****Note to myself from the future. Instead of spending so long on learning about each country, We need to learn more about government. Federal vs provincial vs municipal. The branches of the government, how laws are made, the election process etc.*****
But how do you get serious when you are in a developing country that DOESN'T EVEN HAVE A POSTAL CODE, no BOOK stores, and has SLOW internet, and you JUST moved into a new house that is NOT FINISHED. And you feel like you should be painting walls instead of teaching ABCs?
AAAHHHHH!!!
Thank goodness this year's history is actually geography, because we are certainly learning that by being on the opposite side of the world in a different culture.
I've talked to Canada's Westwind school, and they've agreed that I can be part of their system, especially since we'll be back by mid October. (Or at least that's the plan!)
I need to organize my thoughts:
DEVOTIONAL:
So we've been doing Bislama (the language of Vanuatu) scripture study with our Bislama teacher, but often not very many of my kids take part because they're not interested in Bislama.
We also have been going through the Gospel Principles book each day (when we actually do it) because church is in Bislama, and I want to make sure my kids actually learn the gospel.
But now I really need to do memorizations. Memorizations of geography, memorization of articles of faith, and maybe memorization of the Family Proclamation to the World?
READING:
I don't need to read with Maxwell!!! He's a reading machine!! But I DO need to read everyday with Daniel and Hyrum, and they both need Barton program as well.
WRITING:
I need to have all the boys do daily writing, but most important Maxwell. He needs key boarding, writing and spelling every day. It's going to have to be consistent and I haven't figured out the best way to do grammar. Also I want to do Visualizing and Verbalizing with Hyrum when I'm back in Canada.
WILLIAM:
He's in kindergarten!!!! So excited and overwhelmed am I!!! When we go back to Cardston, I plan on putting him in actual public school kindergarten. I've always wondered if kindergarten would have been a magical reading experience for my boys, and it's only half day and it's only for a few months, and I plan on doing this experiment!
But for now (and I'll do this even while he's in "real school") I really want to start Handwriting without Tears, and Rightstart math, and I'm not sure exactly how/when I am supposed to do that.
MAXWELL:
He's supposed to be in "scholar" mode and be able to choose his own adventures i.e. photoshop courses and 3D design courses etc. Would work better if we had good internet!
MATHEMATICS:
Ahhh! Who what when where why and how? I don't have my curriculum here! Oh whoa is me, I need to figure this out. Maxwell is starting a whole new math program since he's graduated from Rightstart.
SCIENCE:
We're doing astronomy and earth science this year, and I'm totally bummed that we missed the total eclipse that happened in Idaho. But we WILL study the southern hemisphere constellations while we are here, but I'm not going to start my science club until Canada because....I don't have my curriculum here. Hmmmmm. Maybe there's a way....
SOCIAL STUDIES
Doing what I did four years ago I guess, but maybe in a different order:
September:
- begin continents song
- maps-make topographical map out of salt dough
- maps-paint map
- maps- mercator maps on oranges
- maps-draw your own country using geography terms
- begin mountains song
- maps-start BIG map with longitude and latitude
- maps-"Temple cruise" packets started
- government-democratic/republic Prime Minister Election
- government-dictatorship/totalitarian Dictator game* (explained below)
October:
- government-monarchy/theocracy one kid is king and has all kids "harvest" all the tiny candies that have been scattered on floor and give it all to king who only gives one or two pieces back.
- begin deserts song
- government-anarchy/revolutionary play uno for a little while and then change rules every couple of rounds.
- culture-clothing-international fashion show
- culture-natural resources- play settlers of Catan
- culture-food-international taste test
- begin seven seas song
- culture-population-play "who sliced this pie"**(explained below)
- religion-Eastern religions-learn yoga, fortune cookies with Confucius sayings stuffed inside.
- religion-Islam-make model of mosque (talk about five pillars)
- religion-Judaism-play dreidel (ICG p39), compare with mormonism, sing hebrew songs.
