G Is For Geography Fair and G'day Mate

A little over a week ago our homeschool group had our very first geography fair. Each family that wished to participate picked a different country. There were about 20 families that joined the fun and we had a little over a month to prepare our projects.

Our family chose to do Australia which is country, continent and island all rolled into one. I had visited this amazing country in 1998 with People to People Student Ambassadors so I had lots of great photos, souvenirs and books that we could utilize for our project. My kids were super excited to get to work. For weeks all I heard was, "mom when is the geography fair?"

I dug out my keepsake box and gathered photos and souvenirs from my adventure to the "Land Down Under." This was the first time I had shown the kids ALL of my treasures and photos from my trip. They loved looking through my keepsake box and were full of questions. I think we spent about a day just looking through and talking about my travels.

Next we visited the library to check out some books on Australia. We checked out story books and informational books. After reading our books and becoming experts on Australia we were ready to get to work on our display board. 

I went online and printed up a map of Australia, the Australian flag, Australian crest and the Australian country bird, flower and animal. We also included a photo of the prime minister (Julia Gillard) and of course a photo of a famous homeschooling family (The Irwins). I printed everything in black and white so the kids could color them in...really making the project their own.

We invited some of our good friends over to have a project day. Our friends chose St. Lucia as their family's country. The kids all had a great time working together on their projects. It was really cute watching them encourage each other and compliment each other.

And well no homeschooling unit study is complete if we don't have some fun with Lego's. Sometimes the only way I can get Rowyn involved is to include Lego's so I gave him the task of helping us build the Sydney Opera House. The kids also wanted to add the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

As we were working on our project I couldn't help but notice it looked like a giant lapbook...so I thought why not use lapbook pieces on our board for all of our facts? I contacted my favorite lapbooking company A Journey Through Learning and asked if we could review the Australia lapbook by utilizing it on our display board.

A Journey Through Learning geography lapbooks for all 7 Continents, Canada, the 50 States as well as one that can be utilized with any country. The downloadable lapbook is $11.00. I really love how well the lapbook worked on our display board. The reading material that is included was fabulous. There were lapbooking pieces related to Geography and Climate, Regions, Government, People, Major Ethic Groups, Language, Religion, Animals, Holidays and Traditions, Foods, and Craft Ideas. I loved how well all the pieces went with our board and how they added an interactive three dimensional aspect to our display board. During the geography fair it was lots of fun watching the kids flip and unfold the lapbook pieces to read what my kids had written about Australia. 

After getting our printouts, lapbook pieces and photos placed on the board it was time to embellish it with some souvenirs and stickers. 

And no geography fair project would be complete without some authentic food from the country. I had intended to make some pavlova (Australia's national dessert) with the kids...but we ran out of time. Luckily there is a great little place called the Australian Bakery Cafe in Marietta, GA. So we placed an order for 10 individual pavlovas, we also ate some lunch while we were there and picked up some Vegemite.  The kids loved their meat pies and pavlova!

I also created an Australian YouTube channel with lots of great videos all about Australia.

Our FULL display the day of the geography fair. I can definitely say we will be doing more projects like this even if there is no geography fair to show them off at. Creating this project gave the kids a fun, hands on opportunity to learn about a different country and culture. It took learning beyond the textbook. I don't know they will ever get to visit Australia (though I really hope they do), so for now we will learn all we can about the World and people around us.

And here are some photos of all the other families wonderful projects. I love how each one was unique. There were display boards, videos, salt dough maps, music, yummy treats, pictures and some families even dressed up.

And to enhance the learning experience even more I made my kids their very own passports. I used this FREE passport printable from Guest Hollow. I laminated the front and back cover to make it sturdy. And on inside the kids filled out their passports and pasted a photo of themselves. At the geography fair they wrote or drew pictures in their passports as they visited each country. I was very pleased with how these turned out and even more pleased at how great the kids did with filling them in. Even Rowyn who hates writing enjoyed copying the countries into his passport.

So have you ever participated in a geography fair? 

