Andrew checks on his "pet" every morning and afternoon, making sure it is still alive. Yesterday, he found it's molted skin:
I'm not sure we have identified this spider yet, but that leads me to the boys' current obsession... field guides. Our school library has many, and Ethan and Andrew are intent on bringing every one available home with them. Last week, we had two reptile guides, an insect guide, and a mammal guide. This week, we have these gems:
and I think there are a few more stashed in their backpacks. I'm pretty sure that shells guide is going to come in handy here in the middle of Indiana!I just wish there was less homework, and more time for Ethan to memorize the mammal field guide he has been sleeping with. He is learning the meaning of all kinds of words having to do with nature and the world we live in, which is more than I can say for the assigned vocabulary he gets from 2nd grade. We are supposedly one of the most challenging school districts in the nation, but you wouldn't know it from Ethan's word list. (*stepping off my soapbox-sorry!*)
Anyway, Ethan has determined he wants to be a naturalist, which I always assumed was the equivilant of a nudist, but apparently it is someone who studies nature. You go, boy!
5 comments:
once i found one of our pet tarantula's molted skins in my underwear drawer. ya, icky.
we love the non-fiction section at our library, too. our latest finds include a small guide to different crystal types, and one about shells. how did our kids all get so similar? :)
he sleeps with it? that's sweet.
Buy (and read) "The Case Against Homework." It's fabulous, very informative, and gives great tips on dealing with teachers who give too much homework. I read it when Tanner was in first grade and he didn't end up doing all of his homework that year, but he wasn't penalized because I compromised with the teacher.
My Aunt once told me that as a little girl, my Mother kept a pet spider in her drawer. :)
Love to see the boys getting into the fun and fascinating aspects of their world... I can hardly wait to come see them!
Nice pets! My kids would love to keep those kinds of pets if I would let them. I still get a little nervous around creepy, crawly things. I am impressed with your boys reading materials. As far as school goes, I too am frustrated with my kids busy work (a.k.a homework).
Post a Comment