Video to come.

Morning

The night before at Signal Hill, it was not a pleasant night’s sleep so we decided to stay at Walmart again. We slept well, but missed the first sunrise in North America. Ethan didn’t seem to mind, as he is enjoying reading Harry Potter. He’s now on book 7 and has read almost the entire series in about 2 weeks.

Instead of breakfast first thing, we drove to Costco to pick up some milk and oatmeal so we could have breakfast at Cape Spear, the most eastern point in North America.

It’s hard to describe what it is like to know where you are. We felt grateful, and also a bit relieved, because we arrived at our goal.

Ethan helped with breakfast once we got set up. He has been amazingly helpful over the past couple of weeks, more so than he was before. It could be that he’s looking to score some computer time, but he’s also more thoughtful, as well.

We had our breakfast outside, as it was a beautiful day out. We’ve been incredibly lucky with the weather here, as almost every local we’ve spoken to has told us that the sunny and warm weather is very unusual for this time of year.

After breakfast, we walked down to the most eastern point in North America, which is here in Cape Spear. Along the way, Ethan noticed how the rocks here had some unusual shapes. He guessed that the rocks had been shaped by the wind, as he knew how windy this area can be.

Ethan also observed some trees that had a permanent wind-swept shape to them. It’s been interesting to see what Ethan notices about each of the places we’ve been to and the questions he asks.

It was awesome to be in this spot looking out at the Atlantic Ocean. We saw the Pacific Ocean when we went to Tofino in Vancouver Island, and now we’ve come all the way across to the other side of the country.

Ethan always finds things to play with and have fun, seemingly out of thin air. We want to nurture this quality, as we think it’s part of his creative nature. It’s one of the main reasons why we wanted to homeschool him, and specifically, follow more of an unschooling format to this learning.

There were a couple of large canons from WWII that were part of a hillside battery. We learned how the canon was fired and were amazed by how big the canons were. Ethan wanted to know why the canons were placed low and under a wall. When observed from the ocean, the canons and the bunker were camouflaged.

There were also three signs describing the three types of whales that come to St. John’s. Unfortunately, they’re only here in the summer so we didn’t have any whale sightings. But it was still good for Ethan to read about the whales that come here.

Digging in

Normally, we don’t allow Ethan to have much candy, so with a bagful of Halloween candy from last night within arms reach, we had a bit of a challenge. Dong Eun decided to let Ethan eat whatever he wanted and let him decide how he felt by day’s end. She also wanted him to develop his self-control and awareness of his own body. Needless to say, he enjoyed the feast… at least, at the start.

Cape Spear Lighthouse

Newfoundland is a beautiful place. Period. And Cape Spear was just another example of that beauty.

Everywhere we looked, it was like a postcard… but my photos don’t do it justice, so you’ll have to see it for yourself.

On the way back to the van, Ethan found another heart shaped rock to give Dong Eun. By the way, we’re not keeping these rocks, as we just want to enjoy them and leave them where we found them.

Maybe the candy was having a bit of negative effect already, as Ethan was not as energetic after our relatively short walk around the lighthouse.

Afternoon

Not far from Cape Spear was the Mini Aquarium, which we could get into for free with our Science World membership. Unfortunately, we didn’t see any information about the seasonal hours the aquarium follows, so it wasn’t until we got there that we found out that it’s closed until next June. Not a big deal, as the town the aquarium is located in is charming.

Ethan was more interested in the large spider he found nearby, as we were looking at the views.

Back to town

We needed to get back to town, as Ethan was going to meet up with Micheal for a play date at the same park we first met him and Arthur. But on the way back, we couldn’t help but notice the beautiful shapes the clouds make, as they dance with the wind.

It was also the perfect time for a late lunch of pizza and penne with pepperoni and cheese.

We meet again!

The other day, we met a very nice parking bylaw officer. We wanted to get a photo with him that day, but only got a shot of him walking away. As luck would have it, we drove by him on our way to meet Michael, so we had to stop and get our photo. He remembered us and was kind enough to pose for a selfie.

Play time

Ethan had a great time playing with Michael and his brother, Robin. Lucky we brought Ethan’s scooter. They’re super-nice kids and made Ethan feel welcome. So awesome that Ethan made a new friend… and at the other end of the country, too!

Evening – Pumpkin Walk and FREE hot chocolate

We noticed that people were moving their Halloween pumpkins and placing them around the park. We found out there was a Pumpkin Walk happening and it was to collect pumpkins and get them composted. We thought that was very cool… and the free hot chocolate didn’t hurt, either.

Late Dinner

We said our goodbyes to Michael, Robin and Arthur, and needed to get ready for the night. We made another stop at Costco to pick up what we’d need for the next several days, which included some tasty Vietnamese noodles and Newfoundland ginger snap cookies.

No Candy?

Ethan didn’t feel too good after all the candy and snacks he had earlier in the day. We also told him that if he wanted to keep eating candy, that that would be all he’d be getting. He quickly changed his mind about candy and decided that moderation would be better than not feeling good, and not eating healthy food.

Getting set for sunrise

Our final destination for the day was Cape Spear again, as we wanted to try and catch the first sunrise in North America. Things looked promising, as the night was spectacular. We’ll see how it goes.

The post Home Learning Journal November 1, 2017 – The Most Eastern Point in North America appeared first on How to Do Stuff With Ethan.

Video to come.

Morning

Every morning for breakfast, I’m always surprised by what Dong Eun comes up with. We’ve enjoyed a great breakfast every day on this trip, so I’m thankful for what Dong Eun has been doing every morning for us.

And Ethan started his day with the Kindle again. He’s now on either book 6 or 7 of the Harry Potter series.

With breakfast done, it was time to get some math work in before going into the Geo Centre.

Geo Centre

The Geo Centre turned out to be a lot more interesting than expected. The location is very cool, as it’s built under Signal Hill, and we got free admission again using our Science World memberships.

There were a lot of exhibits about the history of Newfoundland and the different industries that have been some of the main drivers of the economy here.

