John Smith and Pocahontas Week 4 in American History

This week was a fun one in regards to history. We studied the story of John Smith and Pocahontas. Here's a picture of the kids learning what it was like to trade with the natives.

Pollywog... considering the offer.... will she accept???

Looking promising.... and

Yay! The trade is made.

Copying weekly science Bible verse.        Pollywog's character Bible verse for the week.

Speaking of the weekly character trait, we have been using these character trait cards that a sweet friend over at the Monarch Room was so kind to share. I use one to mark my spot in my guide during the week. It has our weekly character trait and Bible verse printed on it. When we are done with the week we hang it on the wall behind the kitchen table for review throughout the school year. Here is a picture of the weeks we've completed below.

We were supposed to use graham crackers and bite out the shapes of the continents to place on construction paper this week, but I had heard other HOD families say how it was really hard to make it work so we switched it up a bit. Here is our continent cake. We made one last year with MFW ECC as well but the kids enjoyed doing it again and even got to review the continent song.

Here is Doodlebug copying the continents onto an old cereal bag that we cut open.

Then I cut them out and we labeled them and Doodlebug put them on the cake in the correct spots.

Here is a video of the finished continent cake with the kids singing the continent song. I was happy to see they remembered it from last year.

I think we may need to move Doodlebug up in dictation a level. It seems to be a little easy for him. Did any other HOD mothers notice that? Anyways, he likes me to leave these little notes on his page :)

Our art project this week was to make an "Indian blanket" We had fun doing this and it was neat to see the kids get more creative as they went.

 Science! We learned that some fish and sea plants have an air bladder that helps them to float. The kids saw how this worked with a medicine dropper in a pitcher of water.

 

In NOEO this week we read about how farmers used to believe that if they threw a dead snake over a tree branch it would bring rain in "How to Think Like a Scientist" So of course we had to test this theory and figure out how rain is made. And no it isn't God's tears although that is what I thought as a child :)

I love this one because of Pollywog's face in the cup :) It makes me smile.

In conclusion we learned that no, throwing a dead snake over a tree branch doesn't bring rain (don't worry Granny we didn't actually try it). Rain happens when molecules gather together in the sky and when the clouds get too heavy with water molecules or vapors the rain comes. This is also why rain clouds look darker than other clouds.

Nine year old boys! ;)

Also in NOEO this week we read how its important to be careful as to how you use information because different people although seeing the same thing may interpret it differently. The kids are loving this book.

After reading the assigned pages I had the kids draw a picture of two people seeing the same thing but getting something different from the information they were taking in.

This is what Doodlebug came up with. Although he didn't draw "people" I thought it was very creative. This kid is obsessed with Bionicles.

Spelling Power review quiz. I need to cut his nails again lol

Playing balloon toss. I had no idea how much EVERYONE would enjoy this game or I would have done it ages ago. I couldn't get a photo with the balloon but you get the idea.

Below are some pictures of Inchworm and his "schooling" this week.

Outdoor painting with the cheapo white board that we got for AAS (which wasn't a fit for us) and I have finally found a use for.

Lid sorting :) Love this kids faces!

 

Vroom vrooms ... notice teddy getting a ride. :) I didn't notice until editing the picture.

Polka dots.

To end the week Pollywog is having her first friend sleep over. It is so fun seeing how differently girls play than boys. Doodlebug has had sleepovers before and let me just say it is an entirely different experience to have a boy sleepover. lol The girls are so much more mellow.

Since someone made a super mom comment on my last post I thought I would post a picture to disprove that notion ;) Here is a photo of how our house looks on most school days... some days are even worse. If you look closely you will also see pinto beans all over the carpet :) Keeping it real!