King Equals

We're starting our math block introducing the four math processes with the math gnomes from Numeria Island (across the sea from Alphabet Island). I made up a story about some Alphabet Island characters making a voyage to Numeria to get some jewels to help someone heal. I'll write it out if I have time. King Equals is the king there, and I made up his queen to be Queen Balance. We got to know them and found that they are great devotees of the Lord, and see everyone equally. I made up this verse:

King Equals is always fair. He sees the same everywhere!"

This tied in with the Bhagavad Gita quote:

"The humble sage, by virtue of true knowledge, sees with equal vision a learned and gentle brahmana (priest), a cow, an elephant, a dog and a dog-eater."

South America Book List

South America:
Explore South America by Aloian, Molly
Myths of pre-Columbian America by Dalal, Anita.
South America by Pelusey, Michael.
South America, surprise! by Sayre, April Pulley.

Argentina and Pampas:
Argentina by Shields, Charles
*The magic bean tree : a legend from Argentina by Van Laan, Nancy
On the pampas by Brusca, María Cristina.
Chucaro : wild pony of the Pampa by Kalnay, Francis

Chile:
Mariana and the merchild : a folk tale from Chile by Pitcher, Caroline
Tierra del Fuego : a journey to the end of the Earth by Lourie, Peter
The dreamer by Ryan, Pam Muñoz
Folktales of Chile by Pino Saavedra, Yolando
To go singing through the world : the childhood of Pablo Neruda by Ray, Deborah Kogan

Brazil and Rain Forest:
*This place is wet by Cobb, Vicki.
*Rain, rain, rain forest by Guiberson, Brenda Z.
Brazil by Fontes, Justine
Count your way through Brazil by Haskins, James
The dancing turtle : a folktale from Brazil by DeSpain, Pleasant
How night came from the sea : a story from Brazil by Gerson, Mary-Joan
*The great kapok tree : a tale of the Amazon rain forest by Cherry, Lynne
A home in the rain forest by Taylor-Butler, Christine
*The rainforest grew all around by Mitchell, Susan K.
The Rainforest Indians by Thomson, Ruth
*So say the little monkeys by Van Laan, Nancy.
The tropical rainforest by Cheshire, Gerard
*Up a rainforest tree by Telford, Carole
Capoeira 100 : an illustrated guide to the essential movements and techniques by Taylor, Gerard
Crafts for kids who are wild about rainforests / by Kathy Ross
Animals of the Rain Forest, Amazing Rain Forest, Vanishing Rain Forest, Plants of the Rain Forest by Ted O'Hare
Anteaters, sloths, and armadillos by Squire, Ann
Capyboppy by Peet, Bill
Rain forest animals by Leber, Nancy.
How Monkeys Make Chocolate by Adrian Forsyth
One Day in the Tropical Rain Forest by Jean Craighead George
Amazon Alphabet by Martin and Tanis Jordan
Living in a Rain Forest (Rookie Read-About Geography) by Allan Fowler
Jungle Safari by Carol Wawrychuk
Rain Forests: Tropical Treasures - from Ranger Rick's NatureScope

Peru and Inca:
The grandchildren of the Incas by Pitkanen, Matti A
Machu Picchu : city in the clouds by Somervill, Barbara A.
Miro in the kingdom of the sun by Kurtz, Jane
*Munay and the magic lake : based on an Inca tale by Sepehri, Sandy.
Peru by Thoennes Keller, Kristin.
Peru under the Incas by Burland, C. A. (Cottie Arthur)
*The stolen smell by Hamilton, Martha.
The thunder god's son : a Peruvian folktale by Dewey, Ariane
THE GOOD LLAMA WRITTEN AND ILLUSTRATED BY ANNE ROCKWELL. AN INCA LEGEND DESCRIBING HOW PEOPLE AND ANIMALS SURVIVED THE GREAT FLOOD THAT FORCED THE SUN TO SHARE THE SKY WITH THE MOON.
by Rockwell, Anne F.
*Zorro and Quwi : tales of a trickster guinea pig by Hickox, Rebecca
Moon rope : a Peruvian folktale = Un lazo a la luna : una leyenda peruana by Ehlert, Lois
Tales of the plumed serpent : Aztec, Inca and Mayan myths by Ferguson, Diana
Trail of feathers : in search of the birdmen of Peru by Shah, Tahir
The Girl from the Sky By Skivington
*Lost City, the Discovery of Machu Picchu By Lewin, Ted

DVDs:
*Totally Tropical Rainforest (National Geographic's Really Wild Animal series)
World's last great places. Rain forests by Jampel, Barbara.
Andes. Machu Picchu by Polizu, Cristina
Brazil travel and experience the world by Wright, Ian
Capoeira by Panther Productions
Globe trekker. South America by Cross, Ian
Peru by Gibson, Neil
Planet Earth. The complete series by Attenborough, David

Antarctica

We've been very busy lately with birthdays. I also just received some editing work, so my blogging time has been minimized.

