Hello dear ones! I’m almost caught up on posts. So what has Michael been doing lately? My sweet 9 year old has had a busy summer so far. We’ve been catching up on school since our hiatus during pregnancy. The work has been light though. I’m working on another Summer bucket list. We’ve finally gotten out to volunteer again at the nursing home and feed the homeless. Here are some other things Michael’s been doing.
Riding his bike. Michael mastered his bike this year. I’m so proud of him.
Swim lessons~ Michael can swim now but he still panics if he goes very far. So he stays in the shallow end. Maybe with more practice he will get better. Also we are able to go to pools for free now.
Last Awanas Ceremony~ Michael recited two Bible verses and did really well despite his nerves.
Karate
Michael’s bestie Liam had a martial arts party. We signed up for private lessons once a week. Michael has been in karate before but it was too big of a commitment financially and time wise. Plus Michael wasn’t mature enough then. Private lessons make it easier to keep with our schedule. The instructors are Christians and teach the kids respect and good morals. Michael’s really excited about learning again. Sadly, he has to start over with his belts, but maybe he will advance quickly.
Liam cutting his cake with a sword. Hannah is over to the right.
Michael’s free first lesson
Our homeschool group learned about nature at the Botanical Gardens.
Michael “eating” a tree cookie, and learning about the rings.
Bird watching
Then we had our End of the Year party, and the kids were given certificates from their moms.
We took Leeland out to several places for the first time…like the museum.
Well, on his actual birthday we took him to Outback. It was his first time having the servers sing to him. He was really surprised.
Playing Band Hero
The park and spending time with Nana.
Mailbox Club Bible lessons~ https://www.mailboxclub.org/index.php/lesson-signup-child
Michael is adjusting really well to being a big brother. He helps me around the house and is very protective of Leeland. My compassionate lil buddy is growing up too fast. He’s starting fifth grade next year. It’ll be wild teaching fifth grade while keeping up with a busy baby. Somehow we’ll do it.
Well, God bless & remember the High King lives! ~Amber Dover
PS: Check out some of Michael’s homeschool adventures: Start at these posts and follow the links to the rest in the series.
The Time Machine Unit (the 20th Century)~ Check out our homemade time machine 🙂
In this Post: The golden age of the 50’s, the 60’s and being hippies, and a Hawaiian party. Several crafts and fun ideas.
Hello friends! I hope you are well :). Last week we did our third quarter study of the twentieth century. We set the time machine for 1950 thru 1975. I was very excited about this era because it has some of my favorite music.
It just so happens that segregation ended and the civil rights movement occurred during this time. Also, we were able to study this during Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday. So they went hand in hand. Michael watched “Perfect Harmony”, a sweet family movie about civil rights. This week Michael read a “Star Trek” book since it came out in the 60’s.
One of my Mom’s favorite cartoon/claymation characters became popular in this era, Gumby.
We bought a Gumby model and Michael made his own Gumby with play dough. He also watched the cartoon.
This is Gumby on the Moon. He was given to Mom (Nana).
I made a timeline of Disney movies. Michael stacked the movies in the order they came out from the 50’s.
Chris used the globe to talk to Michael about the Korean war.
We ate at a diner and then Michael and I put together this classic fast food sign. We used tissue paper for the lettuce and rice for the sesame seeds.
I may frame this. I love it!
We watched videos of Elvis and listened to 50’s music all day. We talked about the history of Rock n’ Roll and the pros and the cons. Michael drew this guitar with my instructions.
Michael listened to this video of my grandmother (Dad’s mom…my Mema). She talks about when her Dad came home from the war and also when she met Elvis after winning a dance contest. Remember Email subscribers, please come to my blog to see the links 🙂
Video of Mema and her life in the 40’s and 50’s
So “The Cat in the Hat” came out in 1957, the year my Mom was born. Pardon my scary morning face. I just had to read the book in my hat.
So then came the 60’s! Michael watched clips from the movie “Hairspray” (newest one) because it showed how people marched for civil rights.
video- “Welcome to the 60’s” from Hairspray
Chris and Michael put together this model car.
I stayed up late the night before Tye-dying Michael’s shirt. He made our beads that morning. I think we looked far out :).
To show Michael hippies, I let him watch “The Wonder Years” season 2 episode 14 “Bright Wing”. It’s about Kevin’s sister who is a flower child. Michael and I discussed what the hippies stood for (some good and some bad). We also learned that hippies were called Flower children because they sometimes would hand out flowers for peace.
Speaking of flowers….we listened to and discussed the song “Where Have All the Flowers Gone?” It shows the cycle of war. We talked about Vietnam and why people protested it. We listened to another protest song “Hey stop, what’s that sound?” We watched The Wonder Years season 2 episode 10 “Walk Out” about students protesting Vietnam.
Wednesday we talked about the founding of N.A.S.A. and the first man on the moon. So we did this trick I’ve seen on Pinterest. It wasn’t as glorious as we thought it’d be. Michael colored a paper into a rainbow. I painted it with black paint and then when it dried Michael scraped a picture into it.
It’s a rocket ship on the moon.
The Big Mac came out in 1968 so we split one. I think it was Michael’s first one. He said it was awesome lol! In 1969 we got the first man on the moon. We took a trip to the Space and Science Center. It just so happens that Sesame Street also came out in 1969. We had planned on watching it and by providence the Space Center was playing a Sesame Street movie in the Omnisphere theater. Big Bird and Elmo taught us about the Moon and Stars! 🙂
Pics from the Space Center
Our “groovy” Scooby Doo tattoos…
Hawaii became a state in 1959. So for our party we used a Hawaiian and Rock n’ Roll theme. Michael made a Hawaiian flag which was actually his idea. We found Hawaii on the map.