Linking up with: Ben and Me

Family Time Fitness $50 Gift Certificate Giveaway - 3 Winners + A $10 Off Coupon Code For All Readers

Are you looking for a homeschool PE curriculum? Then look no further. Family Time Fitness has a complete curriculum specifically designed for homeschoolers. This curriculum is fabulous and will get your entire family up and moving. If you haven't read our past review you can do so here.

10 Reasons I Love Family Time Fitness:
1) Specifically designed for homeschoolers.
2) Easy to use and takes just 30 minutes a day.
3) Fun and interactive.
4) Affordable prices, no annual subscription and it can be used over and over again. The Platinum package is $147 and includes both Core 1 and Core 2 plus ALL the workbooks and the basketball module. The Core 1 and Core 2 curriculum's are only $67 each.
5) The only homeschool PE curriculum on the market.
6) Fun for the entire family...all ages (including adults) with have fun and get in shape with FTF.
7) FREE 2 day trial...try before you buy!
8) You can utilize the program indoors or outdoors and it doesn't require a large space. This is a big PLUS for us because we live in an apartment and don't have a lot of space indoors or a yard.
9) It is not only a PE curriculum it's also a health program and will teach children about weight management, self confidence and more.
10) It works great on a tablet so you can even utilize the program on the go...like while at the park.

All readers can get $10 off any Family Time Fitness curriculum now through May 13, 2013 with the code KCM10GIFT. 

Watch this great overview video for more information:


Now time for the giveaway:

Family Time Fitness has graciously offered to giveaway 3 - $50.00 gift certificates (that's 3 winners). Only the first entry is mandatory. Other entries are optional and give you extra chances. This giveaway is not affiliated with Facebook in any way. The winners will be posted on the blog and will be emailed. Winners must reply within 48 hrs with their contact information or another winner will be chosen. Code will be emailed to the winner by me.

Please wait a moment for Rafflecopter to load.....
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Young Merlin The Wizard - Poppins Book Nook April

We are having lots of fun with the Poppins Book Nook blog series. This month's theme was wizards. So we choose to read about one of the most famous wizards of all time, Merlin! Below you will find the books we have been using, videos we have been watching, resources we have used and crafts we have made.

Books:
Everyone knows about Merlin, King Arthur, the sword and the stone and Camelot  But how about Merlin's childhood and how he came to be one of literature's most famous wizards? We visited our library and checked out three great books. We have read two of the three. Young Merlin and Wizard of Wind & Rock, are short story books about Merlin's childhood, how he got his name, how he became a wizard and how he used his powers for good. The third is a book named, Camelot, and is a larger chapter book. Unfortunately we haven't been able to read this book yet. I loved how both of the story books were different adaptations about young Merlin because it gave us an opportunity to talk about how legends change through the ages and what adaptations are. We discussed the similarities and differences between the two books as well as the illustrations.

Merlin Quote:
"Don't you get any foolish ideas that magic will solve all your problems, because it won't!" Merlin Sword and Stone Disney

Crafts:
We love crafts. So of course we had to come up with something to go along with our wizard theme. The kids decided they wanted to make the dragons that were hidden inside two stones under the ground in a pool of water. Vortigern had Merlin captured (per his wizards visions) so he could use Merlin' blood to stop his castle walls from falling down each night. But Merlin had his own vision and informed Vortigern that the dragons under the ground were responsible for his walls collapsing and the his blood was not the answer.

So we used paper bags, construction paper and markers to create a white and red dragon puppet. The kids also insisted on making Merlin puppets as well. It was a simple and fun craft and the kids had a blast recreating the story with their puppets.

Geography:
Both story books nicely described and illustrated the Welsh landscape including rivers, mountains, towns, etc. The kids even learned about a famous stone structure called Aurelius's Rest (aka Stonehenge). So we also had some fun with geography and history too.

The kids each marked Wales on a blank map of the United Kingdom and marked mountain ranges, rivers and Stonehenge. I even snuck in some handwriting and had the kids write Merlin on their maps.

