Co-op in Review: August 21, 2014

This was our last day of our three week mini-unit on Ancient Egypt.  This week, our classes focused on studying about the religion and mythology of the Egyptians.  The Dialectic class had a blast making real bricks--out of mud and straw.  They got a little messy--but most of them didn't care!  The Upper Grammar class made sistrums--musical instruments that the Egyptians would have used in religious ceremonies.  The Lower Grammar class made jeweled collars and head dresses--and made each other into mummies!  The Five in a Row class read the book, "Papa Piccolo".  Piccolo is a tough cat, who roams the streets of Venice looking for food and adventure!  The kids then made little gondola boats, like those in Venice!

Co-op in Review: August 14, 2014

This was the second of our three weeks of studying ancient Egypt at co-op.  This week, we focused our studies on mummies and pyramids!  The kids loved (or were grossed out by) learning about the process of mummification and they were fascinated to learn how and why pyramids were built.  The Dialectic kids finished their Egyptian mummy burial masks--and they look awesome!  The Upper Grammar class painted sarcophaguses--which are the boxes that entomb mummies!  The Lower Grammar class decorated and constructed pyramids.  And, the Five in a Row class read the book, "The Rag Coat."  It's the story of a little girl whose mother makes her a coat of rags--and she learns to  be proud of the stories that her coat can tell.  The kids then made their first initial letter--decorated with little scraps of rags!

Co-op in Review: August 7, 2014

Week one of year one!  You would think that this week, we would be at the very beginning of history-creation.  But, our Tapestry studies actually start us in Ancient Egypt--where we'll be for the next three weeks!  This week, our kids all learned about the importance of the Nile River to the Egyptians.  For Egypt, the Nile meant life.  It's fertile soil provided the perfect place for growing crops, the mud from the river made for bricks to build homes and the river was the primary transportation route through Egypt.  The Dialectic class did some Egyptian art in their sketch books and then started making their awesome burial masks.  The Upper Grammar class weaved little baskets--like the one baby Moses was found in.  They also made a Nile River cake together.  The Upper Grammar class made maps of Egypt and the Nile River out of colored salt dough.  The Five in a Row class read the story, "Lentil."  It's the tale of a little boy whose harmonica saved the day!  The kids then made their own harmonicas out of craft sticks!