Long-Overdue UPDATE!

I started this little blog almost ten years ago.

It was meant to be a journal of sorts for our homeschooling journey, starting when Aidyn was only three years old.

And now, hard as it is to believe, he is twelve years old and now has a little brother and sister (and soon a second sister!) who has joined him on his learning adventures.

It can be a hectic life, but it's filled with love, learning, and constant growing.

For the past nine years, we have mostly homeschooled in a relaxed, classical and literature-based way. We have read through many of the great books, rousing adventures, solid classics, and books of fantasy and imagination.

Aidyn's brother, Jack, already expresses eagerness to "do school" like his brother. He enjoys painting, drawing, writing, and being read to. He claims his favorite book is The One and Only Ivan though I haven't read it to him yet; he just likes carrying the massive book around with him.

Aidyn's sister, Natalie, is a full-on explorer extraordinaire! She is constantly making messes, dumping water, touching things she shouldn't, and knocking over objects all in effort to understand and explore her world. She is insatiably curious and employs an impressive range of vocabulary.

We also have a baby girl, Ember, due in just a few weeks.

I am beyond excited to see how they all continue to learn and grow together. Now that Jack is expressing more of an interest to tag along with his brother, I'm going to start him on a fun learning adventure, harking back to when Aidyn was only four and we explored the same topics.

We have a Disneyland trip planned for next year, and I want to take them all on a Disneyland-inspired learning journey over the course of this year. Of course, it will be gentle, fun, and exploratory (no boxed curricula or forced table time or worksheets here!).

We will be using the many lands of the Disneyland Resort to inspire our learning adventure. When in Adventureland, we will read books about the jungle and savanna, exotic animals, and tropical fruit. When in New Orleans Square, we will read about pirates and their plunders, ghosts and spooky mansions, and explore the creole culture of Louisiana.

Now that Aidyn is an independent and strong reader, he can enjoy many of the classic works that inspired these stories and lands.

I am going to do my best to continue my little blog-journal, so we can record all of our children's educational journey. It is heartwarming to be able to reach back and read what Aidyn was doing so many years ago and how much he has grown. 

The History of Animation and Film Unit Study: Part Two

This unit study is inspired by Walt Disney World's park Disney's Hollywood Studio. We have never been to Disney World but are playing with the idea of a 2015 vacation there. Our unit studies are our fun and educational way to build excitement for that adventure.

We just recently returned from a whirlwind trip to San Marcos, Ca, for a wedding, a week at the Disneyland and California Adventure Park, and the Tinker Bell Half Marathon on Sunday. I am exhausted! Check back later for pictures of the trip and the race!

Before we left, Aidyn and I learned all about early film history from the 1820s to 1919. To see Part One where we watched early films and made a zoetrope, click here.

We watched some early silent films, including Mack Sennett's Keystone Kops and some very early Charlie Chaplin films while he worked with Mack Sennett.

Mack Sennett's An Interrupted Elopement (1912)

Mack Sennett's The Bangville Police (1914) First appearance of Keystone Kops

Mack Sennett's Making a Living (1914) First appearance by Charlie Chaplin

We read about Mack Sennett in his youth and how he dreamed of making movies with the book Mack Made Movies by Don Brown.

This is such a sweet book about his determination to realize his dream. It also echoed some terms we have been learning such as slapstick, Kinetoscope, nickelodeons, and other movie-related vocabulary.

Mack Made Movies inspired interest in Charlie Chaplin, so we watched snippets of the film Chaplin (1992 with Robert Downey Jr. as Chaplin). I would not recommend children watch this movie straight through as there are some scenes involving nudity that may be inappropriate to young viewers. I had seen the movie many times so I was careful which scene to choose.

Chaplin (1992) trailer

We watched scenes about his early childhood, vaudeville performances, unstable mother, and fascination with film. We also watched all scenes with Mack Sennett (played by Dan Aykroyd) and compared what we saw to the book.

The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick

Aidyn and I began reading The Invention of Hugo Cabret, a graphic-heavy dark novel about an orphaned clock keeper boy with secrets. Later in the book, we will meet Georges Melies, whom we have become familiar with in the last few weeks with his films The Vanishing Lady (1896), The Haunted Castle (1896) first horror film, our favorite A Trip to the Moon (1902), and Cinderella (1912).

While we were at Disneyland, we learned a bit more about animation and early film with a tour of the Disney Animation building inside Disney California Adventures.

Fun animator's desk at Off the Page

Inside the Animation building

We were fascinated by a Toy Story zoetrope inside and must have watched it for a solid ten minutes.

The zoetrope was a circular stand with Toy Story figurines in slightly different motions. As the zoetrope spins and the lights blink on and off, the figures appear to move.

Here is a video (not mine) of the Toy Story zoetrope:

After checking that out, we headed to the Animation Academy where we learned to draw Goofy from a real animator. At this point, we were so involved in the activity, I forgot to take pictures!