Ethan also watched a movie about how the Earth was formed. And there was an exhibit about the Titanic, so overall, the Geo Centre gave him a well-rounded, but more focused experience. I’m guessing he probably likes the varied exhibits of the science centres he’s been to, but this was still a cool place.

Afternoon

The Geo Centre, and all of Signal Hill, offers free parking so we were able to stay and have our lunch in the van. But before lunch, Ethan did some reading and writing. We ask him to complete one section a day, and that seems to be what he’s happy with. (Not totally happy with, but that’s what he’ll do)

I had some work to catch up on, so Dong Eun and Ethan got a chance to play Monopoly Deal while waiting for me. It’s been a while since we’ve played, so he was happy to play a few rounds. Monopoly Deal is much more strategic than regular Monopoly, and it’s also much more compact, so it’s been a great game for us all to enjoy.

We also needed to add something to Ethan’s costume so it wouldn’t blow away in the Newfoundland wind when he was out trick-or-treating. It probably wouldn’t have been good if the costume kept flying up and hitting him in the face.

Dog Park

We decided to take a short drive to Quidi Vidi and stopped at Quidi Vidi Lake. Ethan practised skipping stones here, too. He’s still working on his technique but is getting better each time.

This turned out to be great, as there was a dog park with several dogs for Ethan to play with. There were some balls around, so Ethan would throw them for the dogs to fetch. It was great fun and a nice way to enjoy this area of St. John’s.

Trick-or-Treat Time!

After the dog park, we needed to find some food and head over to Arthur and Jennifer’s place for trick-or-treating. There was a Sobeys right near their place, so we found some delicious deals for dinner. One thing we love about Sobeys is there 50% deals. And there food is actually good!

We also ran into a person I saw on the ferry who was wearing a Canucks jacket. I said hi and found out he’s from here, but lives in Vancouver. He drove his sister’s car back to St. John’s and is flying back to Vancouver. Anyway, food…

Now it was time for the main event. Ethan had been excited all day long to meet up with Michael and go trick-or-treating. The two of them had a great time and it was also fun for Dong Eun and I, as we had a nice chat with Michael’s mom, Jennifer. We also got to see St. John’s in a totally unique way, so it was a great night for all of us.

 But

Afterwards, we spent some time at Arthur and Jennifer’s home to chat some more. Ethan and Michael played chess while we chatted about our trip and gawked at all the candy the kids got in one night.

But it was starting to get late and we had to get going. We felt so happy and grateful for Arthur and Jennifer’s hospitality, and love that we’ve made new friends.

Back to Walmart

We decided that we wouldn’t chance another night like the night before with the wind, so it was back to Walmart to camp. Inside JuJu Jr., we checked out all the candy that Ethan got and chatted about how much fun we had today.

We’re very lucky to do this together as a family, and today will be another great memory from this trip. We hope to stay in St. John’s a little longer, but we’ll have to pay attention to the weather and play it by ear.

Tomorrow, we’ll see some more sights and catch up with Michael later in the day, so Ethan can play with him again.

If you’re just reading this blog for the first time, we are a family of three traveling across Canada (and likely beyond) in a 1994 VW Westfalia camper van called Juju Jr. Our son Ethan, age 9, is unschooling and so we want him to learn from being on the road and traveling. So he’s also now a roadschooler and we are documenting the trip and his learning on this blog.

The post Home Learning Journal October 31, 2017 – The Geo Centre & Halloween in St. John’s appeared first on How to Do Stuff With Ethan.

Video to come.

Morning

Ethan started his day by doing some reading and writing work. He’s not a big fan of showing comprehension, but maybe he’s accepted that the practice may be helpful.

However, he does like working on math and asks plenty of questions. For example, he wanted to know why multiplying by zero equals zero.

Dong Eun observed that the questions he’s asking are to help him understand why something exists so that he feels like there is a purpose to what he’s learning, rather than simply memorizing facts or rules.

Breakfast time

It was leftover cod cheek soup with toasted hot dog buns, which was perfect because it was a chilly morning. We love the apples we’ve had on this road trip across Canada, so apples are always a breakfast staple.

After the soup, we had some snacking rounds, which we’ve only seen here in Newfoundland. They are made without additives, preservatives or artificial anything, so we decided to give them a try… the 50% discount didn’t hurt, too. Much to our surprise, they were amazing! A little bit like a mini Montreal style bagel in taste and texture; kind of soft and chewy.

Ethan has also been very happy about getting his Kindle privileges back and is usually reading Harry Potter every chance he gets.

But this morning, we wanted to see downtown St. John’s and then head up to Signal Hill. On the way, we saw a nice park with a playground so we stopped. The heritage homes in St. John’s are very cool, btw.

New Friends

We noticed some kids around Ethan’s age playing in the park. Since it was Monday, we thought it was a bit strange. Ethan liked it, and quickly started playing tag and hide and go seek with the three boys there. As luck would have it, they were also in Grade 4.

I talked to the dad who was with the boys and was told their elementary school needed to be shut down due to some structural damage. The kids had been out of school for almost a week, and today was their last day. Lucky for us!

The dad, Arthur, who is a philosophy professor at Memorial University of Newfoundland, was taking the boys to Tim Hortons for hot chocolate. His son, Michael, invited Ethan and so we met up with them at Tim Hortons.

We had a nice chat with Arthur and they invited us to go trick-or-treating with them tomorrow night. Ethan was very happy and excited, but now we have to come up with a costume!

Afternoon

After the hot chocolate, we said our goodbyes and made our way downtown. We stopped by the Basilica of St. John the Baptist, which was built between 1839 and 1855, and was the largest Irish cathedral outside of Ireland at the time.

Inside, Ethan was a bit restless so it was a good opportunity to talk about being respectful in places of worship and how we should behave.

In downtown St. John’s, we picked up some maps and information from the tourist information centre. While we were parked, I didn’t pay the meter because I knew we’d be leaving soon. A parking bylaw enforcement officer came by so I started to engine to signal that we were leaving. But he wanted to talk.

