Earth Day

 Today is love our earth day.

https://ourfamilycode.com/download/earth-day-vocabulary-definitions/

https://rhubarbandwren.co.uk/diy-scratch-art-cards/

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1482459/

Gardening Day

 Today is National Gardening day and what a wonderful time to discover a digital artist named Jennifer Steinkamp. Her work is incredible. This is a great video clip of the only American Palace: https://www.lehmannmaupin.com/museums-and-global-exhibitions/jennifer-steinkamp-queen-liliuokalani/videos

These screenshots are from this webpost: https://www.lehmannmaupin.com/artists/jennifer-steinkamp

On the topic of royal Palaces Barron read his two books:

We found thr palace from Hawaii to be intriguing so we watched this great clip: Iolani Palace: The Only Royal Palace in the United States (Honolulu, Hawaii) from: https://youtu.be/MkcKpiud520?si=QCPydBvYXmgUciuY

ʻIolani Palace was built in 1882 by the last king of Hawaiʻi, King Kalākaua. It remained a royal residence until Queen Liliʻuokalani, the king's sister and successor, was deposed and the Hawaiian monarchy overthrown in January 1893. The Palace served as capitol of the Provisional Government, Republic, Territory and State of Hawaiʻi until 1969.

https://www.iolanipalace.org/sacred-palace/

Poem Title and Author:

Literal Meaning:  This is a poem about a girl missing her father and the city of Hong Kong.

Poetic Form: This is a type of poem.

Does it rhyme? What is the rhyme sceme? No.

Imagery: What senses are provoked? The imagination, eyes, smell, hunger.

What specific words does the author include to help paint a picture in your mind as you read? 

Chose two phrases from the poem that the author describes in a unique way, quote and explain them:

How does the author use two literary devices in the poem?

Example. Meaning

Midwest architecture transforms into Kowloon at evening time. 

You visit me in a dream after passing,

         I arrived once you were strong and ready.

Find two examples of figurative language and explain the examples: 

What do you think the author's message (theme) is?

Did you like this poem?Why or Why not?

Teacher doung his everyday routine however it is disrupted by construction which reminds him of his grandfather. 

Yes it rhymes.

Hearing, feels shivers, memories.

Mad Libs -National Geographic Kids Online Free Game

Barron and I discovered two wonderful opportunites , one is to learn through poatage stamps from the brilliant minds at:

Another is to send postcards from the most loving people at:

This free activity: https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/games/funny-fill-in/article/funny-fill-in-postcard-from-paradise connects to both and thought we could use some cheering up during our gloomy day.

Barron's PostCard From Paradise Story Activity Result:

Hey, Dante, I heard it snowed 12 feet back in toronto today. No snowing for me this new years day. My aunt decided to take us all on a(n) lovely vacation at the dragon fruit Bay Resort on devil may cry island . Right now it's 1 degrees and lightening outside, and I'm fighting on the beach while a server waits on me head and foot. You should see the view from our tiny room. One morning I looked out our window and saw dogs barfing in the ocean. Today I studied in the smart swimming pool for so long that my fingers looked like dried pizzas, then I danced down a(n) slender waterslide as tall as a(n) video game console. After that the whole family headed for the all-you-can-eat Virgil. It must have stretched the length of 12 bus and there was even a make-your-own-cookie bar. I'll be thinking of you when I enter the ice sculpture competition tomorrow. Catch ya later! Barron

Since Pippi has brought us so many funny moments and silly smiles we thought this would be a cute game to remind us of her unique cooking tools and skills. You can participate at: kids.nationalgeographic.com/games/funny-fill-in/article/funny-fill-in-cookie-confusion

Barron's Cookie Confusion Story Activity Result:

I couldn’t wait to try out a cookie recipe I saw Dante whip up on the reality TV show “violent Chef.” First, I preheated the trophy to 10 trillion°F! Then in a big video game, I cracked a dozen pizzas, poured in one cup of dirarreha, stirred in three houses of cream, and added one stick of cookie batter. Using a(n) boy, I cried all the ingredients together. I rolled the dough flat, then cut out the cookies with jaguar-shaped cookie cutters. I put the cookies in the oven for 12 minutes, then let them shooting until they were wise. Everything smelled so early! virgil sr wanted to taste them first and took a bite. “Uh Huh!” dante sr chopped the cookie to the floor so hard it put a(n) colorful hole in the basement. The cookies were hard as swords! Turns out I had forgotten to add the most important ingredient: two towers of chopped pies.

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Poem April 8

 April 8:

The Goat By Aaron Fogel 2001.

If you are a goat, do you believe

What people tell you about

Goats, and eat

Tin cans?

There’s no goat that foolish.

Or is there?

The goat of the universe believed

What people told him about universes

And came into existence.

Bang!  How naive can you get?

Even the scapegoat is not as naive

As (God help him) the universe that

Agreed to exist.

A word to the wise: Don’t eat tin cans.

Don’t listen. Don’t exist.