Geography: We had a fun 3 weeks learning about Antarctica. The many stories about Tacky the Penguin were the favorites all the while. We colored the map and designed our own flag with two penguins. We discussed what 'austerity' means, since the penguins are so austere. We discussed how the penguins teach us to love our family and to endure through hard times to make it through to a better time. We also made little penguins with dates filled with cream cheese. They really liked this. We're looking forward to South America next!

Yours Truly Y Standing In For Innocent I

Language Arts: We read the Alphabet Island story about Yours Truly Y, who stands in for Everloving E and Innocent I at the ends of words. Since she can't stand in for both of them all of the time, she stands in for I in short words and E in longer words. We did all 8 pages of lesson 1 in Explode the Code 3. The theme was short words like so, go, no, he, she, me, we, by, my, fly, fry, try, cry, dry and sky. This was all review, but the handwriting practice was needed after summer break. This is probably how we will go about language arts for now, since it is working well. We use the Alphabet Island story and the ETC workbook for repetitive practice.

Antarctica Book List

Penguin chick by Tatham, Betty
*A penguin pup for Pinkerton by Kellogg, Steven
Plenty of penguins by Black, Sonia
*Tacky the penguin by Lester, Helen
Tacky and the Emperor by Lester, Helen
Tacky and the Winter Games by Lester, Helen
Tacky in trouble by Lester, Helen
Please play safe! : Penguin's guide to playground safety by Cuyler, Margery
Seven weeks on an iceberg : starring King and Queen Penguin by Potter, Keith R.
Busy penguins by Schindel, John
The little penguin by Wood, A. J.
Mr. Popper's penguins by Atwater, Richard
Penguin's adventure in Alphabet Town by Alden, Laura
Penguins A-B-C by Schafer, Kevin
Please say please! : Penguin's guide to manners by Cuyler, Margery
Antarctica by Billings, Henry
The emperor's egg by Jenkins, Martin
*Eve of the Emperor penguin by Osborne, Mary Pope
Penguins and Antarctica : a nonfiction companion to Eve of the emperor penguin by Osborne, Mary Pope
*Nanu, penguin chick by Radcliffe, Theresa

DVDs:
March of the Penguins
Planet Earth: Ice Worlds

Literature Club

We went to our homeschool group's weekly literature club. I had a grateful moment as Govinda read a book to the group. He did great! It was not even an easy reader. It was a 'grown up' book about Bulldozers. I'm so thankful he is learning so much. :)

Aboriginal Paperbark Art

We have paperbark trees here in Hawaii that were brought from Australia. So, we visited a big one on our morning walk and collected some bark to try out Aboriginal style artwork. We planned on using sticks dipped in paint, but we only had watercolor paints. As I looked through the craft box, we found some dot stickers that the boys were excited to use. So, we had fun making art with dots on paperbark. Govinda made a flatbed truck and Navin made dots everywhere. I asked them what Australian animal I should try to make, and they said camel, lol, not a native animal, but still one that this lives there. We discussed how the paperbark trees are in the melaleuca family (with tea tree oil) and were brought here to help dry out swampy land. Traditional Aboriginal uses were for sleeping, bandages, building shelters, wrapping food, raincoats, and fixing holes in canoes.



Of course, a helpful bulldozer cleaned up the mess when we were done. ;)

Dozing Pattern Blocks

Our new bulldozers sure love math toys! Here they are moving them around to help build a barbed wire fence. (The acre lot on our road that was cleared by the bulldozer that we watched for a month recently had a fence with barbed wire built around it. Here, the boys have reenacted the whole thing through play!)

New Zealand Book List

Just a few stories for New Zealand:

17 Kings and 42 Elephants by Margaret Mahy
A Summery Saturday Morning by Margaret Mahy
The Rattlebang Picnic by Margaret Mahy
The Great White Man-Eating Shark by Margaret Mahy
The Maoris of New Zealand by Graham Wiremu
New Zealand by Mary Virginia Fox