Blue

QUESTION AUTHORITY: This morning we did a quick re-visit of coin value and alphabetical order before moving on to something more challenging: Sentences. More specifically, types of sentences and their appropriate punctuation. We've dabbled in this before, but CJ and Bee are definitely ready to be pushed a bit further, and on a more frequent basis. So we're going to be doing more sentence writing - complete with proper capitalization, punctuation and solid spelling, too. Today, we talked about the difference between a "telling" sentence and a sentence that asks a question. Then, I had the kids take some simple telling phrases and convert them into questions. So "He is cold." became "Is he cold?" - you get the picture. CJ was all over it. Annabelle, not so much. It wasn't that she couldn't do it. She just didn't want to. We've all been there, eh?


RANKIN/BASS O-RAMA: Tis the season for stop action animation. Last night the kids watched "Santa Claus is Coming to Town," a Rankin/Bass gem from 1970, narrated by no less than Fred Astaire! I explained to the kids how stop action animation is accomplished (set the scene, snap a shot, move the object(s) slightly, set the scene, snap a shot, move the object(s) slightly - over and over and over and over). I was really happy (and amazed!) to find on YouTube that some dude had done his own stop action animation of "Santa Claus is Coming to Town." He's no Rankin/Bass, but it was pretty darn respectable, and the kids got a better sense of the craft. The guy even uploaded a video of his version playing right alongside the real deal. Damn, I ♥ the Internet.


LAME BRAIN: At lunchtime, we had to run and pick Rick up to take him to get his truck from a local tire store. So we headed to Green Lake Elementary. While we were waiting, we checked out the architecture of a church across the street. It looked like a castle, much to CJ and Annabelle's delight. Finally my phone rang. It was Rick, asking where we were. I told him right by the school's flagpole. He said that's where he was, too. Problem was, he works at GreenWOOD Elementary, not Green LAKE. Doh! So we rip a couple miles over to the correct school, singing a spontaneously composed "Lame Brain" song on our way. Pretty stupid mistake on my part - but at least the kids got to see a 'castle!' ; )

MAJOR FLAKES: This afternoon we revisited the BrainPOP site and availed ourselves to their free lesson on snowflakes. The kids watched a video about the conditions necessary for snowflakes to form, and learned about snowflakes' characteristics. Afterward, we took a quiz to test our comprehension. Then we completed the unit's corresponding activity - making a snowflake, of course. The kids both had a hard time cutting through the multiple layers of paper at once, and it brought back memories for me. I recall having that same problem as a kid. However, they made it work and had lovely snowflakes to show for it.



BONK: Tuesday = yoga, so we made our 35 minute drive to Columbia City for the 45 minute class. I go for a walk around the (not so good) neighborhood the kids are getting their yoga on. When I came back, Annabelle was in class, crying. I could tell she'd hurt her head. (And I'm of course thinking, 'Isn't yoga supposed to be calming and peaceful, not painful and hysterical?') As it turns out, she'd hit her head on a column in the middle of the studio (you can see the column in this grainy photo - Annabelle's at 12 o'clock in the pic, and CJ's right next to her). Fortunately, Bee rallied and was able to finish the class. Wonder if I should buy her a yoga helmet. ...


THAT IS SAD: This afternoon, I turned on coverage of the memorial for the murdered police officers. It was a spectacle, what with 20,000 plus law enforcement officers from near and far, plus the families and friends of the fallen gathered in the Tacoma Dome for the service. Annabelle lamented "That is SAD" over and over. Seriously, she must have said that 100-plus times today.


There were signs of support all over town today, including lots of blue lights - the Pacific Science Center arches, the Space Needle and Qwest Field were all bathed in blue). Driving by Safeco Field tonight, I took a quick pic of their blue lights outside, and the stadium glowed an eerie blue. When I got home I found out (via Facebook, of all places) that the blue glow was from the scoreboard inside, which featured the officers' names on a field of blue.