Australia

Here are the plans for Australia. This is the theme suggested by Gini Newcomb for this week & it actually works out really well for us, since Jenn and I had already decided we wanted to take the children to the National Aquarium in Baltimore when she came down. We'll do that Friday. They have a NEW Australia exhibit which is supposed to be awesome! They also have a rain forest exhibit which I think the kids will really like, and it ties in with this theme as well. Because of Jenn's schedule, and the fact that Leah's summer camp next week runs Monday to Friday, we've had to switch to a more traditional M-F school week. So our field trip will be Friday instead of Saturday, which is actually better in terms of avoiding the crowds. You can also buy tickets online, which means no standing in lines.


Booklist for the Week:

Fire Flower Flamers and the Earthy Men by Susan Whitehead (part of Spiritual Syllabus early childhood curriculum)
The Singing Snake by Stefan Czernecki and Timothy Rhodes
Global Art: Activities, Projects and Inventions from Around the World by MaryAnn Kohl
Good Earth Art: Environmental Art for Kids by MaryAnn Kohl
Katy No-Pocket by Emmy Payne
Does a Kangaroo Have a Mother, Too? by Eric Carle
Wallaby Creek by Joyce Ann Powzyk
Rain Forest by Helen Cowcher
At Home in the Rain Forest by Diane Willow and Laura Jacques



Day One: Begin day with “Morning Song” from Fire Flower Flamers and the Earthy Men (pages 9-10), introduce dulcimer with verse “Magic Music Mystery Maker” (page 11), tell story (pages 12-28), dressing up with silks (see notes below from pages 35-37)

Fire-Flamer – Red – Salamander – circle form
Sunny-Sun – Yellow – Sylph – triangle form
Sister-Rain – Blue – Undine – crescent form
Earthy Men – Violet – Gnome – square form


Day Two: Read The Singing Snake, measure off 15 feet, Yumbulul Story Design art project from Global Art - page 139 OR Mimi Rug handwork project - page 140

Day Three: Sand sculpture contest at South Beach 9:30 am, fingerpaint monoprint using Easy Finger Paint recipe from Good Earth Art – page 189, read Katy No-Pocket and Does a Kangaroo Have a Mother, Too?

Day Four: Introduce Kangaroo Pose (yoga) from Montessori curriculum, read Wallaby Creek, Dreamtime Painting from Global Art – page 141, Koala Treats snack – page 142

Day Five: Field trip to the National Aquarium in Baltimore, read Rain Forest and At Home in the Rain Forest, smell eucalyptus essential oil (one drop on cotton ball)