April 14, 2013

Where are we? 

After we unpacked the rolling box of materials and made our list we got down to business. We started our morning by using the inflatable globe to review the continents and oceans then we focused our attention on North America and our country the USA.  Cannon explored his new “flat” map of the United States and located Indiana, Michigan and California.  Then we got out the “talking” map puzzle.  Cannon picked up each piece and when he moved it to its proper place heard the state name and capital repeated. Dad helped identify states where friends and family either lived or had visited. We both thought it was funny that the puzzle maker decided to put Alaska south of California closer to Mexico than Canada.

 

 

 

Vaporizing!

One of the words we added to our vocabulary last week was “evaporate”. We found a definition* and then with mom’s help we made a little experiment. Cannon is used to helping in the kitchen and one of his jobs is to let mom know when the water is boiling. This time we made careful observations – part of the scientific process – and just before the water started to boil we could see clouds of water vapor rising from the surface of the water. We “caught” the vapor with a clear glass pie plate and we could see and touch the water droplets.  There are more questions about vapor but we will save those for another time.

* Evaporation is when the sun heats up water in rivers or lakes or the ocean and turns it into vapor or steam. The water vapor or steam leaves the river, lake or ocean and goes into the air.

 Numeracy - Playing with Numbers - Counting by sets – 2-4-6-8

 

Cannon uses his "long arms" to choose the colors.

Cannon used beads to make strings of number sets. 

He selected the color for the set then we worked together to string them.  The hardest part was keeping the beads from “jumping” out of our hands and rolling onto the floor where a certain baby sister might find them.  We counted the beads and then we looked at the number “squares” to see another way of counting by sets. These are both ways of “fast adding” leading up to multiplying. 

 

 

Counting them out and
putting them on.

Stringing them up!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are so many fun things to do with numbers.  One of them is playing hide-and-seek.  Cannon enjoyed my story about learning to count by 5s by playing hide-and-seek so we demonstrated. We used the front door as the “base” and I hid my eyes and counted 5-10-15-20-25-30 all the way to 100.  When I turned around Cannon was gone. I search everywhere, under, behind and around.  I searched in the shower, behind the bed in grandma’s room – no Cannon.  Finally, I peeked in the dark pantry and there he was!

It was lots of fun and we will have to do it again.  Next time Cannon can be “it” and do the counting and I will do the hiding.

 

Another Visit to Ghana

Earlier we had looked at Adinkra symbols that are used in Ghana. The symbols are used to decorate cloth.  The spiral shape is used in different ways and represents lots of ideas in many cultures. In Ghana it is Adinkrahene (Adinkra king). “Chief of all the adinkra designs, forms the basis of adinkra printing."

We looked at the design on the cloth of one of the Ghanaian dolls and saw the spiral symbol there.  Cannon used the spiral stamp design to print on the blue paper he had made earlier.  This design represents the indigo blue cloth that is made in West Africa.




Spiral Stamping on Printed Paper Inspired by Indigo Cloth by Cannon Hoops

We read a chapter of Captain Underpants the Attack of the Talking Toilets and a chapter from Frog and Toad.  Cannon demonstrated his skill with a round of Math Slam.  Cannon shared his new tickle book with me and we both put on the “tickle” mitts and tickled along with the story.

 

 

 

 

 

April 7, 2013

Mad Scientists!

We put on our aprons and set out to experiment and discover.  Our first question - what simple things found around the house can turn a piece of coal into a garden of growing crystals? 

We read the steps of the experiment and then assembled our supplies and equipment. We needed:  chunks of coal, bluing, ammonia, salt, water, food coloring, a tablespoon measure, and a glass pie plate.

 

 

Cannon arranged the pieces of coal on the pie plate. Then we measured 2 tablespoons of the ingredients to a jar and mixed them until all of the salt was dissolved.  Cannon poured the mixture over the coal.  Then we started the stop watch so we would know exactly how long it took for the crystals to begin to grow.  It took 37 min. for the first tiny crystals to appear and 2hrs and 30 min.

for them to get large enough for a good look through the magnifying glass. 

 

While we were working we found more questions than answers.

What is the difference between growing crystals and growing plants?

What is the difference between a chemical and an element?
What is coal?
What is a crystal?
What does the word dissolve mean?
What is evaporation?
What does absorb mean?

And we just added the word research to our list of words to define and understand next week.

On Monday mom sent this picture of  "The Invasion of the Crystals"

Planting a Peat Pot Pizza Garden

 

Since we were in a growing mood Cannon selected some herb seeds to start for his “pizza” garden. We added warm water to the peat pellets. They absorbed the water and expanded until they were two inches tall.  Then Cannon carefully added a few seeds to each pellet. We put the “greenhouse” cover over the container.  It will sit in the warm sunshine and in about two weeks we should see some nice little leaves emerging from the little pots. When the plants get big enough we will plant them in a large bowl.  Cannon can harvest fresh basil and oregano for his pizza and a few mint leaves for his favorite summer drink.

