Rainbow Bird

Rainbow Bird

by Grant

I-IIII

On the week of January 21, Johanna and I changed it up and began a math block studying the quality of numbers.  Johanna, Julia and I started every day during the week with circle time, penny whistle lesson or French lesson, a little yoga, and some kind of letter review.

The container story we are using is about a little girl named Katie who has been learning the letters in preparation to meet the Wise Old Sophia who will give her the gift of learning. She has learned all the consonants(along with Johanna)and has now met the Wise Sophia.  She must answer ten riddles given to her by the gnome, King Equals, before she can receive the gift.  The answers to all the riddles were none other than the numbers 1-10.  

Each day Johanna got a new riddle, and a story to go with the number she was learning on that day.  I also introduced her to the Roman Numerals at the same time. Every day after she answered the riddle, she got to dig/brush through some sand to uncover the answer which I had written on a piece of paper (with sparkly glitter, of course).  She was most excited at the surprise of seeing what color each number would be.

Here are all the sparkly numbers:

On Monday, I told her the riddle for the number I:

 I live in the sky

up far away

I brighten the earth

 I bring light to our days

 and each night when the day is done

 I am the only one. 

What am I?

 The answer was the sun, and the number I.  

After I told her the riddle, I read her the story, "Why the Setting Sun Turns Red" from  the book, Why the Setting Sun Turns Red, by Eugene Schwartz. Once I was finished reading the story, we drew a picture in our lesson books.

Mom's Drawing

Johanna's Drawing

On Tuesday, I told her the following riddle for the number II: 

For me and you
We each have two
It’s not our feet
Or hands to eat
Our legs are strong
But that too is wrong
Our arms are bold
But this we can not hold
With these you see with so much glee

What am I?

I also read her The Summer and Winter Garden (this is the story of Beauty and the Beast) by the Grimm Brothers.  Afterward, we drew pictures in our lesson books.

Mom's Drawing

Johanna's Drawing

On Wednesday, Grant was a little under the weather, so I kept him home from school.  He joined us in the school room, and while I was working with Johanna, Julia and him drew some pictures.  Grant drew another eagle picture(How awesome is that one!!) and Julia drew a bird picture of her own (Hers is awesome, too!).

(Notice the baby bird on the mommy's back.)

I told Johanna the following riddle for the number III:

With these three you can depend
With them all your time you spend
What am I? 

After the riddle, I read her "The Three Proverbs, A Story from Poland" from the Earthschooling Math Book, and then we drew a picture in our lesson books.

Mom's Drawing

Johanna's Drawing

After Johanna's lesson, the kids enjoyed some time drawing together.

On Thursday, I told her the riddle for the number IIII:

Fire and water, wind and air
Are all things we have to share
What are we?

I read her  "The Duration of Life" by the Grimm Brothers, and then we drew a picture in our books.

Mom's Drawing

Johanna's Drawing

She also took some time to practice writing the numbers on her little chalkboard.
 

Next week we will continue the fun with more of the quality of numbers math block.

 

Eagles

Grant took a field trip with his class on Friday, January 25, to see bald eagles.  During the week prior, their art teacher showed them how to draw eagles.  Grant drew these eagle pictures free hand one night at home. Awesome!

 I especially liked this one!