Print this map by visiting this link

And of course we had to incorporated some LEGOs into our mini literature unit study as well. So Rowyn and Gwyn built Stonehenge. The mini fig in the middle is King Aurelius. Legend has it that Merlin created Stonehenge by moving the Dance of Giants standing stones from Ireland to England using his magic. He floated the massive bluestones through the night sky and placed them in a towering circle which local folk called Stonehenge over the years. In the middle Uther (King Arthur's father) buried his brother King Aurelius.

YouTube Videos:
And we watched some videos on Merlin, Wales and Stonehenge and also watched Disney's Sword and the Stone.

Here is a list of the wonderful bloggers participating in the Poppins Book Nook be sure to visit them for more fun Wizard themed ideas:

Enchanted Homeschooling Mom – Royal Baloo – 3 Dinosaurs – Monsters Ed – Chestnut Grove Academy – Growing in God’s Grace – Royal Little Lambs – Life with Moore Babies – Teach Beside Me – The Usual Mayhem – Mum Central – Fantastic Fun and Learning – Kathys Cluttered Mind – Play Create Explore – Toddler Approved – Growing Book by Book – Adventures in Mommydom – B-Inspired Mama – The Fairy and The Frog – Edventures with Kids – Learning & Growing the Piwi way – A Gluten Free Journey – Rainy Day Mum – Mom to Crazy Monkeys – No Doubt Learning

Linking up with: Look What We Did 

Your Georgia Field Tripping Travel Guide

A few of the Teach Them Diligently bloggers are sharing some mini geography lessons which you will hopefully be able to utilize before, during and after your travels to your favorite Teach Them Diligently Conference or Teach Them Diligently Marketplace. There are 3 great Conferences and 9 Marketplaces so hopefully one of us will be sharing information for a state you will be passing through on your trip.

Our family lives in Georgia just north of Atlanta. Since we will be traveling through the northern parts of the Peach State to reach both the Teach Them Diligently Conference in Tennessee and South Carolina I decided to share about Georgia.

There are two main interstates that run through Georgia, I-75 and I-85. If you're making your way through the state you are most liking traveling on one of these two interstates. It's possible you could also be using I-95 since it is the main interstate for the East coast and one of the oldest interstates in America. However it only passes through Georgia for 112 miles so I don't count it as one of Georgia's major interstates.

History of the roads:
I-75 started being planned in the 1950's and continued being added to until November 25, 1992, when Alligator Alley was reconstructed and received the signs for I-75. I-75. It is one of the major north-south Interstate Highways and travels from State Road 826 (Palmetto Expressway) and State Road 924 (Gratigny Parkway) in Hialeah, Florida (northwest of Miami) to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, at the Ontario border. Interstate 75 is the 7th longest interstate highway after Interstate 95. It passes through 6 different states: Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio and Michigan.

I-85 is and has always been a work in progress. I-85 is a major interstate highway in the Southeastern United States. Its current southern end is at an interchange with Interstate 65 in Montgomery, Alabama; its northern end interchanges with Interstate 95 in Petersburg, Virginia, near Richmond.  It passes through 5 different states: Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia. Just a quick side note I got my first ever speeding ticket on I-85 in Virginia...however I have read that they finally did increase the speed limit on that portion from 65 to 70.  I-85 roughly parallels an ancient Indian trading path documented since colonial times from Petersburg, Virginia to the Catawba Indian territory.

Sights along way:
There are so many sights in Georgia, way too many for me to list them all. So I will share some of our favorites and ones that are on our personal to-do list that are along the interstates. Be sure to label these on your map (see below).

