Mar 29, 2011
Kindergarten for 2-year-olds
A couple weeks ago, Orison was doing a unit at school on the Presidents of the United States. Since it’s Kindergarten, they just focused on the four presidents of Mount Rushmore. They learned a few facts about each one, and Orison just loved it!
One morning he was getting ready for school, and he started “testing” Morrow. And much to our surprise, Morrow knew the answers!
The funny part is, Morrow doesn’t even know his colors reliably, but he can name the presidents on Mount Rushmore. I guess it’s all about exposure!
Another funny story about Orison and the presidents: one morning Abraham and Orison were talking about the subject of war. Abraham was telling him that wars happen, but they’re really terrible, and they should be avoided if possible, etc., etc. Orison looks up at him and says, “War should never be entered upon until every agency of peace has failed.”
Abraham looks at him with mental-jaw dropped and asked, “Where’d you learn that? At school?”
Orison says, “No, I learned it in my presidents book.”
I’d gotten him a book of all the presidents from the library just so he could see the names and pictures of the other presidents, to satisfy his curiosity a bit. Little did I know he was reading their famous quotes (and memorizing them?). He couldn’t remember which president had said that particular quote, but he looked it up for us a little later and announced, “William McKinley said that!”
Ahhh…learning rocks.
Got any funny stories to share about your older kids teaching your younger kids things that seem advanced for their age? Other funny learning stories?
Wosavelt. So sweet. :-) That was awesome!
I’m impressed on both accounts (I don’t think I could read words like agency in kindergarten either). Way to go guys!
I read this post out loud to my roommates and we laughed a lot. That is impressive and hilarious. Oh Orison….
I’m pretty sure that earlier this morning I didn’t know William McKinley was one of the U.S. Presidents. I guess Morrow isn’t the only one learning from Orison.
I love this.
Of course your kid would know the Mount Rushmore presidents before his colors :)
Too funny…
When I was really little my favorite book to have read to me by my parents was Pilgrims Progress, we read it all the time. Then one day I started to say the sentences that came next in the book before my mom got to them. That was when they decided it was time to read a new book.
That is WAY too cute! He’ll remember those forever with that sponge of a memory!
I want to be surprised by this, but Orison and Morrow really are so smart! I can even imagine O saying that to Abraham. How funny that must have been! Great job, Molly :)
That is so cute and fantastic all rolled in to one! Love it!!!
When I was six and my brother was eight, he told me how sex worked. I didn’t believe him so I went and looked it up in our encyclopedia. Yup, it’s in there. With pictures. Bet our folks didn’t see that use coming when they bought it.
Molly, this is amazing! By the way, my little girl is 4 and a half knows practically all of kindergarten math, and I have not done very much math with her. It’s all her Big Sister!
When my dear son was a little tot he had all the presidents memorized, and was pretty familiar too with the years they served, to my great embarassment once at church he asked an older pastors wife how old she was, she of course, was not willing to share that tidbit with my little boy so then he asked, okay, who was president when you were born? that way he would have a ‘ballpark’ on her age….way back then I had to explain ‘vanity’.
My 3-year-old is in the midst of some speech evaluations, and in most of the tests, they ask for the names of farm animals and sounds that they make. Since the 3-year-old is a youngest child (with a 6- and 7-year-old sister and brother), we RARELY discuss such “basic” topics as farm animals and the like! Before the speech pathologist started to get worried about further developmental concerns, Grace launched into this lengthy discussion of Star Wars and all of its major characters, who was allied with the Empire and who stood with the Rebels. :-)
that is so funny!!! your children are so cute! i love reading about them!!
Orison for President!
Oh, that is priceless! Though neither of my boys can read or is going to school yet, the following happened at the beginning of lunch today:
Liam (1 1/2): “WAHHH! AHHH! WAHHH!” Ian (3),calmly yet sternly: “Liam, do you want to go to nap with NO LUNCH?” Liam (stopping screaming): “NO!” Ian: “You need to stop screaming or Mom might put you to bed.” Ian’s instruction seems to have worked since Liam quieted right down and started eating!
Hilarious! I love the part where Orison scrunches up his nose. And the story about the quote actually made me laugh out loud. Too cute.
Wozabelt – love it! I hope you know how your children light up households across the country/world?!
Also, I’m sure you would find my accent hilarious (y’all!!) but I get a kick out of hearing you guys’ (you don’t say yins do ya?)
A kid who quotes William McKinley’s “War should never be entered upon until every agency of peace has failed.” is A-W-E-S-O-M-E!
That is so cute!
I’ve seen it this year. We do a lot of memory work in our homeschool, and we have little songs for some of the history information. One day my 2 year old asked about a book that had a picture of John Calvin on it. When I told him who it was, he said, “John Calvin joined the reformation…” because he had heard it on one of our history songs. He also likes to sing the presidents names, but he only knows bits and pieces of that song. It’s just amazing to see how much they soak up when they are exposed to things.
My heavenly word. Even intelligent children don’t do that! He is beyond above-average! I have four boys … and one is a very good reader who would never ever have done that! Or memorized it!
No kids stories to share, but I just want to tell you that your kids seriously bring JOY to my heart!!! Please, please, please share more videos WHENEVER you want!!!
And if Abraham makes a t-shirt that says Orison for president with one of his quotes, I’m totally buying it! (I will probably buy the Obama one too…. ;) )
I knew a 3 year old a few years back that knew every dinosaur – what their distinctives were, when they lived, where their fossils were found. But my youngest brother, like Orison, was really into presidents. He knew them all – in order – before he started kindergarten. Not surprisingly, he minored in political science and has served 20+ years in China.
That just made my day! What intelligent (and cute) little men. Love your family.
OH my freaking goodness. You have the CUTEST kids…GAHHHH. This is soooooo adorable. Oh my oh my oh my. I can’t get over how cute Orison and Morrow are!!! Ahh. Can’t wait till the twins talk!!
my 3-year old nephew knows cars really well. but not just like a normal amount for a 3-year-old… he knows most cars (including classic cars) by sight. so driving with him in the backseat, he doesn’t just point out the window and say, “car! truck!” he says “saab! chevelle! lexus! ford edge!” and whenever i’ve been with him, he’s been dead on. oh, how i love that kid!
I suppose you are well aware that your children are ridiculously adorable?
Owen has been interested in the presidents lately too! Our neighbor gave us a placemat that has all the photos of past presidents and he’s been very curious to know what many of them are ‘known’ for achieving (or in some cases even how they died??). I love the insatiable quest for knowledge kids posess at this age!! :)
WoW! Smart kids (:
Molly, I read this so much, and wish I could even begin to express how my heart is encouraged through your family. Hope it’s ok that I have a link to your blog on my blog :-)
oops!!
I remember driving the kids to their Montessori school, and listening to the three-year olds in the back seat discussing infinity!
you have such beautiful children. they make my heart melt.
Oh my goodness! I love this video, as a mommy and as a K/1 teacher!!! Precious!
From what I’ve noticed, children are more capable of learning than we consider them to be.