Dancing in the Rain

RAINDROPS ON ROSES: While we were running errands this afternoon, I realized that all the roses in the neighborhood have *finally* started to bloom. So we stopped a moment or two to admire the colorful blossoms - in the rain, of course.

I told the kids I couldn't help but think of the song "These are a Few of My Favorite Things" from "The Sound of Music," and then I went all Von Trapp on them and started singing, rather loudly, in public. They seemed more amused than mortified.

When we got home, I told them I thought it would be fun if, for our writing homework today, we treated "These are a Few of My Favorite Things" as a MadLibs-type exercise. So, I blanked out some of the words from the first verse of the song (see below) and the chorus (that seems more like a bridge than a chorus, really) and asked them to fill in the blanks. (I used the colors to denote words that had to rhyme.) 

Raindrops on ________ (two syllable noun) and _________ (two syllable noun) on ____________ (two syllable noun)

Bright _________ (2-syllable adjective) _______ (2 syllable noun) and _______ (1-syllable adjective) ________ (2-syllable adjective) __________ (2-syllable noun)

_____________ (1-syllabe adjective) __________ (2-syllable adjective) __________ (3 syllable noun) _______ (1 syllable verb) up with ________ (1 syllable noun)

These are a few of my favorite things.

When the _______ (1 syllable noun) bites
When the ________ (1 syllable noun) stings
When I'm feeling _________
I simply remember my favorite things
And then I don't feel so _________

It was a good exercise. They really had to use their noodles. After a couple of starts and stops, they also figured out that they should choose their nouns BEFORE they choose the adjectives to describe the nouns. 

When all was said and done, here's what they came up with, CJ's first ...

Raindrops on redwoods and blossoms on dogwoods

Bright yellow houses and green shiny car hoods

Good boring opera where people sing

These are a few of my favorite things

When the cat bites

When the scrape stings

When I'm feeling weirdMagnolia Preparatory Academy

I simply remember my favorite things

And then I just feel more cheered.

And here's Annabelle's version ... 

Raindrops on daisies and keyboards on laptops

Bright aqua remotes and brown fizzy soda pops

White giant space shuttles fly with o-rings

These are a few of my favorite things

When the dino bites

When the wasp stings

When I'm feeling happy

I simply remember my favorite things

And then I don't feel so sappy

JAZZ HANDS!: We've been doing lots of "Just Dance" 'round here, and the kids are getting really good at following other people's steps when it comes to dance. Today, I told them that I wanted them to choreograph their own routine.

First, we had to talk about what "choreograph" means. :)  

Then, I told them that for their first dance, they could just pick some of their favorite moves from dances they'd learned, and string those together in a new way. So together we reviewed several numbers off Just Dance 3 and made notes about some moves. Then we talked about timing, transitions, how you make those moves fit different music - all sorts of aspects. It was an hour plus of hard work - and a good workout.

CURIOSITY UPDATE: Exciting news from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Today, four thrusters fired for a total of 40 seconds on the spacecraft carrying Curiosity toward Mars. It was a success, and so the third trajectory correction maneuver is complete. The spacecraft is in "approach phase" for Mars! Landing is set for 10:31 p.m. PT on Aug. 5. 

In reading our just-arrived "Aloft" magazine from The Museum of Flight, we learned that the evening of the landing, our favorite museum will be hosting a MarsFest 2012 from 8 to 11:30 p.m. Count us in!

I was telling the kids today that during Curiosity's descent and touch down (a/k/a Seven Minutes of TERROR to the people working on the project), we will probably be holding our breath the whole time, and that I thought we should start training now for that. ;)

Here's a short video about why the approach and landing on the Red Planet are so sketchy for MSL.