"'Education is the Science of Relations'; that is, that a child has natural relations with a vast number of things and thoughts: so we train him upon physical exercises, nature lore, handicrafts, science and art, and upon many living books, for we know that our business is not to teach him all about anything, but to help him to make valid as many as may be of––
'Those first-born affinities,
That fit our new existence to existing things.'"

Charlotte Mason, A Philosophy of Education
with a quote from The Prelude by William Wordsworth

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Day Trips Galore

Last week Dh was on vacation so we went on a series of day trips. He could not have picked a better week--definitely the best of the summer so far!

One day we hiked on the grounds of Quabbin Reservoir. Several towns were completely evacuated in order to flood them to create this water management area for Boston.

The next day we visited Old Sturbridge Villiage. All the exhibits were open and active with interpreters except the saw mill, which was expected to be repaired soon. Here the boys are under the carting mill watching the water-powered gears.

Another half day we hiked through Purgatory Chasm. You can hike through the chasm (as we did), hike on the wooded trails at the top of the chasm (we did on the return) or you can scale the sides of the chasms in parts. (If you remember the old Emergency 911 series with William Shatner, one episode was about a teen male that fell while climbing the sides. I have worked with both of the paramedics that featured in that episode.)

We ended the week at the Boston Museum of Science, a perennial favorite of my kids. They are next to one of the new dinosaur skeletons the museum now has on display. We also visited the temporary exhibits on Creature Cams and Black Holes, both of which were excellent.

This week the boys are at nature camp. Our summer thus far may not have involved any textbooks but it has certainly enriched their education!

1 comment:

Cindy said...

LOVE day trips! Looks like you had great fun!