Luckily, it was a friendly chat about our trip and that he has family out in BC. He was a retired RCMP officer who just wanted to chit chat and tell us about life in St. John’s. We’ve met such friendly people here, and it’s something we’ll always remember about Newfoundland.

Harbourside Park

We found a free parking spot (again!) and walked down to Harbourside Park.

On the way, we met a young woman who recently moved here from Toronto and loves the St. John’s lifestyle and friendly people. Ethan got a chance to play with her dog, which he always loves doing.

We also learned about Newfoundland’s two famous dog breeds: The Newfoundland and the Labrador.

We learned about some of the history of Harbourside Park and how Newfoundland was first discovered by John Cabot. And Ethan even found time for a little posing by the water.

UPDATE: Ethan told me to say he loved the park…NOT!

Signal Hill

We finally went up to Signal Hill, a short 5 minute drive from downtown Newfoundland. Another cool thing was that the weather was clearing up. We took the opportunity to snap a photo with the most eastern Canada 150 sign.

Signal Hill itself is pretty awesome. We read about its history and loved the views, too.

Ethan brought his camera and took some snaps, as well. Afterwards, we made our way down the short trail to the Queen’s Battery.

Ethan learned about how the canon’s were loaded and fired, and also why they were there in the first place.

Lunch & Hiking

We needed to fuel up because we wanted to hike the longer trail that led down to the water from Signal Hill. So it was sandwiches made from leftover cold plate meat.

UPDATE: Outside of where we parked, which was at the Geo Centre, we saw two Newfoundlands… the dogs!

And then it was time for the 1.7km one way hike, which was really 3.4km because we had to come all the way back up, too! But it was worth it, as the views going down were amazing.

There were three sets of the red chairs that have been placed all across Canada for the 150th birthday celebration, so we had to sit in all three. And Ethan found a heart shaped rock for Dong Eun.

And there’s always time for a GIF…

Near the end of the trail, the scenery and landscape were just as impressive.

Dong Eun and Ethan have been playing a game where they choose a pose, usually, it’s a funny face. But Ethan lately just smiles nicely, leaving Dong Eun the only one to make the face. But she’s a smart cookie and caught on to him pretty quickly.

We finally got to the end and decided to walk a bit more to see this very unique St. John’s neighbourhood. We loved to quirky signs in people’s homes, especially the one warning us of the attack cat.

Ethan found some berries and wanted to make mistletoe.

But now it was time to go back, as it was going to be a bit of long hike uphill. A local stopped and offered to take our photo. Another example of how friendly people are here.

Even the rocks are friendly.

Evening – Costume Making Time

With an invitation to go trick-or-treating, we needed to get Ethan a costume. We don’t like to buy costumes, as they are not overly original and we don’t think it’s a good way to spend money. So, we brainstormed some ideas and decided that Ethan would make a ghost emoji costume.

We picked up some poster board and a set of markers, that he needed anyway, and stopped at the 24 hour Sobeys to make the costume. Ethan followed a design he found online and created his own version of the ghost emoji.

Yes, he was quite proud of himself and we were proud of him, too. He had asked a few times if he could buy a costume, but with some creativity, he made himself a unique costume that he’ll always remember.

After dinner, Ethan added a few finishing touches to the costume. We happened to have a toque with horns, so it was the perfect last addition.

Now it was time to head back to Signal Hill and camp for the night. We just hope it won’t be too windy and/or rainy.

If you’re just reading this blog for the first time, we are a family of three traveling across Canada (and likely beyond) in a 1994 VW Westfalia camper van called Juju Jr. Our son Ethan, age 9, is unschooling and so we want him to learn from being on the road and traveling. So he’s also now a roadschooler and we are documenting the trip and his learning on this blog.

The post Home Learning Journal October 30, 2017 – More New Friends & Signal Hill appeared first on How to Do Stuff With Ethan.

Video to come!

Morning

The plan for today was to have breakfast at Costco. Yes, hot dogs and poutine were on the menu, but we came to our senses and had some eggs with potatoes, instead. We did have some waffles that were more like donuts because of how sweet they were, but that was the extent of the unhealthy breakfast options.

There was even a massive flock of seagulls over the Walmart parking lot telling us not to have Costco for breakfast.

Since the weather wasn’t too nice, and since I had fallen a bit behind with these blog posts, we decided that Starbucks would be the best place to spend the rest of the morning.

These blog posts are not just recaps of our travels, but they also serve as learning observations for Ethan and are submitted to his Learning Consultant (a BC certified teacher) every week. We only have to write one report for the entire week, but daily blogging helps us, actually, me, remember what happened each day. It’s better than trying to recall an entire week’s worth of happenings.

When we got to Starbucks, Ethan had to finish up some math and English work before he was allowed to come into Starbucks and use his computer.

Afternoon

By the time he came into Starbucks, it was after twelve. I had settled into a nice rhythm of writing and posting but it was nice to have some company.

Ethan has been really into making videos to teach French, so he was busy working on his latest offering. The screen on my old MacBook Air isn’t looking too pretty, so I’m quite impressed by what he’s been able to do, in spite of the circumstances with the laptop.

And here’s a link to the video he made, and I’ll post it here, too. He uses Google translate to find the words, and also for how to pronounce the words in French.

Ethan was also very happy to get a new subscriber to his YouTube Channel, so he made a video to say thanks.

And because he’s been learning to use the Mac, he made a video to teach people some Mac shortcuts.

With all our work finally done, we went to Costco for a very late lunch. So yes, we did eventually make it to Costco for some food.

After eating, we did a bit of shopping and Ethan wanted to try on a new toque. We need some warmer socks, as it can be a bit chilly out here in St. John’s. But we can’t find socks and clothing made with mostly cotton. A lot of things are acrylic or polyester based, so we’ll keep searching.

And I got to try a much too loud fleece jacket. I’m hoping to replace the jacket I left in Sudbury(?), as I loved that jacket and because it’s kind of cold without it. But I’ll just put on more layers for now.

