Next Semester Music Change

I hope everyone has had a great Christmas! I am getting organized and ready for next semeseter. I wanted to tell you about a change I want to make to the World Music Class. The curriculum I was using was great fun, but just wasn't working for the multiple ages. It had a lot of music history, which the 2nd graders liked, but the Kinders had trouble sitting though. It unstructured dancing also got out of control very easily. I have decied I would like to try musical theatre with them this semeseter. I have researched it and have ordered a few books with fun excercises for drama and stage presence. I have also ordered a musical that looked like a lot of fun specifically for home school groups (it is good because it doesn't need 42 people like some of the other musicals I looked at). It is based on Tikki Tikki Tembo and gets into the culture and music of China. It has music, costumes, and scenary, so hopefully Suzy can get involved in that on the day she is with me. I think it will be great fun and something we can perform for an audience and take to the Montessori school. It is only 20 minutes long so totally do able. I hope this change is ok with everyone.

Cindy-- would you like Shaylene to be involved in this?

Rachelle- have you checked on Ella's piano?

Maybe we can play around with a new schedule for Tues. if Shaylene wants to do either the recorder class of this.

Talk to you later----reply in the comments section if you have a comment

Ranae's Late Post

Dancing in music class


Ella with Science "goo"



melting butter over a candle in science class.




I figure I better post before this week is totally over!















Monday K Science- We had fun finishing up the unit on matter. We reviewed the 3 types of matter and learned about how matter can changed form. We examined an ice cube, made popsicles (which are still in my freezer), melted butter, and lit a candle to see how matter changes. We made goopy goo which started as a liquid and turned solid. We also started the unit on weather by looking at my weather book and starting their weather journal. Good day.





Tues- K Music- We did more reviewing of favorite songs and are all ready for next semester!






World Music- We played 2 boomwhacker games and reviewed our "Inch by Inch" song.






K History- started the US history by learning about Katherine Bates who wrote "America the Beautiful". We also learned about the Appalachian Mts, Rocky Mt. and Mississippi river. They did a great job of concentrating.


Have a great Christmas everyone!

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 19

SCIENCE 2 - We finished the unit on the body by reviewing the digestive and excretory systems. We learned about the food pyramid - they have a handout in their folders that you can cut out and have them fold into a pyramid (I didn't do it in class so it wouldn't get crushed). We took the unit assessment and they did very well. Make sure the next unit handouts are in their folder for January.

HISTORY 2 - We learned about Ibn Sinah - a famous Islamic doctor who wrote a book about the history of medicine that was used for hundreds of years in Europe. It was in interesting story and they really got into it. Ibn also wrote a book called "Book of Healing" and it was an encyclopedia of music, science, astronomy and mathematics. We made books in class about what they know about different subjects - David's is on how to avoid getting a cold, Isaac's is on how to care for a cut and Holden's is on what foods to eat to be healthy. They did a great job, check them out. We also did the lesson on Scheherezade and they enjoyed it but that was as much as I could get done on this crazy last day of school! We'll finish up this first semester during the first week of school in January.

Merry Christmas everyone! love, Rachelle

MONDAY, DEC. 17

SCIENCE 2 - reviewed the digestive system and moved on to the excretory system, really poor timing considering the silliness this time of year! They did great, though and Isaac and David really followed how the kidneys and bladder work. They asked good questions, like what is that bad stuff that gets taken out of water in the kidneys (alcohol, poisons, etc.) and what stays in the water (red blood cells, large molecules of nutrients). It was a good lesson.

CHRISTMAS CRAFT PROJECT - they did so well with this and wanted more to paint. we'll be able to finish it tomorrow, I think. It's going to be cute!

Rachelle

Late Tues. post

Here's what we did on Tues. It was actually a good day with minimal fighting for the kinders, so I was happy!

K Music- We are reviewing this week and next as well as doing favorite songs through out the semester. They had fun remembering their favorites.

2nd Ensemble- I really got on them about practicing. You can tell the newness is starting to wear off :-) We pretty much spent the entire class on one song. They just need to learn some good practicing skills, which we will work on in class. Their hwk is the new note on next page and the first song---also any they haven't passed off.

World Music- We ran through our Christmas program as well as played 2 boomwhacker games which were fun. I would like to actually do a musical with them this next semester. I saw some in my music catalogue that looked like they would be fun and not too hard to put together. Maybe Suzy and I can work together for the set. I think it would be fun.

K History- finished up Mexico. We talked about Fiestas and the market place. We spent a lot of time learning the Mexican Hat Dance and dancing to it. We also read a few stories in the reading room. Very easy lesson.

The pictures were taken at recess during their "Star Wars" game. Ella is flying in the space ship and Holden and Isaac were in deep discussion with the Sythe (no idea how to spell this). Nadia had had enough of Star Wars at this point and opted to play a puzzle with Ian :-)

WEDNESDAY, DEC.12

SCIENCE 2- Reviewed what they learned about the digestive system. We had very good discussions about nutrition and how each organ contributes to the digestive process. They asked a lot of very good questions. David and Isaac were particularly concerned about the epiglottis - the flap that blocks food from getting into the trachea. They wanted to know what would happen if food got into the lungs and I had to keep telling them that the body would never let that happen, that we cough violently before food would go that far. We measured our intestines - very fun - and chewed up pieces of food for varying numbers of chews to see how it looks. They really got into the lesson - it was good (and kind of gross).

