Benjamin Franklin Study

We spent a couple weeks studying Benjamin Franklin. We used the Download N Go study to break up our days. We learned about his life, who he was, his inventions, his other accomplishments, and much more.

 

 

Books we read:

 

 

 

Kids drew the U.S. seal with a turkey instead of an eagle.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Liberty Bell art- idea found here

 

 

 

 

 

 

You have to talk about kites when studying Ben Franklin. I got the kids mini kites to play with.

 

 

 

 

 

Charged cereal experiment

 

 

 

 

 

Notebook pages with pieces from Homeschool Share and Download N Go.

 

 

 

 

 

While visiting Washington, D. C. after doing the study, we went to the Old Post Office Pavilion to see the statue of Ben Franklin there.

 

 

 

Chocolate Unit Study

A chocolate unit study was a great way to start the new year. We used the Download N Go, Chocolate Challenge, and the chocolate unit study from Homeschool Share.

We read lots of books about chocolate and we listened to the story of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Each day we read about a different chocolatier and sampled some of their chocolate. We did some fraction math with the Hershey bars and the girls graphed using M&Ms (pictures in our weekly wrap-up).

Chocolate to sample

We talked about Brazil, rainforests, cacao trees, and the history of chocolate. The kids sampled rainforest foods, including pineapple, coconut, mango, sweet potato, limes, lemons, avocado, kiwi, and plantains. They had tried plantains raw before and didn't like them. This time I fried them and they ate the whole thing. They said it tasted like french fries.

Rainforest books and products

We ordered this kit that included ingredients to make your own chocolate.

Molly showing us the kit

Colin mixing the chocolate

Finished chocolate

The kit also included 2 cacao beans. They tried them, but quickly spit it out.

Caleigh with the cacao beans

Last month the girls got to go to a chocolate factory when we were in Maine, but Colin missed it because he was at hockey camp so we just had to go to another shop during our chocolate week. They were so nice there and showed the kids how they melt the chocolate, how they dip things in chocolate, and how they make fudge.

Outside the candy shop

Showing them how they dip in the chocolate.

Caleigh is holding the huge chocolate bars they get for melting.

Molly and Caleigh in front of the candy making area.

Waiting for the fudge to cool. It's on the left side of the table. That's peanut butter on top of it.

Mixing the fudge

Notebook pages: lapbook pieces from DNG and Homeschool Share. The orange is a piece of cardstock I had to add for an extension so we could fit it all on there.

The Cadbury Dairy Milk was Colin's favorite candy that they sampled so he put the wrapper in there. The girls both liked Lindt white chocolate truffles best. The picture of chocolates next to it is from the store where we did our field trip. On the bottom is his own candy bar creation. He had to write what he would put in it and name it. He named it The Whoo Hoo Bar. He even put a slogan on his wrapper: The candy bar that makes you go whoo hoo. Molly called hers the Whip Bar.


With the extension open

Caleigh didn't want to come up with her own candy idea, but she decided to make this cacao tree.



Those are cacao pods covering the trunk becasue we learned they grow there too.



To celebrate the end of our week, we had a little party and watched the movie, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. We had Brazilian lemonade to drink. It was actually made with limes and the kids loved it. The whole pitcher was gone the same evening. We also had chocolate fondue with lots of yummy things to dip in it.

Brazilian lemonade, chocolate fondue, strawberries, bananas, marshmallows, graham crackers, pretzels, apples, and pound cake.

Canada Unit Study for the Geography Fair

For anyone who knows us or has been reading my blog for a while, you probably aren't surprised that Canada was chosen for our geography fair project and you probably know who's idea it was. Colin wants to live in Canada, where he imagines he'd be surrounded by hockey and find outdoor ice rinks on every corner. 

Since it was our first geography fair, I thought it would be best if they just did one country together. Colin immediately said Canada, but the girls weren't too thrilled with that idea. They named other countries, but never seemed set on one so I talked them into doing Canada. I figured Colin would do more of the work since he's older and should do something he's interested in.   

We used the Download N Go (DNG) study, Expedition Canada. From this we got to watch lots of videos showing different parts of Canada. We learned about a different animal each day, some places there, inventions, history, popular sports, Canadian cities, geography, and holidays.



Some of the books we read



Caleigh made this beaver, a national symbol of Canada, and this totem pole, which were made by the First Nations peoples.

Lego Creations: Colin made the CN Tower and Caleigh made an inukshuk, both of which we learned about in the DNG study.

In addition to DNG, we also used Homeschool Share's Canada lapbook and a Canada mini lapbook from Fortunately for You for our lapbook. I think this is the first time we've ever done an actual lapbook. We usually just add the mini books to our notebooks, but I wanted something they could display at the fair this time.

We made maple cookies with real maple syrup. You can find the recipe we used here.

Kids at the geography fair. Along the bottom of the table, we taped coloring pages for each of the provinces and territories.The kids spent a lot of time coloring them.

Display board: It was Colin's idea to use black and red. Caleigh came up with using maple leaves under the letters in Canada. On the bottom right is a Mountie paper craft that Molly put together. Also on the board: map of Canada, map of North America, flag, popular sports, major industries, major crops, information about what the word Canada means, languages, holidays, animals, and Levi from Children Just Like Me.

On the right, we brought along some of the inventions from Canada. On the left toward the front of the table is a French Canadian counting book.

In this picture, you can see Colin's hockey helmet, a puck, the Lego CN Tower, and a French/English color words matching game.

I'm so glad we did the geography fair. It was lots of fun showing our display and seeing everyone else's. The girls and I weren't too excited about doing Canada since it doesn't seem as exciting as some other countries, but we did learn a lot of new things and it ended up being a good study for us.

In my previous post, I have some pictures of other projects at the fair and Molly getting a henna tatoo.

Ireland Unit Study

We spent the week learning all about Ireland. We used stuff from Homeschool Share and the Download N Go study, Expedition Ireland.

Books we read during the week



We were able to watch videos showing the beautiful landscape of Ireland. We also watched vidos of Irish dancing and listened to Irish music.
Some of the things we learned about:
Geography of Ireland
Animals of Ireland, including Irish setters and Connemara ponies
Famous places, including the location of the Blarney stone and the Giant's Causeway
Irish words
Saint Patrick
St. Patrick's Day
Leprechauns
Sports in Ireland


Notebook Pages
Mini books: flag, map, famous place in Ireland, why do people kiss the Blarney stone, animals, legends of leprechauns, process of making crystal, colors of the rainbow, St. Patrick card (kids got at parade)

We had Irish soda bread and stew, but I forgot to get pictures. The girls painted their own Blarney stones. The kids made leprechauns. We had a fun lunch and celebrated St. Patrick's Day. We also got to go to a St. Patrick's Day parade and see lots of Irish dancing.

Caleigh's is a rainbow (on right). Molly said there was a flower on hers, but I'm not sure what else.

Lunch: leprechuan sandwich, pot of gold, lime punch

Molly did some graphing with Lucky Charms. I got the graph here.

Caleigh is supervising Molly for me to make sure she doesn't go wild just putting anything or eat them.