Scientific Pizza

I'm tellin' ya I have never known anyone who can veer off course as much as I can. Something pops up that looks fun and what do you know? The Wicked Pickles are doing it. That is how the Scientific Pizza came about.

I was looking at Year of Science 2009 today I ran across The Fun Zone. And what do they have going on in the fun zone? Scientific Pizza of course. "Create a Scientific Pizza - whatever that looks like to you! Submit a drawing or photo of your pizza by visiting the "Pizza Parlor" at the My YoS Web site - extra points for pictures of you eating it!"

When I saw this and mentioned it to the picklets they at first said, "No not pizza again!" (We eat alot of pizza due to Cool's second job) But when they heard the full extent of the scientific meal they were game, of course. So they sketched their designs, we got the pizza crusts out of the freezer to thaw and went about our morning. At about 1:00 we set to work making Scientific Pizzas. I have to tell you, it was crazy!

Chip's creation was The Multi-taskers Supreme for the busy scientist. It is his own invention containing bread sticks, main dish and dessert all in one pizza.His bread sticks were butter, garlic and mozzarella cheese. The main portion was pepperoni, green olives, red pepper and onion. Dessert consisted of peanut butter, blueberries, strawberries and dried apple slices. He seemed to enjoy it. :-)
Dill's pizza was entitled "Lady Bug, Lady Bug Fly Away Home" and was in the shape of a magnifying glass. Through the "glass" you can see ladybugs and mites. Ewe! The handle was a bread stick sprinkled with oregano and garlic.The ladybugs were quite ingenious. A pepperoni body with cut up black olive for the spots. A black olive head with spinach stem antenna. Spinach leaves made great wings. Vegetarian sausage were the mites. Dill is a purest and doesn't like cheese on his pizza.But he sure did enjoy eating it.Sweet's was called "Test Tube Pizza" Unfortunately a test tube filled with green radiation spilled on her pizza and left a puddle. LOLSweet has always eaten her pizza with a knife and fork. She is a dork. :-)

© 2009 Wicked Pickles-Homefront Lines

Oreo Moon Phases

For Chinese New Year we took a day and studied the lunar cycles. To end the day the picklets made Oreo Moon Phases.

Dill used a knife to make sure he didn't take too much of the black part of the oreo off. All the phases of the moon.The best part part of the science project.
© 2009 Wicked Pickles-Homefront Lines

Spring Couplets

"Each Chinese New Year, families in China decorate their front doors with poetic couplets of calligraphy written with fragrant India ink and expressing the feeling of life's renewal and the return of spring."

© 2009 Wicked Pickles-Homefront Lines

Count the Stars

I found this lesson plan at Crayola.com. I thought it was kind of neat as it fit into the Chinese New Year theme. Here is the picklets final product.

© 2009 Wicked Pickles-Homefront Lines

Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year, as we call it in the west, is a 15 day celebration called Spring Festival. It starts on the first new moon of the lunar year and ends on the first full moon. At the end of the 15 days there is a lantern festival. For these 15 days we will be studying Chinese New Year, China, customs, traditions, geography and will make a few things too. We have accomplished days 1 and 2 of our "unit".

Read of the history of Chinese New Year with these sites:

• http://www.history.com/minisites/chinesenewyear/ (this has a 4 minute video)
• http://www.gio.gov.tw/info/festival_c/spring_e/spring.htm (several clickable links)
• http://www.tooter4kids.com/china/holidays.htm (has summary of other festivals too)
• Took turns reading the Legend of the Animals aloud--talked about the characteristics of each animal. Compared the characteristics to our family members.

Some traditions we practiced:

• Made Spring Couplets and hung them around our door.
• Fu is the word for Luck. Printed it in Chinese Caligraphy and hung it upside down on all three of our outside doors.
• Made Mandarin Orange Muffins (oranges bring luck)
• Ate Noodle Soup and Orange Slices for long life and good luck (http://homefrontcooking.blogspot.com/2009/02/chinese-noodle-soup.html)

The Chinese use the Lunar Calendar for determining when holidays will be. We learned about the lunar cycle with these websites:

• http://www.gio.gov.tw/info/festival_c/html_e/moon.htm http://www.chineseparade.com/stories.asp?story=lunar_calendar
• filled out phases of the moon with this worksheet
• watched these videos about the moon and moon cycles from United Streaming:

