BFG has made his way into our home and legos

A recommendation: The BFG 

The BFG (Big friendly Giant) written by Roald Dahl who was also the author of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach and several others. His writing is unique and this book (BFG) though full of ideas that are repulsive and strange.. for example giants eating people, the author comes at it in such a way that it is funny and the story was light hearted.

Here is a link to hear Roald Dahl himself read and excerpt from the book: Roald Dahl-characters

It is a great book for both boys and girls. :) All my kids loved it. (ages: 11, 8 and 6) Th BFG himself has quite the vocabulary and the use of words in this book is hysterical and yet at times difficult to pronounce. :)

We were introduced to it by some sweet friends and the result was some pretty fun Lego structures of the BFG himself.

We all have our soap boxes I am sure, but mine is: Pick up a book, a good book, a book that has lasted the test of time and introduce it to your kids. You will never look back. :)

from my west corner,
Becky

Butterfly Study (geared toward ages 7-10)

For spring I wanted to do a study on Butterflies to welcome in the happy change of seasons and explore something that is related to spring. This study was not only fun but very eye opening to the wonder of creation and the creator. We all enjoyed it completely. I hope someone else can benefit from these links and resources.

Butterfly Study

Mighty book: Metamorphosis song  
This is such a peppy song that engages kids as to what that big word Metamorphosis means.

After the kids watched this a few times I told them that whoever could spell metamorphosis without making any mistakes I would give 50 kurus.

Butterfly lapbook
We included a lapbook in our study of butterflies. This one was great. We used several parts of it.

Butterfly Film

This video is $15.00 but it is excellent and the footage of butterflies is fabulous. We throughly enjoyed watching this. It was very informative and I personally learned a lot. It was however at times over my 6 years olds head and my 9 year old sometimes got lost in vocab but the photos and constant motion of the film kept them captive. Butterflies are truly a remarkable creation.

Trailar for Metamorphosis the beauty and design of butterflies

Butterfly Book and reading

We think Ms. Frizz is super cool and so this book was another purchase we made ahead of time. Easy to find online for very inexpensive.

The Magic School Bus #26

Butterfly Battle 

We recently discovered Ms. Frizz and the Magic School bus online with full episodes for free. We were  even more delighted to find one about Butterflys!!! Yippee for us and creative educational cartoons. 

Butterfly Food fun 

Nothing too exciting just simple ideas that makes us happy to eat a tasty butterfly that doesn't have warning colors. ;)

I made this. Lunch time

Kids made these. Snack time

Butterfly Craft

I got this ideas from a few different places, which of course I pinned so I could find them later. 

Gotta like pinterest for easy finding. 

My older daughter used wire and my son used pipe cleaner. 

My inspiration.

Here:

and Here:

Source:

Spoonful. Dragon fly craft

Source:

Clothespin butterfly craft

Our next step is to explore outdoors and discover butterflies in their natural surroundings. Now that Spring is really here I think we will start to see more and more butterflies. 

Edit May 21st 2013: I just recently found this great FREE Butterfly resource unit!! Worth your time.

In our west corner in awe of Gods design and creative working in nature.
Becky

Homemade abacuses

I am in the process of teaching and my little guy is in the process of learning his numbers. 

Here was a fun hands on idea. 

What we used:

If you don't have all the items you could use: 

Popsicle sticks, skewers cut and small noodles. 

Here are our homemade abacuses. It is a great math manipulative. 

While learning numbers here we have also done a number train and a number snake which my little guy has really liked also. 

Here is the link for the number snake: Snake and Numbers

Learning and teaching...In my west corner,

Becky