Abra Cadabra!

Ala Kazam!

This week, we dared to try magic tricks using coins and ropes.  We watched a couple of YouTube videos of a professional magician revealing how coin tricks are performed and how to use the power of misdirection to amaze your audience.
Has your student shown you how to push a penny through the back of their hand?  Have you seen how a coin can disappear from a hand, then re-appear behind your ear?  
The most popular trick seemed to be the rope being pulled out of ears to look like brains, and out of noses to look like boogers!
Zoe (a.k.a. Touchstone) performed her favorite rope trick- wrapping a rope around her neck, then magically pulling the rope straight through!  We gasped at her terrific trick, and breathed a sigh of relief that her head was still attached to her body.  :)   Zoe and Fischer also demonstrated the "Black Magic" party trick of mind reading.   So awesome to watch.

What fun we had practicing and performing these "magic" tricks with each other.
I DARED them all to amaze their families with their newly learned tricks this week.  Ta Da!

Double Dutch

Whoever said jumping rope was not "daring" enough has never tried to jump Double Dutch jump ropes!

This week, we took ourselves outside with four long jump ropes.  First, we practiced jumping in and out of a single rope.  (which takes a lot of practice and timing)  Then, we tried our jumping skills with double ropes.  This is much harder than it looks- and we've got the sweat and rope welts to prove it.  We also learned that being a rope turner takes skill and teamwork, too.
What a thrill it is to try, try, try again until...success!   Take a look at the pictures below to see how much fun it is to challenge ourselves.

I love the look of thrill on Grandma Jill's face when Tyler is successful jumping double ropes for the first time

Everyone has their own style

Bean Bags

Knowing how to sew is a valuable skill.  This week we dared to sew our own bean bags!
Each student was given a square of felt, and a needle and thread.   We practiced threading a needle, tying knots and learned the slip stitch. 
After our bags were filled with beans and closed shut, we tested them out in a few games of bean bag toss.  Sew fun!
I was impressed with the entire classroom.  I heard the more skilled offer helpful advice to the beginners, and I saw others helping each other untangle threads, pour the beans and sharing knotting skills.  It was a table full of creativity and smiles.  Loved it!
Some chose to stay traditional with a square shaped bean bag.
Others had different geometric shapes to them, and then others got super-creative by cutting their bean bags into animal shapes like frogs, cats, dogs and bears.

Oops!  Trinity accidentally sewed her finger into her project.  Luckily, she wasn't hurt and we all couldn't help but laugh!

Oh, We're Goin' to a Hukilau

The South Sea Islands are rich with history, fantastical beauty and are a tropical adventure paradise!  One famous visitor to these remote islands was Pippilotta Delicatessa Windowshade Mackrelmint Efraim's Daughter Longstocking, (otherwise known as Pippi).  Another famous visitor was Captain Cook.  He was the first European to see Tahiti, to sail around New Zealand and to set foot on Australia.

Teacher Nalani told us the true story of the Hukilau that happened on the island of Hawaii, in Laie Bay.  In 1940, the LDS church house caught fire and burned to the ground.  Desperate to acquire the funds to rebuild a meetinghouse, they took a risk that maybe visiting tourists would buy a ticket to participate in an old Hawaiian way of fishing called the hukilau. ("huki" means to pull, and "lau" is the leafy net) Miraculously, they sold all 500 tickets, earned enough money for a new church.

Tourists loved participating in catching the fish that they'd eat that night at a luau on the beach.  One of the hukilau tourists was a Folk Song artist named Jack Owens.  As he sat in his hotel room that night, he penned the lyrics to the famous song.

Our class worked together to pull on our own hukilau fish net.
 We were thrilled to discover that we had caught a GIANT fishy!

Hula Dancers tell a story using their hands.
 "We throw our nets out into the sea, and all the ama'ama come swimmin' to me"...

Another movement in the hula dance.  "Where the laulau is the kau'kau at the big luau"

Hula Dancing was great fun!  We learned the trick of getting those hips to sway is all in the knees/legs.  When the question was asked whether it is just for girls, Zane was quick to point out that big, strong men also dance.  We watched a short video clip of Maori warriors stomping, slapping and chanting the "Haka".  Brandon and Tyler then demonstrated their own versions of an intimidating war dance.  Very entertaining (and impressively acrobatic)

 

Oh!  And we also learned the origin of the "hang loose" or "shaka" hand gesture.   Ask your student to tell you this interesting story.

Navajo Code Talkers and Morse Code

All month long we have been discussing Spy Codes and trying out Spy Gear.  These spy-savvy kids have gotten really good at deciphering codes, and even making up their own codes.  So clever!

