Learning To Read With Fly Tying

So my “wee man” is off to Edmonton for a couple of weeks, and I’m going to miss him. A Lot. Today, we decided to spend some time together and one of the things we’re doing is tying up some Beadhead Bloodworms.  David decided he wanted to look at a fly tying book, and we got out “Stillwater Solutions Recipes” by Phil Rowley and Brian Chan.

I doubt the public education teachers would be using this as a text or “early reader” book – but – it works.

“Dad, what’s this word?”

“Well, I know you could sound it out.”

“Wa… wa-ter…  b-.  Water bo…  How does the rest of it go, Dad?”

“Well, what do we say when we see two vowels together?”

“When two vowels go a-walking, the first one does the talking!”

“You got it, David!  So try again.”

“Wa-water bo-boat – boatman.  Water Boatman, Dad!  This fly is called a Water Boatman!  That’s a funny name for a fly.”

So we look at the Water Boatman patterns. Turn some pages and come to “Leeches.”  David has no problem sounding that one out.  Scuds of course was easy too.

Ah, good job at at least trying to sound out “chironomids,” David!  That was a tough one.

So there you go.  Home schooled kids can learn about entymology while learning how to read at the same time.

Not bad for a kid that just turned five a couple of months ago.