Ahhhhhh! Spring has finally come to Michigan. It feels so good to open up the windows and let in the fresh air! Lessons are so much more fun when we can read books outside and do some of our lessons in the backyard at the picnic table.

No matter what part of the world in which you reside, make sure your boys always have ample time to spend outside in nature. Wide open spaces are wonderfully healthy for all children - and boys especially require time to run, jump and play. When you find your boys' minds wandering from their lessons, let them take an outside break (recess, if you will). When they return to their lessons, you will find their attitudes are more pleasant and they will be much more attentive.

In This Issue:

1. Our NEW Preschool Curriculum
2. Who can best raise your children - YOU or the government?
3. Science and Nature Journals

I am proud to announce the release of a new preschool curriculum I have just finished compiling. It's called "Learn & Grow: Hands-On Activities for Active Preschoolers" and it's jam packed with fun learning activities for boys and girls ages 2-5.

When I first started homeschooling my boys, my oldest son was almost 2 years old. It was important to me to give homeschooling a real try - to see how he (and I) would handle it. I searched for a preschool curriculum that would provide real learning experiences for my son while being within the grasp of a 2-year-old. I was very disappointed in what I found... mainly activity books and books which were filled with arts and crafts and games... not the kind of fleshed-out curriculum I was looking for.

So I set out to create lessons myself - and found that it took me hours of preparation time each week. It was very tiring to continue inventing lessons over a long period of time. Fortunately, you can benefit from the hours I spent in preparation. Click on the link above for more details about this new curriculum!

2 - Who can best raise your children - YOU or the government?

I have a question for you: Do you believe that parents play an essential role in the lives of their children?!? Pretty obvious answer, right? Wrong! In today's world, parents are being seen as increasingly less and less important in the raising of their children.

Our government, and many misguided people, have come to believe that parents are incapable of raising their children without help - and that they are unable to make sound decisions to protect the well-being of their children.

These statements sound like they come straight out of "1984" by Orwell or "Brave New World" by Huxley... Unfortunately, they also describe the modern day society in which we now find ourselves. Very scary thought, isn't it?!?

As homeschoolers, I'm sure you agree with me that parents are best equipped to decide how their children should be raised. In order to protect our parental rights, there is a groundswell of support to pass a Constitutional Ammendment protecting parental rights.

You can get lots of details about this ammendment as well as the reasons it has become necessary at www.parentalrights.org. Please check out this website and consider joining the movement to protect our parental rights. Parents are under fire and federal judges with questionable views on parental rights should cause every parent to be concerned and to get involved.

3 - Science and Nature Journals

The definition of science is "knowledge of the physical or material world gained through observation and experimentation". A great way for your child to gain scientific knowledge is by their first-hand observations of nature.

Take your children outdoors on a nature walk. The key to these walks is to walk SLOWLY. Look around. Look at the trees, the leaves, the moss, the animals, the bugs... bring along a field guide to help you identify what you're actually observing. Bring a bag with you to collect specimens for further study at home. Take your time and enjoy the beautiful world that God has created for us.

Walk through a desert, a forest, a sand dune, a swamp and take note of their differences. When you return home, have your child draw pictures and write stories of their experiences in a nature journal. If your child is very young, have them dictate stories of the experience and attempt to draw what they saw. You will cherish these rudimentary drawings later.

My Nature Journal By Adrienne Olmstead / Pajaro Let your childern experience and reflect upon the outdoors with My Nature Journal. This charming book is divided into ecosystem chapters named after meadows, seashores, and more; within these chapters, activities let the children learn to explore, understand simple environmental facts, and reflect upon how they feel. Two-color illustrations, journal prompts, activities, informational pages, games, ample room for note taking, personalization and more make this book a complete resource for chronicaling outdoor adventures. A very sturdy hardcover with hidden spiral binding and thick pages should endure for treks and all manner of activities. Index, glossary, and nature list to keep track of all observations are included in the back. 173 pages.

A Junior Scientist's Field Journal By Mark Julicher / Castle Heights Press Simple and well-designed, this 7.5"x5"spiral bound field journal is the perfect size for young nature journalists. Examples are given of simple entries, or advanced journaling, with added guidelines for drawing in the field. Record weather, geology, environmental data, animals in the wild and plants discovered on your hikes. Teaching examples included.

Discovering Nature: Your Backyard--With Step-by-Step Projects for the Young Scientist By Sally Hewitt / Copper Beech Books Your Backyard offers the young scientist a lively introduction to the world of backyard nature. With easy to make projects, he or she will make a bird cake, find hidden creepie crawlies, and spot the footprints left by animal visitors. By the end of the book, the young scientist will have gained a better understanding of backyard plant and animal life. Includes: clearly worded text to develop literacy skills, simple instructions and further ideas. Fully colored pictures that help guide your child through each project, and an interactive glossary to review topics covered.

You also may want to purchase a nice, quality artist's sketchbook for your child to make saving your child's scientific observations longterm. It also gives your child a sense of importance as they record their experiences.

So... get out in nature and observe the world around you with your children. There's nothing like seeing things again for the first time through the eyes of a child!

Thanks for taking the time to read this month's newsletter. See you next month!

Michelle Caskey

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