1. Phases of the Moon
2. A Closer Look at the Moon
3. The Moon (Bill Nye)

• Demonstrated Moon Phases using Oreos

Numbers:

• Made Chinese number mobile
• Practiced writing Chinese numbers
• Learned that since Chinese numbers are easy to forge a harder version is used on banknotes.
• Looked up banknotes and figured out what numbers were what with our chart.
• Learned to count the "Ancient Chinese Way"
• Practiced counting in orally in Chinese
• Practiced Chinese number sign language

Maths:

• made tangrams
• Filled out worksheet
• Watched Cyber Chase Problem Solving in Shangri-la from United Streaming
• Played Tangram Game
• Writing Math Chinese New Year (I had Chip do this because he likes writing Chinese characters)
• read the history of the abacus
• practiced using an online abacus
• made own abacus and practiced using it while checking answers with online abacus
• Practiced addition using Cannon Math and Lunar Landing (Sweet)

Video:

• Time Warp Trio Wushu Were Here from United Streaming
• Journals Through History ancient China from United Streaming
• Time Warp Trio: Sam Samari from United Streaming
• Time Warp Trio: (can't remember the name) from United Streaming
• Buster's Lucky Year from United Streaming

Arts:

• Made Chinese Zodiac books (idea from this site)
• Chip made a Chinese Zodiac chart
• Looked at some Chinese art. Talked about symmetry. Printed out some pictures, folded them in half and drew the missing half.
• viewed different forms of Chinese calligraphy as an art
• This is sort of a math poject too-made geometrical dragon using construction paper (Dill)
• Viewed pictures of traditional paper cutting (using google images). Made own paper cutting project. (Chip made his own pattern. Dill and Sweet took patterns off google images)

Computer and Research Skills:

• Ancient China webquest. Not all the links work but research is good for the soul. Made a power point presentation. (Chip and Dill) I do not worry about the grade levels for these webquests. I truly believe that the child will absorb the information at their own level. (made powerpoint)
• Komodo Dragon webquest. Not all links worked but did research. (Dill) (made powerpoint)
• Kite research. Made powerpoint. (Sweet)

Language Arts

• read Chinese myths
• wrote own myths using Chinese Proverbs
• read history of Chinese Writing
• practiced the 8 forms of Chinese calligraphy

Geography

• Read the information at this site aloud. Looked at the maps and discussed them.
• Drew personal, color coded maps of China

Books Read--I had a hard time finding books to read that showed life in China as our library was flooded last year. I didn't want boring stuff so I picked three books that looked fun for the picklets to read to themselves. I have one read aloud included also.

• Zen and the Art of Faking It by Jordan Sonnenblick (Chip and Dill)
• Happy New Year, Julie by Megan McDonald (Chip and Dill)
• Homesick by Jean Fritz (Sweet)
• Grandfather Tang's Story by Ann Tompert (read aloud)

Interesting websites I found but did not utilize:

• http://imet.csus.edu/imet1/richardek/webquest/
• http://www.kented.org.uk/ngfl/festivals/chinese.htm
• http://www.topmarks.co.uk/ChineseNewYear/ChineseNewYear.aspx
• http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3705
• http://www.asiaeducation.edu.au//china/virtual/lesson/zodiac.htm

© 2009 Wicked Pickles-Homefront Lines

Public Speaking

My first experience with public speaking was in 9th grade.

I was an awkward teen. I didn't have the cool hair, the cool clothes, the cool shoes or even the cool Adidas bag. (and yes I still spell Adidas the teenage way) To make matters worse I had what was called a powell expander in my mouth. A piece of hardware that connected to my back teeth that made me lisp, spit and drool terribly. And then the worst thing that could have happened did. "Write and give a controversial speech. Due in 2 weeks." I probably could have dropped over dead but instead I told the teacher as I lapped up some drool, "I can't give a speech because of this thing in my mouth." She was really caring and sweet in her insistence that I could and would give the speech.

Controversial? I'll show her controversial! How about making a kid who lisps, spits, drools and slurps give a speech in front of judgemental peers? I would be a hero to every awkward teen in the entire world. The teacher wouldn't approve my topic. Go figure.

So two weeks later, I stood in front of the class to give my two minute speech. (2 minutes was a really long time back then) I looked at all the kids with their cool Nike hightops, their Lee's, their Izod's and their Adidas bags. (yep I spelled it again...lol) I coulda died.

