Summer School 2011: Week Three - Ireland

Week Three – Ireland (July 4-July 8)

Monday –

Start with a prayer
Read scriptures together as a family

Opening exercise: Where’s Columbus?

Explanation: Columbus has hidden clues for us to learn about our first country, and we need to find them in order to know where we’re traveling next. We’ll all need to work together to find the clues…

Clue #1: The place we’re going is lush and green…sheep graze on grass all day to grow thick wool…when the sheep are shorn, the wool is made into a kind of thick thread called _________.

Clue #2: A long time ago, the poor farmers of this country mainly grew one vegetable…and in 1845-1852 a disease struck that vegetable that caused it to rot. A million people died of disease and starvation during this time, and approximately a million more fled to the Americas…including some of your ancestors. This vegetable grows under the ground…what is it?

Clue #3: The people of this country love folktales and legends. Most of them revolve around the supernatural. Can you find a book featuring Scary Tales from this country?

Clue #4: This country loves the color green…in fact, it is often referred to as “The Emerald Isle”. Which room is painted a light shade of green?

After the clues are found, and the country is guessed, have the kids sit at the table and do a quick introduction of the country of Ireland. Give each child a map and flag to color. While they work, talk about facts of Ireland.

www.makingfriends.com/world/thinking_day_passport.htm

http://members.enchantedlearning.com/europe/ireland/activity.shtml

http://members.enchantedlearning.com/europe/ireland/mapquizbw.shtml

http://members.enchantedlearning.com/europe/ireland/flag.shtml

http://members.enchantedlearning.com/europe/ireland/flagquizbw.shtml

Have them include their papers in their binders

Vocabulary: Ireland, rainbow, leprechaun, potato, Dublin, myth, banshee, shamrock, sheep, potato

Explain what each word is and why it’s important to Ireland, then:

J, S, B: Write each word 3x each      N: picture match w/words

Craft: Columbus needs a helper to teach us about Ireland…someone who has a lot of luck. He has a friend named Eirnin (ER neen). Eirnin is very slick and crafty, and likes to play tricks on people. Can you guess who…or what…Eirnin is? (a leprechaun)

A lot of times, we only think about leprechauns on one day of the year…do you know what that day is? (St. Patricks Day)

But in Ireland…leprechauns are around every day of the year. They are very tricky. Rumor has it, that if you catch one, he has to tell you where he’s hid his pot of gold!! 

Let me read you a story…(read Leprechauns Never Lie)

Eirnin is a very special type of leprechaun…he doesn’t have gold…but he has lots and lots of luck…SPECIAL luck…the kind of luck that helps kids do well in school and have fun learning.

Do you think we can help Columbus catch his friend Eirnin so he can give us the luck we need to learn about Ireland??

http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/to-catch-a-leprechaun-710897/

Fun Snack: Use Lucky Charms to bait the Leprechaun…put extras in baggies to eat later during the movie…

Journal: If you could catch a leprechaun, and ask him for any wish…what would it be?

At this point, we should be just about done for the day with our “lesson”. However…we are going to walk to the library, and when we get back, we will probably go swimming at the pool or have lunch first and THEN go swimming. After swimming, when it’s time to “wind-down” in the afternoon, we can have a time set aside to read…and watch the movie for the day. Then, if the kids want, they can practice Spanish. This will usually take place during a time of day that it is storming…so they will be good indoor activities to keep kids busy and engaged. I’m always trying to avoid the: “Momma, what can I doooooo?” .

Library: Walk to the library and have kids sign out books…everyone getting AT LEAST one on Ireland.

Swimming

Reading : read books from library. Or read from books on Ireland at home. Introduce this weeks Book Report Activity…Reading Rainbow. A story fact goes into each color of the rainbow.

http://members.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/stpatrick/Rainbow.shtml

Movie: Darby O’Gill and The Little People

Computer : Everyone gets to study Spanish for their lesson






Tuesday –

Start with a prayer
Read scriptures together as a family

Opening Exercise:  Beach Day!! (no lessons today)


Wednesday –

Start with a prayer
Read scriptures together as a family

On Wednesdays, we’ll be cooking food from the countries we are learning about. Everyone will get a chance to help.

