Little House and maple syrup

Our youngest eight students have been having a wonderful time exploring the time period of pioneers by using Laura Ingalls Wilder's book Little House in the Big Woods.  We started by reading a biography about Laura and then started reading her first book.  As we explored the big woods with Laura and her family, we've also learned a lot about a time before electricity!  We've seen and touched an iron that Ma would have used.  We've "churned" our own butter by shaking whipping cream until it formed into a lump.  We've seen and touched a washboard.  A favorite activity was when we got to visit Beaver Lake and see how Maple Syrup was made.  This was a huge part of the book we were reading and it was fun to experience it first hand.  Next we'll be following Laura and her family as they move to the prairie in the next book, Little House on the Prairie.