Arctic Animals

It started off that only Victoria was going to make little arctic animals with styrofoam balls and pipe cleaners. Then Kaleb came in to see what we were doing and he was inspired. Then Daphne came out to see what was going on so she sat down and made a snowy owl. Then Jared...was hungry so he stopped by on the way to the kitchen and was inspired as well by these little creatures. I think he made an arctic fox which Sammy later chewed to bits. Darn dog! I am always so happy when all four of my kids come together and share their time with eachother. It is hard sometimes to actually think up something that will interest the wide range of ages. I didn't even have to try. It just happened and I am so thankful that they had an opportunity to just be together. I loved sitting back and watching them work, chat and laugh. I was pretty pleased that all of them were engaged with a simple craft that brought them together.

Arctic Exploration

I love Kindergarten.

Victoria has been learning about the Arctic and the difference

between the Arctic and Antarctica.
She did a lapbook on Polar Bears and read one of our all time favorite story

The Three Snow Bears by Jan Brett.

It is pretty much the story of Goldilocks but with Polar Bears.

In her lapbook she made a comparison between the two books using a venn diagram.

We did an experiment using vegetable shortening where you coat a ziplock bag with it and then cover it with another bag. You then put your hand into the "blubber" bag and stick it into ice water to see how long you can tolerate the freezing water. It was worth seeing the look on her face when she discovered why arctic animals have a layer of blubber under their fur.

We had to put all of this left over styrofoam to good use so Jared helped Victoria build an Arctic habitat complete with a penguin slide and seal blow holes...or what ever you call them.