HISTORY 2- Learned about mosques and how they are built, and about how Muslims pray. Learned a few new vocabulary words and reviewed the new ones from recent lessons. We looked at a few pictures of mosques - they remembered the Hagia Sophia. We read the book The Hundred Names. They enjoyed that so you might want to leave it out for awhile.

It was a good day despite the strange schedule.

Good Luck tomorrow Suzy! Rachelle

Wed K science and history

Thank goodness it was an easy lesson day!
The kids did well for being thrown off and with my house a disarray.
Science- we talked about bouancy and what would float and sink. They made predictions (pretty good guesses). We included corn syrup and oil. These were harder, but they got to see that oil floats and corn syrup sinks.

History- start of United States. They learned that there are 50 states, including 2 not together with the other 48. We went over the terms united and states. We reviewed all the past continents and I tried to find out what they remembered from each spot. Some things stuck more than others.

See ya all Fri,
Cindy

Monks and Ink Pictures

Hi Everyone! Sorry I haven't posted all week! I am finally feeling well enough to make a post tonight. I think the worst is over and I am o

n the mend. I just wanted to post the great pictures Suzy took a few weeks ago. These were taken after the 2nd grade History lesson on ink making and the monks. The boys went out there and found ash in the fire pit and went to work. Everyone got involved. It was too cute. See everyone on Tues! I hope you feel better Suzy!

Wed K science and history Dec 5

Science- we talked about liquids, stayed away from gas :), reviewed solids a little. We compared objects checking to see if they were liquid or solid.

History - on to Mexico, we did the map, and flag and learned about the picture in the middle of the flag, how the Aztecs were told to build a city (Mexico City) where they found a eagle on a cactus eating a snake.

Good day, they played well, the only little friction came from seating arrangement.

Cindy

THURSDAY, DEC.6

SCIENCE 2 - Reviewed cells and cell structure. David asked good questions about molecules and atoms, so when we were on line we looked at some diagrams of them. The subatomic particles are quarks, leptons and gluons - I never would have remembered that, but seeing it I knew I'd seen it before. They are really interested in cell division, particularly about how cells divided in utero, so I'm going to see what I can find on the subject.


SCIENCE K - We talked about the 3 types of matter again and today we focused on gases (lucky me...) We did experiments showing how gas is matter because you can move objects by blowing air, blowing air into a plastic bag (with different objects balanced on top - they got a kick out of that) and blowing air into water. We also put a bottle upside down into water to see how it didn't fill with water until we got the air out of it. They had fun with it and understand the concept. A book I reserved for the lesson came in today so we picked it up at the library on our way back to my house and they got to have a little adventure. FYI - I reserved the book on Tuesday so that didn't take long. It was a good day.

Have a good weekend. Rachelle

WEDNESDAY DEC. 5

HISTORY 2 - Reviewed the map of Europe in the middle ages. Then we began the unit on Islam. Learned about the Arab world before Muhammad (there was a lot of fighting, people worshiped many gods and goddesses.) Then Muhammad had a vision in which the angel Gabriel told him to teach people to worship one god - "Allah." Muhammad then founded the Islamic religion. He was persecuted in Mecca (his birthplace) and fled to Medina. On the way he followed the moon and stars and today the crescent moon with a star is the symbol of Islam because Muslims believe that they should follow Islam as Muhammad followed the moon and stars. Muhammad eventually gathered an army and returned to Mecca to make it the capitol of the Islamic world. We discussed the similarities and differences between Islam, Christianity and Judaism and how they are related because of the area of their origins. We talked about how Muslim women dress, how the "bad guys" are related to Islam and how Islam is second only to Christianity in number of followers. They kept wanting to say that Muhammad was spreading Christianity because he only believed in one god!

SCIENCE 2 - Reviewed the past semester and took the first semester assessment. They did very well. I'll keep reviewing some concepts. We'll review and complete Unit 6 - the body before the break but I won't begin Unit 7 until we come back in Jan.

It was a good day. Rachelle

Dec. 4 History 2nd grade

2nd grade History

Unit 7 lesson 10: Charlemagne is crowned - We learned that Charlemagne (Charles the Great) was the most important ruler in western Europe in the early Middle Ages, he ruled a large Frankish kingdom. RR - we read the story of how the pope surprised Charlemagne by crowning him emperor of what would come to be called the Holy Roman Empire.

They all did well on the unit assessment.


Suzy

INFO FOR 1ST WEEK OF DECEMBER

Hi Everyone,

HISTORY 2 - we need Unit 8 handouts in their folders.

SCIENCE 2 - we need Unit 6 handouts in their folders. I will be reviewing and completing Unit 6 before the Christmas break.

ELLA'S RECITAL - I have the tickets. The show starts at 2:30 but they are opening the doors at 2 and it is sold out. I'm going to get there about 1:30 and I'll save all the seats for our group but they are asking people to get there at 2:00 so they can start right on time. I'll get directions for everyone before Friday.

POINT FOLDER DAY - on Tuesday. I'll bring the boxes for after class.

KINDERGARTEN CHRISTMAS/GINGERBREAD COOKIE PARTY - let's begin after lunch at 1:00 on Dec. 14 at my house and it can go until whenever it ends! Bring cookie decorations you might have. I'll have sprinkles, chocolate chips, peppermint chips, coconut, marshmallows and whatever else they want to dig out of my pantry!

See you tomorrow,

Rachelle