First: Junior Ranger

Over the years I have “watched” other homeschool blog families vacation in National Parks and participate in the Junior Ranger Program. I couldn’t wait until G had the opportunity to try his hand at this. Well, last month we stumbled upon our first one. We were on our way home from a funeral in Tennessee and stopped off at McD’s in Cave City… and what do I spy? A Momma with an armful of Junior Ranger Handbooks! We were contemplating driving down the road and taking a short tour of Mammoth Cave but now we HAD to go! I hadn’t realized that Mammoth was a National Park; I assumed it was a state park.

We asked about the program at the information desk and learned that G needed to earn 9 points to become a Junior Ranger. The booklet consists of worksheets about being a Ranger and about the Cave System. So while we waited for our tour we found a quiet, cool corner and started to work.

After working in the workbook and seeing the cave, G said he wanted to be a Ranger at Mammoth Cave. He talked to our tour guide, Ranger John, about it. Ranger John told G he could come back when he was in 16 and be a summer intern. High School students intern and learn behind the scene jobs (tickets, cleaning…) and will be giving tours by the end of their stay. I have one very excited Junior Ranger now!

Caves: Mammoth & Onyx

Recently we took a detour on our way home from Tennessee to check out a couple of caves: Mammoth and Onyx. Now my family roots are from Tennessee so I have driven past the exit to these caves 80-100 times over my life and only been to Mammoth Cave twice and never stepped in any of the others. I have longed to go up that tourist trap mountain to Onyx Cave all my life… well we finally stopped.

We had driven half a day in the car, it was 100 degrees, and G had never been in a cave so quick & simple was the way to go this trip. We chose the Mammoth Passage tour. When our tour was called, we met Ranger John who gave us a brief overview of the whole cave system and the rules of the tour. We then walked down the forest path behind the visitor center where the temperature dropped suddenly 50 degrees. Amazing.

As we walked a bit farther we found ourselves at a set of concrete stairs that lead down to the cave entrance. Ranger John discusses how the outside light can only penetrate so far and there is an area in between light and total darkness called twilight. Once inside the opening he turned off all of the lighting so that we could see this transition. It was a bit unsettling.

In the tour we viewed the Salt Petre mine used during the War of 1812.

And learned about the type of lighting used in the mine from reed torches to gas lanterns.

It was quite enjoyable and great introduction to a longer more strenuous tour.

Next we traveled back down the road to Onyx Cave. Don’t let the tourist trappy looks of this place make you skip over it. We really enjoyed. The tour was personal and small. Onyx Cave was discovered in 1971 during construction of a parking lot for Guntown Mountain Amusement Park. While what you can see in Mammoth is dry; Onyx is wet, so there are many formations to be seen. We learned not to touch the wall because the oils from our skin would cause formations to stop growing.

Drapery

Popcorn

Stalagmites

Stalactites

It did actually have some tight spots though but they are short and quick.

Our tour guide, Missy, was knowledge and very personable. Since we were such a small group, two families, she compared what we were seeing with her compared to what was in Mammoth. She shared many personal experiences and stories.

If you have caves in your “backyard” I encourage you to check them out! We cannot wait until our next adventure.

Learning Notes: Weeks 5&6

Phonics- Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading

• Lessons 116- 119 (aw, all...)
  

Read Aloud - Nim's Island- Wendy Orr

• Complete

Independent Reading

• I am King- Mary Packard
  
• Silly Stories Mix and Match - Caryl Koeling
  
• Card Game Directions
  

Math-
Uno, Skip Bo jr, Phase 10
Timed addition sheets +0 thru +10 (11 problems)

• 1 - 30 seconds
• 2 - 50 seconds
• 3- 60 seconds
• 9- 45 seconds

MUS- Alpha ch18- Introduction to subtraction 18A-C
Scholastic Math Games

• Apples
• Spaghetti
  

Science- Invertebrates & Vertebrates

• Giant Squid
• Octopus
• Variegated Sea Urchins
• Sea Turtles
• Shells/ Mollusks

VHS- Animal Life in Action: Animal Classification
Research for Cicada Report for Keepers

Fieldtrip: Mote Aquarium, G Wiz

Social Studies- SOTW 1
Ch5- Sumerian Dictator

• Map
• Coloring Sheet
• Word Find
• Narration
  

Keepers of the Faith

• Virtue: Contentment "For I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content" Prov 4:11
  
• Lesson: Insects

Piano

• Pentascales
• Bass C
• C Position
  

Co-op
Choir

• This Old Man
• Over the River & Through the Woods
  
• Navajo Round

Spanish

• Numbers
• I want