Arduino

(FYI - Ben wrote this post as he was the one who researched and found this perfect gift for Camille.)

Something you have to know about Camille is that she loves math and science. She really admires what engineers and inventors do. We researched fun ways that could increase her skills and interest in this area.

Each year at Christmas, every family member receives one present that is a total surprise. This season, Camille found an Arduino under the tree.

Now, you ask, what is an Arduino? It's actually a challenge to describe.

Wikipedia says "Arduino is a single-board microcontroller, intended to make the application of interactive objects or environments more accessible. The hardware consists of an open-source hardware board designed around an 8-bit Atmel AVR microcontroller, or a 32-bit Atmel ARM."

Sure. Whatever. Actually, Camille will tell you it's pretty cool. It's a platform to create electronic projects that are controlled by computer. She got the learning module which has 15 different projects of increasing complexity, like a temperature sensor, or an alarm that you can program. You get introduced to circuits and the programming language, C++, while you make each fun little gadget. You can take it apart and rebuild it as something else. Once you learn the basics, the sky's the limit on the cool stuff you can invent, including even robotics stuff.

Camille is enjoying her hands-on learning and really loves doing the projects. She's even starting to think of the things she can invent. It's all around a lot of fun and is a great lesson in discipline and exactness. One misplaced character in your code can ruin your whole program!

The rest of us are starting to wonder whether we need an Arduino, too!

We purchased the Arduino here.

Art lessons

One thing that Ben and I have been trying to do is to help our children find out what are their strengths and talents.  Grace has always shown an interest in art.  She loves to draw and create.  She loves to do things with her hands.  I think she naturally has a talent for drawing.  For Christmas we gave Grace for her meaningful present a gift certificate for art lessons at a local art center.  She has gone to three classes so far and just as we thought she loves it!  She would like to go every day if she could.  Because the class is offered during the day she has the advantage of almost a private art lesson each time.  There is only three other students in the class two of which are young boys.  She observed the art lesson the two boys were working on and came home last week and set up the same art lesson for Seth and Gabe.  This is where I get excited.  True learning comes when we can teach another person.

Grace's first project from her art class.

Gabe hard at work.

Seth

Zeddie had to join in too!

If you can't tell they are making trees in the forest. 

Learning

I love reading blogs.  Blogs about homesteading, homeschooling, crafting, and everyday family living.  The blogs I read fill me with inspiration.  I love to read ideas from people of all different backgrounds.  Today two particular posts stuck out to me and I wanted to share a portion of them here.


"Isn’t it the freedom to discover what brings us joy at the heart of a healthy society? Aren’t our very differences—our lifestyle choices, religious practices, and values—what makes us interesting?

Homeschooling is simply a different way of educating our children. It’s a personal choice, and that, in itself, is enough to make it a relevant one."

Jennifer Jo @ Mama's Minutia

“In the end, the secret to learning is so simple: Think only about whatever you love.  Follow it, do it, dream about it…and it will hit you: learning was there all the time, happening by itself.”

- Grace Llewellyn (quoted by Nicole @ The Sleepy Time Gal)

Who would have thought that me, a public schooled child, would have chosen the path of homeschooling for my own children?  I have taken the "road less traveled" and you know "it has made all the difference."