I'm just a bill!

Hello from Maine!!

Jenna and I have just finished up our studies on the state of Maine.  It really sounds like an amazing state.  Did you know that the residents of West Quoddy Head, Maine see the sun rise before anyone else in the U.S.?  That is because it is the farthest east of any other place on the East Coast of the United States!  How cool is that?

We also read about Portland Head Lighthouse...just gorgeous.  I would love to visit there someday!

Jenna and I read about how the position of President, as well as how a bill becomes a law.  It's amazing how interesting this is to both of us.  After our reading, I couldn't help but look up the old School House Rock video about "Bill" becoming a law.  Brings back memories!

Land of Liberty

Why is it that I am finding U.S. Geography and History more interesting as an adult than I ever did as a young student?  We have covered Connecticut and Delaware on our Road Trip USA and will be heading out to Maine on Monday.  As we discover more about each state, we are also reading from If You Were There When They Signed the Constitution.  It's geared toward grades 2 through 5, but I must admit that I have truly enjoyed reading it.  It's wrote in a question and answer type of format, that keeps Jenna's interest as well.  It is even making me want to take a trip to the Northeast to see some of these historical areas that we are reading. 

Speaking of the Constitution, remember this oldie, but goodie from the School House Rock series?

New Hope Academy - Week 2

We made it through our first week and have ventured on to week two!  I am so glad that everything is going well.  **knock on wood**

We are "traveling" throughout the Northeast Region, learning about states.  Today, we are visiting Delaware (remember the capital is Dover). We learned about the Delaware Memorial Bridge.  It is one of the longest suspension bridges in the US.  Here are a couple pics:

Our project for this state is to build our own suspension bridge from Popsicle sticks.  Let's just say that it is a lot harder than it looks!!  But it was fun to do, and we had to use our brain skills to get it to work so that is another plus!

New Hope Academy - Day 2

We have decided to give homeschool a try this year for Jenna.  Our school name is "New Hope Academy".  We are on Day 2.  Jenna and I still like each other and so far are happy...for this I am thankful.  There are so many resources available to homeschool moms out there, but I still have to wonder if we are doing it "right" or even "half way right". 

Today, we read a little bit about a girl named Gemma who moved to the United States from Australia.  We watched a cool video of Great Barrier Reef .  Then we did a neat craft with sponges, cutting them in strips making sponge balls.  That made Jenna happy!

Later we took the sponge pieces left over and did some sponge paintings too.  It was fun to experiment with the sponges.  All these great ideas came from Erica over at Confessions of a Homeschooler.  Thank you Erica!  Tomorrow, we continue our homeschool studies, focusing on US Geography and learning about the state of Connecticut.