- religion-Christianity-put on pageant of New Testament story
November:
- begin americas song
- Mexico-make little zapotec people and a saturday market setting Saturday Market
- Cuba- tody bird
- Jamaica-Rasta bracelets
- Guatemala-banderitas (NPLH p65)
- Costa Rica-worry dolls (ICG p126)
- Panama-Bird Molas (ICG p101) or link
- Columbia- maracas made from hollow eggs dyed with coffee
- Ecuador-god's eyes (ICG p108)
December:
- Peru-arpilleras "Tonight is Carnaval"
- Chile-rainstick (ICG p118)
- Brazil- carnival mask
- Argentina-Goucho gord mate mug.---humm not sure where to get a gourd
- begin Europe and oceans song
- Sweden-saint lucia and/or majstang (ICG p78 & 87)
- Norway-windmill
- United Kingdom-Christmas crackers
January:
- Denmark-woven heart (ICG 92)
- Ireland-crois bride (ICG p70)
- France-bilboquet (ICG p65)
- Germany-schorenschnitte (ICG p85)
- Poland-stuffed cabbage (NPLH p41)
- Austria-watch sound of music
- Switzerland-cow bell (ICG p69)
- Italy-homemade pasta
- Spain-castanets
- Russia-russian architecture
February
- begin eastern Europe/Middle east song
- Ukraine-matreshka dolls (NPLH p43)
- Romania-dracula party
- Greece-moussaka
- Turkey-pistachios and turkish fez
- Syria-Hamsa
- Israel-grogger (ICG p44)
- Saudi Arabia-prayer mat (ICG p55)
- Kuwait-machboos
March:
- Iraq and Iran (I know they're very different, but whatever)-baaghlava
- Afganistan-homemade kites
- Pakistan-henna hands
- begin Africa song
- Egypt-Nine men's morris (ICG p20)
- Nigeria-hammered metal picture (ICG p15)
- Ghana-adinkra banner (ICG p6)
- Congo-double drum (ICG p11)
- Ivory Coast-folding fan (ICG p12)
April:
- Zimbabwe-mancala
- South Africa-sotho beaded doll (ICG p27)
- Mozambique-galimoto (ICG 14)
- Madagascar-tribal beads (ICG p29) or spoon painting
- begin Asia song
- Mongolia-wind chimes (ICG p63) or link
- China-dragon boat (ICG p37)
- North and south Korea (again, VERY different, but compare and contrast)-paper lanterns (ICG p52)
- Japan-tanabata lanterns
- India-jingles (ICG p47)
May:
- Nepal-rangoli
- Thailand-pellet drum (ICG p54)
- Philippines-sarimanok
- Australia-decorate boomerangs
- New Zealand-knitting/poi balls
- Figi- leis (ICG p49)
- Tonga-palm woven hat (green construction paper)
- Vanuatu-grass skirt
- Samoa-decorate something with shells
*Dictator Game: Each person is given the same amount of points or treats. In the game, there would be advantages and rebellions. For example, the dice 2 and 6 would be "advantages" 1 and 4 would be "rebellions" and 3 would be "cooperation." There would be around a 2 min. round time. They would sit in a circle.The teacher who is in charge of the treats would have sign saying "army" the teacher would choose the dictator, and then we would begin. The children would take turns rolling the dice. If they got an advantage, the army would give the dictator the treat (regardless of who rolled the dice) If they got a rebellion, then the one who threw the dice would get a treat taken away. It would be up to the army whether or not the dictator got the treat. A cooperation they would simply pass the dice. At the end of the round, the next child would be the dictator.
**Who Sliced this Pie: (Got this idea from public school teacher with 30 kids, but I'll use paper dolls) Divide room up into continents (Frustratingly Australia and Russia go together statistically)
Population (#of students/paper dolls)
Asia=52.18%=16
Africa=10.66%=3
Middle East=9.88=3
Europe=9.62%=3
North America=5.17%=2
South America=8.52%=2
Australia/Russia=3.14%=1 (if just Australia 1/2)
Distribution of food production (#of chocolate kisses) btw-I couldn't find new statistics for this one, so these statistics are at least 10-15 years old.
Asia=36%=9
Africa=7%=2
Middle East=oh bother, um, not sure. goes with asia statistically
Europe=31%=8
North America=16%=4
South America=9%=2
Australia (Not Russia too---problems when you take statistics from different studies urg)=1%=1/2 kiss
none for antarctica
Wealth (# of caramels)
Asia=24%=6
Africa=1.01%=1/4
Middle East=4.1%=1
Europe=27.06%=7
North America=33.67%=8
South America=6.44%=2
Australia/Russia=3.38%=1
Interestingly, I took the newest population and wealth statistics I could find, and asia has gotten richer and other nations poorer from when this lady first did this activity. Hummm.
