ECC Weeks 21 & 22

It's hard to believe our study of Saudi Arabia and that part of the world is almost finished. We have read or looked at all the books in our book basket and found them to be very interesting. We learned a lot about Islam. One thing I learned that I didn't know was that there are no permanent rivers or lakes in Saudi Arabia!

In Science we have been studying man's impact on the environment, endangered and extinct species, pollution, acid rain, and global warming. We will be doing an experiment on acid rain. I need to get two identical small plants. One we will spray with plain water. The other we will spray with a vinegar water solution (acid rain.) Daniel said, "Poor plant!" He already knows what will happen.

Here are a few of our previous science experiments. There is no growth on the sweet potato, yet. But I know from the other potato plant (or should I say tree?) to give it some time. As you can see the plant has grown over the top of the measuring stick. Which means it is over 2 feet tall now.
Last week in art the children decorated some little boxes with pictures of flowers cut out from a seed magazine. We were supposed to sprout some seeds and use them as a "No-Ruz" centerpiece. But we just did the boxes.

This week they wrote on clay tablets. They used no bake clay, rolled it out, and made designs on it to mimic ancient writing. They really seemed to enjoy that.

Last week we finished our read-a-loud book about David Livingstone. We found the beginning of the book very exciting and inspiring. David literally left his heart in Africa. He worked hard to try to end slave trade and had a real love for the people and they for him. When he died his African companions embalmed his body, buried his heart in Africa, and carried his body all the way to the coast so he could be buried in his homeland.

I was a bit disappointed reading the last part of the book. I felt David pretty much abandoned his family. He married the daughter of another missionary in Africa. In the early part of their marriage she and their children went everywhere with him. Later he sent his wife and children back to Scotland to live with his mother. He didn't even see his youngest daughter until she was five years old. I can understand being cautious for their lives as there were diseases and dangers living in Africa. But it was discouraging that he felt it more important to try to find an inside water passage in Africa, which he never did, than to take care of his family. That's just my opinion.

We have started a biography of Amy Carmichael. Today we are going to make a picture of a camel and write interesting facts about camels on it. Next we will be off to India.

I best get going so we can start our day.