Kawanza 2025

Kawanza

Celebration

 Morning

Christmas

 We had a simple.evening. 

 We have decided to return to our studies with an in depth approach to everything connected with Norway.

Animals that are unique to this country: 

National Treasures: The Lily of the Valley is the National flower and the Silver Birch is the National tree. 

Language: 

national anthem is: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PX7cPorwX5M

This group always makes the best clips for children on countries, this is their Finland video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cc9CcJoiGF4

Geography:  We found the best resource on Finland:

https://www.kids-world-travel-guide.com/finland-facts.html   which we used to retrieve the shared facts below:

The population of Finland is currently 5,562,014 according to: https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/finland-population/

Barron outlined the map of Finland and labelled it.

Currency: To purchase items the Finnish people use the Euro. We never knew what a Euro was until we found this wonderful resource: https://youtu.be/uCOZdi5Qm2w

Foods:  Some popular foods are:

Famous Norwegian People from the past and present:

Erik (Eriksson) Tulindberg was given the title as the first Finnish classical musician. He was born Feb. 22, 1761 and passed away Sept. 1, 1814. He was a musician and a composer and an elected member of the Royal Swedish Academy of music in 1797. He loved to play violin. Source: https://swedishmusicalheritage.com/composers/tulindberg-erik/

Robert Wilhelm Ekman was a Finnish painter of the 19th century.  He was born August 13, 1808 and exited February 19, 1873). He was an important teacher and painter who often created romantic portraits. Source: https://www.mutualart.com/Artist/Robert-Wilhelm-Ekman/5E5EB9ED81EA79DD

Finland has created several famous scientists such as Mikael Agricola who was a clergyman. He founded literary in Finland and translated the New Testament into Finnish and made hymns and prayer books. He was born in Perna Finland in 1510 AD and died April 9, 1557.  Source: https://www.thefamouspeople.com/finnish-scientists.php

Santa Claus who is called Joulupukki. On the morning of Christmas Eve a special rice porridge is made with sugar, cinnamon, butter, and milk called Kokonarput and whoever finds an almond in their porridge is lucky. For more neat information travel to: https://adventures.com/blog/christmas-in-finland/

A lovely children's author is Tove Marika Jansson. She was born August 9, 1914 and passed away June 27, 2001. She spoke Swedish. She was an illustrator, comic strip writer, and author.  She studied in Sweden, Finland, and France. Her popular books are the Moomin books which she began in 1945. She was awarded the Hans Christian Andersen Metal in 1966 for these works. These books were then made into comic strips. She also writes novels for grownups. Her webpage is truly one of a kind: https://tovejansson.com/

Special Delights: 

We were told in Vapu's newsletter that a neat game to play is Molkky which is similar to 

Barron played bowling with some toilet roll and canned pasta labels that we created and our new ball from a lovely home hardware shop at the beaches. We scored the sweetest treat at our local Dollarama, a mini bowling set. It is a great treat for less than five Canadian dollars. The company Montoy makes the best toys, if you are in Ontario, Canada and you find their products they are worth the valued price, educational, and rather one of a kind. We adore this company.

Barron and I believe that something sweet would be to learn a lullaby in a new language (perhaps surprise a family member when they need comforting) The most delightful Finnish children's song is called Tuiki Tuiki Tahtonen and Barron sang it very well. I struggled a bit. It is similar to the North American version of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. You can enjoy it at: https://youtu.be/Vrn9dma0cm0  Sing along with these lyrics:

Tuiki Tuiki Tahtonen

Iltaisin Sua Katselen

Korkealta Loistat Vaan

Katsot Alas Maailmaan

Tuiki, Tuiki Tahtonen

Iltaisin Sua Katselen

Kaikki Lapset Maailman

Tahtosia Katsovat

Miettivat Miks Loistaa Ne

Maahan Asti Valaisee

Kaikki Lapset Maailman

Tahtosia Katsovat

Barron drew a lovely masterpiece for this lullaby in his neat Nintendo Switch game Art Sqool: 

We also found a neat way to learn facts about Finland through music. This video is interesting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCEo0vinR_U 

Barron selected a really nice plate at the Dollarama and we found two cute bowls (reminds us of Andy Warhol) and we thought they would be cute to enjoy some Hernekeitto sometime soon since Finland is souper (super) wonderful to us.  A really lovely Finnish shop with such unique mugs is found: https://www.kuksa.shop/en/lapland/catalogue/

?

