Wordless Wednesday September 5th, 2012: Learning is Playing

I am a Ty-ran-sus Rex!

Meal Plan Monday: September 3rd, 2012

Enchilada Casserole

Coq au Vin

Sloppy Lennys

Baked Bean Stew

Fish Tacos

Spaghetti

Curried Cauliflower (From Cast Iron Skillet Big Flavors: 90 Recipes for the Best Pan in Your Kitchen )

1 head of cauliflower
4 tbsp unsalted butter; melted
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp curry powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp kosher salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a large bowl, roll the cauliflower in the melted butter until evenly coated. Blend the sugar, curry powder, turmeric  paprika, and salt; sprinkle over the butter-coated cauliflower. Stir to evenly coat. Spread out evenly in a 10-inch cast iron skillet. Bake for 10 minutes, then turn the cauliflower pieces with a spatula. Return to the oven and cook until the cauliflower is tender and golden, 10 minutes more. Transfer to a serving dish and serve warm.

From Design to Reality: An Unschooling Adventure

 We recently took a trip camping at a lake. It was all kinds of fun, beautiful, and all the stress that comes with taking three small children on such a trip. But while we were there we did something awesome.

L1 has been fully obsessed with camping and fishing. Since we were already camping, he was ready to go fishing. So, he needed a boat. I suggested he draw up a design for the boat he wanted.

We got to work, searching the beach and our supplies. Driftwood. Rope. An old tarp.

L1 was very specific in his instructions. We followed them. This was his time and his project and it was our job to help him make his vision a reality. 

We talked about levers, knots, buoyancy, the mountains around us, the fish we could catch, the birds we saw, the rocks, the sun, the clouds, the sounds we heard and made (including a rad percussion jam session on a piece of driftwood with tree roots that all made a different note) and any number of things in between. Then we stepped back and admired the work. And saw L1's dream sitting in front of us.

We all played on the ship for the duration of our trip. Captain Beard, Captain Skeleton Turtle Jack, Princess Captain Jack Harkness (Who also turned to Princess Captain Jack Harkness Zombie), Mr Smee, and more characters joined in swordplay, teamwork, exploration, feats of strength, balancing acts, and breaking out into song.

That was one amazing day at our school.