain!


This ship was built in Wisconsin, in 2000. It's summer home is Pier Wisconsin on the Great Lakes. It winters in Florida.


The kids were broken up into groups and were given many hands on learning experiences. Here, Eli and Zack are checking the depth of visibility.


Zack was the record keeper for their group. (Zack initially wasn't to go on this trip. When I realized he was off school today I asked if there were any openings and there were! He literally joined us at the last minute! I was so excited for him to be able to join in on the fun! This stuff is right down his alley!)


This contraption is lowered into the water. When it hits bottom, the trigger releases the pin, and the jaw closes around whatever it can and they haul it up to the top and dump the contents to study.


Hauling up the trap.


Lots of stuff to look at!


This group of gals, including Rebecca, were doing a number of things including measuring the levels of oxygen and salinity in the water.


This robot (worth $45,000-$50,000) was sent down to the bottom to explore. The kids watched on a big screen. The operator didn't travel too far with it because we were docked and they didn't want to tangle the cable around any pilings. But the kids were able to see sheep heads, tiny crabs and fish and coral.


The girls turn to send down the trap.


This crew mate in the red jacket was a lot of fun. He taught the kids some chants used by sailors when raising and lowering sails.


It was extremely windy, so they put up the smallest sail and promptly lowered it.


Down in the vessel were the bunks, galley, and engine room. This crew member is explaining what the trap in the floor is for. (It holds the contents of the "head".)


Behind the water-tight door is the engine hold. There are 2 diesel engines down there and this YOUNG lady was in charge of them. She just changed the oil on one of them yesterday.


There was a mini lab set up and the kids were able to view freshly caught plankton. The dark-haired lady you see in the upper right corner was 1st mate. She had a broken foot and was trying to stay off her feet!


Whatever was on the microscope could be viewed on the screen nice and big.


The mega downer to the whole day? It was too windy to sail! This vessel is too big to sail in the river and the seas were too high today. Mainly, though, the wind was coming straight at the boat and with the current direction and lower tide they didn't think they could safely get it away from the dock and out the inlet.


The upside? They are letting us come back! We get to come back with other groups and hopefully then we'll get out on the ocean! I'm praying that the weather will cooperate next time and we can experience sailing for the first time!

Field Trip to Museum of Discovery and Science

(This photo was supposed to be at the end, but I accidentally erased it, so here it is, out of order)
My wonderful, beautiful friend, Ana and her family. Daniel, Katrina, Ana, Eli, me and Rebecca. We are ready to call it a day.

I love field trips! Especially ones like we went on today. For a much discounted group rate, we were able to enjoy this wonderful museum with good friends and fellow home educators. As a child growing up in Pennsylvania, our field trips revolved around history, battlefields, and wax museums. In Florida, field trips seem to be all about water, Everglades, Indians, oceans and science.

When we first arrived we found this huge "digital" clock in the courtyard. It was amazing to look at.


It was several stories tall and wrapped around all four faces of the courtyard.


A group photo of all the kids before we went in to enjoy the IMAX 3D movie. It was incredible footage of under the sea: colorful coral, gorgeous fish and adorable sea otters. It was lovely!


We had a 30-40 minute hands-on lecture on Nanotechnology. Here the teacher talked about nanotechnology in regards to Transitions eyeglasses.


Elijah helped demonstrate the application of nanotechnology and metals.


We pretty much had the museum to ourselves so I felt free to let Becca and Elijah roam around the building exploring whatever they wanted. Here are a few of my favorite pictures:

Checking out a display on force needed to escape the gravitational pull of the moon.


Eli playing virtual volley ball.


Becca and Katrina enjoying the sound room.


"This is your captain speaking. Please fasten your seatbelts."



What every big sister would love to do to their little brothers: shrink them! (We learned how to shrink them in the nanotechnology lecture!) It looks better if you click on it to enlarge it.


Next field trip on the list? A three hour sail on a three masted schooner! Can't wait!