Sights along I-75:

• Atlanta - definitely make a pit stop at our Capitol city, both I-85 and I-75 pass through it. You can actually visit the Capitol building for FREE. There is a museum on the top floor with some great information and artifacts about Georgia. While you in Atlanta you can also visit one or all of the great museums including The High Museum of Art, GA Aquarium, Coca Cola Museum, Turner Field, Atlanta Zoo, Atlanta Botanical Gardens, King Center, Centennial Olympic Park, Atlanta History Center and more. Check out my SE Homeschool Days page and my recent post on FREE GA field trips for more info on the great places in Atlanta.
• Warner Robins - there is an amazing aviation museum which is FREE to visit. We went recently and got to take hubby along as well.
• Cartersville - This small but growing town offers many great places to visit including: Etowah Indian Mounds, Booth Western Art Museum, Bartow History Museum and Tellus Museum.
• Valdosta - Wild Adventures Theme park has got to be one of my all time favorite family theme parks. 
• Macon - Is one of GA's larger cities. We have yet to explore this area but here are some sites you may be interested in seeing: Ocmulgee Indian Mounds, Tubman African American Museum, Museum of Arts and Sciences and Georgia Children's Museum.

Many of the Civil War battles took place all along I-75. Visit this website to learn more, many of these towns have small museums, historical sites etc that you can stop at to learn more. In Andersonville you can take a tour of a Civil War prison.

Sights along I-85:

• Atlanta - see above for info.
• Barrow County - Barrow County Museum located in the old Barrow County Jail.
• Buford - Lake Lanier Resort and Waterpark is also a great place for some family fun.
• Stone Mountain - About 10 miles off of I-85 is the famous Stone Mountain park. You will spend an entire day at this park...there is so much to see and do.
• Chamblee - See the amazing overhead structure which comprises the northern confluence of highways I-85 and I-285. Designated locally as 'Spaghetti Junction'. 
• Pine Mountain - This amazing city is 20 miles off of I-85 but really deserves a visit. Recently a friend and I visited for 2 days with our kids. Here are the place you need to be sure to visit: Callaway Gardens, Little White House at F.D. Roosevelt State Park, The Warm Springs, Wild Animal Safari and Warm Springs National Fish Hatchery (FREE).

Be sure to also check out the many amazing National and State parks in Georgia. Many of them are not far off the Interstates.

Map:
Print out this map (actually maybe a couple of them). Next label major cities, rivers, mountains, historical trails, etc. You can also label your route to the Teach Them Diligently Convention. And label any of the places you stop to visit along the way as well.

Cities:

• Atlanta (Capitol)
• Savannah
• Albany
• Macon
• Valdosta
• Roswell (where we live)
• Pine Mountain
• Augusta
• Athens
• Columbus
• Dalton
• LeGrange

Trails:

• Trail of Tears - there are several historic sites in GA where you can learn more about the Trail of Tears which forced hundreds of Cherokee Indians out of their home. Visit this website for a Trail of Tears map of the route.
• Underground Railroad - GA was sadly a slave state. However thanks to brave people like Harriet Tubman who were conductors on the underground railroad many slaves were led to freedom. In Savannah, GA you can visit two sites that were actually underground railroad station stops: First African Baptist Church and Fort Pulaski.
• Appalachian Trail - 70+ miles of the Appalachian trail is in GA. 

Rivers:

• Chattahoochee
• Savannah
• Etowah
• Chestatee
• Oostanaula River

Mountains:

• Brasstown Bald
• Rabun Bald
• Stone Mountain 

Swamps:

• Okefenokee Swamp

More resources:
Several months ago I put together an entire blog post all about Georgia. Be sure to visit that post for more great information, GA Unit Study. Make sure you visit this post for loads of additional information and links. Including book recommendations, craft ideas, printables, games, information on famous people and more.

Image(s): FreeDigitalPhotos.net

We hope you enjoy your travels through Georgia!

Linking up with: Teach Them Diligently

FreeBEE Friday - FREE Piano Lessons 4 Kids + A Giveaway

*Don't miss a single FreeBEE... Subscribe to Kathys Cluttered Mind*

FreeBEEs:

I have another great FreeBEE to share with you this month + another giveaway. Have you heard of

FreePianoLessons4Kids.com? Piano lessons can be very expensive and time consuming for busy homeschool moms (driving to and from lessons, etc). So why not start learning for FREE from an actual music teacher from the comfort of your own home? I had tried learning the piano at an early age but became bored. My teacher wasn't very engaging and I felt I was only learning music history (composers, etc) and theory and not really learning how to play the piano. FreePianoLessons4Kids.com teaches how to play while teaching about theory, etc at the same time...plus the videos are very engaging. Don't worry if you don't have a piano a keyboard can easily be used as well.

