Posted by Cindy on February 26, 2009
This is the week for cleaning up my side bar! Here are the references that have been in the sidebar for February’s artist, Pierre August Renoir. Next month, we’re studying Van Gogh, you can find those references in the sidebar now.
A Girl With a Watering Can
La Grenouillere
Luncheon of the Boating Party
Picking Flowers
Websites To Visit
Biography for Kids
Renoir Gallery *Warning: Preview these as Renoir painted many nudes!
Books To Read
We have LOVED Renoir! In this week’s lesson, the children chose Renoir’s painting below (Oarsmen at Chatou) to try to replicate.
Mahayla’s
Caleb’s
Posted by Cindy on
Wagner was February’s composer. I’m making room in the sidebar for next month’s composer, Mozart. 
Did you know Renoir painted a portrait of Wagner?
Classics For Kids Biography
Listen
Posted by Cindy on February 25, 2009
Wow. We’re on our last planned history unit of the school year. It feels great to be ahead of schedule! (At least in history, anyway!)
I’ve sketched out the main topics I hope to cover in a unit on slavery and the Civil War. I think we’ll plan to make this mostly a literature and writing unit, with project choices for both parts of the study.
We’re using bits and pieces of the Slavery in North America lapbook from In the Hands of a Child. I guess you could say this is sort of our spine curriculum. All other information will be gleaned from the laundry basket full of books I’ve checked out from the library! I’ve listed some of my favorites in the side bar, but needless to say, I can’t begin to name them all. When I come across some new favorites, I’ll be sure to post them.
The basic concepts of the unit are listed below. After reading about, researching or discussing each topic, I’ll ask the kids to either make a notebooking page, complete a lapbook activity or do a writing assignment that we can put in some sort of notebook at the end of the unit.
Here’s the order in which I hope to cover the topics…
- What is slavery?
- When did slavery begin? How did it begin in America?
- What was is like to be a slave in America?
- Who played major roles in the abolition movement?
- What were major events of the abolition movement?
- What was the Underground Railroad an who were some major figures in helping slaves escape to freedom?
- What was the Civil War?
- For what reasons did the Civil War take place?
- What were several major battles and who were several major figures of the war?
- What was the war like in Kentucky (a divided state)?
- What is the Emancipation Proclamation?
- What was life in America like directly after the war?
- How did life change for former slaves after the war?
- What struggles did former slaves still face after the war and for many years to come?
- Where is slavery still taking place in today’s world?
When I come up with project ideas, I’ll be sure to post them in case they might help you, too.
Posted by Cindy on February 24, 2009
Did you know the Newport Aquarium offers two free children’s admissions per adult in January and February each year? I didn’t until recently. We’ve been wanting to go forever, but haven’t wanted to fork over the steep prices. Our first trip today was made even sweeter with the $42.oo savings!
The Aquarium sits right beside the Ohio River with Cincinnati in the background.
Of course we saw fish – big fish, little fish, dull fish, bright fish, freshwater fish, saltwater fish….
Oh, and sharks. Lots of sharks! Many of the fish could swim over top of us as we went through tunnels under water.
We saw tons of plants native to particular waters as well. Beautiful plants! And anemone (which are actually predatory animals!) were all over the place.
There were snakes, eels, turtles, alligators and even some birds. Oh, and divers, too!
The kids had a blast at all the hands-on exhibits. The most fun was touching starfish, horseshoe crabs and sharks!
This is nature study at its finest in the winter time! LOL
Posted by Cindy on February 23, 2009
Here’s one more list to prove I’m still ready for spring! I’m getting rid of the winter nature study ideas in the sidebar to make room for warm spring ideas soon.
Barb’s (Handbook of Nature Study) Winter Ideas
Barb’s Winter Nature Walk Squidoo Lens
The Common Room’s Winter Ideas
