Danielle Conger

After several more back and forths with dh about unschooling (a
semi-yearly occurrence here), he witnessed/ participated the following
series of conversations over our Valentine's dinner. I wanted to take
the time to type it out because I (and many other unschoolers) often
talk about all the learning that goes on just by having cool
conversations with our kids, and this seemed like such a great example.
This one was rather heavy on my interests, but we're just as likely to
have really cool discussions that are heavy on science--dh's field of
interest--or anything else for that matter.

Hanging out with the kids while having hors d'oevres, we began talking
about loads of things that led to a really cool series of discussions
throughout the rest of the evening until we finally wrapped up over
strawberries dipped in chocolate sauce. Many of these topics were very
cursorily covered, at a level the kids could grasp and as the result of
questions they asked or attempts to illustrate the topic with an example
they'd be familiar with, but nevertheless, we created and reinforced
loads more connections on our grand unschooling dot-to-dot!

See if you can catch this crazy train...

bolting food--new puppy

Pip from Great Expectations, Oliver Twist--recent commercials--Dickens,
serial publications, Industrial Revolution

Child labor laws, current poverty level across the world

sweatshops, illegal aliens, Men in Black--opening scene

American wealth, unable to fathom poverty

"full fathom five thy father lies" --Shakespeare, Donne or Hopkins--look
it up because I can't remember which--it was Shakespeare, but GM
Hopkins' "Wreck of the Deutschland" was the other poem I was thinking of

dirty limericks in which dh always tries to rhyme "Hohakas" (don't ask
me why, except he's from NJ--reminiscent of Hackensack?)

iambic pentameter, trochaic meter

Tyger, Tyger--one of the kids' favorite poems--Little Lamb, William Blake

innocence vs. experience

Christian mythology, garden of eden, tree of knowledge, fall from grace

All of which ended with a really deep discussion of whether we'd choose
knowledge or painless obedience--guess which we all chose? ;)

--
~~Danielle
Emily (8), Julia (7), Sam (5)
http://www.danielleconger.com/Homeschool/Welcomehome.html

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"With our thoughts, we make the world." ~~Buddha

M Walker

<<dirty limericks in which dh always tries to rhyme
"Hohakas" (don't ask me why, except he's from
NJ--reminiscent of Hackensack?)>>

Here's a convoluted path to a song by Dave Van Ronk
that's just a recitation of NJ town names--Hohokus is
in there!

Go to this site:

http://www.bruceathon.com/aggregator/sources/5?from=100

Then scroll down a bit to the end of the third
paragraph under the June 7 entry, and click on "Garden
State Stomp."

- Meg


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Krisula Moyer

>>>

dirty limericks in which dh always tries to rhyme "Hohakas" (don't ask

me why, except he's from NJ--reminiscent of Hackensack?) <<<



Hohokus (sometimes spelled Ho-Ho-Kus) is a small town in Northern NJ about 8
miles NW of Hackensack.

Ah, the trivia in my head ....

Krisula



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