So what does this site offer?
FreePianoLessons4Kids.com offers FREE video lessons on their website. YES 100% FREE...there are no catches. I previewed a few of the lessons and they are fabulous and great for kids of all ages and even adults. The lessons are fairly short and there are 53 in all. 

Some of the lessons include.

FreePianoLessons4Kids is an ideal choice for:

• ANYONE who wants to learn how to play the piano (Perfect for beginners--no prior experience or musical training is required!)

• A parent and child wanting to take piano lessons together

• A piano student who already has a teacher who wants to supplement his or her learning

• Piano teachers who want to learn new tools and techniques for teaching piano to beginners

Besides learning to play the piano you will also learn correct play technique, posture and hand position; how to read and write notes on the grand staff (treble clef and bass clef); how to read, write and perform rhythms; basic music theory including chords, key signatures; and more!!!!

If you wish to download the additional activity pages, sheet music, practice instructions and an mp3 listening album which corresponds to the lessons there is an additional charge for these. I had a chance to review these as well and they are both fabulous resources. Right now the complete download materials for lessons 1-41 (64 pgs) and the listening album w/parent's guide are on SALE for ONLY $19.00 order here.

About FreePianoLessons4Kids:
www.FreePianoLessons4Kids.com was launched 3 years ago by pianist and veteran music teacher Joseph Hoffman (MM), as a way to make quality piano instruction available and affordable for anyone. Concerned that too many kids were missing out on music lessons because of tough economic circumstances, Joseph decided to offer his lessons online for free.Our site now has 50 lessons live, with over 1 million total lesson views. The lessons are geared for ages 5 to 10, but I've also heard from many adults and teens who enjoy using them. The lessons are simple and fun, yet also thorough, covering all aspects of a solid musical training, from square one—no prior musical experience is required. 

Now time for the giveaway:

www.FreePianoLessons4Kids.com has graciously offered to giveaway 3 copies of the Materials for Lessons 1-41 w/the Listening Album (downloads). Only the first entry is mandatory. Other entries are optional and give you extra chances. This giveaway is not affiliated with Facebook in any way. The winners will be posted on the blog and will be emailed. Winners must reply within 48 hrs with their contact information or another winner will be chosen. Prize will be emailed to the winner by Free Piano Lessons 4 Kids.

Please wait a moment for Rafflecopter to load.....

a Rafflecopter giveaway

What I Will Be Purchasing At The Teach Them Diligently Convention And a Giveaway

*This post contains affiliate links, full disclaimer located at the bottom of this post.

Last week I shared Top 10 Homeschool Convention Planning Tips with you. Today I am sharing my personal curriculum (or in my case resource) shopping list for the Teach Them Diligently Convention. I love when conventions post the vendor and speaker lists ahead of time...it makes planning for a convention so much easier.

Since we are eclectic, delight-directed, borderline unschooling, unit study homeschoolers (yeah we don't really have a style we just homeschool and learn together) we don't really use a set curriculum. Therefore I don't generally purchase curriculum at conventions. Many of the curriculum's you do see us utilizing we received for review purposes. 

But I do spend money at the conventions and generally set a budget of $50-$100. It is very important to set yourself a budget by the way!!! So what do I buy? Chapter books, journals, games, t-shirts and other fun resources. And if the kids are with me they get to each pick out a goodie. Here is a list of some of the vendors that will be attending the Spartenburg and Nashville Teach Them Diligently Conventions....which are both just a few short weeks away...SQUEAL! Some of them I am unfamiliar with and others I have done reviews for in the past. 

One of my tips last week was, "Find out if any of the vendors you plan on buying from are offering specials." Yes many of them do offer specials but you need to subscribe to their newsletters, follow them on Facebook or Twitter to find out about them. You can also view the recent Teach Them Diligently Convention NEWSLETTER to view some of the great specials that the vendors are offering.

