First we had a cider party. Not very many people came. I was okay with this. We had spent the day at a birthday party anyway. We made so much cider we don't know how to store it all.
Then we had Thanksgiving.
Then we had a Halloween party.
Yep, Dustin says I'm not allowed to have another party for awhile.
Anyways, thanksgiving kind of doubled as a history activity for learning about Columbus. You know what? I really miss celebrating Plymouth pilgrims, Squanto, and religious freedom for Thanksgiving. Columbus' story is a lot darker. Oh well, welcome to Canada.
We have read the first volume of A History of US now. We read additional books on Vikings, Marco Polo, Columbus, Pocahontas, and Samuel de Champlain. I'm not done with Samuel de Champlain. It's my plan to learn more about him, the Hurons, and the Iroquois this next week. I'm actually more interested in him then other historical figures because I know nothing. I'm learning with my kids and it's fun.
As far as activities go, I have not had motivation to initiate any. Maxwell was undaunted and has made boats in the explorers' honour without any coaxing. I sure love that boy.
Just you wait for next week though. I am going to do activities from now on! I AM!
In science we learned Newton's first law of Inertia. I love this law because kids understand it so easily. Among other things, we had a "car crash" and showed how people have inertia and keep moving after the car stops.
The next week we talked about acceleration and centripetal force. We spun pennies in balloons and spun ourselves and spun cups full of water. And unlike last time I taught this, I miraculously was not dizzy by the end.
Also, Heather Burton is doing an excellent job teaching the kids creative writing. (As a side note, Crystal is out on sick leave and a teacher I'm not familiar with has taken over book making.) Anyway, Heather taught them all about quotations this week, and I walked into the end of their lesson as they put their "66-sixes and 99-nines" on each side of their head as they said quotes. Cute.
She is also initiating a writing contest. Hyrum has finished his story, and I'll post Maxwell's next week. I have to admit, I had to ask a lot of questions like "how did the squirrels feel about that?" To get this story to the point it's at, but I think it's pretty cute.
Hyrum chose these photos as his writing prompts:
Wonder the Super Squirrel By Hyrum McKay
Paul the Lion roared "Attack the village!" As he started stomping and kicking the houses of the little squirrels.
"Ahh!" said the squirrels as they started to run away. They were crying and yelling. Some of squirrels got hurt. They were angry and sad at the lion. They did not want to move their village.
"What are we going to do?" They said. One squirrel said "I know! Let's ask super squirrel for help." Another squirrel said "Good idea."
Wonder the Super Squirrel was asleep high up in the tree above the village. The other squirrels knew where he was, and ran to get him.
"Wake up! Wake up!" they all said as they shook him.
"Hey, I need my sleep, okay?" said Super Squirrel
One squirrel said "But Paul the Lion is attacking the village!"
"Really?" said Wonder.
"Yes."
"I'll go as quickly as I can and Thunder him out of the village!"
When Paul saw Wonder, Paul said "You can't get me, or thunder me."
But Wonder was a super squirrel and got on his super suit to fight him. Wonder can make lighting and thunder come out of his paws.
Wonder jumped from the branch and as he flew, he zapped Paul. And Paul ran away roaring with pain. He never came back again.
"Yeh! Wonder saved the day!" all the squirrels said. "That was a good plan to ask Wonder." said one squirrel. Another squirrel said "Yes,that was a good plan because Wonder is a hero!"
The end.
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