Kirsten

This is our conversation after reading Kirsten Learns a Lesson. Kirsten is "a pioneer of strength and spirit who settles on the frontier" 1854.

Kirsten said at one point in the story she missed home. Where was home for Kirsten?

Josie: In Sweden.

What is someone called that moves from one country to another looking for a better life?

Josie: An immigrant.

Would you be afraid to introduce yourself in front of the class like Kirsten was?

Josie: no

Georgia: no

Why do you think Kirsten was so nervous?

Because it was her first time at school, and it was a new teacher and she doesn't speak English well.

Marta was best friends with Kirsten. When she got sick on the Eagle (the ship that brought her to America) and passed away Kirsten was devastated. How would you feel?

Sad. I would probably stay in my bed for a month.

I would feel sad and I would feel like my heart is cracked in two. I might have a nervous breakdown. I would probably stay in my room for a long time.

In Minnesota Kirsten made friends with an Indian girl named Singing Bird. Even though they couldn't speak to each other they became good friends. How?

They left things by the river bank. They meet each other at the river almost every day.

They left things by the river bank for each other. The girls drew pictures in order to talk to each other. If it was a half sun it meant meet in the evening.

If the sun had an X on it she couldn't go tomorrow but if the sun didn't have an X on it she could.

Was Kirsten able to recite her poem?

Yes because she kept thinking of the Eagle and it helped her remember the poem.

Yes. Miss Winston gave Kirsten a new poem that was about a man that sailed on a ship and it made her be able to memorize it better.

What was the lesson that Kirsten learned?

To speak English. To say her name out loud in front of all the kids in the classroom.

To not be afraid. To be brave because she was in a brand new country where every thing was different.

Happy Earth Day!

Margie

Our baby sister Margie is super good! She is awake for about one hour and a half everyday. She dosn't cry much,only when Emmy does. Emeline has been the most trouble for us lately. We love Margie. She loves to look out the window. She sleeps awesome. We are so glad we have beautiful Margie in our life. We hope everyone had a happy Easter!

We're reading Josefina

"Josefina Montoya is a Hispanic girl whose heart and hopes are as big as the New Mexico sky. 1824"

Dear Josefina,

I would be a little scared of that mean goat too. I would be sad if my mommy passed away. I like the clothes that you wear. I like the flowers that you planted. You take good care of the flowers. The rebozos you wear are pretty.

Love, Josie

Prairie life

We finished the Little House on the Prairie Book. I (geo and jos) learned that prairie life was hard. They had to build everything like thier house, well. beds. chairs, tables, fireplace, barn etc. The prairie had a fire and they almost lost everything. Pa took the plow and plowed a dirt path around the house and then set backfires to save the house and barn. Laura described the prairie as having lots of grass and a big sky. They were in Kansas. These are pictures of the Kansas prairie.

Here is a prairie chicken. Pa would hunt and they would eat a lot of prairie chicken. (jos) I wouldn't like the food they eat. They didn't have a lot of sugar it was really special to have sugar. They mostly drank only water and milk after they got the cow. (Geo) I would love the food they ate because I like chicken and milk and cornbread. (mom) Would you like to eat that every day? (Geo) NO!

At the end of the story they heard that Washington was going to make the settlers leave so they had to pack up and they had to leave to find another place to live.
(Jos) It made me feel sad because they worked so hard to build their house then had to leave it. They just started their garden.

(Geo) This is a wagon like one that the Ingalls family used to travel in.

Little House experiment

Georgia and Josie: We are reading the Little House on the Prairie book now. We are not in the colonial times now we are in the pioneer times. Mom is helping us do a lapbook too.

In one of the chapters Pa dug a well. They would send a candle down the well to see if the air was good. Mr. Scott, a neighbor who was helping dig the well, went down without testing the air because he thought sending the candle down was hogwash. Then he passed out because a gas was in the well.

We did an experiment that showed how candles need air to burn.

Georgia: First Mama had to light the candle.
Georgia: Next we had to put a plate over it.

Josie: It went out! And the experiment was really fun.

Georgia: We did it again and again and again.

Josie: Emeline thought it was fun and exciting.

Georgia and Josie: The candle went out because it needs air. If Pa would have put the candle down the well that morning it would have gone out and Mr. Scott would be safe.

If I Were President by Georgia

George Washington
Abraham Lincoln

Mount Vernon, George Washinton's home. Take a virtual tour here.

Washington Memorial

Graves of George and Martha Washington

Mount Rushmore

Abraham Lincoln's childhood home. To see a tour of his later home click here.

Lincoln Memorial

If I were President I would make lower taxes and make things in stores cheaper. I would tell people to not litter, not to use cars so much. I would make a holiday called Don't use a lot of electricity day.

To help people I would make people give food to food pantries, try to make schools better, and help those who can't read . Also I would have no junky toys in stores.

A law that I would make would allow kids to go to bed at 9:30 or later if they are watching a movie. Parents would have to read their kids bedtime stories.

Jokes for President's Day

Which President had the biggest family?

George Washington because he was the Father of our Country.

Why do pictures of George Washington always show him standing?

Because he would never lie!

Why is Abraham Linclon's picture on the penny?

Because he had so much sense!

Which side of hte White House is white?

The outside.

What I thought about the book.

I learned a lot about music in this book. One place I went was here to listen to taps and reveille. These were songs Louis played at Camp Kookooskoos. I also went to Classics for kids and learned about Bach, Beethoven and Mozart because Louis thought he would be able to play like them if he could get rid of his webbed feet. He had Sam Beaver cut his webs so he could play like he had fingers.

It made my heart tingle when Louis found Serena and got married. I learned about discrimination and that it's bad. This reminds me of Martin Luter King Jr. Just because people are different they shouldn't be discriminated.

Another thing we did was learn about trumpeter swans. They are rare and sound like this.