Evening

We left Costco and went for a drive to see the end of the Trans Canada Highway. For some odd reason, there is no official marker for the end of the highway. There should be something like Mile 0 in Victoria, so that people like us can take goofy photos with it and have proof that we actually made it to the end of the Trans Canada. Anyway…

After that short drive, we went to Walmart to find warm socks. Costco’s were ok but we didn’t need a 12 pack of socks. When we were leaving, we received a text from Simon, Ethan’s best friend’s dad. Eldon was wondering if Ethan could join him for Halloween, but we’re a little too far to make it back in time.

But Ethan ended up talking on the phone with Eldon for about 30 minutes, catching up on what’s been happening, and telling Eldon about his blog and latest videos.

Now we needed to find something for dinner, so we went to our new favourite grocery store, Sobeys. They have some great deals at night time, so we picked up another cold plate for 50% off, along with some craw fish and cod cheeks to round out our Newfoundland dinner menu.

Dong Eun made a fantastic cod cheek and veggie soup, and fried up a few cheeks, too. They tasted like other fish cheeks, I’ve had, but just bigger. The cold plate was awesome again. The craw fish were ok, I guess. They kind of tasted like a mix between lobster and shrimp, while also leaving my fingers smelling like craw fish, even after scrubbing with baking soda.

After dinner, Dong Eun let Ethan know that he could use his Kindle again. His privilege had been revoked for nearly a week, as we wanted him to pay attention to his behaviour and remember to do his chores. He’s been good since and we’re proud of him for always trying to do things better every day.

He immediately dove into the sixth Harry Potter book, and I’m sure he’ll have the Kindle glued to his hands until he finishes book six and seven.

So that was our relaxing day in St. John’s. No cops came, either, so it was especially relaxing. Tomorrow, we’ll try to get up to Signal Hill and visit downtown St. John’s, too.

If you’re just reading this blog for the first time, we are a family of three traveling across Canada (and likely beyond) in a 1994 VW Westfalia camper van called Juju Jr. Our son Ethan, age 9, is unschooling and so we want him to learn from being on the road and traveling. So he’s also now a roadschooler and we are documenting the trip and his learning on this blog.

The post Home Learning Journal October 29, 2017 – Starbucks & Catching Up with Friends appeared first on How to Do Stuff With Ethan.

Ethan’s photos from the past week.

The post Ethan’s Photos appeared first on How to Do Stuff With Ethan.

Video to come!

Morning

Last night, we got a much needed restful night’s sleep. Taking the ferry at night was hard on all of us, so we were quite exhausted after a day of driving yesterday. This morning, Ethan started the day with some Sudoku before a hearty breakfast to fuel up for the day.

Ethan has started making new Adventures of the Box books and was busy working on a new book this morning. When he gets into being creative, he just focuses on that one thing and keeps doing it. He gets that from Dong Eun, as she’s also very good at being focused on one thing and not being distracted.

On the road, we were again amazed by the varying landscape of Newfoundland. Everywhere you go, it’s different and impressive, from the scenery to the changing weather. I must have put on and taken off my sunglasses a half a dozen times within a couple of hours.

And we found time for some fun GIFs.

Afternoon

After a morning of driving, we were craving a snack and Robin’s Donuts were our target. We had some in Ontario and thought they were better than Tim Hortons so we wanted to try them again. They were good, but we felt that they weren’t as good as the ones we had before. Next time, it’ll be Krispy Kreme when we get to the US.

But one cool thing happened while we had our donuts… We met another person driving across Canada in a van; in other words, another #vanlifer. Paul was the second younger person we’ve met doing this, other than Krista from Burnaby (who’s now in NYC, last I heard). Paul and his wife Leanne, and their 14 year old cat, are from Red Deer, AB, and are driving across Canada in a 1979 GMC camper van.

Lucky for Paul, he’s a heavy duty mechanic so he’s been able to make impromptu repairs to their van, Van Morrison, while on the road. It was because he was waiting for a part that we met him. We hope to catch up with him and meet Leanne and the cat as we both continue our travels. Follow Paul and Leanne on their Instagram or Wix site.

Shower needed

It’s been just over a week since Ethan and I showered. Dong Eun was able to grab one a few days ago, but Ethan and I needed one now. So while enjoying the scenery along the road, we wanted to get to a local pool for a swim and shower.

But first, we wanted to stop at the local Costco in St. John’s to buy a roast chicken for dinner. Unfortunately, we got there just before closing and the chicken was sold out. Fortunately, while in Costco, we received an email from someone who saw Juju Jr. in the Costco parking lot and wanted to say hi. Very cool.

The pool was modern and had a great kids play area.

After getting cleaned up, we went over to the nearby Sobey’s to pick up dinner. We found a bunch of things on sale, including some local Newfoundland classics, such as a cold plate and cream crisps. Both were excellent and we can’t wait to try other local delicacies. They even sold Korean shin ramen noodles, so Dong Eun was quite happy to have some spicy noodles for dinner.

The Police Incident

We had our dinner out in the Sobey’s parking lot. We usually do this. We buy our food, then cook and eat in the parking lot of wherever we are. It’s usually fine. Until tonight.

Ethan and I had gone into the store to use the bathroom one last time, leaving Dong Eun in the van on her own.

When we were done and heading out the door, we noticed a police cruiser parked behind Juju Jr. and two officers talking to Dong Eun. I was worried that something bad had happened.

The police got back in their cruiser and left when we got back to the van. I found out from Dong Eun that someone had called the police and reported that some people were doing drugs… as in someone thought that us cooking and eating were consuming something other than a cold plate and Korean spicy noodles!

With dinner done and the police satisfied we were only eating in the van, it was time to go over to Walmart and rest up for tomorrow.

We plan on spending a few days in St. John’s so there’s no rush. And we heard the weather might clear up so that will be great when we visit Signal Hill.