The decor was easy. I bought Luau & 50’s stuff from Party City. I just hung up these plastic pictures and Michael was impressed :). Mommy score!
I had no idea what to use for the party until that day. But I thought Hawaii is tropical so something fruity would be good. So I bought what we needed to each make our own banana pudding. I prefer to do the pudding this way (pudding cups, vanilla wafers,whip cream & banana slices). Then I got Hawaiian Punch and V8 Splash Smoothies Tropical Colada . We got into the 50’s & 60’s candy we got from Cracker Barrel. The boiled peanuts just looked good so I figured they’d add something salty.
Michael, Mom (Nana), and I cut out flowers for leis. Michael wore a straw hat and Mom got to wear the grass skirt. She didn’t know that when she stopped in from work that she would be drafted for a party lol.
I just found a flowery skirt to wear.
Me and Mom.
Boiled Peanuts and banana pudding with whip cream….yummm
Michael and Nana enjoying the dessert.
So we put on 50’s music. I tried Hawaiian radio first but it wasn’t fun enough. Michael is doing the “Monkey” and Mom is doing….ummm I’m not sure what it’s called….swimming? surfing?
I’m doing the “Monkey” and Michael is doing the “dive”.
Don’t you just love crazy hair moments!
Michael was SO hyped up on sugar!
Nana caught sneaking more pudding!
After dancing I pulled out a glass coke bottle. We played “Spin the Bottle” first by blowing kisses or kissing on the cheek. Then Nana changed the rules and whoever the bottle landed on had to answer a question. I threatened Michael if he ever played the real spin the bottle with a girl lol! I like Nana’s version better.
Then we got bored and tried a new bottle game…who can toss the dime in the bottle. Yeah, Michael cheated and it was hard…so we moved on.
Limbo!
Limbo!
If you want to see our time lines and craft inspirations please check out my Pinterest at this link:
Next week please come back to see our last Time Machine study 1975-2000.
God bless & remember the High King lives! ~Amber Dover
Hello friends! I hope you are well :). We took a break last week from our Time Machine studies. We did however finally have our Teddy Bear Jazz Ball (for the 1920’s) Friday. We also learned about snowflakes at our homeschool group where my bestie Hannah hosted. I painted a mural in the homeschool closet turned nook. Meanwhile, our family rested and healed from sickness. I am doing so much better…hardly any nose issues. Michael hasn’t coughed and the cat’s foot is great. The kitty is just miserable being inside. We have to get him fixed. He’s driving me crazy with his whining. Chester is part Siamese and VERY vocal.
Here is a video with proof. This is just a taste of what he does morning and night. Email Subscribers:you’ll have go to my actual blog site to see most links.
Chester, my vocal kitty
So last year I did a post on converting Michael’s (recalled) crib into a school desk, magazine rack, and shelf.
That worked for awhile but Michael outgrew the desk and it became a place for clutter. We still have the magazine rack but the desk and shelf (which was falling down) were thrown out. So I had to rethink the closet corner. I wanted it to become a nook where Michael could put his headphones on, sit on his beanbag, and do school. Thus came the mural of faith and comfort.
I noticed that there was a crack in the wall that made a cross. So I drew an outline with crayon and painted the wall with kid paint. I used a permanent marker to write the verses. After that, I bought rolling plastic drawers, threw out old craft stuff, workbooks, and papers, and then set everything up leaving the center open. Now I like to stay in that area!
Enjoy the pics 🙂
This week was laid back with just our regular workbooks and Michael played math apps. My buddy Hannah hosted our group and taught the kids about snowflakes. She read a cute story about how we are all different, like snowflakes.
She also told us about Snowflake Bentley, a man (with my birthday Feb 9th) who was the first person to take magnified pictures of snowflakes.
We then looked at pictures of snowflakes up close.
Hannah showed the kids how to make a snowflake mobile.
We finished ours at home.
Then we ate these lovely snowflake cookies Hannah made.
I decided to make Borax snowflakes and sugar crystal candy.
The borax snowflake came out good. The sugar crystals haven’t formed yet. I think it takes longer….unless I did it wrong.
Michael was so excited to get his first mp3 player. I put several Christian kid songs on it.
Friday we finally had our Teddy Bear Jazz Ball that goes with our Time Machine Study of the 1920’s. We dressed up a bit…sort of. I made a few invitations. My symmetry is off lol. Michael said they looked like mice. Michael got the big one and the rest went to teddy bears and dolls.
Michael helped me set up the china. We had cookies and lemonade while the dolls and Teddy Bears had chicken, steak, and a mix of things. We had extra food so more “people” were invited.
Apparently Sheep eat chicken. Tiger is hungrily staring at the other guests. Uh Oh…
The mood was set with 20’s music (mainly jazz). We conversed with our guests then had dancing.
Samantha got to stay in the 21st century a bit longer. After the Ball she went back in the time machine and to the early 1900’s.
Barbie had to use a stepping stool to dance with the army doll.
Michael and I attempted to learn the Charleston. I got the hang of the first part but Michael was frustrated. So we danced freestyle most of the time.
Charleston tutorial here:
By the way, all the videos that I talked about in last Monday’s post can be found on my Pinterest here:
Well, God bless and remember the High King lives! ~Amber Dover
Welcome! My name is Amber Dover. I am a homeschooling mom, happy wife, and a devout follower of Jesus Christ. I am also a writer. I am currently working on "The Truth Seeker's Chronicles" (an inspirational fantasy/allegory). You will find everything from craft ideas to writing tips on my blog. So please pull up a chair and hang out :)
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