 

Painting Time!   
This time Cannon painted with a brayer and printing inks. We added two different colors of blue and white to the ink tray.  Cannon got a good grip on the brayer and began loading the roller with color.  Then he rolled and dragged the brayer across the paper. He overlapped, changed directions, dragged the colors and tilted the brayer to “draw” lines on his paper.  He used all of his paper going right to the edges. 

 

For his second composition he chose red and yellow for Avalon.  Both compositions show a variety of textures and intensity of color.

We used the Fast Fact Flash Cards to practice adding four to numbers 1-12.  We enjoyed a Frog and Toad story and a chapter from Captain Underpants.  Then we used the Banana Grams and the Phonographics words to make some fun sentences.

 

 

 

March 24, 2013
Geography - Continents and Oceans

Cannon enjoys exploring maps.  This week he took on the challenge of putting together a giant floor map (2'x3') of the world.  We used "stick-tac" to temporarily fix wooden spools to each of the giant puzzle pieces. Cannon easily picked up each piece and found its place. When the puzzle was assembled we reviewed the names and location of all seven continents and six oceans.

Cannon adds the last piece of the puzzle. Africa!

Painting Time!  Cannon loves to paint.  He selected warm liquid water colors - red, yellow and orange and applied them with energy to his paper...oops! Too much energy for the brush, it popped out of its holder mid-brushstroke. 

 

 

Happy Easter!

 

Cannon used his stamping skills to design some special Easter cards. Here he is getting ready to use his name stamp to add his name to the cards. 

 

 We practiced addition facts by playing a few rounds of Math Slam and enjoyed a few chapters of Captain Underpants Volume 2 - The Attack of the Talking Toilets.






And then it was time for opening Easter Eggs gathered at his teacher's egg hunt.



Cannon pretends to "crack" the plastic egg on the side of the bowl.

Out pour all of the goodies the Easter Bunny put in the eggs.

 



March 20, 2013

The Big Reveal!

Wednesday afternoon was our last ceramics class at the Indianapolis Art Center. We sat around the work table with all of the other young people waiting for Mrs. Beam and Gina to pass out the final results of all of our efforts. The flat matte look of the colored gazes of last week came to life as each brightly colored piece was put into waiting hands.  Mrs. Beam asked each student to share their favorite piece.  Cannon held up the textured heart he made for his sister. After everyone shared and compared their pieces it was time to wrap them carefully in newspaper and put them in their boxes for a safe trip home.

Patiently waiting for our projects.

Sharing and Comparing Wall Pockets

Cannon pretends to drink from the yellow bowl
he made with Gina on the wheel.

"Look" Cannon's neighbor says, "we both made small bowls".

Then everyone got in line for a tour of the Art Center and the exhibit of student work hanging in the halls and galleries.  Mrs. Beam gave everyone a certificate of completion and then it was time to say goodbye and carry our boxes out to waiting parents.
 
Everyone was excited to get home so they could share the results of their efforts. Each piece has a story about how it was made, how the clay was pounded and squeezed into shape, the problems faced making it, the pieces that fell off during firing.  Each face beamed with the pride and excitement of creating something that is your very own.

Saturday March 16, 2013
Family Fieldtrip Saturday

 This week we continued our visit to Ghana but before we started we took another look at Mauritania.  We found a new discovery in the Sahara desert in west central Mauritania.  Scientifically it is called the Richat Structure but it is sometimes referred to as the Eye of the Sahara.  It was discovered by astronauts looking at the earth from outer space.  We looked at satellite photos of the phenomenon.   This structure is a deeply eroded, slightly elliptical, 40 km in diameter, dome. 


This is where Mrs. Campbell stayed when she visited the Butterfly Sanctuary



Virtual Tour

 

Then we took a virtual tour of  three points of interest in Ghana.  First we visited the Bobiri Forest and Butterfly Sanctuary.  Then we stopped by artist and friend Nana Anoff’s home and studio to visit his mother’s orchid collection in Accra. www.youtube.com/watch?v=SyiVovFPGpM  

 

Finally we visited the Kadum National Park to went to the Rainforest in the southern part of Ghana and walked the trail above the canopy of trees. It is the scariest thing I ever did.  You can try it at…www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAYnivamaJ4   

 After our virtual tour we made some butterfly designs.  Cannon used his folding bones and stretched his arm out from the top to the bottom of the fold.  Then he opened the paper and we dropped the colors he chose into the valley of the fold. Then he refolded the paper and used the folding bone to squeeze paint from the center fold to the two far corners. 

