Impromptu Learning

Maya has been sick all weekend; fever, cough, occasional nausea, fatigue etc. We are on day four now and she is still spiking fevers. Unfortunately she won't be able to enjoy going on a fieldtrip to a local college tomorrow with her class. I was supposed to work this weeknd but ended-up taking four nights of sick leave instead. I am so thankful that I work in a place that doesn't question when your children are sick and will let me take numerous nights off without penalty.

Elias did not have school on Friday so we were all home that day. Most of the day I let the kids watch movies and just play with their toys. Later on though I decided to have them work on a map of the USA. I found an outlice map of the US and printed it for each of them to look and and had them start naming states. I marked each states with its abbreviation as they named it off. The first dozen came pretty quickly, then Maya had to stop and think a little harder, Elias was pretty lost after the first 5. With some hints from me they finished the map in about 30 minutes. The last state was Oregon. I gave them the first 2 letters and the clue that my dad had been born there, Elias kept guessing Oreland regardless of how many times I told him that was not correct. Maya finally called my brother and got the correct answer. We then went off in our separate directions. ABout ten minutes later as I passed through the living room I noticed Elias painstakingly copying the state abbreviations on to his copy of the map. He even included my crude drawing of Alaska. I think he may have actually like the little lesson.