I started, "You thsave the whaleths, you thsave the thsealths, you sthave what everths cute and thsquealths," and that's when it happened. "SLURRRRRRRP!" Drool accumulated between my lithspths and started to exit my mouth. My peers in their Nike hightops, Lee jeans and Izod shirts laughed. Nay roared.

I still remember turning my head and looking out through teary eyes down at the IMC through the wall of windows that lined the north side of the classroom. How I longed to be among the hustle and bustle of the kids in the library. To bury my head in a book and forget about life. But I slurrped, sniffed, turned my head and continued on with my speech.

I tried to make eye contact as was the requirement of the speech. Each time I looked up I could see them laugh. The teacher kept making notes. Some kids rustled through their papers preparing for their own speech, hoping they wouldn't drool and slurp too. A couple of girls talked amongst each other. One boy shot a spitball. I was in hell.

Finally after 2 really long minutes the speech was done. The teacher thanked me and clapped. The rest of the class followed suite, if you call "clap, clap" following suite. I walked back to my seat, threw myself down in the desk and shrank.

The rest of the day, as I was walking down the hall, I would hear "Slurrrrrrrp!" During lunch, as we were out in the courtyard, someone threw an orange half and hit me in the chest. I went to the bathroom to clean up and sobbed. God I hated school! That could have been the day I subliminally decided I would homeschool my own children.

A few days later our grades were posted. I got a freaken "C". A "C"???? I went through my own version of hell and I only got a "C" with the comment that I needed to make more eye contact and, get this, "relax and slow down so you enunciate properly."

Yeah, I haven't cared much for public speaking since. I get clammy, shake my legs, turn beat red and stutter. Maybe if a Jr. High teacher would have had some compassion 23 years ago, I wouldn't have the fear of public speaking that I do today.

© 2009 Wicked Pickles-Homefront Lines

Inaugural Art

While studying the inauguration on Tuesday I gave serious thought about what we should do for an art project. We needed a cover for our Inauguration Lap-Notebook and I decided since each president is allowed to design the carpet in the oval office that is what the picklets would do. I read somewhere though that President Obama likes the one President Bush had and is keeping it.

To make the carpets, I printed off three presidential seals, got out the "broccoli" platter so they could trace a perfect oval and let them design the oval carpet. When they finished the project we glued it onto the front cover of the blue folders we put the lap-note project in.

Chip"

Dill:

Sweet:

© 2009 Wicked Pickles-Homefront Lines

Andy Warhol

While searching on the Internet for something different than making toilet paper tube MKL's, I ran across this lesson plan:

"This Andy Warhol inspired Multi-colored Face Poster is a great activity for MLK Day or other occasions when you are encourage children to think about different cultures and races."

What a great idea! But, I thought that the picklets needed to know something about Andy Warhol and look at some of his art before having them work on this art project. We read through a short biography and then viewed some of his art from here.

After learning just a bit they did their own Multi-colored Face Poster.

Chip:

Dill:Sweet:

© 2009 Wicked Pickles-Homefront Lines

Peace

As part of our MLK mini unit on Monday I had the picklets draw their interpretation of peace.
Chip:Dill:Sweet:
© 2009 Wicked Pickles-Homefront Lines

Caught Up!

We have finally caught up on school work for the last 3 weeks. Really we only had a couple of art projects we needed to finish up on but it was driving me nuts not having them done.

I don't know about you but when we run short on time art gets pushed on the back burner. I guess by putting art off I don't feel as if the kids are really missing anything because art isn't a requirement. After working today I know that I am way off base in that way of thinking. The kids really like art and Chip is really good at it. He takes his time and really puts thought into his pieces.

I think there is a difference between art and craft time. I have always had some kind of craft included in our schedules and yes it gets put on the back burner all the time. Glue this, cut that, color the next thing. It may help spark a creative flame in the kids but it isn't art. But then again, one persons craft is the next persons art and vise-versa. The sculptures in downtown Cedar Rapids prove that! (I have think the city wastes an extraordinary amount of money on outdoor art in the downtown area. Spending the money on a downtown wi-fi (like IC has) and making it available to all would be a better expenditure IMHO)

Back to art...

Art (and/or craft) is important not only for the culture but for the beauty it provides the world but also for the self esteem, self accomplishment and focus it gives the kids. Letting them express themselves also shows what they are thinking, how they are feeling and gives them a creative outlet for stress and anger. We all have an inner artist no matter what medium and style we used.

OK, enough rambling...I just need to remember this and employ it in our daily lives.

Moon, Planet, Star, UFO?

Wednesday night we were driving home from gymnastics and noticed a bright light in the western sky. We thought it was probably a plane but as we got closer to home it didn't move. It was bright and we thought it was possibly a planet.

Last night, while I was reading a book to the picklets, Miss Crisp (my bestest friend from high school) called and told me there was a strange star in the sky. I went outside and looked. Sure enough, the same star was in the sky, though it wasn't in the western sky, it was more eastern.

I took some pictures of it. You will notice that some are faint while some are brighter. It kept changing in brigtness. (I hope you can see them)

Then some video.

The closer I zoomed it seemed it was a star burst. Chip told me it was a Nova Burst. We got the telescope out and when we focused in on it certainly looked like a moon, a bluish moon. At times it seemed something was moving in front of it because parts of it would black out through the telescope and camera, not to the naked eye. You can see that at the end of the above video.

Through some research I think we have found it to be Sirius. Where the "star" was located in the sky definitely coincided with what we are looking at in this picture.According to what we have read, Sirius is known as the dog star. It is located in the constellation Canis Major. It is located 8.6 light years from earth. According to mythology, Egyptians called it the "Dog Star" after their god Osiris. Osiris is located in the sky as Orion. How cool!

As we were freezing our tails off looking at the bluish star through the telescope last night Chip said, "I get it!" Just what did he get? "I know why J.K. Rowling named Sirius Black what she named him. He transforms into a dog. She IS brilliant!"

The Inauguration

The picklets were fortunate to be able to witness history this past Tuesday. We all sat in front of the television, the picklets with an Inaugural Viewing guide on their clipboards, listening intently to President Obama's speech, tallying references to the Constitution, Declaration, Congress and other things.

It was long but Chip found it interesting and found more references than the other two. He has a great interest in learning about America, it's laws, it's government and it's history. This election has opening his eyes to the changes. It is hard to believe he will be able to vote in the next election. Scary in fact.

We, as a family, talked about the inauguration. Compared our hopes and dreams for America to President Obama's. Sweet has decided she wants to be president when she grows up. (She may be the first Olympic Gymnast President)

Inauguration day afternoon the picklets and I worked together on putting together the Lap & Note Pack that was offered free from CurrClick. Though it didn't emphasize this inauguration it was an eye opener to the history of inaugurations and how far Americans as a whole have come.

We really had a relaxed day, learned a little and revelled in history.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day

We take the opportunity each January to learn a bit more about MLK. His life, his work, his dream. This year is no exception though the kids are getting old enough to recall in more depth what they have been learning the previous years. This makes the teaching a bit more challenging. The following is our mini unit about MLK. It is rather eclectic but then again, so are we. :-)

For all:

Video: Great Americans for Children Martin Luther King Jr. and King (taped from history channel last night) Yes, I am breaking the no TV/movie rule that I established BUT after long consideration I have concluded that I will tape programs from The History Channel, Discovery and PBS for educational purposes.
Discussion: used teachers guide provided from History Channel for King
Poetry: Peace Is, Peace

Arts: 2 art projects that will be posted later
Foods: an array of southern foods--bbq pork, hoppin' john, corn bread, sweet potato pie and apple salad (not a southern recipe but a good one none the less)

Chip: Martin Luther King Scavenger Hunt, Martin Luther King Jr book level S from Reading A-Z (snagged during their free download)
Dill: Martin Luther King Scavenger Hunt, Martin Luther King Jr book level S from Reading A-Z (snagged during their free download)
Sweet: MLK word hunt and crossword from about.com, Martin Luther King Jr. circle book from Enchanted Learning

I think my favorite activity of the day was the I Have a Dream book and craft (will post craft picture later) the picklets did. While talking with Chip I find his dreams are still big. Not only are they big, I think they have a possibility of coming true. But I see, from talking to him today that he lacks the self confidence of thinking he can make a difference.

I find it funny that they associate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with Forest Gump. (I had not idea it was based off a novel by Winston Groom until I just looked it up) Not only do the picklets remember the part where he was in the movie but they have been saying Greenbough, Alabama (in their best Forest Gump voice) all afternoon. Forest Gump (or Grump as my Gaga calls it) is a great movie for introducing pieces of history. Amazing how so many years of history can be in one movie. Kind of like We Didn't Start the Fire by Billy Joel. We could listen to that all year and study a different piece of history each week and never tire of it.