Here's a video (not mine) of the Animation Academy drawing Mickey Mouse.

Over on Main Street in Disneyland, completely by accident, we stumbled upon a few coin-operated mutoscopes.

Inside were flipbooks that turn as the viewer cranks the handle. We found one entitled "The Adventures of Charlie Chaplin." What luck!

"Forbidden Sweets" was aptly named for this mutoscope inside The Candy Palace.

We are still having a blast with this unit study, so check back soon for more. This week we're exploring cartoons and films from the 1920s including Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, Felix the Cat, Charlie Chaplin, and early Mickey Mouse shorts. 

A Disneyland-Themed Birthday Party

Our family is NUTS about Disneyland. I was taken by my parents as an infant and every year until I was 14. When my husband and I were dating in 2002, we visited the park together, but when our son was born in 2005, we couldn't stop going. Mostly it's the joy on his face, our camaraderie as a family, the screaming on roller coasters and that euphoric high we share that brings us back year after year.

We have a trip planned in January, along with a Tinker Bell Half-Marathon for me, and so Aidyn requested a Disneyland-themed party for his eighth birthday. The day was busybusybusy, and I wish I would have taken more pictures.

Birthday boy by the food table

Snow White's "Poisonous" Apples, with my friend, Amanda, in the background. She carved the skulls. : )

Disneyland train hauling a rainbow of fruit: red strawberries and cherry tomatoes, orange cantaloupe and Cuties, yellow bananas and pineapples, green grapes, blueberries, and purple grapes.

Jungle Cruise Wild Animal Crackers

Winnie-the-Pooh Snack Mix (honey Teddy Grahams, honey-roasted peanuts, M&Ms, and mini-marshmallows)

Finding Nemo Submarine Fish (colorful Goldfish crackers)

Space Mountain Asteroids with an X-Wing soaring above

Mickey Mouse Pizza

Rainbow fruit tray

Yoda Soda (Mt. Dew) and Vader-Ade (Kool-Aid) and Drink Me flavored water

My friend, Amanda, made us the Disneyland train and painted an 8 on the front. : )

Toy Story Midway Mania Carnival Corn Dogs

Our school white board looks much better without math problems. At least for today.

Mickey Mouse Cupcakes

He concentrated so hard on his wish. Wonder what he wished for...

Though the kids were too busy running and playing outside to watch, we showed vintage Disneyland videos such as The Disney Story, coverage from opening day~ July 17th, 1955, and vintage Disneyland shorts. 

I gleaned inspiration for my own Disneyland nuttiness and the following websites, which prove that I am not the only crazy one out there! 

Mickey Mouse Cupcakes

Walt Disney World Themed Party

Homeschool Topics at Disneyland

So you have a Disneyland vacation on the horizon and would love to tie in some learning with the Happiest Place on Earth...Are there any unit studies you can do before your trip? Is there anything you can study to drum up excitement about your upcoming getaway?

The answer is an astounding "Of course!"

Here is a list of possible unit studies connected to the Disneyland Resort:

Links will take you to unit studies we have done or to Homeschool Share for resources for a specific unit study.

By Land:
Note that these topics can be adjusted for nearly any age group.

Main Street, U.S.A.

1. Trains
2. Transportation of the early 20th century (horse-drawn carriages, vintage vehicles, steam-powered pump engine)
3. Early animation (to coincide with the Main Street Cinema)
4. Abraham Lincoln (for Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln)
5. Neighborhoods and Main Streets 
6. Firefighters/ Fire Stations
7. Horses (Belgians and Percherons pull the streetcars and drivers are always more than happy to talk about their horses)
8. Forced perspective (architecture in Main Street utilizes forced perspective)
9. Dinosaurs (from Primeval World)

Adventureland:

1. Tropical birds (for the Tiki Room)
2. Rainforests and Savannas (for the Jungle Cruise)
3. Explorers and archaeologists (for Indiana Jones)
4. Tarzan
5. Treehouses
6. Animals of the rainforest/savanna
7. The Nile River and Amazon River
8 Animatronics and robots (Tiki Room was the first attraction to feature audio-animatronics)
9. Indiana Jones character/India

New Orleans Square:

1. 19th century Louisiana, New Orleans/ Creole culture, food, and music
2. Pirates
3. Ghosts/ Ghost stories
4. Mardi Gras

Frontierland:

1. The Old West/ Westward Expansion
2. Native Americans
3. Mark Twain
4. Trains (for Big Thunder Mountain)
5. Old country music and instruments 

Critter Country:

1. Animals of North America (turtles, foxes, bears, skunks, raccoons, etc.)
2. Winnie the Pooh/ A.A. Milne
3. Br'er Rabbit stories/ Gullah culture
4. Bees/Honey

Fantasyland:

1. Castles
2. Medieval life 
3. Arthurian legends
4. Alice in Wonderland/ Lewis Carroll
5. the Circus (for Casey Jr. Circus Train)
6. Wind in the Willows (for Mr. Toad's Wild Ride)
7.  Peter Pan/ Pirates
8. The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carl Collodi/ Marionettes
9. Elephants (for Dumbo)
10. Matterhorn Mountain in the Swiss Alps/ Yeti legend/ Swiss music and culture
11. Children's stories from around the world (for it's a small world)
12. Fairy Tales (like Rapunzel, Snow White, Beauty and the Beast, Sleeping Beauty, Aladdin, etc.)

