Tapestry of Grace Year 3 Weeks 15-16: Manifest Destiny and Sea to Shining Sea

These two weeks we spent in a quick survey of the presidencies of Martin Van Buren, William Henry Harrison, John Tyler, and James Polk.  We read about the Cherokee Indians and learned what they went through on the Trail of Tears.  We learned about the acquisition of the California and Oregon territory from Mexico under James Polk.  We read about Samuel Morse, and his great invention, the telegraph. (Did you know he was painter before he was an inventor?)

Samuel Morse was apparently not the most interesting thing Kiryn had ever read. Ha!

Kiryn's map of the Trail of Tears.

The kids got to read a sweet little book this week called "The White Stallion" and complete this worksheet about it.  We also began reading "The Moccasin Trail" and have really been enjoying it, although I think this unit would have been a great place to begin the Little House series.  We likely will after we finish Moccasin Trail. 

Luke spent these two weeks analyzing The Laconic Answer by James Baldwin.  This was his finished draft. 

Classical Writing is stepping it up.  This week, he worked on changing simple quotes to indirect, or moving the explanatory words, as well as marking up the model with punctation notes, and changing one type of sentence to another.  Preparing great writers in this house!

We're looking forward to our Christmas break this next week.  Since we just had a two week break over Thanksgiving, we'll only take the week of Christmas off, and then get back to it! We've got a very busy and packed schedule starting in January through April, so we'll just be doing school when we are home for the next few months, and taking breaks when we travel. We'll get it al done eventually!