Fantasy, Fairy Tales, Fables and Fun:

Voyage Through the Runic Isles

by

Jody Jarvis and Kim Merritt

They may be misplaced, forgotten, or misdirected, but in the heart of every man is a desperate desire for a battle to fight, an adventure to live, and a beauty to

rescue... Not every woman wants a battle to fight, but every woman longs to be fought for...Every woman also wants a adventure to share...And finally, every woman

wants a beauty to unveil... The way we handle the heart is everything. A man must know he is powerful; he must know he has what it takes. A woman must know she is beautiful,; she must know she is worth

fighting for.

John Eldredge, Wild at Heart

Preface

This adventure is a jumping off point. Do not use it exactly as written. Adjust it, modify it, add to it, subtract from it … make it your own adventure.

Within these pages you will find more possible activities and ideas than you will have time for. And you and your children will come up with new ideas on your own. Pick and choose wisely those you wish to do. And be sure that it is not you who are choosing all the things to do, but rather allow your children to pick what they want to do. We learn best when it is something we choose to learn.

Above all else, give your children an educational adventure to match their potential for greatness in this world. Work hard to inspire them to love learning, to seek out adventure in their education, and to become the heroes and heroines of their own life stories.

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the people who have helped us to accomplish the writing and publication of this adventure.

Our thanks to:

Karen Kindrick Black and those mothers who worked with her, years before us, to develop the EPIC Adventure ideas.

The other mothers in our homeschool groups who were our “guinea pigs” and who also contributed many ideas that we had never thought of

ourselves, especially Darla Gallew for her many contributions.

Our own families who allowed us the time to write and study and research. Our husbands Kenyon Jarvis & Mike Merritt.

And to our children who lived this adventure with us:

Schyler and Pierson Jarvis, and C.J. Merritt

Your workis to discover your work

and then with all your heart to

give yourself to it.

Buddha

Table of Contents

Preface

Acknowledgments

Enlightening Explanations

Theme

EPIC Education

Teaching the Theme

Plot the Year

Invite Your Children Along for the Ride

Opening Day

Presenting Key Points

Inquiries

Adding Accoutrements

Managing the Mood

Dressing the PartVisitorsField TripsTravel LogColloquium

Hero's Journey Charts

Sojourn Souvenirs

Year End Celebration

The Curriculum

Component 1 – Sleeping Beauty

Component 2 – The Ranger's Apprentice

Component 3 – The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

Component 4 – The Phantom Tollbooth

Component 5 – Myths

Component 6 – A Midsummer Night's Dream

Component 7 – Dr. Seuss

Component 8 – Fable Haven/The Spiderwick Chronicles

Component 9 – Pecos Bill

Component 10 – Cinderella

Component 11 – The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

Resources (currently separate documents)Gifting Certificate for Opening Day

Sojourn Souvenirs Checklist – Youth

Sojourn Souvenirs Checklist – Adult

Sojourn Pins Ideas

Hero's Journey Worksheet

Enlightening Explanations

Theme

In The Hero With a Thousand Faces, by Joseph Campbell, the author proposes that all great hero stories are basically all the same. They all have a similar theme to them. It is called the Hero's Journey, or the Hero's Path. The basic elements are:

1) the hero receives a call to greatness

2) the hero accepts the call

3) the hero is tried

4) the hero receives helpers to overcome their trials

5) the hero overcomes his trials

6) the hero returns triumphant

Think of any fantasy story or fairy tale and you will see this theme repeated over and over again. We believe there is a purpose for this. Stories are used to not only entertain but also to teach. The brain learns best when it is taught through pattern and repetition, to allow it to make connections. But what is it that the stories teach? Sometimes just the story, perhaps for historical recollection. But if you look deeply you can also often see a hidden symbolic lesson underneath the story itself. It is these lessons within the story that we wish our children to learn and to internalize. Lessons of bravery, of loyalty, of friendship, of perseverance, lessons of purpose.

For this EPIC Adventure we have chosen mostly stories with heroes who accept their calls to greatness, who overcome their trials with the help of others, and who return triumphant. We have chosen such stories in order to teach our our own children that they can be like these heroes in the story of their own lives. We believe that we are sent to this earth with a purpose, a mission, a reason for being. We do not know this purpose but it is our job to find out what it is and to accomplish it. Buddha said: Your work to discover your work and then with all your heart to give yourself to it.

Often the heroes and heroines in the stories come into their calling feeling unprepared. They learn that they need to learn more in order to accomplish their great deeds. They learn that they need to rely on others to help them overcome their trials. But they also learn that inside of them is the seed of greatness, that they have what it takes to fulfill their mission. We want our children to know that they, too, have what it takes within them. And that they still need to learn and grow in order to fulfill their own destinies, with the help of others.

In the Voyage Through the Runic Isles, we hope they will come to see within themselves the potential that we, as their mothers, already see.

Enlightening Explanations (cont.)EPIC Education

Just what is an EPIC Adventure? For a detailed description visit www.http://karenkindrick.typepad.com/courageous_beings_brains_/epic_adventure_2.html

But in a nutshell, it is like a year-long Unit Lesson. There is an overall theme to the year that ties everything together. Since the brain learns best through patterns, the more connections you can make in what you study, the better you learn. As much as possible, we will tie all of our learning into the year long theme, including reading, writing, math, science, art, etc.

