Epcot Geography

We are very lucky to have Disney annual passes. I use the 3 parks as much as I can for Homeschooling. This week we started our Epcot geography lessons. I bought 2 Epcot world showcase passports. They are $9.95 each, which I think is a great price. Inside you get 1 passport, 1 pin, and 11 sticker sheets. 

We started in Japan because that is the county we studied in August. We are doing 1 country a month for our school year. I choose only ones that Epcot has a land for. I had Katie find it on the Epcot map. 

We ate lunch in Japan then went to explore. We found a samurai warrior, Japanese art, bought kid's chopsticks, and found kimonos to try on. 

We then found the kidcot station. This is where a person from the country stamps the passport, writes the child's name, and teaches them a word in their language. My kids already know how to say good morning from watching Big Bird goes to Japan on youtube. 

The kids then put their stickers into their passports when they found it in the land.

 

The next country we visited was Canada. We are studying Canada in September. We did the same thing we did in Japan. We decided to skip the Canada movie because the kids were getting fidgety.  

Lastly we visited the Epcot aquarium. We sat in a dolphin show, watched the manatees, and saw all the fish. 

                                                           

 We love Disney!!! 

Making a map of our street

We started inside with me making a small map of our road. I talked about scale, direction, addresses, and streets. We then went outside for our walk. This was one time the baby and preschooler were not interrupting school. They loved it too.

It took longer than I expected, but we made it down our block. Marking street names, addresses, and counting houses. I drew the houses and June Bug wrote the addresses. 

We then went back inside. We took a large piece of paper and drew our block. June bug drew the houses and landmarks she would recognize. She drew the neighbor girl, the house with the pool, the man who is always landscaping, and the mean dog on our street. 

I also printed up a google map of our area and circled where we were mapping to show perspective. 

We still need to color it and add the legend but I found this activity fun and cross subjects. 

We worked on math, handwriting, spelling, map skills, social studies, and art. 

How we do Landry

The laundry that builds up from 6 people in one house is as high as a mountain. But it must be climbed! 

I have a different way of going about the piles. Each family member has their own laundry basket. Names written with sharpie to make it official. I try to use the same type of basket for stacking purposes.  

I wash the laundry and let it sit in baskets clean until we have a bunch to sort. Then I dump it onto the clean living room floor.

Each child must find their laundry and place it into their basket. The baby helps unsort ;). 

They then take the basket to their room. I help sort and hang clothes with them, but they do most of the work. 

It is working for us. How do you handle Mt. Washmore in your home? 

Japanese dress up

Our last day learning about Japan was celebrated with dress up. Ninjas and a Geisha girl. 

The geisha wanted to be a ninja too. She correctly reminded me that woman are ninjas too. I love my mighty girl! 

Ninja play went on for a while! 

We also tried a Japanese dinner if rice noodles, bean sprouts, and edamame.   

Salt dough map: Japan

Poetry: First Grade Unit Study

Our first unit study this school year was poetry. I chose this to work on June bug's creative writing and handwriting skills. We have a 3 day week for 6 weeks of unit studies. We read poems everyday but I might not have marked down which ones were read. We used this coloring book from Rainbow Resource for our unit along with bunches of books from the library.

First week

I Am poems and  working on similes

Day 1

What is a poem

I am picture 

Brain pop video on poetry

Read poetry books

Day 2

I am poem

Brain pop video similes 

Read poetry books

Day 3

Five senses poem

Read and memorize Purple cow by Gelett Burgess

Paint sample poem 

Second week

Rhyming poems and working on rhymes

Day 1

Rhyming video 

Rhyming workbook

Day 2

Write a poem and draw a picture about the poem

Type the poem on the computer and print it out

Day 3

Read poems and color picture that goes along with it

Emily Dickinson The Bird

Third week 

List poems

Day 1

Read Sick by Silverstien

Write 3 list poems

Day 2

Read list poem work sheet

Write 2 list poems

Day 3

Write 2 list poems

Forth week 

Shape poems 

Day 1

Look at different types of shape poems on the computer

Heart shape poem, write in the shape

Day 2

Animal shape poems. June bug chose to do a  Goose rhyming poem inside the shape

Day 3

Butterfly perimeter writing

Read and memorized Clouds by Christina Rossetti 

Fifth Week 

Acrostic Poems(first letter makes a word for a name) 

Day 1

Family names random words except her name. She had to find words that describe herself. 

Day 2 

Place poems. Beach and camps. We used pictures of the beach and camping to help her figure out words that go along with the place. 

Day 3

Her choice Acrostic poem. Surprise, surprise she chose B.I.R.D.S. We looked at her birds of central Florida reference pamphlet   to help her find and spell bird species names. June bug loves birds so much she chose to have her birthday party at the Audubon Birds of Prey center.  

Sixth week

Free verse

Day 1
Finally June Bug could write how and about anything she wanted! She had been wanting to do this from the first week. But what I loved about this day was she knew the poem needed a title, lines, a subject, and her name at the bottom. 

Day 2
Write whatever you want

Day 3
Last poem of the unit. 

Japanese food

June bug tried sushi today! I was very proud of her since she is a wee bit picky. She also tried miso soup and green tea.

Visiting restaurants is a great way to learn about a country. We saw a even saw a true kimono.