Toontown:

1. Max Fleisher's early cartoons
2. Early animation with Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Goofy, Donald Duck and Daisy Duck


Tomorrowland:

1. Space/the universe/planets/the sun/the moon
2. Space travel
3. Space race of the 60s
4. Astronauts
5. Automobiles (for autopia)
6. Star Wars
7. (for little ones) Letter Z (for Buzz Lightyear's Astro Blasters)
8. Ocean life/ Great Barrier Reef (for Finding Nemo Submarines)
9. Submarines
10. Fish/Sharks/Whales
11. Inventions and Inventors
12. Michael Jackson (for Captain EO)
13. Agriculture (for Tomorrowland's Agrifuture)

Over-Arching Themes:

1. Modes of transportation: trains, monorails, canoes, riverboats, ships, street-cars, etc.)
2. History of Walt Disney
3. Physics of roller coasters

If you're wondering how to put these unit studies together, read about How to Create A Disneyland Unit Study.

Field Trip to Lancaster, Ca, with a Side of Disneyland and Kooky Roadside Rarities

This past week, our family journeyed south through California's valley and into the desert region of Lancaster/Palmdale for Aidyn's first foot race at the Jethawks' stadium.

Community Connection

Although Lancaster is not our community, we signed up for the race not only to help Aidyn pursue a recent goal of his (to earn a medal) but to support a community of baseball fans. This race was set up to bring people to the community of Lancaster and encourage physical movement. Profits for the race direct support minor league baseball and local education.

When we arrived at night, we had no idea what the terrain looked like until we awoke in the morning. I had a vague idea that we were in a desert climate (I was thinking more along the lines of Bakersfield), but it was actually a dry, arid, tumbleweed-populated, rollin'-rollin'-rollin' little town. And the wind was fierce!

Photo from Lancaster city data.

Wake up, Aidyn! Race starts in just a couple hours!

Prior to the race.

Daddy and Aidyn, checking out the stadium.

Lining up at the starting line.

One last Mama-hug before the race.

Yay! Just finished running 1k, two laps around the Jethawks' baseball field!

 Finally won his medal!

Afterwards, we had a celebratory lunch at Primo Cafe in Lancaster.

Roadside Rarities

It's always fun checking out the strange and unusual roadside attractions. For this trip, we visited Charlie Brown Farms, a kitchy little place that has been operating since 1929. Inside are shelves upon shelves loaded with jars of raw, local honey, molasses, fruits and vegetables, hand-packaged farmstand goodies, old time candy (from as early as the 1920s), toys, souvenirs, practical joke merchandise, and more. They serve 150 different kinds of smoothies and have a quaint outdoor dining area. Also near that dining area are these beauties:

And:

We left Charlie Brown Farms with a pound of raw eucalyptus honey (from the deserts of Ca and Az), nostalgic candy from the 40s for Grandma back home, and a practical joke toy for Aidyn.

The next day, we went to our favorite Southern California destination: Disneyland. The Sunday morning traffic was surprisingly light, and we made it to the parking structure in only an hour and a half.

Aboard the Jungle Cruise, after just learning about savanna and rainforest animals. :)

An elephant along the Nile River.

Later, we got in line for Autopia, since it was closed for refurbishment in February. Aidyn has been keen on "driving" lately.

After a nice drive, we took the train to New Orleans Square where we rode Pirates of the Caribbean and had a yummy lunch at the French Market. Afterward, we visited the Disney California Adventure Park and hoped that Radiator Springs would be doable.

Despite the gorgeous photo ops, the ride was temporarily closed.

So we explored the rest of DCA, rode Goofy's Sky School, Tuck 'n' Roll's Drive 'Em Buggies, and Grizzly River Rapids.

Aidyn running through the fountains.

We stopped at the Ghirardelli Soda Fountain and Chocolate Shop, much to Aidyn's apparent glee. 

Aidyn and I washed all the chocolate off with a ride on Grizzly River Rapids, which were closed the last time we visited.

After the big plunge at the end. Aidyn and I are on the right. Daddy, who was developing a pretty bad cold at this point, elected not to get drenched.

Overall, we had a pretty amazing mini-vacation and experience with Aidyn's first race. During the drive to Disneyland and back, we saw the famous Vasquez Rocks, which have been used in countless films.

Photo from iversonmovieranch.blogspot.com

We also visited the Now and Then Thrift Store from Storage Wars.

Photo from aetv.com

And we drove by the very first McDonald's when we passed through Downey, Ca.

Photo from neatorama.com

We love homeschooling!