Week 3- Jamestown 1607

This week we have switched things up a bit.
   NO assigned reading but some fun reading comprehension worksheets, and games. Math more drill.
For History instead of  my reading the assigned pages, and the girls writing a paragraph of what they remember, we played "History Detectives." Each girl had to come up with 3 things she wanted to know about Jamestown. I admit I helped with a list of possible questions for this go around. After picking their questions, they had a week to find the answers. Some questions were answered in our assigned reading, some by books from the book basket, others came from our nightly read aloud. Each answer had to be written in a complete sentence that reflected the question. It worked pretty well. Definitely think we will do it again. They really liked finding out facts that even I didn't know. 
   We deviated from the curriculum this week also with our read aloud choice. MFW suggests Squato, Friend of Pilgrims, but I read this in school when I was a kid and remember it begin very stereotypical.  So after some research, I found other books that I think will interest the pack more, and give a more rounded view of colonization of North America. We've started with Blood on the River: Jamestown 1607 by Elisa Carbone . This book is a bit rougher than many favored by traditional home school curriculum, but I really like its balanced approach on the view of colonialism (Yes, I read the entire book before using it). It also shows the difference between the behavior of a true Christian and many who call themselves Christians. Especially, those who used "missions" work as an excuse to sin.  The main character isn't always likable or good, but during the book you see his growth in a very real way.  We are on Chapter 14 and its has 6 thumbs up from the pack. Here's a summary of the book from Scholastic.com:

Samuel Collier, a rough-and-tumble young orphan, becomes Captain John Smith's page on his journey to the New World. Brought up in poor conditions, Samuel is street-smart but also quick-tempered. He has to learn to control his anger and to use his head instead of his fists. During the journey on the ship the Susan Constant, Samuel begins to learn how to determine right from wrong. Through his interactions with other boys his age and with key figures such as Captain John Smith, Reverend Hunt, and Master Wingfield, Samuel discovers ways to avoid conflict. His first encounters with the native peoples in the Caribbean and in the New World further teach Samuel about different perspectives and about the value of culture. Survival in the new colony tests Samuel as he evaluates these life lessons and learns to make good choices using his heart and his head.