Day 57

We had History class today.  While Luke gave me the typical trouble with putting on his shoes, we got off without too much trouble and actually made it on time.  This was my week to lead the class, and we shared our projects, did our maps of Columbus' route, and played an Explorer game. 

(We did learn what sort of man Columbus was, so I think I'll be hearing about it every Columbus Day from now on, which I'm glad for.  One should know the truth about one's country and not necessarily stand on tradition if tradition is wrong.)

The first thing we did was share our projects.  Luke and Em had worked on their dioramas last week, and had not added to them, but they were admired by all.  Several of the other kids brought their projects, and they were all enjoyed and admired.




Cortez on a bridge to Tenochtitlan fighting with the Aztecs (Luke's) The horse was attached so he could be pulled from one side to the other and 'walk' across the bridge.  The bars you see taped to the 'water' are gold bars, like the ones Cortez lost off the bridges, then could never regain.




Cortez attacks the Aztecs.  There is a ziggurat in the background, as well as information scrolls.  Emily drew the natives, and behind them you can see Cortez' horses (he being the first to bring them to the Americas).

 We then moved on to the maps.




Top: Luke's Bottom: Emily's Middle: Sample

 I had prepared for the craft by procuring brown paper bags, playing pyromaniac by ripping the edges to map-size and burning them slightly.  Then I crumpled them all up, smoothed them out, and finally ironed them out flat again.  A lot of work to prepare for 15 students, but they all seemed to like it.  We used markers to outline and write, and watercolor paints to color in the water and the land (and sea serpents, if they had them).  The project went over fairly well.

The other thing we did was play an Explorer game similar to Concentration.  We had read the chapter on Explorers, but there were so many and they all sort of ran together, so I printed out facts about each in different colors and attached them to cards.  They could then match the explorer to the card, and that made it go much more smoothly, and they all took turns just matching the fact to the explorer. 

Somehow, we seemed to arrive home in a decent mood, and got our work done according to the schedule we had made up as closely as we could, and made it to the last Library program for the Fall.  A busy day!