Homeschooling and Brain Surgery

An 18-year-old, non-homeschooled friend of my son’s was at our house during our Bible lesson with my 13-year-old daughter. He was sitting on the couch not far from the kitchen table where Nora and I sat coloring our Bible lesson. Yes, you read that right… coloring. It’s the BEST Bible curriculum out there, in my humble 16-year homeschooling experience.

“Picture This!” is a walk through the Bible system that has pages for each book with lightly shaded lines for you to draw and color the history from the Word of God. We read Bible verses, then we draw, then we color, and then we read more Bible verses talking about each as we go along.

This is not a sales pitch for the curriculum, but I love it so much I wouldn’t have a hard time selling it. (I am making no profit from this…. in case you thought I had figured out how to make profits off my favorite homeschool ditties. Um… no.)

Here is the page we were working on when our story began:

“This is the covenant I will make with them
    after that time,” says the Lord.
“I will put my laws in their hearts,
    and I will write them on their minds.” Hebrews 10:16

Wanting to always be RIGHT, my daughter asked, “Mom, what color are brains?”

An honest question. I replied, “I think they are sort of pink.”

Nora inquired, “How do you know? Have you seen a brain?”

Then, as most homeschooling lessons go, we veered off to a bunny trail on youtube and watched a video on brain surgery so my girl could see a real live brain. The surgeon was removing some dark colored blob and we could see the blood still pumping through different veins. She thought it was the most supremely awesome video in the history of the galaxy. How is this my child?

Setting my phone down, so I didn’t have to hold all seven minutes of brain surgery in my hand, I concentrated on non-gagging images in my head… like watercolor pictures of flowers and birdies. I get queasy with blood and guts and bones and such. I realize this is surprising to some who know our family’s history of frequent ER trips. But it’s true. I’m an injured-anatomy wimp.

When brain surgery ended, we found another video (like one wasn’t enough!) with a scientist holding a recently harvested brain before it had hardened up. I didn’t realize brains harden up, but they do. I am learning so much from homeschooling. Miss Scientist was naming the different lobes while holding and squeezing it in her gloved hands, and showing the characteristics of a fresh brain. It was so gross to me I had to keep my eyes averted most of the little show. However, my daughter’s dream of becoming a scientist was planted a little deeper in her blood-n-guts loving heart.

Back to the non-homeschooler on the couch… his interest was piqued and he sauntered into the kitchen and viewed the videos with us. His only comment, “I thought you guys were doing Bible?”

“We ARE doing Bible. This is homeschooling.” And back to coloring we went.

Studying the Hebrews

There are three homeschool high schoolers who are digging their way through Ancient History with me on Tuesday mornings.  I give them a Weekly News sheet that gives the details of our study for the coming week to keep them on course and make sure they are using both sides of their brains.  Immediately upon getting the Weekly News in their hot little hands, their beady little eyes go directly to the section titled ‘What We’ll Do Next Week.’  I enjoy making their lives interesting so I put little hints in there like “bring your dancing shoes” and “wear grubby clothes” and “bring sunscreen.”  I do it for my own entertainment… and it works.  I smile every week when they read it and ask what it means.

They are strong.  They are brave.  They are smart.  And it was all put to a test this week as we learned about when the Hebrews split into two kingdoms, Israel and Judah.  During this time, for your historical information, the Children of Israel built walls around their cities to fortify them.  What better way to learn about building walls…. than to build a wall???  My thoughts exactly! 

Wandering around our yard, I couldn’t find a place for a block wall flowerbed that didn’t require major sprinkler line running.  So I phoned my parents and asked it they needed a block wall.  Well, boy howdy!  They sure did!  Bring on the cinder blocks and the mortar.  Here I give you a photo essay of the HOW Wall.  (History Of the World = HOW) 

Here is my daughter sifting dirt while the men look on…… (hmmmm).

Again, the GIRL using the heavy tramping device that probably has an appropriate name, but I don’t know what it is. Good posture!

They mixed the mortar.

They laid the blocks.

They leveled every single block side-to-side, front-to-back, and vertically.

This is Mortar Man Matt.  He perfected the art of mortar patty-cake pancakes that could be easily rolled onto the tops of the blocks.

They even drove rebar (which stands for RE-enforcement-Bar) into the corner blocks.  Vocabulary and masonry all mixed into one delicious lesson.  Oh, that makes my motherly homeschooling heart pound with glee.

Ta-Da!  The 3 1/2 hour block wall flowerbed…. constructed by three 15 year olds.  My dad plans to put red brick along the top for a decorative edge.  Mom wouldn’t stand for open block holes…. heaven forbid.

I’m so glad these kids have the opportunity to learn life-skills outside of the classroom.  They laughed.  They played ti-tac-toe in the wet mortar.  They sprayed each other with the hose.  And they learned how easy/hard it is to lay block.  On the way home we passed a block wall that crossed about 12 backyards.  The kids were in awe of how long that must have taken to build!  Fine job, my pupils!