Trivium Tuesdays - Classical Link-Up #191

Welcome to another week of Trivium Tuesdays!  For those of you who are new here today, this link-up is hosted by Living and Learning at Home (that's me!) and Classically Homeschooling and is aimed at encouraging and informing other homeschoolers who use the Classical model of teaching.  Here we can share with each other and learn from one another.


Don't forget to follow my Pinterest boards that are a part of the All Things Classical List!

Also, please remember to only link up posts that have to do with homeschooling using the classical model of education.  Thank you for understanding this link-up's theme.

We Choose Virtues Giveaway

I have a special treat for you this New Year's week!  A new year is a great time to look back and reevaluate.  Something that I've been wanting to focus on is character in my family (myself included!)  The beginning of the year is a great time to start something new, so a few week's ago I ordered the Parenting Cards from We Choose Virtues to help in this endeavor.  So far my kids and I are really enjoying them.  

The good folks at We Choose Virtues kindly sent me the 100 Days of Virtues chart and are offering one to one of my readers as well!  This chart works perfectly with their Parenting Cards, but can be used without them as well.  Basically, you just 'catch' your child displaying one of the virtues on the chart and they get to put a sticker next to that virtue.  I'm typically not a sticker chart kind of person, but my kids are really liking this motivation, so I'm liking it too!

The winner will receive 1 chart (11in x 17in)and 108 butterfly stickers.  Please enter by using the Raffelcopter below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This Week's Link-Up

Here are the rules:

• Your post must have to do (in some way) with classical homeschooling (any age children).
• Your post may be from your archives as long as you only post it one time on this link-up.
• Please link to your direct post, not your blog in general.
• Please link back to this post in some way. You can use my Trivium Tuesdays button (found on my right sidebar) if you'd like so others can learn about this link-up! Button code: <ahref="http://www.livingandlearningathome.com/" target="_blank" title="Trivium Tuesdays"><img alt="Living and Learning at Home" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8bYsfMVF9tdI6haQLUiZ1rvZIf1kDaqnjHIOJA46X62tWXnlPDkU-5OqujsZyjoDp39J7dbhUx9CRFPyV991_BapG9dHciT8osyXwMtDtG6mV_TDyoECv_e5-oKFc2ZavhE4Ds9rj_8Kn/s1600/Trivium+Tuesdays+-+button.png"/></a>
• It may be helpful to state in your link description what stage of the trivium or what subject your post is about, if applicable, so others can easily find posts they are interested in looking at.
• Remember, everyone loves comments =) So don't be shy, and tell someone if you liked their post!

I reserve the right to remove any link-up that does not have to do with classical homeschooling.         

If you are a regular here at Trivium Tuesdays and have something to share that is a little off topic, but still would be an encouragement to the readers here, please still share it =)  I'm referring to people who are just trying to get their blog more exposure without following the rules above.

If you want to be reminded of this link-up each week, make sure to sign up below!

Trivium Tuesdays - Classical Link-Up #190

Welcome to another week of Trivium Tuesdays!  For those of you who are new here today, this link-up is hosted by Living and Learning at Home (that's me!) and Classically Homeschooling and is aimed at encouraging and informing other homeschoolers who use the Classical model of teaching.  Here we can share with each other and learn from one another.


Don't forget to follow my Pinterest boards that are a part of the All Things Classical List!

Also, please remember to only link up posts that have to do with homeschooling using the classical model of education.  Thank you for understanding this link-up's theme.

Featured Post from Last Week

This is a great look into what a Socratic discussion can look like and the benefits of discussion and comparison.  Thanks, Family Style Schooling!

This Week's Link-Up

Here are the rules:

• Your post must have to do (in some way) with classical homeschooling (any age children).
• Your post may be from your archives as long as you only post it one time on this link-up.
• Please link to your direct post, not your blog in general.
• Please link back to this post in some way. You can use my Trivium Tuesdays button (found on my right sidebar) if you'd like so others can learn about this link-up! Button code: <ahref="http://www.livingandlearningathome.com/" target="_blank" title="Trivium Tuesdays"><img alt="Living and Learning at Home" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8bYsfMVF9tdI6haQLUiZ1rvZIf1kDaqnjHIOJA46X62tWXnlPDkU-5OqujsZyjoDp39J7dbhUx9CRFPyV991_BapG9dHciT8osyXwMtDtG6mV_TDyoECv_e5-oKFc2ZavhE4Ds9rj_8Kn/s1600/Trivium+Tuesdays+-+button.png"/></a>
• It may be helpful to state in your link description what stage of the trivium or what subject your post is about, if applicable, so others can easily find posts they are interested in looking at.
• Remember, everyone loves comments =) So don't be shy, and tell someone if you liked their post!