A+ TutorSoft Math has a great 10% off flyer for any of the conventions they will be attending this year. This flyer gets you an additional 10% off on top of any convention specials. If you cannot make the conference you can use my special coupon code KUBSAVE on the website to save a min. of 20% off...this is also good on top of any current specials.

Also right now there is an AMAZING deal on A+ TutorSoft Math over at Educents! Get a 1 yr online subscription for ONLY $40! Choose from grade levels 1st-4th. Hurry this deal only lasts a short time.

Vendors I Will Be Visiting:

I am not sure if I will actually purchase anything from these vendors but I definitely plan to visit their booths during the convention to see what sort of amazing things they are offering. 

Spartanburg:

-YWAM Publishing - I have seen some friends using these books and I get their catelog. I think I will pick up one or two of the biographies to give them a try.Knight's Book Knook - I LOVE the Knight's Book Knook. They have some great science products and we always purchase a few things from their booth.

-KAPLA / Tom's Toys - I first learned about this company at another convention and didn't have time to stop by (because I was working at another booth). They make some amazing building blocks. I cannot wait to learn more about them and have my son try out the demo's they have at the convention.

-WriteShop- I love the WriteShop products and always love seeing what new products they have available.

-Shatterpoint - Do you have a LEGO lover? Then you will love the Jericho DVD from Shatterpoint. I have a copy of this to review...hopefully I will have it written soon.
-Biltmore Estate - I always love learning more about possible field trip destinations.

-Creating a Masterpiece - Gywn is really excited to talk with Sharon again. Did you see our review about Creating a Masterpiece?

-Great Wolf Lodge - Another great field trip!

-Fun Adventure Wildlife Books - I love these books. I bought 1 last year and received 1 to review. 

-Homeschool Legacy - One of our favorite unit study resources. I am looking forward to seeing what new products they have come out with. Did you see my review?

-Master Books - As you know I am a Master Books Mom. I always love stopping by their booth to say hello.

-Rainbow Resources - Rainbow Resources Carries lots of great products from many different vendors. I normally pick up some chapter books, manipulatives and coloring books at their booth.

-Queen Homeschool Supplies - Another company that carries products from several vendors. I spotted the Life of Fred books at their booth at another conference...I think I will be buying the first book in the series to try out.

-Nature Friend - This is another company I spotted at another convention and wasn't able to speak with. As you know we love exploring nature so a nature magazine sounds like it is right up our alley.

Nashville:

Several of the companies above will also be in Nashville + these other great companies.

-A Journey Through Learning - I LOVE their lapbooks. We have reviewed them a few times read our latest review here.
-Applied Inspirations (Learn by Doing Kits) - As a mom with a tinkering son this company sounded intriguing to me. I cannot wait to learn more.
-Brinkman Adventures - I have heard about Brinkman Adventures a few places and they look like an exciting resource. They offer their great stories for FREE download with request for a donation. I am looking forward to learning more about them.
-JM Cremps - Have a boy (or adventurous girl)? Then you MUST visit JM Cremps. They have cool books, dress up clothes and more bound to make any boy (or adventurous girl) smile!

-Pick and Draw - We won a copy of Pick and Draw and it is a family favorite. I will be sure to stop by to thank them and see what new games they have available.

Now time for the giveaway: A+ TutorSoft has graciously offered to giveaway one 3 month online subscription (choose your grade level from 1st-4th grade). Only the first entry is mandatory. Other entries are optional and give you extra chances. This giveaway is not affiliated with Facebook in any way. The winners will be posted on the blog and will be emailed. Winners must reply within 48 hrs with their contact information or another winner will be chosen. A+ TutorSoft will email the prize to the winner.

Please wait a moment for Rafflecopter to load.....

a Rafflecopter giveaway


So what vendor(s) are on your list?

