Finishing "First Grade"

Austin is now finished with "first grade." He did a lot of fun projects as during the second half of our year while we studied botany, the Pacific Islands, the American Colonies, and Renaissance Art among other things.

Austin put a great deal of time and effort into the report he did on the Solomon Islands. He put his report on display at presentation evening for other homeschool kids at the library. He also gave his report to family at home.

After looking at Tintoretto's art and talking about how he would make little stages, and set up wax or clay figures on them to compose his pieces, Austin used some of his toys to create his own scene and photograph it. I was surprised when he told me that he was going to create a scene of the Berlin Wall. I think I mentioned something briefly about the Berlin Wall at some point during the year, but I didn't think Austin had remembered anything about it. I am often surprised at what things he actually remembers.

Since we studied the renaissance in art and history this year, we also had a "field trip" to a "Renaissance Festival and Fantasy Faire." This turned out really well. We watched a gypsy magic show, a blacksmith demonstration, and some fencing. Austin made a leather bracelet and met some people dressed up as historical figures.

Watching fencing

We also watched a blacksmith demonstration. There was some archery and ax throwing going on as well.

Austin watching the blacksmith

We also went to an area dedicated to the Romans, which we studied a year ago with Austin, so that was cool to see too. They showed us helmets and other armor, knucklebones (dice), and a sponge on a stick that was like what was used to clean oneself after using the bathroom.

It was also a fantasy fair, so there were occasional run-ins with that side of things too, like the hobit hole someone made in the hillside nearby where we ate dinner.

Overall, it ended up fitting in really well with much of what we had studied, and Austin seemed to get a lot out of it.

On a slightly different note, it has been fun to watch Austin try to imitate projects that I have done. For example, I made this card for a family member's birthday a few months back:

Austin really liked the card and decided to make his own: