My Father's Dragon - Part 1

For an change of pace, I decided to try a small chapter book for Kaleb's next literature unit. I was looking for a book with some adventure, a strong male character, and some pictures scattered throughout since Kaleb is only in Kindergarten. I didn't want it to be boring and I believe My Father's Dragon fits the bill. I was concerned that Kaleb wouldn't like this book but it didn't take long for him to love it!

He loved the little backpack that he made from the files of Homeschool Share (link below). He liked placing the items that Elmer packed for the journey inside each of the pockets.

He colored the dragon based on the cat's description. He very carefully colored each of the stripes blue and yellow. This was something since he likes to color fast!

We made a simple backpack from a lunch bag. Then he went around the house and placed a few of the items that Elmer packed into it. It won't last too long but it should last for this unit.

Elmer had to jump the rocks to get to Wild Island and that is exactly what I had Kaleb do. I made some rocks from yellow and orange paper and he jumped from one end of the house to the other. HE wasn't allowed to step anywhere except the "rocks."

I think Kaleb's favorite activity, by far, is the making of the map of both the Island of Tangerina and Wild Island. He is making all of the elements for the map. Each chapter we read, he adds what animal we read about.

You can see from his map, he added the tangerine trees and the houses around the dock. He also added the whale that Elmer stepped on by accident while jumping the rocks. The only thing I did for his map is draw the basic outlines of the islands. He has done the rest. It is really beginning to take shape.

I have been quite pleased about how this unit is progressing. I was anxious that this book would be over his head but he loves it. Each day, he asks what the surprise will be...which animal will we meet and what will we use from the backpack? See you soon.

Links

Homeschool Share - has a free lap book for the first book, My Father's Dragon, but not the other two books.

Worldsapart Pinterest for My Father's Dragon

Tot Tuesday

My sweet boy and his full grocery cart. He absconded with J's dolls and decided he needed to go food shopping. Love that boy...always keeping me on my toes:)

Super Heroes!

Thought I would make you smile today - my super heroes! 

Jedi Reading - AM Family with free printable

Kaleb is currently working through a creation of mine for his reading program. He wasn't quite ready for All About Reading but he didn't need another year of letter sounds. I truly wanted to teach him to read this year but he wasn't ready. And I wasn't ready not to do any type of reading instruction...so I began working on word families with him. We started with short A word families and this week, we worked on the AM family.

I try to have at least one beginner reader for the word family, if possible. I am finding that isn't always possible but we make do. Kaleb is working on an easy reader that emphasizes the sight words I and see.

He practiced his word family with the alpha linking blocks. He reads the word on the card and then makes the words.

He worked on this change a letter CVC word mat. You start with a word and then change one letter to make another until you work through the mat.

We played a word family mini game - you read the word and cover it with a bear.

He practiced writing his AM words. He read them, traced them, and then wrote them.

He practiced them by using the letter magnets.

He passed his Jedi test and we hung his lightsaber on the word wall.

And he added his word family cards to the word wall. We take this time to practice the other word families. This is not his favorite thing to do but he does it. I need to think of a review game :) If you would like to download my file for the AM family, link below. Hope you have an awesome weekend! See you soon.

Download Jedi Reading - AM Family HERE.

Links

Kindergarten Mom - has a free AM word family printable.

The Literacy Nest - has a AM/AN word sort.

Mrs. McPherson - has a bunch of AM word family printables for free.

Special Inspirations - has a free printable AM word game.

Hubbard's Cupboard - has a few free printable word family readers.

American Artists - Maria Martinez

We are currently studying American History and we have added Great American Artists for Kids as our art program for the school year. It has been a great addition, I truly love Kohl's art books. This week's artist was Maria Martinez.

J worked on a notebook page about Martinez's life and works of art. This will be added to her art notebook that we have been keeping for the past two years.

Martinez was a pottery maker so the art project was to make a pinch pot bowl. J worked the clay into snakes and then into spirals and added them to her bowl.

She pushed them together to connect them. This was not a fun project for her, she felt like it was difficult.

And the project turnout was not as expected. This is what happens when you pick up your bowl, thinking it was dry and it wasn't. The bowl came apart. She was so disappointed. But a lesson was learned here:) We may try this one again so she can get better results. We will see.

Jedi Faces Darth!

Just had to share what's been going on in my household lately....

Jedi and Darth...have a great day.

Tot Tuesday

Sometimes while I am working with Kaleb, my J will take some time and play with Riley. Today, she was playing dolls with him.

J had to put the doll's hair up in a pony tail because he didn't like the way it felt. But he had fun carrying the baby around.