Charlotte Mason approval?

I really like Amy’s response.  I feel the same way about helping facilitate memories and life.  I don’t see anything wrong with counting the blueberries that you just picked or bought either…those are manipulatives as well.  The worksheets can wait, but you can still teach quantities.  =)  My girls really enjoy the whole concept of hands-on things and it DOES help them make connections.  My idea of the hands-on activites are things that are useful, like CM said.   Why would that be bad? 

I am definitely not a CM expert, but I think there is a difference between doing a few activities that naturally enhance a study versus an entire unit study.  A true unit study brings every subject area (or most of them) back to a central hub. 

Therefore, in the example of Blueberries for Sal, a true unit study could include: math related to blueberries (counting them, calculating the time from berry to harvest, etc.), science would study the blueberry plant, social studies would study the main geography of where blueberries are grown/harvested and where they are exported, etc. etc. etc. 

For the question related to module 1, the same thing could be true:  math would revolve around something related to ancient Egypt, science would focus on the flooding of the Nile or the process of embalming, etc.

Now, if any of these activities sound interesting and you want to pursue them, then do them.  I think CM wanted to caution against the parent/teacher burning themselves out making all of these forced connections for the students. 

Again, I’m not an expert, but that is my understaning.

-Tanya