I reserve the right to remove any link-up that does not have to do with classical homeschooling.         

If you are a regular here at Trivium Tuesdays and have something to share that is a little off topic, but still would be an encouragement to the readers here, please still share it =)  I'm referring to people who are just trying to get their blog more exposure without following the rules above.

If you want to be reminded of this link-up each week, make sure to sign up below!

Trivium Tuesdays - Classical Link-Up #189

Welcome to another week of Trivium Tuesdays!  For those of you who are new here today, this link-up is hosted by Living and Learning at Home (that's me!) and Classically Homeschooling and is aimed at encouraging and informing other homeschoolers who use the Classical model of teaching.  Here we can share with each other and learn from one another.


Don't forget to follow my Pinterest boards that are a part of the All Things Classical List!

Also, please remember to only link up posts that have to do with homeschooling using the classical model of education.  Thank you for understanding this link-up's theme.

Featured Post from Last Week

Do you listen to audio  books?  I have really been enjoying them lately.  Journey and Destination shares with us some that she has been listening to with her daughter.

This Week's Link-Up

Here are the rules:

• Your post must have to do (in some way) with classical homeschooling (any age children).
• Your post may be from your archives as long as you only post it one time on this link-up.
• Please link to your direct post, not your blog in general.
• Please link back to this post in some way. You can use my Trivium Tuesdays button (found on my right sidebar) if you'd like so others can learn about this link-up! Button code: <ahref="http://www.livingandlearningathome.com/" target="_blank" title="Trivium Tuesdays"><img alt="Living and Learning at Home" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8bYsfMVF9tdI6haQLUiZ1rvZIf1kDaqnjHIOJA46X62tWXnlPDkU-5OqujsZyjoDp39J7dbhUx9CRFPyV991_BapG9dHciT8osyXwMtDtG6mV_TDyoECv_e5-oKFc2ZavhE4Ds9rj_8Kn/s1600/Trivium+Tuesdays+-+button.png"/></a>
• It may be helpful to state in your link description what stage of the trivium or what subject your post is about, if applicable, so others can easily find posts they are interested in looking at.
• Remember, everyone loves comments =) So don't be shy, and tell someone if you liked their post!

I reserve the right to remove any link-up that does not have to do with classical homeschooling.         

If you are a regular here at Trivium Tuesdays and have something to share that is a little off topic, but still would be an encouragement to the readers here, please still share it =)  I'm referring to people who are just trying to get their blog more exposure without following the rules above.

If you want to be reminded of this link-up each week, make sure to sign up below!

Maple Sugaring at Home: Getting Ready to Tap My Tree

I am thrilled because I have been given the opportunity to make my very own maple syrup this year ... and I get to share the experience with you!  Tap My Trees has graciously provided me with a maple sugaring starter kit and compensated me for my time and efforts.

First, a little back story...

I have lived in my current home for about three years. Before that I lived in a condo where there was no earth that I could call my own.  My husband and I didn't have too many requirements when we bought our new home except that we wanted four bedrooms and a little bit of land.  In my area, having any land is not the norm, so we were thrilled to find a street filled with 1 acre lots.

We have thoroughly enjoyed having some ground to call our own, but we have had a big learning curve!  When we first moved in, I couldn't tell a weed from a flower.  I'm learning a lot, but still have a long ways to go.  For instance, I know that we have a bunch of maple trees in our yard, but what kind of maples are they?  I had no clue.

Identifying Your Maple Trees

Sugar Maples are the best kind of maple trees to tap, but did you know that you can tap any maple tree?  The difference is that each type of tree has a different sugar content in its sap. The higher the sugar content, the less sap you will need to collect to make your syrup.  So a good place to start is to figure out what type of maple tree you have.

There are many types of maple trees, but here are a few that are common in my area (and hopefully yours).  For more detailed information Tap My Trees has some helpful identification pages, or else just search on Google and you will find all kinds of pages filled with pictures and charts to help you identify your trees!  Hopefully this will help you get started, though...

