Co-op in Review: February 23, 2012

This week, both of the Tapestry classes learned about the Iroquois Confederacy.  The Iroquois Confederacy was a six nation league of Native America tribes.  They inhabited the land in what is now upper New York State and parts of Canada.  The Iroquois were known as the "people of the longhouse" as the longhouse was a unique living arrangement amongst the native peoples.  The Iroquois Confederacy was very well organized and became well equipped to fight battles with the European settlers, primarily forming strong alliances with the British against the French.  The Upper Grammar kids worked hard at beading beautiful Wampum Bead belts.  The first sketched out patterns for their beads and then began the tedious work of threading each bead onto the belt in just the right place.  They did a great job!!  The Lower Grammar kids made fierce tomahawks.  They laced them together, decorated them and then had fun pretending to battle each other.  They also made beaded arrowhead necklaces.  Downstairs, the FIAR class read the book, "The Valentine Bears."  In this story, Mrs. Bear surprises Mr. Bear by waking up from hibernation just in time to celebrate Valentine's Day together.  The kids made adorable painted handprint Valentines and did some awesome candy heart graphing.

Rainy Renaissance!

On Tuesday, February 12, our co-op had a field trip to the Renaissance Festival in Gold Canyon.  And, to make it feel more like Europe--it was a cold, rainy, gloomy, muddy day!  But, a rainy day doesn't stop the Renaissance Festival, and it didn't stop us!! We visited the many shops, watched a medieval cooking demonstration, watched some performers then flied into the arena for to watch some jousting.  What a day, what an adventure.  We definitely made some memories!!

Co-op in Review: February 9, 2012

This week, Co-op started out in a very loving way--we had a Valentine's Day party!!  The kids exchanged valentines, ate cupcakes and cookies and then played a super fun Valentine's BINGO game!  After getting sugared up, it was time to go to their individual classes!!  The Upper Grammar class studied the French influences in the colonization of North America.  In their reading, they learned about Samuel De Champlain.  He was a French explorer, mapmaker and soldier who is credited with founding the first French colony in the New World,  which is now known as Quebec. The kids then did some very cool weaving on monk's cloth--much like the style of weaving that would have been done in New France.  The Lower Grammar class focused on what life was like for children during the Colonial period.   They talked about the clothing and manners that were expected of children.  Most agreed that they'd rather be living now!!  Life was pretty strict and hard for kids back then!  Then the kids made a game that was popular in Colonial America:  horseshoes!  Downstairs, the FIAR kids read the book, "I Love You As Much."  It's a warm and touching lullaby that celebrates the love between a mother and her child.  The kids then made a sweet Valentine's heart craft and played a Valentine's version of musical chairs!

Co-op in Review: February 2, 2012

I'm not sure what happened in the Tapestry Classes this week.  In the Five in a Row class, the kids read the story, "The Day it Rained Hearts."  It's about a little girl who catches hearts as they rain down and knows exactly who to each special heart should be given to!  The kids then did a heart scavenger hunt and made very lovely heart wreaths!

Co-op in Review: January 26, 2012

Plymouth Colony and the first Thanksgiving was the topic of the week in both Tapestry classes.  A group of 102 passengers (half separatists, half strangers) sailed on the Mayflower and landed at Cape Cod in the year 1620.  They later established a colony at Plymouth, at the site of an abandoned Indian village.  The first winter was very rough, but eventually, the new settlers learned from the natives how to plant and grow crops, such as corn.  The following fall, a three day feast was held, celebrating the bounty of the harvest.  This was the first Thanksgiving, which we learned, looked very different from the traditional Thanksgiving we celebrate today.  The Upper Grammar class completed their Jamestown models from the week before and then made beautiful paper kites, like children would have played with during Colonial times.  The Lower Grammar class tasted homemade candy made out of orange peels--as people in Colonial times did not waste any parts of their food!  They then made adorable little paper treasure boxes.  The Five in a Row kids read the book, "Time to Sleep".  It's a story about forest animals telling one another that it's winter time, which means time to sleep!  The kids made pictures showing where animals sleep during the winter.