Xapa to the World

Tag: New England

  • FIAR Vol. 1 – Night of the Moonjellies

    FIAR Vol. 1 – Night of the Moonjellies

    This may have been our favorite book as a whole from Volume 1. The kids loved the independence given to Mark, the main character and the author, and how he helped the family business. Children love to feel useful and I am always convicted to let them do more, mess and all.

    Social Studies

    The story takes place in New England, on the coast – but the original hot dog stand was found in Connecticut. We took the opportunity to learn about the original colonies in North America and the unique geography and culture found there now.

    Math

    We have developed our learning of money since this time, but this book introduced us to the different types of coins and bills we use today. I have also collected an assortment of money from a variety of countries – where I visited myself or was gifted from others. It is fascinating how each country designs their money and who or what they choose to immortalize.

    Science

    Neither kid had been to the ocean at this point of their lives, so we had to settle for books and videos on YouTube to take us there. Estuaries are just about the neatest places with incredible creatures and habitats. We found a livestream (unavailable now or else I would for sure share it) of jellyfish at an aquarium, but we also took a trip as a family to the nearby aquarium in Newport, KY. We have since visited the ocean and the great lakes and even taken a whale tour out into the St Lawrence River, which is an important estuary.

    Other books

    The Song of the Water Boatman isn’t about a saltwater environment, but I love finding different kinds of poetry to share with the kids. We also spend some time each week at a pond and we compared/contrasted the two habitats.

    I love the artwork for this book! When I was younger, I discovered oil pastels and I really enjoyed working with it – actually rubbed my fingers sore blending the colors together. I was too intimidated with chalk-pastels back then, but the kids and I boldly took on practicing the medium and coming up with our own boat and sunset scene. I do enjoy learning new skills right along with my kiddos while we homeschool!

    Disclaimer: This site uses some affiliate links. This costs you nothing, but helps supplement our homeschooling costs.

    Complete Booklist:

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  • FIAR Vol. 1 – Cranberry Thanksgiving

    FIAR Vol. 1 – Cranberry Thanksgiving

    This book is a sweet lesson in judging others and community. We timed this right before Thanksgiving so we were well in the mindset of gratitude and inclusion and extending kindness to others. The kids loved the character of Mr. Whiskers – isn’t that just the way with kids? They often gravitate to those who adults might write-off and can see a bit of goodness in them when others just see bristle.

    I found a great video on YouTube, showing how cranberries are grown and harvested these days. We talk a lot about how different foods we eat grow – things that grow in the dirt, on top the grown (leaves and stems), from shrubs or bushes, and from trees. But cranberries defy all these! The plants need to be waterlogged and that definitely makes it easier to harvest because these plants naturally grow by boggy waterways where the berries can fall off the plant and float downstream to find new places to take root and grow. The way seeds spread is so fascinating!

    Social Studies

    This book was handy to learn more about the state of Massachusetts. When we get into the United States part of our historical studies, I plan to go through each state in order of admission. Years ago, I invested in a series of activity books Highlights published of each US state and I’ve managed to keep them pristine up to this point. I’m just as surprised as you are.

    There are many options for picture books on Thanksgiving and some day I will create a list of books I recommend for children. This one seemed to match up well with the main picture book. I include some others in the full list below.

    Math

    Baking is an excellent way to learn about volume and measurements. My kiddos were still too young to be much help, but as an introductory lesson, this book was enough.

    Science

    We see their shells and have collected our share when at the beach, but the creatures that build and live inside them are fascinating! I also found some YouTube videos of clamdiggers. One by Saltyhead right at 19 minutes. And another by The Fisherman Magazine, just over 7 minutes long. It’s neat to see the specialized tools made for certain tasks and jobs.

    Other Books

    Disclaimer: This site uses some affiliate links. This costs you nothing, but helps supplement our homeschooling costs.

    Find the complete list on and .