If you’re just reading this blog for the first time, we are a family of three traveling across Canada (and likely beyond) in a 1994 VW Westfalia camper van called Juju Jr. Our son Ethan, age 9, is unschooling and so we want him to learn from being on the road and traveling. So he’s also now a roadschooler and we are documenting the trip and his learning on this blog.

Fantastic photos Ethan! I love the composition in this one with the matching V shapes. He has a wonderful eye!!

And this one has such incredible light and colour!

It sounds like he has great focus and the ability to attend to one project at a time. Can you tell me a bit more about what the Adventure of the Box are like? What sort of stories is he creating?

I am happy to hear he has had some break throughs with his writing lately. I imagine the FSA was challenging at times, he must be happy to have it completed.

Police incident:

Well I suppose it is fair for the police to come and check if someone reported something suspicious. How did Ethan respond? What does he know or feel about the police?

What sort of flash cards did Ethan make? I imagine he could make many sets for different subjects. You could let him know that people make all sorts of flashcards to study from foreign languages, to history, to anatomy etc. It is a wonderful study skill to have and it sounds like he already got some great practice at making his own set.

I really appreciate how you call yourself digital nomads. Learning ways to take learning and work with you anywhere. Self Design has been wonderful for me in that way. I feel connected to BC, my learners and can be anywhere in the world. Ethan is developing a skill which is increasingly useful in this day and age and probably increasingly in the future.

I notice from your blog that Ethan is quite a designer and and engineer, whether he is creating new origami shapes, building a bridge/pier of rocks he is learning by doing, trial and error and pure inspiration!

Speaking of origami have you checked out the library resources on this topic. There might be something there for him:

https://selfdesign.learning.powerschool.com/selfdesignlearning/library/cms_page/view/34841354

and ways to make useful origami such as boxes etc: 

Can you think of what useful items you might want to create using origami? 

“Origami that is useful! Whether you’re organising stationary, looking for a pencil pot or need to store ribbons or wires, you can find many useful origami models here!” 

You may want to check out Paper Kawaii for some inspirational ideas on useful items that can be made using origami. “

https://www.paperkawaii.com/all-origami/useful-origami/

At this particular spot was a memorial dedicated to those who served and gave their lives so that we could enjoy these views and the way of life we have here in Canada. These messages always cause me to reflect and be grateful for living in Canada. I always read these messages to Ethan, but I’m not sure the weight of the message gets through. I’m sure it will as he gets older and perhaps looks back at these photos and blog posts.

As remembrance day approaches he might ask questions again as he sees people wearing the red poppy pins. He might remember some of the sites you have already visited.

Holidays

How to Explain the Importance of Remembrance Day to Kids

by Craig Sutton  •  November 02, 2016

Teaching kids about the significance of Remembrance Day (also known as Veterans Day) is very important. Not only will children be inquisitive about what all the poppies they see at this time of year but also because it is one of the most important days in our history. Depending on your family history, you may have had a family member or two serve your country and defend our freedom.

Obviously, considering the graphic nature of war, it’s also important to teach kids about Remembrance Day in an age appropriate manner.

Tips for Teaching Kids About Remembrance Day

Choose the Content You Discuss Wisely

The age of your children will ultimately dictate how you discuss Remembrance Day. While a 3-year-old may wonder what the day is about and why people are wearing poppies, older children can learn more about the history behind the great wars and other present day conflicts. How much detail you go into will depend on your child’s maturity level.

If your child is really interested in learning more about Remembrance Day and its history, talk with their teacher about what is taught in school for their age level and use this as a guide. You can also go to your local library and talk with the librarian about which resources would be appropriate for your child.

Focus on Honoring People

A great approach, and one that is appropriate for all age levels is to focus on the importance of honoring those who served in the war. Talk about the dedication and sacrifice that people made to ensure our freedom and safety today.

Talk About Your Family History

Another great way to teach the kids about Remembrance Day is to talk about family members who were in the war. Tell them what you know, where they traveled and, if you have them, show the kids photos of family members in uniform. You may even have a neighbor who served and, if they are willing, they could answer questions and share stories about when and where they served and why it’s important to honor the veterans.

A fun activity you could do with the kids is researching the history of a family member who served in the war. See what you can find out about them and the contribution they made to the war effort.

The Key Message to Share

“You can best honor them by using this day as a way to teach kids about both the honor and courage these people displayed in the course of performing their duties, as well as the valuable lessons they have taught us (namely, that the fighting of any war comes at too high a cost). In the end, Remembrance Day can provide an excellent way to instill your children with an understanding of the ramifications of war and give them a reason to work towards a more peaceful world.”

• Sarah Danielson on parentscanada.com

Why We Wear Poppies

Poppies are worn to pay tribute to those who gave their lives in war because poppies grew on the battlefields, especially on the Western Front, before and after World War One.

While serving in Ypres in 1915, the flower inspired Canadian doctor John McCrae to write his famous poem ‘In Flanders Fields’.

Ways to Help Children Remember

There are a number of ways that you can help kids learn about the significance of the day:

Have a conversation

One of the simplest and most effective ways to help your kids learn more about the day is to set aside some time to talk about it and answer their questions.

Wear a poppy

Wearing a poppy is important, but also explaining the reasons why you are wearing it will help kids gain a deeper understanding and respect for the day.

Attend a Remembrance Day ceremony

Make it a point to attend your local Remembrance Day ceremony. Giving the kids a first-hand chance to see veterans and be part of the celebration will encourage them to ask questions and learn more.

Attend a speaking engagement

If a veteran or member of the armed forces is holding a speaking event, consider taking the kids.

Watch documentaries

Perhaps an activity that is best suited for older kids, documentaries provide vast amounts of information about the history of the day, while also adding audio interviews and visuals that will add to your child’s learning experience.

