Secular Charlotte Mason

I'm delighted to be going on a last minute trip to visit my family in Oklahoma City.  I'm gathering up some books to take and will include d'Aulaire's Buffalo Bill.  We can go look at real buffalos and prairie dogs in the Wildlife Refuge outside of Ft. Sill and go see a statue of Buffalo Bill Cody at the The National Cowboy Hall of Fame and Western Heritage Museum.  (I'd like to read some Native American selections there too.)  I thought I'd try to get in Charlotte's Web as the Oklahoma State Fair will be happening while we are there.   Oh and we will make chocolate on Roald Dahl's birthday (13th), we should be able to finish Charlie on the plane tomorrow.

Any ideas for me on Buffalo Bill (or other)?  I'll be able to check in but may not have time for much research.  We'll be there a couple of weeks.  I'll have my Mom get a library card and would be interested in good illustrated books (shorter reads). 

Started reading Buffalo Bill to Ham and my 4 yo nephew last night.  My Mom got to see the benefit of reading aloud and homeschooling live and in ACTION.   The boys were so animated and asking so many questions, I could barely read the story. lol  My Mom and Aunt said to them a couple of times to listen to the story but I just kept answering their questions.  I think they learned more by asking questions.  I loved how wide their eyes got when I told them we could go to the Cowboy Hall of Fame and see a gun like that and a bullwhip like that and to the Wildlife Refuge to see prairie dogs and buffalo.  My Mom is catching the book enthusiasm so I'm going to find the local library.  The boys were trying to "one up" each other counting items in the book.  I didn't have to do a thing except read, listen to them and answer questions. lol  I want to take my nephew home with me....enthusiasm times 2 is great!  It's also interesting to see the differences in comprehension and what a child gets out of a story.  I see where it is good to read an above level book to a young child anyway.  They do get quite a lot out of it...

That sounds like SO much fun!  Yes, the enthusiasm of little boys is both contagious and exhilarating -- enjoy!  (And in a few days, when the novelty wears off, enjoy the dark side of their strong passions as the squabbling starts.  <grin>)

I'm afraid I know nothing about Buffalo Bill, but I have to say that it sure sounds like a great adventure!!

That does sound like fun!  Unfortunately I don't have any recommendations for Buffalo Bill either but we just learned a ton about Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane while we were in the Black Hills. If you see bison be sure to point out the buffalo chips lol. KodyGirl already knew how the pioneers and somee Native American tribes used them as firewood so she was quite interested at all the ones we saw in Yellowstone. The things that capture a child's interest sure can be strange.   Enjoy your stay in OC.

LOL We went to the wildlife refuge yesterday and the bison crossed the road in front of us almost too close! We saw the prairie dogs and they ate out of our hands, then we saw the sign that said don't feed them.  The boys LOVED it.  We also went to the Quannah Parker Visitor Center which was nicer than some museums.  After we left Prairie Dog town (a roadside area where the prairie dogs live), the boys wondered what prairie dog scat looked like.  I suggested we go back to the visitor center and find out.  My Mom thought I was nuts. LOL  I suppose I could google image it. hehe

That is too funny. My family thinks we are nuts too. While at Yellowstone, the Black Hills and Minnesota my kids spent much more time looking at various forms of animal scat than they ever do at home. I know my mom (hi Mom) will think we are completely nuts when I tell her we truly wondering how a buffalo chip fire is different from a wood fire lol. We do have a firepit in our backyard so Bassman and I are trying to decide if we are brave enough to collect some buffalo chips to take home. Yep, we are crazy homeschoolers. hmy: