Sunday, May 18, 2014

Nature - Steve Irwin

We LOVE Steve Irwin and have enjoyed watching his shows for years. Now it is time to reintroduce the younger children to his informative and entertaining sharing about wildlife-
Using You tube and then just chatting about the episodes. Perhaps finding a colouring picture of the animals but keeping it simple here
Starting with -
Pilot Episode Part 1
Pilot Episode Part 2
Elephants
Wild River of Africa
Wildlife in Combat
Last Waterholes of the Outback
Steve and the Dragons
Jungle in the Clouds
Surfing Snakes
Island of Snakes
Journey to the Red Centre

Then we will check out the part episodes ones if want to continue on with this series

Blessings,
 

Science - Solar System and Stars


Using these resources-
Magic School Bus Lost in Space
Magic School Bus Sees Stars
Book- Fancy Nancy sees Stars
Read about the Solar System
Look at our books on Space and Stars (many on our book cases, just find a couple)

Activities:
Make planets from Lego and Game
Make solar System to hang up in house (idea for scale) plus lots of other ways to make them
Chalk draw the planets
Make star cookies
Star shape cut outs to hang on windows
Star Gaze one night
Great Clickable link that takes you to a kid friendly explaining page for each planet
Great Information here
Kids Astrononmy
Clickable with lots of info but not for small kids
Solar System Cards and little work book
Circular diagram
Very informative Star information for down under
List of SH constellations
Star wheel to cut out
Constellations 
Seasonal SH stars
Southern Hemisphere Constellations online looking at the sky
Common stars SH and NH

You Tube:
solar System song
For Kindy age
Interesting Facts
Facts
Another
Planets and solar system
Cool Craft 

Blessings,
 

History- Josefina

Overall Topics to discuss-
Talk about families and the importance of them especially in cultural settings.
How easy/hard it was to provide food and cooking from scratch. What Animals and food crops did they have?
How does culture affect families?
Religion in the life of the family. How important is this to Josefina and her family? Do we reflect in our own family culture the importance of our faith?
Working together is essential to provide stability and resources to  use. How can we use this in our own lives?
Research the typical herbs used in this area and how they were used not only for cooking but for medicine too
Look at Hispanic culture in America, including food, dances and celebrations
Learn some Spanish words that we can use in everyday conversation
Las Posadas!- read our Christmas based books and talk about how this again is such a part of the culture and family

Resources- read these books 
( I won't link these as they are easy to find)
Welcome to Josefina's World
Josefina's Cook Book
Meet Josefina
Josefina Learns a Lesson
Josefina's Surprise
Happy Birthday Josefina
Josefina Saves the Day
Changes for Josefina
Again Josefina
Just Josefina
A Reward for Josefina
Josefina's Song
Thanks to Josefina

Table time activities - ie paper orientated 
Create a Memory Book -place to keep our favorite memory verses, autographs, and pictures. 
Make an 'oil paper' cover by using melted wax and craft paper
 
Guide for the books
Printable activities
Printable activities 2
Online activities 
Free templates for lapbook
Doll printables
Pinterest pages
American girl games
Use this resource for pages
Use the back of books for ideas

Crafts-
make a pouch from felt or leather (use pattern I made)
paper primroses
Weaving - use the fork method we have used in the past or Rogan's loom (maybe spin our pre dyed wool and then weave with it if we can co-ordinate it. If not just use some we have on hand)
Scarfs
Dying fabric- (perhaps we can incorporate our natural dying of our own sheep fleece/wool)
Rosary making or glass bead necklace or bracelet
Make this skirt for the dolls
Embroidery
Make Mexican blouse for girls and red skirt too using our own patterns (Here is another version on line)
Make the bonnet from the bonnet pattern I have
Make a corn husk doll
Wear a Rebozos for a day or two
Paint a terracotta flower pot and plant a herb or flower in it
Free Doll Dress Patterns


Cooking- 
Bizcochitos ( Cookies in Josefina Cook book)
Torrejas (Josefina Cook Book)
Apple Empanaditas (recipe in Just Josefina)
Tortillas - use spelt recipe we have
Make soft Cheese- recipe probably from kefir or from the cook book
Make herbal teas
Make a herbal salve or tincture
Mexican Hot Chocolate so many recipes here or or my own version
New Mexican Hot Chocolate
Ingredients:
5 cups of milk
5 Tablespoons cocoa
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons of panella or 2 tsp or stevia or ¼ cup of honey
Dash of vanilla
Pinch of Salt
Pinch of chili (this makes it authentic but you may want to skip it for children)
Optional:
For added creaminess add 5 tablespoons of milk powder
 Method:
Heat the milk and vanilla slowly so as not to burn it. Just as the small bubbles are forming add the mixed dry ingredients and continue stirring until just boiling.
Then turn down heat and continue stirring for a couple of minutes.
Remove from heat and serve as is or with added toppings

Added toppings:

Sprinkle with a little more cinnamon and perhaps a sprinkle of sugar and for super indulgence add a whipped cream topping.
Recipes from the AG site

Games-
* El Floron-a guessing game to see whose hand is hiding a little flower or other small object
Form  a circle and have some one guess
* The Rainbow - like the game Color Tip: whoever is "it" calls out a color then tries to tip any players who are wearing it
* The Coyote and the Fox - everyone forms a chain while a "fox" and "coyote" try to capture one of the players

Other-
Find and read traditional folk stories of this era
Listen to folk music from that era- Spanish Folk Songs of New Mexico
Dancing- La Vaquerita

Blessings,