Talk about the contributions of women and minorities

The Veterans Affairs Canada website offers great information on some of the often overlooked contributions of Aboriginal-Canadians, Women, Asian Canadians, and Black Canadians

Conclusion

Remembrance Day is a significant day in the world’s history. With fewer and fewer living survivors, it’s even more important than ever to remember the sacrifice these people made for our country. Teaching our children about the importance of Remembrance Day will help keep the memories of these soldiers and brave individuals alive now and in the future. While it’s great to have fun and educate your children, Veterans Affairs Canada provides us with a reminder of what is important:

“Never forget the contributions and sacrifices of the men and women who have served Canada in times of war, military conflict and peace—especially those who did not return.”

One of our main reasons for unschooling and choosing SelfDesign was to allow Ethan the opportunity to express himself in his own way, and to write or think within the limitations of traditional schooling. Hopefully, this sparks some additional creative writing; in fact, he wrote a new Adventures of the Box book right after finishing the assessment.

Yes!! Removing the limitations of the four walled classroom opens up a world of possiblities:

The post Home Learning Journal October 28, 2017 – The Vanlife & Questioned by the Police appeared first on How to Do Stuff With Ethan.

Video to come!

Morning

The overnight ferry was tiring for all of us, but especially Dong Eun and Ethan. Ethan fell asleep relatively quickly, but Dong Eun had a hard time getting comfortable. I was pretty ok, as I can usually sleep anywhere, but it still wasn’t a restful night’s sleep. We all agreed that on the way back, we’ll take the daytime ferry.

After getting off the ferry, we still needed to drive. St. John’s was still over 800km away, which would be a two day drive for us. So we had to first get to Grand Falls-Windsor and on the way, stop to have some breakfast. But first, some sights and heart shaped bread.

It was incredibly windy this morning and Juju Jr. was being constantly tossed around by the wind. And after a not so smooth ferry ride, this didn’t help Ethan and Dong Eun feel any better. But Ethan is usually in good spirits, in spite of the circumstances.

We eventually stopped at a gas station with a large parking lot to have some breakfast.

Ethan then did one of his chores, which is sweeping the floor and cleaning the mat.

Ethan also wanted to wrap up his Grade 4 assessment, as he only had the review section to complete. It was more writing, but he has a different perspective on writing after our little breakthrough the other day.

It was time to get moving and do our best to reach Grand Falls-Windsor.

Along the way, we made another pit stop to use the wifi from a local library so I could complete some work. It also gave Ethan time to work on his latest video. He is having a great time teaching French with his animated videos.

Ethan had some leftover apple pie we picked up in North Sydney, so that was a small reward for having completed his assessment.

Afternoon

We got back on the road and stopped occasionally for a break. At most of these pit stops, Dong Eun will prepare something to eat, while Ethan and I get something done. Ethan will do his workbooks and I’ll catch up on this blog or other work.

We’ve been learning to make better use of our time to be productive, since we’re on the go most of the time. It’s a habit that Ethan and I both needed to get better at, so the road trip has been a good learning experience in that way, too.

With a long drive ahead, we decided it would be a good idea to make sure we had enough gas. Most gas stations on this portion of the highway only have 87 octane, while Juju Jr. prefers 91. The stations that had 91 were also quite pricey, so I’m thinking of only using 87 while we’re here. Juju Jr. is ok with 87, as long as we don’t go too fast up hills (which never happens, anyway!).

And gas stations are always a great time for Ethan to help with washing the windows, which he really enjoys.

Dong Eun and Ethan are very good about enjoying the moment and took some time out at the gas station to enjoy the beautiful fall colours. Ethan found a nice looking leaf and put it in Dong Eun’s hair.

A few more stops along the way of what turned out to be a nice, scenic drive. The landscape changed so much along this stretch of the Trans Canada, from windy and barren, to mountainous lush and green, and everything in between. Driving across Canada has been an amazing way to enjoy our beautiful country and connect with each other.

Evening

We finally arrived in Grand Falls-Windsor where we did some grocery shopping and set up for the night. However, we were running low on water so needed to figure out how to refill the fresh water tank. But first, some more work and by Ethan’s request, hot dogs for dinner!

But the water… We heard from Loretta and Dan that they got fresh water from Canadian Tire stores, so we called the one down the street but they said their hoses and taps were shut off now. There was also a Canadian Tire gas station across the street, and as luck would have it, they said it would be ok for us to use their outdoor tap.

It was the owner of the station I talked to and he and his wife turned out to be super nice people. They were quite interested in the van and our trip, and the wife talked about how much she loved visiting BC. We also got some tips about places to eat at in St. John’s, which is always handy. Big thanks to these kind people for helping us out.

Back at the Walmart, Ethan saw that they sold flash cards and wanted to buy some. But instead, we suggested that he could make his own and so, that’s what he did. The store bought cards were nice, but they weren’t as nice as custom ones Ethan could make for what he wanted to practise.

We’ve been quite frugal during the trip, and we were also that way at home, too, but we’re trying to show Ethan that it’s not always necessary to buy something, unless it’s essential.

So that was our first full day in Newfoundland. Tomorrow, we’ll try to get an early start to get to St. John’s.

If you’re just reading this blog for the first time, we are a family of three traveling across Canada (and likely beyond) in a 1994 VW Westfalia camper van called Juju Jr. Our son Ethan, age 9, is unschooling and so we want him to learn from being on the road and traveling. So he’s also now a roadschooler and we are documenting the trip and his learning on this blog.

The post Home Learning Journal October 27, 2017 – Newfoundland & Labrador!! appeared first on How to Do Stuff With Ethan.

The overall experience has been a rich one for Ethan. As Judy mentioned yesterday, Ethan’s old enough to remember the trip and young enough to have fun with us on this epic journey. The experience, the sights, the people…these are all things we wanted for Ethan to witness on this roadschooling adventure.

Video to come.

Morning

This morning was definitely a #vanlife moment, as we woke up at the beach watching the sun come up. We dreamed of moments like these when we got the Westfalia, so this was living that dream.

Ethan immediately pulled out his camera and started snapping away. I’ll be posting his photos once he’s chosen the ones he’d like to share.

After breakfast, we took a stroll to Freshwater Lake, which was right next to where we had parked. Ethan immediately wanted to practise skipping rocks when he saw the calm water.