Linking up with: Teach Them Diligently

10 Weeks Of Field Tripping Fun And 10 FREE Georgia Field Trips

To say we LOVE field trips is an understatement. We take 2-3 per week...yes per week. I have found that hands on learning and exploring makes topics more interesting and memorable for my children. Being able to take field trips is actually one of the many reasons we homeschool. Funding in public schools has gone down tremendously and as a result the arts, field trips, special speakers, etc has also decrease in the public schools. These one of a kind learning experiences are essential for a child's development. As Benjamin Franklin once said, “Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.” Isn't seeing a Civil War reenactment, listening to a Native American speak about his ancestors, touching a plane that was used in WWII or standing in a room where FDR slept much more exciting than learning about them in a book?

F is for Field Trippin' Fun!

I am a bit behind on sharing about our weeks so here is all the field tripping fun we have had over the last 10 weeks!

Atlanta Ballet, Bird Watching At The Nature Center and Dinosaurs 

Pine Mountain GA - FDR Little White House, Fish Hatchery, Callaway Gardens and Wild Animal Safari. We took a mini road trip with some homeschool friends and had a blast. History, geography, science, art and more were covered in 2 days through lost of hands on learning!

Horse Farm - We love volunteering at our local horse rescue weekly! The kids have learned so much about horses, caring for others and more.

Nature Walk and Library Science Class - We had our friends from Adventurez In Child'Rearing join us on these adventures.

Publix Tour - Did you know Publix offers FREE tour? It wasn't the best field trip ever...but the kids did learn a few new things and that is all that matters. Plus they got to play cashier which was definitely  the highlight of the field trip.

Aviation Museum - Daddy got to go with us on this fabulous adventure. This museum is located in Warner Robins (link below) and is totally FREE to visit. Learn all about the history of various wars, touch planes, fly planes and talk to some amazing Veterans too that volunteer at the museum.

Tennesee Adventure - After the Greenville, SC homeschool convention we went on an adventure. We traveled through the Smokey Mountains to Pigeon Forge where we visited the Titanic Museum. On our way home we hit up Ruby Falls and traveled 1,120 feet into the Earth to view some fabulous formations and a 145 foot waterfall.

Lego Building Fun - Rowyn is big time into LEGOs. When we are home he spends 8+ hours playing with them so of course we have to have LEGO field trips too. We go to LEGO Club every month now and also do the FREE monthly LEGO mini builds.

Rock Climbing - Yup I totally count this as PE! The first time we went Gwyn was scared to death to climb the BIG wall...but she has battled her fear and can make it up about half way now!

Nature Center Learning and Nature Walks - We are so happy Spring has arrived because that means lots of outdoor, hands on learning fun.

I have shared about FREE field trips before here, here, here and here...but since I never tire of sharing here are 10 more FREE field trips you can take in Georgia:

1) GA Capitol - always FREE. There is a great museum upstairs and you can also tour the Capitol on your own or sign up for a guided tour.
2) Children's Imagine It Museum - FREE entrance on the 2nd Tuesday of each month starting at 1:30 p.m (sponsored by Target).
3) Federal Reserve Bank Atlanta- always FREE to visit.
4) Fernbank Science Center - always FREE to visit. The planetarium shows are $3.
5) Nature Centers - GA has many Nature Centers that do not charge to walk the trails. Some of these are Dunwoody Nature Center, Elachee Nature Center and Gwinnett Heritage Center.
6) Michael C. Carlos Museum Emory - FREE on select Thursdays.
7) Aviation Museum Warner Robbins - always FREE to visit. This is definitely a must see. This is a fabulous museum with lots of great history.
8) Atlanta Contemporary Art Center - FREE on Thursdays.
9) Booth Art Museum - FREE on the 1st Thursday of each month from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm.
10) Center for Puppetry Arts - FREE on Thursdays from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm.  Visit the permanent museum exhibit, Puppets:The Power of Wonder, and the  special exhibits including Jim Henson: Puppeteer, Jim Henson: A Man & His Frog and Jim Henson: Wonders From His Workshop.

Thanks for visiting.. What has been your most favorite field trip so far this year?

Linking up with: Top Ten Tuesday, Ben and Me