first grader no more!

Madeline finished up first grade today! Let the 5 week summer break begin! We got to meet her second grade teacher last week and it is the same teacher that she spent her afternoons with this year for her advanced reading. M is thrilled!

Left: 1st grade first day, Right: 1st grade last day

our life right now: talkin' turtles

small, medium and large hand crafted turtles

Horses used to be her thing, but now M is keenly focused on obtaining a pet turtle.  A few weeks ago, her assignment was to create a "how-to" craft to present to her 1st grade class.  She asked me to help her make a 3-D turtle model.  Sure, I said.
I love me some craft.

  Then she came home with this drawing last week, showing us the different ways to draw a turtle:  top view, side view, and Minecraft. 

We talk about these reptilians from sun up to sun down.  She has even requested a turtle-themed birthday party in May.

Josh gave her a research assignment thinking it would test her commitment to turtle mania.  He wrote a series of questions on pages in a composition book (yes, it is difficult to distinguish his handwriting from a 1st grader's).  They checked out turtle books from the library and she was tasked with explaining her answers to the questions.  Exhibit 1 is but one example of her research (click on the picture below to enlarge it).  The Venn diagram warms my nerdist heart.

Exhibit 1: Why a turtle over other animals?

 Maybe this is her ploy to finally get those horseback riding lessons she's been asking for...

i'm melting!

The girls are really into hands-on science experiments and when one of the preschool teachers told me about making "melting" snowmen, I was sure it would be a winner.

The snowmen are made from a baking soda and dish soap mixture (the soap creates a longer lasting foam than baking soda alone).  The girls each got a pile of "snow" and smushed and squeezed and rolled until they were satisfied.  I tried to be patient while they made their creations, but it was SO HARD because I knew the fun that was just around the corner.  Then Madeline asked if she could decorate her snowman... hmm, hadn't thought of that, but sure, why not?  I pulled out the food coloring markers and the girls added a few details (Julia required supervision here). After they were done beautifying, the I gave the girls squeeze bottles filled with a vinegar-peppermint oil mix. The "melting" process did not disappoint! We briefly talked about chemical reactions and then played in the colorful foam that resulted. The foam was as much fun to play with as the snowmen! A bonus experiment occurred when the food coloring that dissipated into the foam started mixing together and combining into new colors. Yay for science!