March 7, 2014 Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum

Yesterday Rowan and I went on an "official" school field trip.  We haven't done any for this school year.  We tend to work very diligently in fear of falling behind on our work.  There was the one break we took for two weeks last September and I feel like I'm still in catch up mode for that.  Once I decided to take a peek to see where we were in comparison with the public school calendar, I realized that we were way ahead of schedule for finishing this year, like a month and half, I decided we should take things a little slower and enjoy the roses so to speak.

Yesterday was homeschool day at the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum.  This was also our first field trip meeting up with other homeschoolers.  Not just ones from close-by towns but in our state.  Aside from paying $8 for parking, it is the big city after all, admission was free.  We spent a total of four hours looking at exhibits and watching short films.  I was disappointed that my camera didn't have the battery life I was hoping for, and was left taking the rest of the pictures with my phone.  I'm sure this never happens to anyone else.

 

Her favorite exhibit was Extreme Mammals.  I would really want one of these if they were still around.

 

 

Lots of exhibits showing the usefulness of different parts of the body.  You'll notice there are lots of references to evolution in all the displays.  We haven't covered those issues yet at home.  I am certainly always grateful I did not come from a skunk one way or another.  

 

 

This is a prehistoric tooth we were allowed to touch.  It has lots of grooves and serrated but dull edges.  There's a feeling one gets when touching something from so long ago. 

 

 

My very own saber toothed cat.  This display showed outlines of various animals.  We tried being hippos and bears.

 

 

Rowan loved seeing this narwhal tusk.  In fact, she thought they were already extinct.  It was a highlight of her day to tell her dad that narwhals were "really real and still alive today."

    

 

This was a lock and spear from early settlers in Texas.  I was captivated by the ornate work put into making it.  I think Rowan was laying down on a bench thinking we would never get out of the museum.

 

 

A call for people to move to Texas.

 

 

Texas innovation, oil fields, and the role Texas played in World War II.  I'm always a keen observer as to what grabs her attention.  She really liked this plane.  She ran her hands over the wings several times.  Did it spark her imagination?

 

 

A shot from the top floor looking down on a mural.

I was impressed with the quality and quantity of displays.  I thought they did a wonderful job telling the history of this state.  I even learned a few things.  I have some new ideas for field trips to expand on the things learned at the museum.  Not too far down the road from us is Goliad where a massacre took place after the fall of the Alamo but before the Battle of San Jacinto.  Even though we're not officially studying Texas History I think it's always good to know your state's past.

After the museum we had lunch at Magnolia Cafe.  A charming place to eat on the touristy South Congress strip.

Our last stop was Teacher Heaven.  I needed a different approach and course material for spelling.  This is Rowan's most difficult subject.  I found what I needed and then we made our escape from the big city and back to the safety of our little acre in the country.

I'm looking forward to next week's field trip...The Rodeo!  It's a surprise for Rowan, so don't tell.