Benefits of Taking Some Time...

Noah has always enjoyed Kathryn Lasky's books. So I picked up her Beyond The Burning Time about a sister and brother who's mother is accused of witchcraft in Salem back in 1692.  I thought maybe he'd turn his nose up at it because of  a few reasons: the main character is a girl and he didn't pick it himself. But he actually sat down happily to read with me. Sometimes I read, other times Noah reads.

 We haven't read a chapter book together in so long... I've forgotten all the great benefits from doing this. Like stopping and discussing things; how things in the story will lead us on different paths of learning.
There has been some great points in the book where we can stop to Google things we're not sure of, or we'd like to learn more about. Like: Just how big is a cord of wood? What was an Ordinary in the 17th century? We hunted around the house for dovetails in some of the older pieces of our furniture and discussed what talent it takes to be a woodcraft person then and now.  By the way, an Ordinary is sort of a bed and breakfast back then and a cord of wood measures 4x4x8. Just in case you were wondering.

 So far, we are on chapter five and I'm enjoying the story, enjoying cuddling close with Noah again and searching out the bits and pieces from the story.  I'll have to remember all the benefits of taking some time to read with Noah. We're trying to find our new path on our homeschooling journey... which seems like maybe some of the old stops along the way is just what we've needed.