Plannning ahead and someone I would like to meet

or maybe I should rename this post planning behind! for I am still not clear about Zoe's "homeschooling" plan for this year. I thought I had a plan.....continuing her exploration of letters and numbers steadily and gently. However, over the past few summer months I have noticed her change and become much more in her head. Whenever given paper and crayons she wants to write words or numbers, "mama how do you write ......." or "look mama what number is this 31. She can fill page after page with letters and when she gets tired of focussing she shifts to pretend letters. This isn't all bad. Her speech has progressed in leaps.....trying out new words, and sentences daily. But she spends less time daydreaming and much more time "figuring things out." I have noticed her less apt to draw a picture or make something. She seems more stressed out and fearful and for the first time ever is not wanting to leave my side.

She turns 5 in about a month, so she is officially still in preschool

Seeing this change i am thinking about more art, colorful handwork, storytelling, nature exploration, dance, drumming, music and an introduction to the fairy tales. We're going to put away the letters and numbers until Solstice and then re-evaluate.


I have been a fan of Byrd Baylor's books for a while.

The Way to Start a Day
She and illustrator Peter Parnall were awarded a Caldecott Honor for The Way to Start a Day in 1979. Written in free verse poetry, it tells how our ancestors, from the cave people to the Native Americans, greeted, praised and were blessed by the dawning of a new day.
Everybody needs a Rock
Here is my favorite page from this one
"Everybody needs a rock. I’m sorry for kids who don’t have a rock for a friend. I’m sorry for kids who only have TRICYCLES, BICYCLES, HORSES, ELEPHANTS, GOLDFISH, THREE-ROOM PLAYHOUSES, FIRE ENGINES, WIND-UP DRAGONS, AND THINGS LIKE THAT — if they don’t have a rock for a friend."
The Other Way to Listen
those are illustrated by Peter Parnall- super complimentary!
There is also When Clay Sings

are the ones I had already read......
and I just discovered a new favorite

I'm in Charge of Celebrations

I looked for a website and this is about all I can find

Naturalist Byrd Baylor celebrates her birthday on March 28th. Baylor lives and writes in Arizona, presenting images of the Southwest and an intense connection between the land and the people. Her prose illustrates vividly the value of simplicity, the natural world, and the balance of life within it.

and here is a picture of Byrd- Don't you want to meet her?



So our fall reading will include the above Byrd Baylor books as well as some Elsa Beskow "Christophers Harvest Time" and "Woody, Hazel and Little Pip"

I am also introducing some Fairy Tales beginning with Princess Stories



I think we'll also do a unit on the moon, memorize some poems as well as some seasonal crafts.

Shark Teeth and Fossilized whale bone!

Fossil Panning in South Deerfield was a HIT! I wasn't sure.......Some of her favorite finds were various shark teeth and a piece of fossilized whale bone!

Another Kids market Post

the busy face painter...













Each week this makes me happier and happier....


thanks to the women of ashfield hardware that make this possible-

Lipbalm and Rainbows!

Zoe and I spent this morning at the local preschool making lipbalm with all the kiddos. Zoe had prepares a chart listing the ingredients


Lipbalm Ingredients
Solids:
beeswax, coconut oil, cocobutter
Liquid:
grapeseed oil, strawberry essence
Accessories:
Glitter (can add color too)
(we used a ratio of 1 part solids : 3 parts liquid)

Each child decorated their container with stickers while waiting for thebeeswax to melt and then the lipbalm to solidify.





We took the left over Lipbalms to the





where Zoe set up her table as a face painter again. This week she sported a great money apron with our good friend Kate made for her during the week.






It was a busy market this week.......The kids market is really one of my favorite times of the week

Crazy Science Part 2:

Sand Clay Volcano









Recipe for the clay:

1 cup sifted beach sand
1/2 tsp alum
About 1/4 cup corn starch
1 cup water

Combine ingredients in an old, saucepan. Stir constantly over medium heat. When clay starts to stiffen and hold its shape a bit, remove from heat. Turn onto foil until it is cool enough to work with. It cools pretty fast. We molded the clay into a volcano shape placing a toilet paper roll in the center.

Next step takes a while. Let dry in the sun 4-8 hours! Zoe was too impatient to wait for it to dry so we decided to just forge ahead..........

Lava Ingredients
1 cup baking soda
1 paper cup
4 drops red food coloring
3/4 cup vinegar

Pour the baking soda into the toilet paper roll. Add the food coloring on top of the baking soda. Poke a pencil through the bottom of the cup. Place a paper cup upside down over the (empty) toilet paper roll. Voila! Your volcano.

To make erupt pour the vinegar into the hole in the paper cup. We used a turkey baster.

Let's do it again mama even bigger!

The return of the Wednesday Kids Market

Seemed like we were living in a boomtown


FACE PAINTING

Goop, Slime, Goo, Ooo, Blue Goo, Gunk, Floam, Putty, Ooze, Oobleck, Flubber!

It all began innocently with "National Geographic Little Kids" Cheetah family magazine.



"Mama do you have any corn starch"

"Sure Zoe. What do you need it for?"

"I want to make "blue goo"

Looked simple enough...........A simple recipe. Many hours of play. Perfect.



Somewhere during the 3rd or 4th hour of play with her purple goo......"mama"

"yes zoe"

"i want to have a mad scientist birthday party" (her birthday is not until Oct) "did you hear me"

"yes zoe"

"lets plan it now"

"ok zoe"

She had it already planned. Costumes. All kind of goos, baking soda volcanos and color mixing. And hand made recipe books for all her friends.

We'd better get cracking! Where does she get all these ideas?

Here are a few fun "slime" links

Five Minute Popsci

and here is one from the Ellen show (thanks Jaeden!)

Don't try this at home!


Consider this your warning and start planning your crazy scientist costumes.