Katie Grace's Main Lesson: A Rainforest Adventure

This month, we've decided to take a second grade trip to the rainforest. Katie Grace enjoys science, but since we do science all together, she doesn't always get a chance to pursue her own interests. She's been wanting to learn more about the rainforest since Vacation Church School this summer, when they all went on a rainforest adventure!

In math, we're working on place value, and adding/subtracting 3 digit numbers, including borrowing and regrouping. It's hard to work all of that into a rainforest unit, but one thing we're doing is making a "place value vine." Today, she colored 10 pieces of paper green. We then cut out leaf shapes, and she labeled them, counting on by 100. We strung them on a green ribbon and hung them up.

The plan is to add flowers in between the leaves for 10s, and then bugs between the flowers for 5s. More pictures to come!

We're also planning to go on a Treasures of the Amazon web quest.

Some books we'll be looking at include:
Crafts for Kids Who Are Wild About the Rainforest by Kathy Ross
The Great Kapok Tree by Lynne Cherry
Welcome to the Green House by Jane Yolan
Nature's Green Umbrella by Gail Gibbons
The Umbrella by Jan Brett
Rainforest from DK Publishing
Rainforest Wildlife by Usborne

"From the heart" stories include:
Peeps at Many Lands: A Journey on the Amazon

The Rainforest Alliance also has some good resources, including an original story. The Rainforest Action Network is another site that advocates for saving the rainforest.

This site has some fun activities as well. We're going to create the Amazon ABC mural.

Using care2, you can send endangered wildlife ecards to loved ones-- a fun way to keep Daddy in the loop!

And if this doesn't keep us busy, here's a whole other page of resources!

Wordless Wednesday

World Water Day

I have the coolest friends.

Yesterday, I blogged about Raise the Change, a brand new site started by two of my online friends.

Today, I'd like to bring to your attention to Dream Village and its World Water Day activities, a project another friend of mine is working on.

From their materials:
"Dream Village educates children about important social, economic, and environmental issues by combining illustrated children’s picture books with a fun and interactive web portal. Best of all, the children choose how and where Dream Village makes its charitable donations. With Dream Village, children learn, interact, and then affect real-life positive change."

"We are looking for schools and individual teachers who are looking for a fun, informative, and accessible way to educate their children on the global water crisis and who are also interested in teaching their children about getting involved and making a difference."

1 in 6 people do not have adequate access to clean, fresh water. You can make a difference!

Something for Nothing!

I haven't done this for a while, but thought I would share some fun contests happening in the Blogosphere.

Mommies with Cents is giving away a CozyCare Mat from Spa Time Baby here. You can also enter a Maya Wrap giveaway here.

Mod Mum Slings are being given away here at Grab Bag Reviews. There are also lots of opportunities for extra entries! She's also giving away diapers from Bagshot Row.

Riding with No Hands has a giveaway from Go Picnic. Look yummy!

And how cute are these Bugaboo shoes! They're being given away here on A Latte in the Morning.

And speaking of sweet stuff... Surf Sweets candy is being given away over at Prissy Green.

Blessed Nest Perch is having a Stonyfield Farm package giveaway. Great company, great stuff!

Menu Plan Monday

Monday: Hamburger Casserole from laaloosh.com
Tuesday: Enchiladas, also from laaloosh
Wednesday: Baked Ziti from The Biggest Loser Family Cookbook, with a salad
Thursday: Binner! (Breakfast for dinner)
Friday: Pizza night
Saturday: London broil, potatoes, and veggies
Sunday: at church!

Story of the World: Exploring New Worlds

This week we move into some hairy territory in Story of the World. We'll be learning about Vespucci and Magellan, Cortes and Columbus. And while they may have been exploring a world that was new to them, the "New World" was already home to thriving civilizations.

I suspect it's going to be a week full of questions, as we not only talk about brave explorers, but also about slavery, genocide, and oppression.