Sugar Maple:

Leaf: 5 lobed, 3-5 inches wide, smooth margin

Bark: Dark brown with vertical grooves

Fall Color:  Bright yellow, orange, or red

Black Maple:

Leaf: Usually 3 lobed, appears to be drooping, 4+ inches wide 

Bark: Dark brown with vertical grooves

Fall Color: Bright yellow, orange, or red

Red Maple:

Leaf: 3 lobed, 2-6 inches wide, serrated margin 

Bark: Dark with gray or black scaly plates

Fall Color: bright red

Silver Maple:

Leaf: 5-7 inches wide, silvery underside, fine teeth on margin  

Bark: Reddish brown, appears shaggy on mature trees

Fall Color: Mainly yellow

Norway Maple:

  

Leaf:  5 lobes, 3-9 inches wide, tips end in a fine point, usually green but can also be a deep purple

Bark: brown, shallow grooves

Fall Color: usually yellow

What Kind of Maple Trees Do You Have?

Do any of these look familiar?  It turns out that I have a few Norway maples and a Silver maple.  Now I have to make a decision...What tree should I tap?  My Norway maples are very healthy and a perfect size for tapping, but they are not usually used because of their lower sugar content.  Silver maples have a decent sugar content, but mine is really big and not in the greatest condition.  Which would you choose?  Please leave a comment if you have any advice!

 One of my healthy Norway Maples

My sickly Silver Maple

Supplies Needed for Tapping Maple Trees

Making maple syrup is something that I have wanted to do for a long time, but I am completely clueless about the whole process (or at least I was!) so I never got the courage to give it a try.  I was thrilled to find out about Tap My Trees.  Making syrup is their business and they make it so easy for others who want to do it too!

All you have to do is go to Tap My Trees and order a starter kit and you will have everything you need.  I received the Starter Kit for Teachers which also included a handy guide that walks you through the whole process step by step.  So now I have everything I need and I know exactly what to do.  THANK YOU, Tap My Trees!

(Did you know that you can find Tap My Trees on Amazon.com too?  Lots of options!  Can't go wrong either way.


Here is what the Starter Kit for Teachers includes:

• Maple Sugaring Lesson Plan: Lesson plan for the maple sugaring process. Can be adapted for third grade through high school.

• Maple Sugaring at Home book: This guide provides step-by-step instructions (complete with pictures) to tap maple trees. Includes information on how to identify maple trees, how to tap trees, collection and storage of sap, uses for maple sap including how to make maple syrup, and frequently asked questions.

• 1 Aluminum Bucket: 2 gallon aluminum bucket is used to collect the sap as it drips from the spile.

• 1 Metal Lid: Lids prevent rain, snow, and foreign material from entering the bucket.

• 1 Spile with Hook: Stainless steel spile (tap) is inserted into drilled hole to transfer sap into the bucket. Hook is used to hold the bucket.

• 1 Drill Bit: 7/16 drill bit with 3/8 shank used to drill tap hole into your maple tree.

• Cheesecloth: Used to filter any solids (such as pieces of bark) when transferring sap from the collection bucket to a storage container.

• Filter: 24" X 30" filter sheet to filter sediment from finished syrup. Durapure grade filter.

• 1 Bottle with Lid: Empty 12 oz. maple syrup bottle used to store finished syrup.

• Thermometer: Candy thermometer for making maple syrup. Instrument Range: 100 to 400°F / 40 to 200°C. Stainless steel housing with mounting clip

That's a lot of stuff and most of it will service you well year after year!

Preparing to Tap Your Trees

What do you think?  Do you want to give this a try along with me?  Sugaring time is typically around February or March (depending on where you live and how the weather is behaving in that given year), so now is a great time to get your supplies.  A Maple Sugaring Kit would make an awesome Christmas gift to give (or ask for!) don't you think?  If all goes well this year, I'll be asking Santa for extra buckets so we can tap more of our trees!  If you have more trees to tap like I do, check out this starter kit that comes with three buckets, spiles, hooks. etc.

So what do you need to do between now and February?

• Order your supplies

• Identify the best trees in your yard (make sure it is at least 12 inches in diameter)

• Take some time to learn about everything involved in the sugaring process.  Tap My Trees shares some great ideas for incorporating history, science, math, and more into your learning!

• Help your child get excited by reading great books about making maple syrup:

Sugaring Time      Sugar on Snow      Maple Syrup Season      The Maple Syrup Book      At Grandpa's Sugar Bush      Sugaring      Sugarbush Spring      Little House in the Big Woods

Learn more by connecting with Tap My Trees on:

Facebook --- Pinterest --- Twitter --- Instagram

Don't miss part 2 where we actually collected our sap and made maple syrup!

