Capital Letter B

Today we had the second part of a two day lesson.

T is for TOWER
B is for BUBBLES

In the last lesson, I introduced T is for TOWER by reading The Duchess Bakes a Cake by Virginia Kahl. We built tall towers with turrets using blocks.

Today, we started by having breakfast and reading the very charming Rhymoceros by Janik Coat.

Then we played rhyming games, taking turns. He gave me a word and I had to give a word that rhymed with it; I gave a word and he had to come up with a rhyme. Then I would say pairs of words and he had to tell me if they rhymed or if they didn't. Both of these activities were very difficult for him.

Then I told him we were going to bake a cake just like the duchess! We preheated the oven to 350 degrees. We took our daily nature walk and harvested 10 green tomatoes from the garden and 6 ripe persimmons that had fallen from our persimmon tree. We also found deer droppings.

Back inside we put together the batter for the One-Dish Chocolate Cake (vegan). He carefully scooped and leveled the dry ingredients and poured and measured the wet ingredients. After we popped the cake into the oven we set the visual timer for 30 minutes.

We added T (Tower) to the main lesson book and then it was time for B is for BUBBLES. We recalled how the duchess's cake had risen higher and higher. I explained that the ingredients in our batter would create bubbles and they would make our cake rise so it would be light and fluffy. We took a clean mixing bowl and I demonstrated the mixing of baking soda and vinegar to make bubbles. I gave him a half cup of each to play with. After he was done experimenting, we took our visual timer outside so we could monitor it while we set up for our art activity (Popped Bubble Art).

Outside we mixed three bowls of purchased bubble solution with red, yellow, and blue liquid paint and then strengthened the colors with food coloring. Each bowl had a bubble wand in it. We set out a piece of heavy watercolor paper and blew the bubbles toward the paper so they would land on it and pop. It was a beautiful Autumn day and perfect weather for enjoying outdoor art. Naturally, he kept checking the visual timer carefully to see when our chocolate cake would be done.

While we waited for our painting to dry outside, we worked more on balance and coordination with the walking blocks (gross motor) and the salt tray (fine motor). Finally the cake was done. When we took it out of the oven and tested it with a toothpick in the center, we could see the places where the bubbles had risen and popped.

We set the time timer again for 30 minutes and waited for the cake to cool. After a snack, we added B (Bubbles) to our main lesson book after practicing it first with the block beeswax caryons. The straight line of the B is the bubble wand, then a small bubble above and a medium bubble below. (I discovered that this wording is important. When I told him to make a large bubble below, he made it way too big).

Finally, we made Old-Fashioned Bubble Bath to take home. He had great fun helping me crack and separate the egg. And we cut pieces of the still-warm cake to enjoy. It was a lovely morning!

Old-Fashioned Bubble Bath
from Real Simple magazine

In a clean container, mix together ½ cup mild liquid hand or body soap, 1 tablespoon sugar or honey, and 1 egg white.

Pour the entire mixture under the running water as you draw your bath.

Honey is a natural humectant, which will attract and retain moisture in your skin. The egg white helps create stronger, longer-lasting bubbles, for a nice, fluffy bath.

For extra-dry skin, consider adding a tablespoon of light oil, such as almond or light sesame.