 

 When we unfolded the paper we found symmetrical butterfly designs.  It was so much fun we did lots of them. Everybody had a favorite one.

 

 We spent the rest of our morning time together playing Math Slam and ready the rest of Super Diaper Baby.  Then it was time to head out for our Family Fieldtrip to the Garfield Park Conservatory and to visit a real rainforest.
 
Giant Birds of Paradize, Chocolate, Chiclet and Papaya Trees, Orchids, Orchids, Orchids and So Much More!

I met Cannon, mom and dad and a napping baby sister Avalon at the entrance and then our real life rainforest adventure began.  At the entrance we stopped to smell the gardenias and looked up at the giant white bird of paradise plants that soar to the ceiling on either side of the entrance. 

 

 

 

 

 

 Just inside we saw the cacaoa (chocolate) tree.  There were lots of yellow orange fruits hanging on the tree and inside – chocolate beans!  Next to the tree we saw our first koi pool and Cannon counted six koi.  Five of them swam to the edge to greet him and one was shy and stayed hidden under a lily pad.  We moved through the conservatory stopping to read about the plants and to test the flowers for fragrance. 

 

 

 Spiders and Snakes and Fish Oh, My!

Dad discovered the glass tanks that contained snakes and one very large, very hairy spider.  

Cannon reached out to touch the “sensitive plant” and to watch its delicate leaves fold up in response.  In some places it is called a “praying plant”.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We found orchids hanging from tree and looked up to see papaya clustered under the umbrella like leaves of the papaya tree.  Dad was the researcher and every time there was a question about a plant or tree he would ask his portable library and he would have the answer. 

 Cannon had fun walking under the waterfall. 

 

 

 

When we got to the large koi pond the koi came to greet Cannon hoping he would have some food for them. He waved hello and then he reached into his pocket and pulled out “pretend” food and threw it into the pond.  The fish kept hoping they would find something each time Cannon pretended to feed them. Finally he waved goodbye to them and we continued

 on our way down the path. 

 

Cannon was getting hungry for lunch and Avalon woke up so it was time to leave the nice warm conservatory and head back out into the cold gray day.  But we left plenty of things to discover on our next visit.

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

Wednesday March 13, 2013
Ceramics at The Indianapolis Art Center

Cannon completes the last step on all seven of his clay projects. Each piece required three layers of glaze. They will be fired again and we will pick up the finished projects next week.

March 10, 2013

Ghana Sub-Saharan West Africa was our destination this week.  First we unpacked the art cart and looked at and put away new supplies, paint, printing ink and water colors, mixing trays and storage bins. We found Ghana on the globe and then on the flat map. Then we unpacked the artifacts from Ghana.  This week we focused on Kente cloth and musical instruments.

 

 

 

We dressed dad like a Ghanaian King in a long “robe” of Kente cloth.  Mom stood next to him as his linguist holding the linguist’s staff. We learned that because the king was so powerful his voice would hurt his subjects so he used his linguist to speak for him.

 

 He would whisper into the linguist's hear and the linguist would tell the people what he said.  

 

 

The linguist was his ambassador or prime minister and traveled to all of the villages to give messages from the king to the people. The people knew the linguist spoke for the king because of the staff he carried. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The symbol on the staff that dad’s Linguist used was a hand holding an egg. Cannon found the symbol on the chart and learned what it meant.

 

“Power is like an egg, When held too tightly it might break, or falls and breaks when held loosely.  A successful ruler must be both firm and sympathetic. “

 

We also looked up the pattern on the cloth dad was wearing. It is called Agyengyensua and means “water purifier”.

“The design is based on the behavior of a small water insect which is usually found swimming zigzagging on the surface of standing muddied water. While it may appear the insect is muddying the water, it would rather be purifying it.  The design expresses the Akan code of conduct that warns against making judgment about others based on superficial knowledge of them. The cloth symbolizes a warning against rash judgment based on misconception.”

 

The Royal Family

 

Kente cloth is traditionally woven by men.  The cloth is narrow about four inches and is made in long strips.  The men sit on the ground at simple looms and use their hands and feet to weave the cloth. The women make the thread, growing and picking the cotton, carding it, spinning the tread and then dying the thread different colors. Hard work.

 

Ghanaians enjoy making music and use a variety of instruments made from wood, gourds, shells and other natural and recycled materials. Cannon played the Ghanaian version of a xylophone made of wood, gourds and twine.  It had a nice tone when he struck the wooden “bars” with the rubber (tire) tipped sticks.

We enjoyed the day, reading stories from Frog and Toad and the adventures of Captain Underpants. We painted papers using the new printing inks and the brayers.  We took time out occasionally to return to music making, something Cannon really enjoyed.