Deserts

Ian and Eric emptying the sand out of their shoes on a nature trail in Joshua Tree National Park.

This month we spent a week in the Mojave Desert.  We learned about the effects of mountain rain shadows and the extreme desert climate.  We learned how specific animals and plants are adapted to survive in this environment.

The boys observed jackrabbits, roadrunners, and quail and learned to identify Joshua trees, jumping chollas, and creosote bushes.  We hiked the Hi-View Nature Loop Trail in the Black Rock Canyon in Joshua Tree National Park.  On our hike we saw signs of a past forest fire, small animal holes in the ground and in plants, and fabulous views.

We visited the Hi-Desert Nature Museum in Yucca Valley, CA.  Museum exhibits included desert wildlife dioramas, live desert creatures, gem and mineral collections, and Native American artifacts.

Books:  Cactus Cafe: A Story of the Sonoran Desert by Zoehfeld;  Dig Wait Listen: A Desert Toad's Tale by Sayre;  The Tortoise and the Jackrabbit/ La Tortuga y la Liebre by Lowell;  A Walk in the Desert by Arnold;  Wonders of the Desert World by Rinard;  Death Valley: A Day in the Desert by Levinson;  Storm on the Desert by Lesser;  A Living Desert by Spencer

Videos:  The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That! Miles and Miles of Reptiles by PBS;  Joshua Tree National Park by Scrub Oak Production

Oceans

Seaweed and Dolphin by Ian (crayons and watercolor)

Under the Ocean by Eric (crayons and watercolor)

On our trip to California included visiting the Pacific Ocean.  We listened to, smelled, felt, tasted, and watched the ocean waves.  We observed the tides rise and fall, and watched the sun set over the horizon.

Ocean topics included

• about 70% of the earth is covered by ocean water
• names and locations of the earth's oceans (Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Arctic)
• salt water versus fresh water
• coastline, waves, and tides
• ocean floor landscape (mountain peaks and trenches)
• diversity of ocean life and underwater food chains

We created an ocean creature game based on the classic Battleship game, except that players search the ocean for animals (e.g. great white sharks, penguins) instead of shooting at ships.

Books:  Water Sings Blue: Ocean Poems by Coombs;  Down Down Down: A Journey to the Bottom of the Sea by Jenkins;  What Sea Creature Is This?  by Allen;  Who Eats What? Food Chains and Food Webs by Lauber;  Oceans: Underwater Worlds by Salas;  Cat-Fish by Newton;  Exploring the Deep, Dark Sea by Gibbons;  What Lives in a Shell?  by Zoehfeld;  Mister Seahorse by Carle;  Coral Reefs by Gibbons;  Ocean Sunlight: How Tiny Plants Feed the Seas by Bang and Chisholm

Reference Books:  Scholastic Atlas of Oceans 

Videos:  The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That! Ocean Commotion by PBS;  Kratt Bros. Be the Creature: Manatees, Coastal Creatures, and Sharks by National Geographic

Other Materials:   Melissa & Doug Ocean Wonders floor puzzle

How I Became a Pirate

Ian completed a How I Became a Pirate maze and word find.

This week we attended the musical How I Became a Pirate, performed by the Omaha Theater Company.  The musical is based on the picture book How I Became a Pirate by Melinda Long and illustrated by David Shannon.  Before the performance, we read the book and discussed appropriate theater etiquette.  Ian was curious about how the storm in the book would be done on stage.  After the performance, we compared the musical to the book.

Eric had fun with the "Pantomiming: Pirate Booty" activity in the How I Became a Pirate Study Guide.  Eric wore a bandanna and pantomimed digging up a treasure chest, pulling something out of the chest, and using the treasure.  Ian and I guessed what Eric was pantomiming.

We also attended the Penn State Thespians performance of The Lorax, based on the book by Dr. Seuss.  After the show, the cast talked to the kids and signed programs.  The boys are very familiar with the book The Lorax, and this was another opportunity to see how a story can be performed on stage.