But Ethan decided it would be more fun to build a path along the water using rocks. He saw one larger rock jutting out of the water and set that as our goal.

This turned out to be a lot fun, as we all got involved. At some point, Dong Eun suggested tossing the rocks into the water, instead of just carrying them one at a time. This worked great, too. After setting a base, we added more rocks by hand. Eventually, we had built a quite a long path out into the lake. Part of the reason was to save a spider that we thought was stranded on a rock. But the spider later disappeared, so perhaps it actually lived on the water.

With bridge building done, it was time for some peanut butter and bumble berry jam sandwiches before more time on the beach.

The sand here was a powdery brown, almost like soft brown sugar when you stepped on it. It was perfect for some sand sculptures and designs.

Ethan is always looking for anything heart shaped to give to Dong Eun as a gift. This morning, it was a rock.

Afternoon

We needed to go to the local public library so I could get some work done. Roadschooling is challenging for Ethan, but it’s also not always easy being a digital nomad. However, I’m grateful for the free wifi at libraries and the fact that I can work from the road.

At the library, which was tiny and very cute, Ethan completed the math section of the online assessment, then got to work on his latest video.

We set time limits on how long he uses the computer, but we mostly leave it up to him to be disciplined enough to stop using the computer on his own. And at the libraries, we ask him to spend an equal amount of time reading, which he’s happy to do.

He then went out to the van for lunch and to practise some math with Dong Eun. She has a way of making these activities fun for Ethan, so I’m always impressed by how she finds a fun way to work with him.

We said a final goodbye to the Cabot Trail and started making our way to North Sydney to catch the ferry to Newfoundland. Cape Breton was spectacular and we highly recommend a visit. At this time of year, there are almost no tourists, yet the scenery is not to be missed.

Evening

We arrived in North Sydney and needed to have dinner before boarding the ferry. The ride over to Newfoundland would be over 7 hours and didn’t depart until 11:45pm. With an overnight ferry ride looming, Dong Eun made a fantastic chicken stew for dinner. The remarkable thing about her cooking is that it’s delicious and it’s all been done within the confines of a ’94 VW Westfalia.

I called the ferry company to check if we needed reservations because we just wanted to roll over there about an hour before departure. Lucky I called because you need a reservation, and you need to be at the terminal for check in about 2 hours before departure.

The interior of the ferry was part airplane, part cruise ship. The seats were big and plush, as well as reclining. There was an on board coffee shop and restaurant, too. Once he got settled in, Ethan read some more of his math textbook.

If you like, there’s also cabins to sleep in, but they were about the same price as the ferry tickets so we decided to sleep in the chairs, instead. And just like an airplane, it’s hard to get comfortable to sleep. However, we did manage to find positions that worked for us, somewhat.

Next stop: Newfoundland!

If you’re just reading this blog for the first time, we are a family of three traveling across Canada (and likely beyond) in a 1994 VW Westfalia camper van called Juju Jr. Our son Ethan, age 9, is unschooling and so we want him to learn from being on the road and traveling. So he’s also now a roadschooler and we are documenting the trip and his learning on this blog.

The post Home Learning Journal October 26, 2017 – Finishing the Cabot Trail & Late Night Ferry to Newfoundland appeared first on How to Do Stuff With Ethan.

Video to come!

Morning

You know those pictures of people hanging out in their van in nature? Well, it felt like that this morning. Even Ethan marvelled at how nice it was to wake up with nature all around.

Dong Eun made oatmeal with fruit for breakfast, which really hit the spot.

Ethan has been helping with getting things ready each morning, but sometimes, he needs to remember to do his chores before he can play. We think it’s part of getting into a routine and developing the habit, so we’re sure he’ll get there.

We got on the road and couldn’t stop saying how nice everything was. It’s been great for Ethan to see all this nature and the different ways it’s been presented to him. Today, the highlands were beckoning.

Our first stop was a spot overlooking the water where we could see the spectacular landscape of Cape Breton and feel the sea breeze hitting our faces. (Which never makes for attractive photos, btw!)

As we continued on our way, we went back down to sea level. This happens quite often on Cape Breton. Here, we found a rocky beach with no one on it but us.

Ethan’s been using his camera more the last couple of days, and took some photos of Dong Eun from some unique perspectives. I’ll share the photos he chose in another post.

With all the rocks around, it was fun to build stone towers.

There was also a kind of dock made from stone that Dong Eun went out onto because she was the only one with flip flops on.

The coolest thing about coming to this beach was that Ethan finally figured out how to skip stones across the water. He practiced for so long trying to get the technique right until he was finally successful. We like that he keeps trying even if something is hard or not working the first time.

From the beach, we went up to another view point along Cabot Trail. One thing we noticed is the large number of lookout points and viewing areas along Cabot Trail.

At this particular spot was a memorial dedicated to those who served and gave their lives so that we could enjoy these views and the way of life we have here in Canada. These messages always cause me to reflect and be grateful for living in Canada. I always read these messages to Ethan, but I’m not sure the weight of the message gets through. I’m sure it will as he gets older and perhaps looks back at these photos and blog posts.

Another couple from BC!

At one of the beaches we stopped at, we met Ian and Judy from Prince George, BC. Ian was curious who the owners of Juju Jr. were, as he was thinking it would be an older couple like him and Judy. He was pleasantly surprised that it was us and we ended up having an hour long chat with him and Judy.

Ian had owned a Westfalia way back when so he was curious how our ’94 was holding up on the trip. We had a great time talking to both of them and feel so lucky that our little van has helped up meet so many nice people along our journey.

We can’t wait to see Ian and Judy again…hopefully, when we take a trip up to Prince George and beyond next summer.

Afternoon

Anyway, from seeing the views it was now time for a light lunch of peanut butter and bananas on the delicious buns we got from Farmers Daughter.

Our main destination today was Skyline Trail, an apt name since the trail is up high and goes right out to the edge of a cliff.

Along the trail, we read the various information signs teaching us about why there were so few trees, what was being done to restore the trees and how the moose population was four times the sustainable amount for the area. The moose population had increased because moose have no natural predators in that area.

Once we got out to the end of the trail, we were met by an amazing view and winds so strong, they could probably blow a small child over the edge. In fact, they sometimes have warning signs about extremely strong winds. Luckily, our child isn’t that small so he was okay to play and have some fun.

There was also time for some impromptu yoga poses.

On the way back to Juju Jr., Ethan found a unique looking beetle. We thought it looked similar to the beetles he saw at Entomica.

By now, it was late afternoon and we had to start moving on to find a place to camp for the evening. But Cape Breton has some kind of hidden gem around every turn.

In this case, in was a place called Lone Sheiling, where there was an actual Scottish sheiling that had been built. What made us stop, originally, was the beautiful yellow colour of the trees in this area.

Evening

It was again dark when we arrived in Ingonish and started looking for a place to camp. We found something near the beach and took a chance that no one would bother us here. And the fact that the bathroom was open was an added bonus.

Before dinner, Ethan worked on the writing part of his assessment, but wasn’t feeling very motivated. We explained to him that he can write it in as creative a way as he likes, kind of like telling a story. We wanted him to show his personality and write creatively. This made something click in his brain, as he quite quickly filled the page with a story.

We were very proud of him. He was also proud of himself, which is probably even more important, because he finally found a way to make writing fun.

One of our main reasons for unschooling and choosing SelfDesign was to allow Ethan the opportunity to express himself in his own way, and to write or think within the limitations of traditional schooling. Hopefully, this sparks some additional creative writing; in fact, he wrote a new Adventures of the Box book right after finishing the assessment.

He’s written books 4, 5, 6, and 7, but I haven’t uploaded them so I’ll need to get on that.

But first, dinner, which was spaghetti with sunny side up eggs, carrots, tomatoes and ketchup. This is a very Hong Kong style of cooking that my mom used to make when we were kids. You can still eat dishes similar to this in Hong Kong cafe style restaurants.

Anyway, the spot we picked was great, as nothing except the sound of the ocean could be heard the entire night.

We’ll see what daylight has to bring.

If you’re just reading this blog for the first time, we are a family of three traveling across Canada (and likely beyond) in a 1994 VW Westfalia camper van called Juju Jr. Our son Ethan, age 9, is unschooling and so we want him to learn from being on the road and traveling. So he’s also now a roadschooler and we are documenting the trip and his learning on this blog.

The post Home Learning Journal October 25, 2017 – The Cape Breton Highlands appeared first on How to Do Stuff With Ethan.

Video to come!

Morning

Last night, we stayed at a local Walmart and when we woke up, we were greeted with pumpkin and chocolate chip muffins made by Loretta. Ethan was happy to see them again, as usual, and was even happier to have a muffin for breakfast. Dong Eun also liked not having to cook.

Ethan worked some more on his fourth grade assessment. We’re still trying to find a way to motivate and encourage him to write. We know he’s creative and we know that he can write if he put his mind to it.

Once we were done breakfast and cleaned up, we headed for Cape Breton. We followed the directions of a new navigation app, which told us to mostly take a smaller road, rather than the Trans Canada Highway.

But interestingly, we got to experience something new… There was road construction and to get through the construction area, we were escorted by one of the construction trucks.

We went back onto the Trans Canada and eventually made it to Cape Breton.

Afternoon

We kept seeing signs for the Farmers Daughter market and were curious what it was. So we pulled in to check it out and were impressed by the local products and the in store bakery.

At one point, an older fellow asked if were the ones from BC and told us about how he’s been across the country 3 or 4 times. He also mentioned how he has two daughters living in BC. We then found out that he was the owner of the market and had a nice chat with him about the store.

He told us about the contest he held where if someone worked with him for 5 years, he would give them 3 acres of land. I remember that story in the news and told him that I might have even applied. Obviously, I didn’t get the job.

Before leaving, we bought their oat cakes and Ethan and Dong Eun had to get a photo with the giant red chair outside the store.

Back on the road, we couldn’t help but marvel at the beauty of Cape Breton.

Everywhere we looked, it was nice and we had to stop to enjoy the views up close and to have lunch.

Ethan also got a much needed toenail trim.

He then picked some leaves to press them using his new math book. This is something he learned from seeing Loretta do the same thing.

With our belly’s full, we drove on and encountered the rocky shores of Cape Breton. This was the first time that any of us have seen something like this.

It was easy to see how the earth pushed the fault lines up to create this dramatic shoreline.

Driving further along, we came up to a grassy area overlooking the water.

A little further and we were back down at sea level, visiting a local beach. Ethan took the opportunity to write something into the sand for Dong Eun.

A short distance away, Ethan collected sea snails and made a game from them… If the snails started trying to move, we had to flip them over and poke them so they’d go back in their shell.

We also saw a mask making shop, that unfortunately, was closed for the season. It seemed like many places were closed for the season, but it meant no tourists, too.

Ethan has been enjoying all the little things he can do on the trip, such as finding sticks and carving them.

Evening

There was so much to see that it was dark before we started looking for a place to camp for the evening. We drove along Cabot Trail until we found a quiet pull out area. It turned out to be a great spot because we saw more stars in the sky than we have ever seen in our lives.

How amazing that the people here get to gaze up at the sky and see such a sight every night. Ethan ended the night by doing some math. He then stretched with Dong Eun to get ready for bed.

We took one more look at the sky and called it a day.

If you’re just reading this blog for the first time, we are a family of three traveling across Canada (and likely beyond) in a 1994 VW Westfalia camper van called Juju Jr. Our son Ethan, age 9, is unschooling and so we want him to learn from being on the road and traveling. So he’s also now a roadschooler and we are documenting the trip and his learning on this blog.

The post Home Learning Journal October 24, 2017 – Cape Breton Island’s Cabot Trail appeared first on How to Do Stuff With Ethan.