Trivium Tuesdays - Classical Link-Up #188

Welcome to another week of Trivium Tuesdays!  For those of you who are new here today, this link-up is hosted by Living and Learning at Home (that's me!) and Classically Homeschooling and is aimed at encouraging and informing other homeschoolers who use the Classical model of teaching.  Here we can share with each other and learn from one another.


Don't forget to follow my Pinterest boards that are a part of the All Things Classical List!

Also, please remember to only link up posts that have to do with homeschooling using the classical model of education.  Thank you for understanding this link-up's theme.

Featured Post from Last Week

Are you doing anything special this Advent season? I love these ideas that Hungry Schooler shares!

This Week's Link-Up

Here are the rules:

• Your post must have to do (in some way) with classical homeschooling (any age children).
• Your post may be from your archives as long as you only post it one time on this link-up.
• Please link to your direct post, not your blog in general.
• Please link back to this post in some way. You can use my Trivium Tuesdays button (found on my right sidebar) if you'd like so others can learn about this link-up! Button code: <ahref="http://www.livingandlearningathome.com/" target="_blank" title="Trivium Tuesdays"><img alt="Living and Learning at Home" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8bYsfMVF9tdI6haQLUiZ1rvZIf1kDaqnjHIOJA46X62tWXnlPDkU-5OqujsZyjoDp39J7dbhUx9CRFPyV991_BapG9dHciT8osyXwMtDtG6mV_TDyoECv_e5-oKFc2ZavhE4Ds9rj_8Kn/s1600/Trivium+Tuesdays+-+button.png"/></a>
• It may be helpful to state in your link description what stage of the trivium or what subject your post is about, if applicable, so others can easily find posts they are interested in looking at.
• Remember, everyone loves comments =) So don't be shy, and tell someone if you liked their post!

I reserve the right to remove any link-up that does not have to do with classical homeschooling.         

If you are a regular here at Trivium Tuesdays and have something to share that is a little off topic, but still would be an encouragement to the readers here, please still share it =)  I'm referring to people who are just trying to get their blog more exposure without following the rules above.

If you want to be reminded of this link-up each week, make sure to sign up below!

Trivium Tuesdays - Classical Link-Up #187

Welcome to another week of Trivium Tuesdays!  For those of you who are new here today, this link-up is hosted by Living and Learning at Home (that's me!) and Classically Homeschooling and is aimed at encouraging and informing other homeschoolers who use the Classical model of teaching.  Here we can share with each other and learn from one another.


Don't forget to follow my Pinterest boards that are a part of the All Things Classical List!

Also, please remember to only link up posts that have to do with homeschooling using the classical model of education.  Thank you for understanding this link-up's theme.

Featured Post from Last Week

Who doesn't love free?!? Here is a round-up of free Latin resources from Sara at Classically Homeschooling.

This Week's Link-Up

Here are the rules:

• Your post must have to do (in some way) with classical homeschooling (any age children).
• Your post may be from your archives as long as you only post it one time on this link-up.
• Please link to your direct post, not your blog in general.
• Please link back to this post in some way. You can use my Trivium Tuesdays button (found on my right sidebar) if you'd like so others can learn about this link-up! Button code: <ahref="http://www.livingandlearningathome.com/" target="_blank" title="Trivium Tuesdays"><img alt="Living and Learning at Home" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8bYsfMVF9tdI6haQLUiZ1rvZIf1kDaqnjHIOJA46X62tWXnlPDkU-5OqujsZyjoDp39J7dbhUx9CRFPyV991_BapG9dHciT8osyXwMtDtG6mV_TDyoECv_e5-oKFc2ZavhE4Ds9rj_8Kn/s1600/Trivium+Tuesdays+-+button.png"/></a>
• It may be helpful to state in your link description what stage of the trivium or what subject your post is about, if applicable, so others can easily find posts they are interested in looking at.
• Remember, everyone loves comments =) So don't be shy, and tell someone if you liked their post!

I reserve the right to remove any link-up that does not have to do with classical homeschooling.         

If you are a regular here at Trivium Tuesdays and have something to share that is a little off topic, but still would be an encouragement to the readers here, please still share it =)  I'm referring to people who are just trying to get their blog more exposure without following the rules above.

If you want to be reminded of this link-up each week, make sure to sign up below!