July 27, 2026

Category: Botany

A Mind Wide Open, Biology, Botany, Chemistry, Earth Science, Ecology, Emotional Awareness & Maturing, Imagination, Knowledge Base Expansion, Lils, Physics, Science Discoveries, Self Esteem, Self Management, Simply Nature

Herbology 1 : Hogwarts Greenhouse One

Kala participated in her first Outschool course today, “Herbology & Magical Plants”. Here’s a recap: I learned about magical plants with many, many uses. We talked about cool plants like the Nightshade. The Nightshade is so pretty, it was used to dilate women’s eyes which used to be considered a beauty standard. As time passed, […]

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A Mind Wide Open, Beautiful Curiosity, Biology, Botany, CDE Standards Reference, Earth Science, Ecology, Exploration, Geography, How We Learn Best, Knowledge Base Expansion, Lils, Science Discoveries, Stewardship

10 Rainforest Creatures That Defy Imagination

Our exploration for this morning, before we jump into our latest Tinkercrate – Artbots.   While the rainforest only covers an estimated 6% of land, it serves as a home to over half of the species of plants and animals on earth. We read about many species that inhabit the rainforest everyday like gorillas, orangutans […]

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Tsankawi
A Mind Wide Open, Biology, Botany, Bugz & Her Explorations, CDE Standards Reference, Creative Solution Generation, Culture Appreciation, Earth Science, Economics, Exploration, Geography, History, How We Learn Best, Imagination, Invention, Knowledge Base Expansion, Language Development, Lils, Movement & Coordination, Pattern Recognition, Physical Development, Playing, Resources, Responsibility, Simply Nature, Societal Studies, Society & Culture

Tsankawi

And here was our afternoon… We talked about Africa, primarily Eastern Africa, and the region surrounding Kenya, where a friend Lily made last fall spends a fair portion of her time.     We also read: We’re exploring these topics, specifically on a global perspective. She’s learned that 100 cents = 1 dollar, and we’re […]

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A Mind Wide Open, Beautiful Curiosity, Biology, Botany, Earth Science, Geometry, How We Learn Best, Imagination, Invention, Knowledge Base Expansion, Lils, Pattern Recognition, Physics, Science Discoveries, Theoretical Physics

Our Unseen World

This is a new series we are watching on Netflix The Electromagnetic Spectrum The heat produced by the Sun travels from the Sun to the Earth via waves known as electromagnetic waves. These waves can vary greatly in their wavelength. Have you ever thrown a rock into a lake? What happens when you throw a […]

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A Mind Wide Open, Beautiful Curiosity, Botany, Chemistry, Construction, Creative Solution Generation, Earth Science, Economics: Global, Engineering, Geography, Global History, Government, History, Knowledge Base Expansion, Lils, Questions from Lily's Brain, Resources, Responsibility

She Asked… Oil

She asked about oil, where it comes from and how it gets processed so we can use it in cars, etc.. We have spent most of today exploring how crude oil has formed, how it is extracted, refined, and finally delivered for our consumption. We’ve also talked about fracking for natural gas, the uses of […]

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A Mind Wide Open, Art, Artistry, Beautiful Curiosity, Botany, Bugz & Her Explorations, Chemistry, Construction, Creative Solution Generation, Culture Appreciation, Engineering, Geography, Geometry, Lils, Playing, Sculpture, Simply Nature, Society & Culture, Storytelling / Recollection, Thought Process & Development

On Electronic Media and the Jicarilla Apache

Perhaps I’m in the current trend minority, but I don’t see any benefit to limiting electronics access. Here’s my experience: By 14 months old, as a result of the screen, various devices, and my engaged involvement with my daughter, she was fluent in ASL, had 700+ signs, and the words (verbally) to go with them. […]

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A Mind Wide Open, Beautiful Curiosity, Biology, Botany, Care & Nurture, CDE Standards Reference, Compassion, Construction, Developing Self, Empathic Awareness, Engineering, Geometry, Imagination, Invention, Lils, Math Discoveries, Movement & Coordination, Physical Development, Playing, Responsibility, Self Awareness, Simply Nature

Houses, Castles, & Questions

I’ve decided that to best keep track of my own mind, as well as attempt to record the finer points of Lily’s development and her day, that I really have to just leave a post window open all day long. I see it, I write, I add pics, whatever… Today began with Lily showing us […]

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