Unschool Rule #10.......The best way to teach kids about animals is by going to the zoo, not sitting in a boring classroom and looking at pictures about animals.
We went to the zoo, and talked to every ranger we could find and asked tons of questions. Man, the girls learned a lot...
We also tried to make fortune cookies. Yea, that didn't' go so well. First we had to use wheat flour and we didn't have instant tea - because instant tea is gross - so it didn't turn out that well. OK it just tasted really yucky. We did have fun making up fortunes. If we can get a better recipe we might try it again!
First we had a fashion show and each bear, stuffed animal and doll changes outfits at least 3 times. I think the winner waa . . . no one's!. They all looked beautiful....
Next we made clay animals. Belle made two butterflies and a mommy teddy bear holding a baby
Mac made a tooth fairy bear
I also tested the girls on an app I got on the IPAD for First and Second graders. Yes, just to see how they are doing. Mac got 25 out of 25 RIGHT on Nouns and Verbs, and Belle got 23 out 25 right on Vocabulary! Not bad for UNSCHOOLING!!
This is one of our favorite stores in the whole world. We are now saving 10% of the money we earn every week to buy REAL cowgirl boots.
Our favorite past time has been growing all different flowers on the IPAD and sending them to everyone. If you haven't gotten yours, sorry, (we are making our way down the list). I am sure you will be getting one or 15 real soon....
Here is how it works.....You have to plant the seeds, water it every day sometimes two or three times a day, and then fertilize them. Water some more, then you can pick them and send to them people. It's a free app and then you earn coins to buy more flowers, pots and fertilizer so you can do it all over again.
So look for yours it will be coming to an email near you!
We took Uncle Tom's advice and tried doing some origami. First you need thin paper, not construction paper, so you can do the folds. And you need a really good app on your iPAD, or a book that gives really good illustrations of what you need to do. We only had the instruction book and an app, but the paper was way too thick. So we only made a frog...
We also went to the library, and got 5 books. Our favorites are the Froggy books by Jonathan London. Belle was so excited that she came right home and started reading all of the books...
This is McKenzey playing with her squinkies (or as Michael calls them, stickies) and the little doll house that Santa brought.
We did 2 science experiments -- dancing water, and water that changes colors.
First was dancing water....
We added baking soda and citric acid then we added water - When the chemicals are mixed together they let off carbon dioxide which looks like dancing water...
Color changing liquid.... We added red cabbage (which is a neutral) and water in 2 cups.We added citric acid to one and it turned red, and baking soda to the other, which made it turn blueish/green... Then we poured the two back together in one cup which turned it back to neutral and purple....
Plus all the other stuff like, Rocket Math, Barbie fashion, Animal Jam, then we read 3 books each , then 2 on our own, made a doggy valentine bag, some Valentine cards, watched a movie, Mickey club house and went to the playground and played with a friend.
Our science project worked!! We let the secret note dry overnight then we had to use heat to make it show up. First we tried the hair dry ( not enough heat) so we put the button down on the toaster and held the paper over it - and it actually worked... Here are our findings:
2 winners
Fruit juice - dried clear and turned really brown after (we were surprised about this one!!)
Lemon juice - dried clear - turned brown after - one of our picks
Salt water - couldn't see before - couldn't see after - the other pick
Coke - dried brown and did not get any darker
This is where we found Jack when it was time for bed.... Sleeping in a laundry basket that Belle had put her blanket and body pillow in to watch a movie.
We also caught Conan sleeping on Mac's bed like he was a person. The idea of these animals!
I took the girls to Jo-Ann Fabric store and got them each 1/2 yard of the soft fleece that was on sale. Mac got so excited that when we got home she got Bunny and she measured out fabric so we could make a sleeping bag for her. Then she sewed it all by herself, and we turned it right side out and it was done. We also had enough to make her doll a warm sleeping bag and a body pillow. She only pinned those two because I realized it was 10pm at night, and wow was I tired.
Next was our science experiment, making invisible ink. We used lemon juice, Coke, saltwater and fruit juice, and wrote on paper by dipping a cotton swab in each juice, then writing a secret message. They are letting it dry overnight and then tomorrow we will use a toaster or a hairdryer and see what the message is...
Belle's predictions are that lemon juice will make the best invisible ink, and Mac thinks the salt water - We will see. . .
We we did much of nothing but we did manage to do a lot of art. We painted a ceramic dog and cats that we got at Joanne's. We put a puzzle together, and most of the day we played this really fun game on the Wii that is a haunted house spy game with puzzles and stuff.
This is a 1930 Ford that Mr. Havarty has in the warehouse where Daddy works, and we thought Granddaddy would like to see it. Daddy is going to ask if it runs, and if he wants to be a member of the antique club. We will let you know if we hear anything - he doesn't come to the warehouse very much.
**** Thank you so much to all who have offered their used sewing machines. For now, Isabelle and I do not NEED or WANT a fancy sewing machine. I appreciate the offers but we are very happy using our kid machines because we can sew by ourselves with no help form anyone, which is very cool. IF AND WHEN WE DECIDE TO GET A BETTER SEWING MACHINE I WILL CONTACT ALL OF YOU, because I am sure we will need more than one, since there our two of us. Thanks again for the offers, but NO THANK YOU!!!!
Belle got a taste of it sewing and loved it!!! She finished her sleeping bag and then started on a party skirt. I think we are supposed to make a shirt and then somehow figure out how to sew them together. Yea, and I have to figure out buttons, snaps, or Velcro to close the back - any ideas for beginners?? We might go ask Joanne's fabric store
Mac and Belle and the dresses they made for their bears
This was another playground we found on a nature walk...
We took a stab at sewing - Every mistake you could make with sewing, WE MADE IT!! We pulled fabric the wrong way, didn't put enough needles in the fabric to hold it, sewed on the side of the fabric that is going to show, so it had that tail And we didn't tie off the end so it pulled out a couple times, but with trial and error (lots of it) we figured it out and did it!!! We will have to get a real sewing machine soon, and NO we are not making our own clothes, just doll/bear clothes. Also check out Belle's new picture. She learned about Claude Monet and made a landscape out of chalk
This is the girls starting their sleeping bags for teddy/ and or / doll....
Belle Sewing
We also read a lot and then worked on the solar system.....Then after lunch went to the playground...
Also Mac checked out flowers and wow they are getting very colorful.... Blue and Yellow ROSES
