More Native American block

We continue our Native American block this week with a trip to the Duwamish Longhouse with our homeschool clan.  Conor will tell you what we learned: 

"We learned about the totem that was carved and place in a West Seattle lookout park (Belvidere), and more about the tribe and why they are not officially a tribe.  We learned a story, one in particular about the Snake people and the mean man who hurt a snake, that you cannot hurt animals or things without consequences.  We danced and sang a canoe song and made hats.  "

As you can see, the stories have been having the largest impression.  We have not completed any of the craft projects I had hoped to, but stretching our interest in crayon and color.  Here is an illustration of the Owl and Rabbit creation story. 

 And in our math work, we have been rounding out our knowledge about measurement of area and perimeters, square root functions, quotients and remainders.  Since I take advantage of the hired tutor to squeeze in solo shopping I miss the French class fun, but Conor hates to leave and comes home singing and counting en francais.  Piano is still a delight, although we have not been successful at getting out our recorders on a regular basis.  We sorely missed our drama and sports classes last week due to the holiday and await them with great excitement today.  Aikido is always a strong motivator for my son who would attend 4 days/week if we lived closer.  There he progresses in control and discipline, such a joy to watch.  

Sun or rain today, ah the northwest fall!

We have fallen off track with our weather journal, which is too bad since it is the season of change, wait 5 minutes and it will change.  Gorgeous sunny and crisp days, grey and wet days, and many times in the same day!

Meanwhile, we continue in our Native American block still talking much about the people of Cascadia, so there is so much rich information at our fingertips with this new resource:  http://www.peopleofcascadia.com/  We went for stories at the Duwamish longhouse.  Being late in the day, and being followed by a day with too little physical activity and much indoor reading, it did not draw his interest as much as I hoped, but we are back there next week with friends and should have much more fun.

Conor wants to tell you now what he knows about the northwest peoples:

1.i learned that a red cedar would be used for almost anything from baskets and  plankhouses  to diapers and carpets!
2. I learned that a long time ago the Duwamish tribe were forced to lived in bainbridge island 

3.i learned that the back of a longhouse is the royal space


and there you have it

In other news, the other highlight of this week was the science museum, which is always a draw, but particularly when the Harry Potter exhibit is in place.  Oh,that was a hit, from the first steps into the foggy entrance to the gift shop full of expensive wands.  (we resisted, or mom did)  Best new game at the science center:  a live pattern block game where the players since in rolling chairs and have to work together to move the pieces into a prescribed pattern.  A fun game of cooperation and communication, we will be back for that. 

Native American block

Now are into a very fun part of the year, a whole month studying the various first people-stories, culture, art, food, crafts.  We have a few trips coming up to the Duwamish longhouse included.   This week we are reading about the people of the plains and using block crayons to make studies of the grassy plains-and a few leaf rubbings and other fall fun.  It was also fitting that this last Friday was Wilderness Awareness, where the kids came home with great excitement over their firemaking skills.  Sadly for my son, it has been lovely weather and too warm for a fire, that will change too soon!

Conor has also become interested in NaNoWriMo and has set himself a goal of a 1000 word story.  He is already 20% there.  I just set him up with an online journal that he types himself and let him loose. So here is an excerpt:

when i was five i drove to a dog shelter and found a black dog named jack,we let him outside & he was so happy he jumped on my face. then i never looked at him again. yet i still love him, then i met pasco he was laying down and a jug of dirty water lay beside him. "i want him." i said, now he has been with me for three years, but he nearly died when he drank some kind of dirty water. we learned that he was so protective to me that he barked at anyone that came near me,when we took him home and he peed on our armoire was very happy and today (November 2 2010)we went to my mom's appointment, then we went to the nouveau bakery, then we went to the toy store and my mom gave me a book and pencil and told me i could choose five things to have i chose a playmobil dragon's knight playmobil dragon