The FHE co-op- Families Homeschooling for Excellence

I know I have mentioned before how much I love the co-op we belong to. It is perfect for us in every way. Last tuesday was the last day of this co-op session and we are ready to take a break for summer.
this term I taught WWII to the 7-10 year olds. It was amazing! One of the things about teaching your own children is that you never cease to continue learning things also. there were so many things I did not know about each of the subjects I have taught and I am grateful that I have the chance and oppurtunity to continue learning through this avenue.
I vividly remember when I first pulled Seri out of school we were in Germany and she wanted to learn about WWII. I knew it had something to do with Hitler and the Atom bomb, at least I thought, but I wasn't even sure if those two events were in the same war or one was WWI. We were standing in the library and I didn't even know what countries were involved in this war. I remember being stunned at my lack of knowledge, overwhelmed, and feeling that there were so many things I didn't know.... It was a very empty feeling.
So here is what we covered in our oh-so brief introduction to the war.
1- Hitlers rise to power, the pact with the USSR, which countries were the axis and how they started invading nearby countries.
2-Aushwitz and the Holocaust
3- The Americans get involved, how and why
4-Famous battles and the allied troops
5-War in the homefront and how it changed our world.
6 victory, how and why.

The kids totally ate it up and we made "candy bombers" resembling those dropped by American troops over Germany for the children, Posters representing some of the "Rosie the riveter" propaganda posters and planted Victory gardens.
We filled in maps with the names of the countries involved and color coded them accordidng to their alllegiances, and set up a risk game board and reinacted some of the major battles on it using the risk men.
All in all it was a very succesful class.
Now just for the sake of helping me remember I want to list the different classes I have taught in our co-op career.

Winter 2007- substitute
Spring 2007- Math-Times tales
Fall 2007- Forensics
Winter 2008- Forensics
Spring 2008- took off to have Tristan
Fall 2008- The constitution
Winter 2009- Little Known history
Amastad
Uss Indianapolis
Trail of Tears
Orphan Trains
Shakers
Salem witch Trials
Spring 2009- WWII

I am excited about next year because Sariah will be entering the pre-school class and I am going to be doing pre-school arts and crafts. While I enjoy learning it will be a relief to teach a class in which I don't have to mentally spend so much time on preperation. I need a break I think. I have also been toying with the idea of doing a "Readers Book Guild" for the older children. We'll see.