Maxwell has said that he wants to be an endanger species vet. Like a zoo vet, or rescue centre vet. Well, we don't have zoos or rescue centres here, but we do have your typical vet, so why not start there!
The two vets here are about the nicest guys in town, and were super accommodating and helpful.
Maxwell got to see them spayed a cat, clean a dog's teeth, see a cat get vaccinations, and see a Horse get his teeth filed down! Did you know a horse's teeth never stop growing? They need to get filed down if they don't have perfect teeth so wearing a bit is comfortable.
It was kind of funny. While he was cleaning the dog's teeth, we chatted, and I could tell he was a little worried about homeschooling. I'm not sure if I reassured him either. His biggest concern was that homeschoolers wouldn't be able to work for an employer.
I hadn't really heard that concern before, and I said "well, it's true that homescoolers are more likely to question authority." I just don't see that as a bad thing. My McKay clan nieces and nephews who homeschooled are going to college or who are graduating are doing it faster and better than average.
Will they be at cubicle jobs in the end? probably not. I believe education is freedom. The more education you have, the more freedom you have, and I think homeschooling can hep you believe that you really can be anything you want and explore it, and if the jobs not there, you make it yourself.
Well, we'll see, this is a twenty year long experiment I guess. I feel like it's right though.
It was interesting, we were talking about different things, and rats came up, and they said how rats were not allowed in Alberta (which I knew.) Then they said "Maxwell, do you know what disease rats cary?----I bet your mom might know---" and I went blank.
I thought about the Bubonic plague because that was what we were studying, and Maxwell had said to me earlier "Mom I know about the plague, why do we need to learn it again? It was fleas on rats that went to humans." I had even mentioned to the other vet that the plague was our current topic. But I thought he couldn't be meaning the plague because....well....it's 2016.
So Maxwell and I just looked dumb as he then explained about the black plague and how it's still a risk and animals die from it and how even humans sometimes get it. I felt so stupid. I had to redeem myself and I kind of prompted Maxwell to share things about the London fire of 1666 that ended that plague outbreak. Prideful? yes.
Well anyway, the vet taught us a little more info on our subject. We made "plague doctor" masks to "ward" off the plague.
One book we read about the London fire was super cute for kids:
It was sadly perfect timing to learn about a fire that destroyed everything, because there was a fire in our province destroying everything!
88,000 people have been evacuated from Fort McMurray AB. They are still not allowed back, and at least 2,500 homes are gone. Just gone.
So heartbreaking.
We talked about how the Fire of London ended up to be a blessing and helped bring on the Renaissance, but it's hard to see Fort McMurray's fire as a blessing.
Well, anyway, we also learned about Gutenberg's printing press; the most important invention EVER! (Yes we talked about how the chinese and korean actually did it first...) Did you know Gutenberg was only in business for FIVE years?! He had to give his equipment back because he couldn't pay his loan, but in that time he made 200 bibles.
There is an awesome children's book about it:
We made our own moveable type printing press as our activity:
For science this week it was pretty lame, but it was supposed to be a party because it's our last class. I was going to do a few more things with Ph balance but I thought they were redundant and I was feeling lazy, so we just watched Brainpop. Half the kids didn't come until way late anyway.
The kids weren't that impressed with me but didn't complain either.
So there you go! Not much school left!!
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