Opening exercise: Read a book on Ireland

Cooking: Irish Soda Bread

While kids are taking turns baking their own Irish Soda Bread, the others can work on their vocabulary and journaling activities

Vocabulary: J, S, & B: Write definitions for each word using the computer or dictionary…help each other out!! 

N: Write each word in your best handwriting

Math: After Vocab, do this…

www.abcteach.com/directory/seasonalholidays/st_patricks_day/ )

Journal:  Imagine that a young Irish immigrant has magically time-travelled to our day. You need to get him/her up-to-date with the times!! What do you do?

Movie: Today is Dollar Movie Day at Regal…go to the movies!!

Swimming

Reading: Special reading time…either individually or as a family

MORE Movies: If additional indoor time is needed due to weather…watch Far and Away

Computer: Spanish Lessons

Thursday –

Start with a prayer
Read scriptures together as a family

Have kids dressed in bathing suits today.

Opening Exercise:  I’m going to do a little experiment…and it’s a clue to as what we’re learning about today. Let’s do it…and see if you can guess what we’re going to learn about…

http://www.kidzone.ws/science/rainbow.htm

Science: This experiment helps explain how rainbows are made…

http://www.free-science-fair-projects.net/science-fair-projects-on-light-and-rainbows.html

Let’s go outside and make our own rainbow…

Make a Rainbow

What You Will Need:

• a garden hose (connected to a faucet outside)
• a sunny day
• permission to go outside and use the hose

What To Do:

1. Get the hose and turn the faucet on.
2. Stand in a spot where the sun is behind you, shining on your back. (You will be able to see your shadow in front of you when the sun is behind you.)
3. Put your thumb over part of the nozzle of the hose so that the water creates a spray when it comes out.
4. Hold the hose out in front of you and turn slowly. Keep you finger over the hose to make a spray. Watch for a rainbow to appear above the water.

What's Happening?

A rainbow should appear just above the spray of water from your hose when sunlight hits the water at the right angle. The water from the hose does the same things that rain does to make a real rainbow in the sky - it refracts the beams of sunlight so that they separate into their different colors. You can see the colors in the rainbow that appears above the water. The rainbow you made is much smaller than one you would see in the sky. Do you know why? It's because the water from your hose is only spraying in a small area. If there were more drops of water for the sunlight to hit, you would see a larger rainbow. 

Let kids play in the water…everyone has a turn making a rainbow…

Vocabulary: J, S, B: write a fully structured and grammatically correct sentence using the vocabulary words. Be creative!!

N: draw a picture for each word on a 10-frame paper

Math: Have everyone open a package of Skittles and graph how many colors are in each package. 

Special Snack: Make rainbow cupcakes

Journal: 

“Look kids,”  Mom said, “there’s a rainbow!!”

Sure enough, a giant rainbow was arched across the sky. It seemed to be right over the house.

“Mom,” said Joseph, looking very excited, “I think the rainbow is ending right at the park across the lake!! Look, can you see that golden glow just above the trees?”

“I see it!! I see it!!” Brigham exclaimed, jumping up and down. Nicolette started jumping excitedly next to Brigham. She could see the beautiful rainbow and the glittering glow, too.

“Joseph…I think you’re right!! What should we do?”

“I know what we should do!!” Savannah exclaimed.

What happens next?

Swimming

Reading : Special time set aside for reading, either individually or as a family.

Special Snack: Frost Rainbow Cupcakes (with “cloud” frosting) and enjoy!!

Movie: The Secret of Kells

Computer :  Spanish lessons


Friday –

Start with a prayer
Read scriptures together as a family

Opening Exercise:  Today is a more “grown-up” version of Ireland. We will be watching a PBS documentary called “In Search of Ancient Ireland” that tells a lot about Irish history and lore. It is 3 hours long…and may carry over into later in the day…

Vocabulary Test Today With Prizes For Correct Answers!!

Movie: In Search of Ancient Ireland

Journaling, and Art: Make a travel brochure for Ireland…highlight special features, interesting facts, local lore…whatever you feel would make someone WANT to travel to Ireland. Draw pictures. Do your very best work…(can be worked on while watching the show)

Swimming

Finish Movie and/or Reading (whichever order best suits the day)

Computer: Spanish lessons

Book Reports: Fun activity where kids can present books they are reading…present Reading rainbow mobiles.

http://members.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/stpatrick/Rainbow.shtml