Summertime Learning through Reading

The lad and I like to read books together.
We have some we read at breakfast, some we read during the day and a bunch that we read at night.

In the morning we are reading though the Warriors, a dangerous path.   We are also going through "25 Truths" by Ed Douglas.  At this time we also read though our devotion from "keys for Kids", this devotional can also be found on-line here.    The last book we read at breakfast is "the burgess bird book for children".

Reading this book has inspired us to put up a bunch of bird feeders.   We have one just for the grackles (mostly to encourage them away from our other feeders), two small ones for finches, and others for sparrows, jays and other such birds.  It's been rather fun watching the birds.  We've met ground birds, sitting on a perch birds, bully birds, shy birds, juveniles, adults, male and female plumage, and so much more.  It's been fascinating. 

"MOM!  Come quick!  What bird is that?"

Sometimes we know from our reading, other times we need to ask qustions like we did this morning on facebook, and yet other times we search through the birds of Canada book that we have.

This is a mourning dove. We have three that hang around the feeders catching the waste of the other birds.

Throughout the day we pick up one of the books on Canada that we have.  Both are old, been through the wringer a time or two books, but they are interesting reading, though not always factual.    It teaches us discernment and the ability to just enjoy a good story as they are both written in a story format.

In the evening we do the bulk of our reading.  We've just started reading "the island of the blue dolphin" on the advice of more than one Summer Reading list for boys person from the Schoolhouse Crew. 

We are also reading "the treasure seekers" by E. Nesbit, another book about Canada..this one being a factual book.   Also a book on polar regions (we've been reading 100 facts about ______ books lately).  The lad has a primer he needs to read one page in every night except for weekends.  The book we are reading currently is called "yawn and dawn".   Then of course we have a devotional book we've been reading.  I do the scripture, the lad reads the prayer and learn from verse.  I picked this book NOT for the devotional content but for the fact that I can read something, and the lad can read something.      We continue also to read through a Kids Yearbook type of book.... it's a bunch of facts interesting to children.  

It's good to read together.  I'm continually amazed at how many words my son knows how to read now, and yet how he struggles with some simple ones.  I know that over time it is coming so it's good.  it's just one of those lovely parts of homeschooling that I so enjoy.  :)   Good books help!