The picklets are still working on the art projects and I will post those later. We found, during this quick study, that we are learning more and more about a great man. He is quickly becoming a hero.

© 2009 Wicked Pickles-Homefront Lines

War and Knots

When Cool got home from work on Thursday he spent some time with the picklets while I got supper on the table. Sweet really wanted him to play multiplication war with her. She absolutely loves playing it and wanted daddy to play with her. It was so much fun to watch. Chip and Dill were on the sidelines saying, "Me next, me next!" Just look at the look on my girls face. Isn't it precious?
Cool then showed the picklets how to tie some different kinds of knots. Dangerous Book influence???

Square knot

Half Hitch

NoosePalo had to get in on the action and play with the rope too.It was much more lively and fun around the house without the TV on. We didn't scatter to different rooms, we all stayed together. It was so nice!

Behavior Modification part 2

The next morning the picklets were awakened at the butt-crack of dawn. They were given breakfast. Biscuits and gravy. They were told to brush their hair and teeth and prepare for a day of work. "Grumble, grumble, grumble."

We then went upstairs. Upstairs is where the boys room is as well as a big hallway, a bathroom and the toy room. I could not believe my eyes. There was not floor. It was all covered. Books, toys, clothes, hangers, dishes, water bottles, school work, pencils, markers, Cd's, sheets, stuffed animals. What ever you could think of, it was on their floor. I was speechless.

Into the toy room. Chip-clubhouse. Dill-cards in the drawer. Sweet, you're my runner. For 2 hours we threw things out, put things away and boxed things up. The toy room was done. Then for the hallway. That is where the books are kept. I decided the previous night that only educational books and classics were going to be allowed during this period. We went through all the books. A bookshelf was taken into the toy room and the "banned books" were taken in and shelved. The boys room next. Dresser drawers gone through, under the bed cleaned, beds made, closet cleaned. Contraband boxed and put in the toy room. Down to Sweets room. Drawers gone through, books gone through, under the bed cleaned, everything taken upstairs.

It took hours, in fact all day. We took three breaks. One for lunch and two for snacks. We had just finished up when Cool got home. The kids took him to their rooms, showed him their progress and explained what was happening. He was a bit shocked but stood by my decision.

We sat down to supper, together as a family, with no TV and talked. I told the picklets if they were caught in the toy room or if anything was taken out of the toy room an automatic 30 days would be added to their sentence. Cool added anything they were caught with would also be sold. I told them I didn't like having to punish them but when they act the way they have been and wouldn't listen to us we couldn't accept it. We all need to learn to use our words, our inside voices and learn to listen to each other. I hope the lack of distraction bearing objects will help us in that effort.

They have been informed that toys/belongings will be able to be earned back starting March 1st. Attitude, household responsibility, being a good citizen and school work will be most of the basis we will use for doling out their items.

Though this "radical" change has been rough on all of us, I believe it is a step in the right direction. It already has had the boys searching through their Dangerous Books looking for ideas. Sweet has been coloring, writing letters and reading. Cool doesn't like not watching TV until bedtime but he is getting used to it. As for me, I sit back and smile at the good things I know will come out of it.




© 2009 Wicked Pickles-Homefront Lines

As Seen on the 5 AM News

I am a copycat. But I am a copycat in the name of science. With our record cold temperatures of -29º with a windchill making it feel like it is -45º, I just had to give the water vaporization a try. Our favortie weatherman demonstrated this on the 5:00 AM ( yes that is AM!) news Friday morning. It is so cool!

The materials needed and process are very simple. Take some hot water (I boiled some in the tea kettle and a saucepot), pour it into a cup (or leave it in the pan), go outside in the frigid cold temperatures (only after putting on a sweatshirt, a stocking hat and gloves) and throw the water into the air. Instant vapor! AWESOME!

Now the question. Would hot coffee produce the same color vapor as hot water? Hmmmm....we had to try it. As you can see in the picture, the vapor is the same color but the various drops that didn't turn to vapor are coffee colored. Interesting!

The picklets had a good time with it. I think they would have enjoyed it more if I would have let them sleep in for the public school snow day but oh well. It also gave me an excuse to make them take the garbage and recycling to the curb. I am evil in my own ways. ;-)

© 2009 Wicked Pickles-Homefront Lines