This week, we learned about the Navajo Code Talkers dictionary that was so complex that expert code breakers could never decipher it.  During WWII, The Japanese managed to intercept messages from the U.S. Army and the Air Corps, but they were never able to figure out what the Marines were telling one another.  Were it not for the Navajos, the Marines would never had taken Iwo Jima.

We found it interesting to learn that the Navajo Code Talkers were so valuable, that each one was assigned their own personal Marine to guard them, to keep them alive and prevent capture.

In studying the Navajo Code Talkers dictionary, we giggled at the literal translations.   Here are some of our favorites:
Dive Bomber = Chicken Hawk
Bomb     = Eggs
Grenade = Potatoes
Tank      = Tortoise
Sniper    = Pick 'em off
Scout     = Short Raccoon
Submarine = Iron Fish
America = Our Mother

The next code we learned about was Morse Code.  Each kid was handed a rice crispy "bomb" that contained a secret morse message hidden inside.  We had to nibble and munch to get to it.  While we nibbled, Teacher Melissa shared a fun fact about Morse letter "V" ( ...- ).  Officers played Beethoven's Fifth Symphony to rally troops on D-Day.  The opening notes create the "dit dit dit dat" that represented "V" for "Victory"

How to Be a Spy

This month, we are starting a new unit.  All about Spies!
We briefly talked about what it takes to be a spy, and focused on Cryptography: Secret Codes and Decoding.
We introduced the Pig Pen code, and had a ball creating and deciphering secret messages!  Don't be surprised if a secret message shows up at your house, too.

Next, we tested invisible inks.  Lemon juice and milk make great ink for secret messages!  Only real spies know that to reveal the secret message, you must expose the paper to heat. (like a candle flame or stove burner) and when that happens, the message magically appears!

It was revealed to me that we have several Spy-Savvy students in our class...I encouraged them to share their knowledge with us and prepare something to share with the rest of us in future classes.  They are welcome to demonstrate different codes or ciphers, spy stories/history or spy gadgets.  If you have one of these smarty-pants spies at your house, please let me know if there are any supplies that I can help you gather, or any other support that you require.

Pirate Crews and Treasure Maps

This week was a fun Pirate Adventure!  
We continued with the Pirate theme by testing out the democracy and teamwork of a Pirate Crew.
   First, we divided into two crews.  Each crew had to decide on a dastartly pirate ship name.  We had an "SS Overboard"  and a "Siren's Song". 
   Then, each crew designed their own Pirate Flag.  We made sure that it looked so menacing, that trade ships would volunteer their treasures at the sight.   A pirate ship was constructed with cardboard, tube rolls, and bamboo skewers for the mast. (I liked the detail of cannons that Brandon added on his ship)
   Before we would set sail, we established the position of each pirate by voting on a Captain, a First Mate, a Navigator, a Pilot and a Quartermaster.
   Each  crew was given a treasure map and a compass then we headed outside where we embarked  on a real treasure hunt.  There was only one buried treasure chest with two crews racing to find it first.  The map clues sent us all over the place:  to the Cliffs of Insanity, then to the Lava Flow Valley, past Kraken's Feathers and the Shady Cove then on toward the Barnacled Branches next to the Pine Needle Isle.
   SS Overboard Crew was the first to unbury the treasure.  Upon opening the chest we delighted in the treasure that we had discovered.  Gold (chocolate) coins, and sapphire gems, a ruby ring, and a few other doo dad treasures (made in China)  The two Quartermasters then had the task of evenly dividing up the loot to each crew member.

Yo Ho, Yo Ho, a Pirate's Life for Me!

Yo Ho, Yo Ho, a Pirate's Life for Me

Avast, me hearties!   Pirate Captain Hobblin' Juliana Smithe, here.  I've recently turned to piracy, and 'ave been lookin' for a crew to join me.  Luckily, I didn't 'ave to look far to find some fine maritime lads and lasses that signed on to me Pirate Code.  We are preparin' to set sail soon!
   Part of our preparation is to give 'em all a proper pirate name.  Let's see, we've got Tyler the Terrible,  Pinkbeard, Anita Backstabber, Tennis Elbow Wenchy, Fish Food Bob, Patches and Cap'n Elliot to name a few. 
   We gulped down some "hard tack" pirate biscuits in the dark to avoid seeing the weevils that had infested our food below deck.  (not really)  Me new crew sings a lovely sea shantie. Ask 'em to sing it to ye.  
  The next order of business was to assign crew positions.  Every member of our crew is important to the smooth sailing of our ship!  I may be the Captain, but I have little power.  Pirate Ships run as a true democracy, with voting and majority rule.   The Pilot and Sea Artist steer us toward trade routes,  the Quartermaster decides which booty to acquire, the Master Gunner keeps us protected, the Carpenter keeps our ship in good working condition, the Boatswain keeps the crew in order, the Surgeon helps to amputate injured limbs, and the Striker keeps the Cook's pantry full with sea creatures she's trapped.  We're ever so glad to have a Cabin Boy and Powder Monkey aboard as well.