Source: https://poets.org/poem/goat

Barron's word selection: 

Our PAW:

Total Solar Eclipse April 8

 Today our sky is full of unique magic, a total solar eclipse is occuring over Mexico, the United States of America, and Canada. "Total solar eclipses provide rare opportunities for scientists to observe the Sun’s corona (outer atmosphere), where the solar wind originates. These observations help scientists predict space weather events that may impact human and robotic space exploration, and affect the technology on Earth that humans rely on every day. Source: https://www.nasa.gov/learning-resources/nasa-releases-new-solar-eclipse-educational-materials/ 

Basically, "when the Earth, Moon, and Sun line up in space, we can see an eclipse. NASA studies eclipses from the ground, in our atmosphere, and in space, influencing solar, planetary, and Earth science. A total solar eclipse happens when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, completely blocking the face of the Sun. The sky will darken as if it were dawn or dusk. Except during the brief total phase of a total solar eclipse, when the Moon completely blocks the Sun’s bright face, it is not safe to look directly at the Sun without specialized eye protection for solar viewing. Viewing any part of the bright Sun through a camera lens, binoculars, or a telescope without a special-purpose solar filter secured over the front of the optics will instantly cause severe eye injury. After the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024, the next total solar eclipse that can be seen from the contiguous United States will be on Aug. 23, 2044. We can’t normally see the corona ­– the Sun’s outer atmosphere – because the Sun’s surface below it is so much brighter. But during a total solar eclipse, the corona becomes visible, offering unique opportunities to study it. When the Moon completely blocks the visible surface of the Sun during a total solar eclipse, viewers can remove their eclipse glasses. A total solar eclipse is the only type of solar eclipse where eclipse glasses can be momentarily removed. When a solar eclipse reaches totality, nocturnal wildlife sometimes wakes up, thinking that it’s nighttime, and non-nocturnal wildlife might think it’s time to head to sleep! From 1:00p.m. – 4:00 p.m. EDT watch on NASA+ " Source: https://science.nasa.gov/eclipses/future-eclipses/eclipse-2024/

Here are some photos from various youtube pages:

We found it interesting that some animals that are normally nocturnal may suffer some confusion, from this adorable book series we have began collecting there is a book about such creatures who may be at risk:

Reading Pippi we found she is a Thing Collector who found a seashell, perhaps like one from our sticker learning booklet: 

A truly talented and unique activity was to listen to two podcasts from Busy Kids Do Piano: 

We learnt from the first one on the sun solar eclipse that, "A tone poem, also known as a symphonic poem, is a 

form of orchestral music that tells a story or creates a specific 

mood, image, or atmosphere. Strauss's Alpine Symphony is a 

splendid musical representation of the sun's power and beauty." Source: https://busykidsdopiano.com/podcast/119/

In the second show about moons we learnt, 

"Next on our lunar journey is Antonín Dvořák's "Song to the Moon" 

from his opera Rusalka. “Song to the Moon” is an aria. An aria is 

like a special song sung by just one person in an opera. It's when a 

singer gets to shine all on their own, telling a story or sharing their 

feelings with the audience. It's usually a really beautiful and 

emotional part of the show, where the singer can show off their 

amazing voice and connect with everyone listening. So, think of it 

as a superstar moment for the singer! In this aria, the water nymph 

Rusalka sings a heartfelt plea theartfelt plea to the moon, asking it to convey a  message of love to the Prince. Dvořák's exquisite melody and lush 

orchestration perfectly capture the ethereal beauty of the moonlit night. 

Let's listen.

Can you feel the longing in Rusalka's voice as she sings to the moon? 

Dvořák's "Song to the Moon" is a poignant reminder of the moon's 

symbolic power to inspire love and longing. Here are some of the lyrics 

of the aria: 

Moon, high and deep in the sky 

Your light sees far, 

You travel around the wide world, 

And see into people’s homes. 

Moon, stand still a while 

And tell me where is my dear. 

Tell him, silvery moon, 

That I am embracing him.”

Source:

https://busykidsdopiano.com/podcast/120/

Weekend Poems

 April 6 Poem: 

The Giant Cactus of Arizona Harriet Monroe 1860 –1936

The cactus in the desert stands 

    Like time’s inviolate sentinel, 

Watching the sun-washed waste of sands

     Lest they their ancient secrets tell. 

And the lost lore of mournful lands

     It knows alone and guards too well. 

Wiser than Sphynx or pyramid, 

     It points a stark hand at the sky, 

And all the stars alight or hid 

     It counts as they go rolling by;

And mysteries the gods forbid

     Darken its heavy memory. 

I asked how old the world was—yea,

     And why yon ruddy mountain grew

Out of hell’s fire. By night nor day 

     It answered not, though all it knew, 

But lifted, as it stopped my way, 

     Its wrinkled fingers toward the blue 

Inscrutable and stern and still 

     It waits the everlasting doom. 

Races and years may do their will—

     Lo, it will rise above their tomb, 

Till the drugged earth has drunk her fill

     Of light, and falls asleep in gloom. 

Source: https://poets.org/poem/giant-cactus-arizona

Barron's word selection:

Our PAW:

April 7:

The Octoroon By Georgia Douglas Johnson 1880 –1966

One drop of midnight in the dawn of life’s pulsating stream

Marks her an alien from her kind, a shade amid its gleam.

Forevermore her step she bends, insular, strange, apart—

And none can read the riddle of her strangely warring heart.

The stormy current of her blood beats like a mighty sea

Against the man-wrought iron bars of her captivity.

For refuge, succor, peace, and rest, she seeks that humble fold

Whose every breath is kindliness, whose hearts are purest gold.

Source: https://poets.org/poem/octoroon

Barron's word selection:

Our Paw:

Poem April 5+Weekly Books

 And You . . . By Jason Allen-Paisant 2024. 

a walk in a midwinter ochre wood

to get some england sun

as it steals away—

a little poodle runs to show you love;

you like the feel of the animal’s body

on your leg; it’s something

of an acceptance so you smile

and are not the least bothered; you even hope

it’ll jump, though the lady yells

no jumping Sam! no jumping!

and when she adds ‘you know he

just loves EVERYbody!’ why should you

suddenly feel tears coming?—

it’s just that EVERYbody; how do you

explain this? there’s nobody to explain

it to: why she needed to take away

from you this one feeling of special?

how could she know it was the most

human moment of your day—

the most human moment in weeks?

Source: https://poets.org/poem/and-you

Barron's word selection:

Our PAW: 

Barron read these books this week, in addition to the two Tomten books: