Monday, February 21, 2011
Monday Morning
Well, we took last week off of school (part of our six weeks on, one week off plan) so we're way behind where we were hoping to be, but oh well, I guess the joy of homeschooling is that you can make your own schedule. This morning we started working on our maps.
I printed two blank maps of the United States. We designated one map for postcards and one map for tourism packets. We went through our pile of postcards and tourism packets that we've been receiving over the last week, as we looked at one, we located the state on the correct map and colored it in. We're hoping to have the whole country colored in by the time we're done with the project.
We have received tourism packets from 11 states so far and we've received postcards from 5 states. We did receive just a letter from one tourism department telling us they wouldn't be sending us any information. We thought that was pretty funny.
This week we'll be reading about Hawaii!!!
I printed two blank maps of the United States. We designated one map for postcards and one map for tourism packets. We went through our pile of postcards and tourism packets that we've been receiving over the last week, as we looked at one, we located the state on the correct map and colored it in. We're hoping to have the whole country colored in by the time we're done with the project.
We have received tourism packets from 11 states so far and we've received postcards from 5 states. We did receive just a letter from one tourism department telling us they wouldn't be sending us any information. We thought that was pretty funny.
This week we'll be reading about Hawaii!!!
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Loving on one state
Hello all!
We will be updating this blog big time tomorrow and catch you up on everything we've been doing, but I had to jump on here and give a HUGE shout out to Kansas!!! They sent us a HUGE envelope full of fun stuff including a map, postcards, fact sheet, travel brochures! Thinking we'll have to go contribute to the Kansas economy soon just to say thank you!
We will be updating this blog big time tomorrow and catch you up on everything we've been doing, but I had to jump on here and give a HUGE shout out to Kansas!!! They sent us a HUGE envelope full of fun stuff including a map, postcards, fact sheet, travel brochures! Thinking we'll have to go contribute to the Kansas economy soon just to say thank you!
Monday, February 14, 2011
Starting our Project
We've had an exciting week at our house so I haven't been able to post as much as I'd like...which means that now I have to catch everyone up on everything we've been doing!!!
1) We received postcards from California and Maine (thanks to friends of mine from high school---Army brats unite!!!)
2) We received one packet of information from a state...North Dakota, to be exact. They sent us a big fold-out map of the state and a one page information sheet. (I'll try to scan it and post it later) My daughter was thrilled to open it and read through all of it.
3) Studying the states....I've decided we're going to write down the names of all the states and put them in a bowl. The kids will be drawing one once a week to study. I let them pick the first one though just to peak the interest. Their choice......Hawaii. Their reasoning....it's warm and sunny there and freezing here. We went to the library and cleaned out all the books on Hawaii and got a couple videos too. (Video from the library coming soon)
1) We received postcards from California and Maine (thanks to friends of mine from high school---Army brats unite!!!)
2) We received one packet of information from a state...North Dakota, to be exact. They sent us a big fold-out map of the state and a one page information sheet. (I'll try to scan it and post it later) My daughter was thrilled to open it and read through all of it.
3) Studying the states....I've decided we're going to write down the names of all the states and put them in a bowl. The kids will be drawing one once a week to study. I let them pick the first one though just to peak the interest. Their choice......Hawaii. Their reasoning....it's warm and sunny there and freezing here. We went to the library and cleaned out all the books on Hawaii and got a couple videos too. (Video from the library coming soon)
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Day Two
Hello all!
Well, yesterday we wrote the letter to all the tourism departments and addressed all the envelopes. Today, we stuffed all the envelopes and put them in the mail!
This is what our letter said:
We also gave everyone the website address of our blog so we're hoping maybe a few of them will check in on us! Mom has heard from a few of her high school friends and we know we have postcards from California and Maine on the way! If anyone would like a postcard from Iowa, let us know. We'd love to send you one!
We're getting very excited about this project. We don't really have any set plans on what we're going to do. We're just going to take it day by day and have fun with it!
We're also going to start exploring our home state. We're wanting to visit different cities and landmarks around the state. One of our dad's friends is a State Senator so we're hoping to go to the Capitol building soon to look around. Mom is still deciding whether to have a separate blog for our Iowa adventures or combine them on this blog.
Well, yesterday we wrote the letter to all the tourism departments and addressed all the envelopes. Today, we stuffed all the envelopes and put them in the mail!
This is what our letter said:
To Whom It May Concern:
My name is ______ and I am 10 years old. I am writing to you on behalf of myself, my sister ____ (5) and my brother _____ (4). We are homeschooled in Iowa. We are starting a project where we want to learn all about the fifty states. We are going to do a blog about all the things that we learn. We were hoping that you might be able to send us some information on your state. We would appreciate anything you could send us. Thank you so much.
We also gave everyone the website address of our blog so we're hoping maybe a few of them will check in on us! Mom has heard from a few of her high school friends and we know we have postcards from California and Maine on the way! If anyone would like a postcard from Iowa, let us know. We'd love to send you one!
We're getting very excited about this project. We don't really have any set plans on what we're going to do. We're just going to take it day by day and have fun with it!
We're also going to start exploring our home state. We're wanting to visit different cities and landmarks around the state. One of our dad's friends is a State Senator so we're hoping to go to the Capitol building soon to look around. Mom is still deciding whether to have a separate blog for our Iowa adventures or combine them on this blog.
State Tourism Offices
http://www.sirlinksalot.net/travel.html
This is the website that we used to get addresses for all the states' tourism departments. I liked this one because it was all on one page and we didn't have to click on each individual state to get the address.
This is the website that we used to get addresses for all the states' tourism departments. I liked this one because it was all on one page and we didn't have to click on each individual state to get the address.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Introduction
Hello visitors,
We are a homeschool family from Des Moines, Iowa. We have three children ages 10,5, and 4. We are going to start exploring our Fifty Nifty United States and wanted to take you along on our journey!
Our first step was for Mom to ask all her Facebook friends to send us postcards from around the United States. Mom was an army brat so she has friends everywhere! Our next step was to write a letter to the tourism department of every state. We're hoping to get lots of fun stuff back!
If you'd like to contribute, send us a note!
We are a homeschool family from Des Moines, Iowa. We have three children ages 10,5, and 4. We are going to start exploring our Fifty Nifty United States and wanted to take you along on our journey!
Our first step was for Mom to ask all her Facebook friends to send us postcards from around the United States. Mom was an army brat so she has friends everywhere! Our next step was to write a letter to the tourism department of every state. We're hoping to get lots of fun stuff back!
If you'd like to contribute, send us a note!
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