We concluded with a Christmas craft inspired from Finland of two Tonttjua and added a little trail sign for snowshoeing as we discovered that snowshoeing is a winter activity that is often enjoyed in Finland. We recreated a winter sign that we found at https://www.nationalparks.fi/snowshoeing. We were thinking what a neat trend to begin: flower garlands on trees, especially the lily of the valley flowers placed upon the branches of the trees as they are so lovely and resemble snow drops.

Wilson Alwyn Bentley died December 23, 1931.

Today a very important gentleman passed away.

https://liberatedtolearn.com/january-homeschool-learning-ideas-checklist/

January Homeschool Learning Ideas (By Subject)

Winter

Creative ideas:

• Write a story or poem about a snowy winter adventure.
• Write a winter play and act it out.
• Create a winter scrapbook with photos, drawings and things you find outside.
• Paint a winter landscape inspired by a famous artist.
• Make a winter collage.
• Make a snowglobe. 
• Watch a winter-themed movie or read a winter-themed book.
• Create a winter journal.
•  Write a persuasive essay on “Why winter is the best (or worst) season.”
• Make winter-themed candles.
• Study and listen to classical winter-themed music like Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite.
• Make your own winter instruments.
• Write lyrics to a winter-inspired song.
• Create your own crossword puzzle using winter vocabulary.

Science ideas:

• Learn about winter weather and how snow and ice form.
• Learn about winter animals’ adaptations.
• Learn about hibernation, migration and animal insulation. 
• Grow crystals.
• Make fake snow.
• Do an insulation experiment.
• Learn about constellations visible in January.
• Track the phases of the moon and learn how the earth’s tilt creates seasons. 
• Create a mini glacier with layers of sand and ice.

Maths ideas:

• Learn about symmetry by creating paper snowflakes.
• Solve winter maths problems about snow and ice, e.g “if five snowballs melt at the rate of . . . “
• Graph temperature changes throughout January.
• Bake a winter treat and learn about fractions and measurements.
• Calculate the volume of snow to build different-sized igloos.

Geography & History ideas:

• Indigenous culture and how indigenous people thrive in cold climates.
• Learn about the Arctic and the Antarctic. What are their differences?
• Learn about winter festivals and winter solstice traditions around the world.
• Research historical winter events.
• Create a map of places experiencing winter versus summer in January.
• Learn about winter trees and plants.
• Learn about winter inventions, like snow plows.
• Use Google Earth to “visit” famous snowy locations, like the Alps or Antarctica.

Life skill ideas:

• Make hot chocolate or a hearty winter soup.
• Learn how to make a campfire and toast marshmallows.
• Learn how to set up a tent in the garden.
• Make a January budget and track spending throughout the month.
• Learn how to sew, knit or crochet and make a winter item of clothing.
• Cook a winter recipe from another culture.
• Learn about food preservation techniques.
• Create a winter emergency kit and practise packing it.

Outdoor activities:

• Observe winter wildlife and make observations.
• Build a snow fort.
• Create a bird feeder and learn about winter birds.
• Measure icicles.
• Go ice-skating or sledding.

Physical education ideas:

• Try yoga poses inspired by hibernating animals.
• Create an indoor obstacle course leading to a ‘bear’s den’, using pillows and blankets.
• Create your own winter olympics.
• Practice mindfulness with a “snowy forest” guided meditation.
• Try out a winter-themed dance.

The New Year & Goal-Setting

Creative ideas:

• Write your New Year’s or homeschool resolutions.
• List your goals for the month of January.
• Create a dream journal.
• Make a New Year’s vision board.
• Create a resolution jar.
• Decide on a ‘word of the year’ and create a piece of art for it.
• Design a January calendar full of goals.
• Make a time capsule filled with goals, photos and letters, and plan to open it at the end of the year.
• Create firework art.
• Write a New Year’s story.
• Design a New Year’s mask.
• Create a colour wheel of goals for each month.
• Create a goal roadmap.
• Write goals on pieces of paper and fold them into origami.
• Make a New Year’s garland.
• Start a New Year’s scrapbook.

Science ideas:

• Explore the science behind fireworks.
• Do a countdown chemistry experiment. 
• Study the mental impact of forming habits and setting goals.
• Make a vision board that lights up by learning how to make a circuit.
• Learn how to track and collect data using scientific methods.
• Design and test paper aeroplanes. Track progress as they improve their designs.
• Learn about the nervous system by measuring reaction times and setting improvement goals.
• Make ice lanterns to study freezing and melting.

