We started intervention time, and maybe that's where you're hearing that we're spending some time looking up which countries eat dog (lots of them, apparently!) and discovering how to write code to control robots. We basically let the kids brainstorm a variety of "clubs" that they'd be interested in starting, and once we had a list (a LONG list!) we grouped ideas, surveyed the kids, and set up some pretty cool enrichment groups. So are we studying world cultures and learning Chinese? Yes! Are we building things out of Legos? Absolutely! Are we creative writing, drawing, planning gardens, and analyzing sports stats? OF COURSE!!! We're doing all of these things....and totally tricking your kids into learning while they do it. (cue evil laughter)
Now, let's consider this total lawlessness that you may have heard about. We're studying ancient civilizations, and part of what ever civilization needs is a form of government - some laws to live and abide by. So as classes, we created some new laws. Some WILD new laws. We're playing pattycake before class and stopping at 11am to dance. We're sitting on our desks and eating snacks during study hall. We're saying "GO CUBS GO!" every time we enter the room. It's chaos.
But through the chaos, we are discovering that some laws are completely impossible to monitor. Some laws are virtually unenforceable. Some laws are ridiculous - and why do we have to follow them?! And whose job is it to enforce them? And what kind of consequences are fair? Our heads are spinning with all of these thoughts and questions, and to add to it, we read about Hammurabi and his code of laws. So just how does government end up as government and what kind of laws do we need....and what laws are just too silly?! So while it seems like things have become totally out of control, it's all just a way to consider how difficult it can be to sort out laws and consequences and enforce them.......in a few weeks, we will all be back to normal, I swear!
And yes, we have spend a day or two making super hero crafts. Come on, we aren't in junior high yet!!! Besides, we tied it all in to characterization and spent some time analyzing ourselves before we selected traits to amp up into super human heroics. And a little creative writing never hurt anyone (especially since it's a CCSS writing standard, W6.3, look it up!).
We have two more weeks of reading skill lessons and review before we start our first novel of the year, The Lightning Thief. The kids are getting excited for the first full length book of the year, and I'm getting excited about having some great class discussions about foreshadowing, themes, and characters. It's going to be great!
Get ready for a Greek gods research project to kick us off, and then we'll start writing more and more each week. It's going to be a writing intensive year!