Louise Derman Sparks, in her fabulous book Anti-Bias Curriculum: Tools for Empowering Young Children suggests telling the stories so commonly accepted as history from the point of view of Native Americans. Tell the story "Christopher Columbus's Mistake" or "My House and the Strange People". Ask your children what they know about Native Americans, and explore the stereotypes. Be sure to help them distinguish between daily life and ceremonial activities.

RESOURCES:
Christopher Columbus's Mistake (A reader's theater play)
Rethinking Columbus

And finally, I would like to share a brand new resource for this crazy parenting gig: Raise the Change. From their "about us" page:

Raise the Change is committed to respectful and open discussion about political and cultural topics that affect us as women, mothers and global citizens. Our worldview is liberal and progressive.

The site is new (and run by two dear friends of mine!) and not only has wonderful resources, but a growing discussion community. See you there!

I'd love to hear your ideas on presenting a balanced, non-biased view of historical events!

A St. Patrick's Day Circle

St. Patrick's Day is coming soon! We focus on the religious aspects during our devotions and Christian education, so during circle our emphasis is on the fanciful. We start out with an action poem and then sing more about leprechauns. After we recite rainbow rhymes, we like to play chasing and tagging games to catch the leprechaun and get his gold!

Would you see the Little Men
Coming down a moonlit glen?
Gnome and elf and woodland sprite,
Clad in brown and green and white.
Skipping, hopping, never stopping.
Stumbling, grumbling, tumbling, mumbling,
Dancing, prancing, singing, swinging--
Coats of red and coats of brown,
Put on straight or upside down,
Outside in or inside out,
Some with sleeves and some without.
Rustling, bustling, stomping, romping,
Strumming, humming, hear them coming.
You will see the Little Men
If it be a fairy glen!
Flora Fearne

To the tune of I'm a Little Teapot
I'm a little leprechaun, dressed in green.
The tiniest man you've ever seen.
If you ever catch me, it's been told,
I'll give you my pot of gold!

Count off fingers in this rhyme and end with a chase.
This little leprechaun slid down the rainbow.
This little leprechaun stayed home.
This little leprechaun picked a shamrock.
This little leprechaun found some gold.
And this little leprechaun cried "Catch me if you can!" all the way home.


There's a great big cloud over here.
Use one hand to form clouds.
And a great big cloud over there.
Use other hand to make more clouds.
The rain falls down and makes a path
Use fingers to make pretend rain.
A rainbow bridge up in the air!
Make a large arc with hands.

We always like to end our St. Patrick's Day circle with a cuddle while I sing "Too Ra Loo Ra Loo Ra" which you can hear here.

Free organic lettuce seeds from Earthbound Farms!

Earthbound Farm sells yummy produce, and is now offering you a chance to grow your own! Click here to get free organic heirloom lettuce seeds from Earthbound Farm. Then come June, you can enter their "How Did Your Garden Grow?" contest. Happy spring!

World Math Day!

World Math Day is coming quickly! It begins on March 4, 2009.
Register today!

Happy Tenth Birthday, Michael!

For Michael's birthday, we decided to have a skating party. I've never really done a "venue party" before, but I figured the cost was pretty much the same and maybe even a little less than doing it ourselves. Bonus: I didn't have to entertain 10 ten-year-olds for two hours.

These aren't the best pictures. It was dark and really, really loud. Which has nothing to do with taking photos, but still bears mentioning.
I learned an important lesson. Don't go out at 5 PM the night before a birthday party and expect to find a cake. I totally lucked out.

PRESENTS!

An Eagles cap and a Wii game were big hits.

My brilliant idea number one: Let Katie Grace invite a friend so she has someone to hang out with and doesn't bother the crud out of her brother and his guests.

My brilliant idea number two: Invite a babysitter (or two) to occupy Nick and make sure he doesn't run anyone down.

My brilliant idea number three: Invite Grandma and Grandpa to come snoogle the baby.


Daniel spent much of the time boogying down. This little girl kept looking at him like he was the strangest thing in the universe.

The birthday boy may pick the treats, but Daniel was the one who seemed to enjoy them the most!