Cultural study ideas:

• Host a multicultural New Year’s party.
• Learn about New Year traditions around the world. 
• Write your own cultural resolutions.
• Learn about the Chinese Zodiac and create your own.
• Create a cultural ‘good luck’ collage.
• Learn how to say “Happy New Year” in different languages.
• Set goals inspired by other cultures.
• Explore mythology from other countries.

Maths ideas:

• Create a countdown and calculate days, hours and minutes to New Year’s and other big events in January.
• Use fractions and percentages to calculate reaching goals.
• Introduce budgeting for goals throughout January.
• Create a New Year’s resolution pie chart.
• Explore how different countries celebrate New Year’s at different times.

Life skill ideas:

• Design a weekly planner to help with time management.
• Learn to declutter and organise regularly.
• Plan, buy and prepare a meal once a week.
• Write thank you notes to people and learn about the value of gratitude.
• Practise mindfulness and focusing on goals.
• Learn emergency skills like first aid.
• Create problem-solving scenarios and brainstorm solutions.
• Practise role-play scenarios to improve communication.
• Write a family mission statement.

Outdoor ideas:

• Go on a nature walk and reflect on the past year.
• Have a New Year’s picnic and discuss goals together.
• Light a campfire and make wishes for the year.
• Plant a ‘goal tree.’
• Collect smooth stones and paint them with images or words representing goals.
• Go on a walk and photograph things that symbolise your hopes and dreams for the New Year.
• Write positive affirmations on a kite and fly it.

Physical education ideas:

• Set fitness goals for the New Year and track them throughout January.
• Have a New Year’s dance party and practise different styles of dance.
• Create a New Year’s obstacle course with winter-themed obstacles.
• Try out physical activities related to New Year traditions around the world.
• Try a walking challenge and set a goal for steps.
• Blow up balloons and create movement challenges.
• Create a jar of fitness resolutions.
• Do family fitness bingo.
• Journal about mindful movement and achievements made throughout January.

• Winter monsoons
• Taiga biome
• Ice caves
• Frostbite and hypothermia
• Melting glaciers

History 

• Ancient civilisations in winter
• Civil rights movement
• Arctic explorers
• Historical events in January
• Immigration stories
• The Great Blizzard of 1888
• Inuit culture
• Russia’s winter palace
• Journey to the south pole
• The Ice Age
• Vikings and winter survival
• Famous winter wars
• The origin of the name January (Roman roots)
• Famous people who were born in January:
• Isaac Newton (4, January, 1643)
• Joan of Arc (6, January, 1412)
• Paul Revere (1, January, 1735)
• Martin Luther King Jr. (15, January, 1929)
• Stephen Hawking (8, January, 1942)
• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27, January, 1756)
• Medieval winter life
• Industrial Revolution in winter
• History of inventions made in January

Around the World

• Chinese New Year
• Orthodox Christmas
• Australia Day (26 January)
• Scottish history for Burns Night (25 January)
• World Braille Day (4 January)

Maths

• Winter geometry (snowflakes)
• Winter estimation games
• Winter maths equations
• Learn about temperature
• Graph winter weather
• Ratios of hot chocolate
• Winter board games and brain teasers
• Calculating winter daylight hours
• Winter patterns and sequences
• Volumes of snow

Los Pasados Begins

Happy Chanukah

 One final note on Chanukah- the candle we use to light the other candles is called the shamash, or the helper candle. I am fond of the quote I once read by Rabbi David Wolpe who said,

“The Shamash lights the other candles. Be the Shamash.”

Here’s to being the shamash and to raising future helpers together.

Wishing you warmth and light, today and all winter long, from our ECDC family to yours,

Liza Baron is JCC Director, Early Childhood Development

https://jccpgh.org/a-chanukah-greeting-be-the-shamash/ 

Evening #1: We played driedel and Barron won a bag of pop candies. We also had some takeout food delivered.

Evening #2: Barron was given some online Jewish Cookbooks.

Evening #3: Barron was gifted a DLC  Starter Pack for Call of Duty Black Ops 7 and a Forest Cafe Simulator inexpensive Game.

Evening #4: A new mini comb was gifted to Barron today as it is something practical.

Evening #5: A movie was enjoyed Sleeping With the Enemy and played Fortnite's WinterFest.

Evening #6: Our plan for giving for this year is to support YouTube content makers. We joined OOF's membership today and Placcy a Fortnite Music Creative Soul with our remaining funds.

Evening #7: A handmade craft is

Evening #8: Some traditional food enjoyed was