8 April 2006

A Bruggie Educational Trek


Ha! I'm going to catch you... Well, maybe not.
So, how did our planned field trip turn out? Rather well.
No major disasters and many subjects were covered.
English:
Ariel kept a diary of daily events, and we played various word games in the car. We listened to The Cat of Bubastes by GA Henty and listend again to The Rolling Stones by Robert Heinlein.
Maths:
We regularly quizzed the children on travelling times and distances.
Geography:
We not only visited many places previously only known on a map, but we also experienced rain forests, mountains, plains, rivers and the ocean. We travelled on major roads which cut through mountains and bridged chasms.
Religion:
We experienced the tranquility of Marian Valley and were able to attend daily Mass and discuss the faith with a number of daily visitors to the Shrine.
History:
Many of the shrines at Marian Valley have boards describing the biography of the saint and the history surrounding their life.
Socialisation:
We met many new people at the Shrine and made new friends with the three homeschooling families we visited on the way. The children enjoyed the time and attention they were able to obtain at the attractions we visited as it was off-peak season so there were a lot less visitors.
Science and First Aid:
A powerful combination of learning about insects and treating wounds was experienced, especially by Clare and Ariel. We also learned about a wide variety of Tropical fruits and rain forest wildlife.
Play time (Clare's favourite):
Playing at the creek, sliding down hills, climbing rocks, discovering new playgrounds, exploring trees, swimming at the beach and chasing birds were all essential elements in any well balanced educational experience.

And, most importantly of all, our family enjoyed some quality shared experiences.

4 comments:

Alice Gunther said...

Sounds like the ideal day!

Bretta said...

Hmmm...that picture looks sort of familiar.... ;o)

DavidofOz said...

The picture probably looks familiar as I was inspired by the picture you took of your son.
I think it is a timeless tradition of children racing towards birds that promptly fly away. I suspect that if the birds stayed put the children would lose all interest.

Bretta said...

You can see that picture again (sort of) on the yearbook page I made for the homeschool co-op's yearbook this year. Each family made their own page and this was our contribution. It's black and white because that's how they will print.
http://www.geocities.com/wardogburn/ogburnyearbookpagelikes.jpg