6.24.2010

Summer School: Sunflower Week


We kicked off our home-based "summer school" with Sunflower Week. The curriculum was ambitious, but my little chicks followed it with enthusiasm. We read a lot about sunflowers (This Is the Sunflower and Sunflower House were favorites), then we made paper plate sunflowers with seeds glued in the middle. We practiced measuring and cut stems to match each girl's height in inches, then planted them on the wall.

Selby practiced telling time and writing numbers on a sunflower clock. And writing skills were used in the creation of original sunflower poems.
A science lesson was centered around the planting of sunflower seeds. Selby measured the spacing of the seeds and created a chart to follow their growth... much to our surprise, they sprouted in just 3 days! Only one week later, they were ready for planting in the yard.

Of course, we had some fun in the kitchen, making Sunflower Seed Bread and Sunflower Mini Cupcakes.
Finally, the girls received an art & social studies lesson on Van Gogh by professional artist Nana. While at her house, they also made these sunny headbands with felt.
Join us next week to hear all about Pond Week, now in session!
*Skills used in Sunflower Week: reading, telling time, measurement, graphing, number review, letter practice and writing words & sentences.

3 comments:

Liquid Pen said...

You just rock Mama Bird! Very, Very fortunate girls!!!!

Anonymous said...

seriously...you totally rock mama!!!!!

xo

~e
http://www.eringoodman.com/blog

Heather said...

Wow, I am loving what you did with the sunflowers Liz! Even down to gorgeous sunflower cupcakes, how special. I am in love with sunflowers, and I will have to send you all some of the seeds that come from this season's colorado sunflowers from the backyard. The flowers are HUGE! Can't to see what pond week brings