Next week, our Pirate crews will be designing their own pirate flags, and hunting for buried treasure!   ARRRRgh!

Tea Party

Today we had the privilege of having Scholars Trey, Josh and Kaleigh as our substitute mentors hosting our tea party.
While we nibbled on lemon pound cake, strawberries and biscuits, the leaders taught us the history of high tea vs afternoon tea, and reminded us of proper etiquette during social gatherings. 
Manners were enforced during our party, and napkins were properly used. 
Several poems were read for entertainment.
Although no one was daring enough to try sipping some herbal tea, fun was had by all. 

From the report I received, it sounds like some of us need more practice with silencing bodily noises during tea parties. 
Boys will be boys, I suppose. :)

Paper Crafting Old-School Style

Every kid should know how to fold a paper hat, and a paper boat, right?
    This week, we learned some amazing things that we can create with folded paper.  We started with a basic fold, and each made ourselves a paper hat.  We discovered that if we wanted our pirate hats to fit our heads, we needed to use a bigger piece of paper!

    The paper boats were really fun, and they actually float, too!  (we know- we tested them)
Ask your daring kid to tell you the paper craft story of "The Captain and His Ship"...you'll be amazed!

Merry helped us witness "capillary action" with a paper flower that bloomed right before our eyes.

Tyler stepped up in a leadership role, and led the folding instructions in how to make a paper balloon!   It was the trickiest fold, but it turned out to be the most popular item.  We had heard a rumor that by filling our paper balloon with water, that we could turn it into a water bomb.  It's true!  We tested this, too.  Many squeals of delight could be heard from the parking lot.

I DARE you all to look up how to create something new out of paper.  I can't wait to see what you've made.

DARING WOMEN of the SKY

This week we focused on some DARING women in history.  With the invention of the Wright Brothers’ Flying Machine, there came some females that dared to follow their intrigue with airplanes, and learned how to fly!

   We learned about the “third Wright Brother”, Katharine Wright (their sister) who supported her brothers’ creativity all the way.  She was history’s first female airplane passenger.  (She used a rope to tie her skirt around her legs, so it would stay put during the flight)

  Then came Harriet Quimby- the first female pilot.  She dared to abandon her skirt and trade it in for a purple silk knickerbocker outfit.  She was the first female to fly across the English Channel.  (Would have been front-page news, if the Titanic had not sunk the day before).  Harriet learned the hard way why a SEATBELT would have been an important piece of equipment when she fell to her death.

   My favorite female pilot was Bessie Coleman- the first black woman to obtain a pilots license.  Since flight schools in the US banned her from enrolling (due to her race) she overcame this obstacle by going to France for her pilots license.  There, she was taught stunt-flying.  Loop-de-loops and barnstorming were a big hit with audiences.  Bessie was in high demand, but she would only perform if the crowds were de-segregated.  Her dream of opening up a flight school for African Americans was cut short when a mechanics tool slid into the controls, jammed them, and the plane crashed.

  (Avery made me chuckle when she commented “The lesson for the female pilots is: never let a MAN ride in the plane with you”!)  ha!

   We finished our discussion with the Powder Puff Derby airplane race of 1937.  A transcontinental race where women pilots were pitted against men to prove once and for all that “women are incompetent flyers”.  Of course, a female named Louise Thayer won the race, and held altitude, distance and speed records. 

   Next, we tried our hand at becoming paper airplane pilots.  Trinity made a very fun spiral flying object, and the rest of us folded the “Harrier” jet that claims to be the best flier ever.  We took our planes to the parking lot where we practiced launching.  I believe Zane to be our most skilled paper airplane pilot.  His plane consistently flew the longest distance.  Elliot used his engineering mind to tweak the folds a bit to create a plane that does barrel rolls!  Tyler ended up re-folding his plane so that it flew like a dart.  I was super-impressed with all in our Daring Club- creativity and problem solving was evident as they came up with their own versions of a paper airplane.  fun!

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