Kindergarten Week 8

Yes, we read, danced, and played piano. But we also did all of this (and more)...

The week started with the Fall Harvest Festival at church. Gemma chose to have her face painted as a rainbow princess. She also decorated a couple of mini pumpkins, and gave me one to take to work and put on my desk.

There was also a petting zoo. Check out this sleeping goat's smile. :)

Our co-op started its Fall unit.

There were apple slices and pumpkin cake frosted with pumpkin butter, a book about fall, an explanation (using a globe) of why Santa Monica doesn't have the kind of autumn shown in books, and leaf-wreath-making.

We have also been working on long division without remainders. Life of Fred: Honey introduces this concept, so I dug out a book of multiplication and division riddles. It was perfect for Gemma. She loves jokes, and the idea of breaking secret codes. We're doing this slowly, two or three problems per day.

The tinker group built looms and weaved. This is my new favorite picture of my husband and daughter...

The library had an evening where they supplied the space and materials to make posters inspired by Mexican folk art. This is us at the end of a long day, posing with my poster (in-progress). The program was two hours, but we were allowed to stay 30 minutes more, and I still couldn't finish. I spent so much time filling the page with details, and then I realized I had to go back over them with Sharpie! Gemma made several posters. She loved having so many different colors of paint and glitter glue at her disposal.

My district had Yom Kippur off, so we drove up to Riley's Farm. It was Revolutionary War Day. Here is Gemma being questioned by a colonist and a redcoat about her "odd" clothing...

I thought the tour would be a bit long for Gemma, but when she saw all of the school groups having fun, she begged to join them. The ticket price was high, and I was worried I would have buyer's remorse. I tried to talk Gemma out of it, but she pleaded. The tour turned out to be so well done, and Gemma was thoroughly engaged the whole time. Here she is with her 5th grade "classmates," learning how to curtsy like a proper young lass.

Gemma sat in the front row, listening with rapt attention to this colonist talk about the redcoats who had knocked on her door, demanding quarters.

Here is Gemma taking turns, churning butter...

...grinding wheat...

...and using a quill to write her initials...

She also watched a 18th century-style trial...

...carded wool...

...weaved (it's the week of weaving!)...

...and played with a hoop and stick (of which she couldn't get enough).

We were given "rations" of dried beef, cheese, cornbread, an apple, and lemonade. Gemma drank both of our lemonades, ate both of our apples, and ate a chocolate chip cookie from the tavern.

Then it was time for battle. Half of the children were the British, and half were the colonists. (Gemma was a colonist.) Here is Gemma, prepared to fire her "musket."

After the tour, we went flower picking...

...and apple picking.