Delaware Week 1 (and other unusual things)

We've finally started our Cantering the Country study!   I've really been looking forward to it, and I think I managed to get the girls excited as well.   I decided to do the states chronologically, thus we started with Delaware.

Here are the things we accomplished this week:

-learned that Delaware became the first state on December 7, 1787
-colored a map of Delaware
-learned to locate  Delaware on the U.S. map
-colored a Delaware state flag, (adopted the state flag July 24, 1913)
-read The Delaware Colony by H. Clay Reed
-read When the Shadbush Blooms by Carla Messinger (as our segway into Delaware Indians)

We're working on a new Nutrition program (which I'll have a review for later).  Healthy recipes are part of the lesson.  This week we made homemade guacamole and then held a taste test...

Look closely at the chip in Olivia's hand above, and you'll see jus what a huge bite she tasted.  But she did try it, so I can't complain.   Then there was Lindsey...

As you can tell by Lindsey's chip, her opinion was somewhat  more agreeable.   Although, to be perfectly honest, I think it tasted just about as nasty as it looked (eeeeeeeeeeeewww).

We added a few more bugs to our collection this week.  We now have a lovely rhino beetle name Hector.

Now, we have the insect to end all insects, Queen Esther the praying mantis (shudder).  To be honest, this one just plain creeps me out.  Even the photos give me the heebie jeebies.  If we release her, it'll be in the woods, far far away lest I run into her unexpectedly in the garden and scream bloody murder.  She's a humdinger, easily 6 inches long (shudder). 

Queen Esther is in solitary confinement, seeing as she is a bug eater (and a cannibal).  She looks longingly through her container into the container where Edwards, Sonny, Nellie and Bannana Split live (she's probably thinking "oooh buffet".   If you've ever thought you'd like to have a mantis as a pet, check out these guidelines.  I especially like the checklist with "You want a pet that doesn't like to be cuddled or touched."  Yeah...this insect doesn't say "cuddle me" in any language.

I might mention that Sally the cicada died this week, her little  corpse is sitting in a container with a dead butterfly.  I really need to get some of those long bug sticker pin thingies so I can stick them on a board out of harms way.  Oh, and Banana Split is another cocoon....less than 12 hours after Olivia captured her, she was totally encased.  Just waiting for some sign of rebirth from Nellie.

Why is it, everytime I look at THIS photo, I start to feel like she thinks I'm on the menu???? 

Visit Kris at Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers for the Weekly Wrap Up to see how her week (and everyone else's) has gone, or not gone depending on your perspective.