E stands for Exposure

In this adventure it is our plan to expose our children to many different stories, all with the similar pattern of the Hero's Journey. These stories, while all being fictional stories, have different elements to them that will bring variety into our studies. Many people when first learning of an EPIC adventure wonder if their children will tire of learning “the same thing” all year long. While there is a commonality between the basic elements of this type of adventure, by looking outside the box, and running down “rabbit trails” as you mind-map your adventure, you will still cover many, many different things. For example, in the first major book of this Adventure, The Ranger's Apprentice, you and your children will have the opportunity to learn about the forest with its various plants and animals, outdoor survival skills, archery, camouflage, cooking, map skills, diplomacy, careers, among other things. Each story has a unique environment as well, so you can also branch off into geography and learn about various habitats such as the desert, islands, or the mountains.

P stands for Patterns

The brain is a pattern seeking device. As you present this material to your children, make use of patterns whenever possible. Point out the pattern of the hero journey in the stories you read. The schedule for a group is set up in a pattern – 3 days of activities, one day for a field trip, and the culminating colloquium day with visitors and reports. Also, the overall theme for each book is a pattern for all you learn within that theme.

I stands for Inquiry

An Inquiry is basically a question. Who? What? Where? When? How? Which? Why? Your children will not just be learning through reading the stories. Learning happens when we ask questions and seek the answers. This book is filled with ideas of activities to do based upon the theme. Invite your children to do research on a question listed in the Inquiries sections. Doing a variety of hands on activities, as well as research projects, will add to your exposure of the concepts in the stories.

C stands for Contribution

As you and your children find out the answers to the questions brought up through the Inquiries, be sure to do something the the answers that you find. Make something. Draw a picture. Compose a song. Write a poem. Build a mobile. Make a useful item. Do a display. Then be sure to teach others what you have learned, and give your children the same opportunity. We all learn even more when we have to teach what we have learned to others.

Teaching the Theme

Plot the YearThis book has more ideas than you can possibly do in a year's time. It will be up to you to pace yourself and to choose what you will do and what you will leave out, especially as you add your own personal touches and elements to the Adventure.

There are many ways to use this book. You can pick and choose which parts you want, flowing along with the current of life as it comes, perhaps not even getting to the end of the book in one year. Or you can look over the entire contents and choose ahead of time those elements you feel are important to be sure to include. There is no right or wrong way to do it. But if having a purpose to your life is important it would behoove you to set up at least a tentative schedule.

We have written this adventure to suit our own needs, which include using it as a resource for our homeschool group. Our group takes the summer months off, as well as Christmas and Easter. So we planned the sections accordingly. There are 5 main books interspersed with several shorter stories. We plotted it out this way for variety. Get out your own calendar and write down which components you will do when. That way you can be sure to get through the parts you want to. We have given most of the short stories one week (with the exception of the Myths sections, which we have given 2 weeks). All of the main books are allotted 5 weeks. You may adjust this as you see fit. Perhaps you want to spend 2 weeks on the shorter sections and only 4 weeks on the main books. That is fine with us. You decide. Also, some people like to leave a week in between major components for teacher preparation. If you like to do that, be sure to schedule that time in and adjust all the rest.

And you can always change your mind as you go along, or do things differently for different books and stories. We also added in a field trip for each book. If you want, you can make this on a different day (if you have a group), or do more field trips per book (we have listed several ideas). Again, make this adventure your own.

Here is a list of the stories and the time we allotted in our group:

Sleeping Beauty – 1 week

The Ranger's Apprentice – 5 weeks

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow – 1 week

The Phantom Tollbooth – 5 weeks

Myths (Hurcules, Christmas Traditions) – 2 weeks

A Midsummer Night's Dream – 5 weeks

Pecos Bill and Other Tall Tales – 1 week

FableHaven &/or The Spiderwick Chronicles – 5 weeks

Dr. Seuss, featuring the Horton stories – 1 week

Cinderella – 1 week

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe – 5 weeks

Teaching the Theme (cont.)

Invite Your Children Along for the RideInvite your children to come along on this adventure with you. This is not something you do to your children, but rather with them. Before the year starts, build enthusiasm by dropping hints of what is to come (but don't give too much away or they will lose some of the excitement). As you choose which ideas you would like to inspire your children to participate in, see what sparks your own interest. If you are interested in the topic, and you show them your excitement, they will be interested, too

Opening DayIt's always nice to start off the first day of your adventure with a bang! The Sleeping Beauty/Land of Nod section gives details of what we plan to do. Feel free to add or take away as you are inspired to make your first day very special, a day to remember!

Presenting Key PointsKey Points are the key bits of information that you want your children to learn from each component and topic. There are many ways to present this information. But above all, remember to keep it short. Most kids don't like to sit still listening to an adult lecture them. Think of the Charlie Brown videos and how the teacher talked “Wa wa wa wa wa”. If we go on for too long, that is what the kids hear.

Boys and girls learn differently. Boys like action and girls like more emotional lessons. Use all of the senses: sight, smell, sound, touch, even taste. This will help you to use all the different learning modalities: movement/kinetic, auditory, sensory, visual. Think outside the box. Use visual aids, such as posters, whiteboards, puppets, objects. Get the kids involved in the teaching. Maybe you ask one child to come up and be the scribe on the whiteboard as you get the rest of the kids to list something. Hand out a skit and have them act something out. Play a game, such as a version of Jeopardy, or do a group crossword puzzle. Maximum time for the basic Key Points should be about 10-20 minutes. Any more than that (and 20 minutes is really pushing it), and the kids will zone out.

InquiriesChoose which Inquiries you will do as a group (either with all your children, or if you have a homeschool group with the larger group). Leave the rest for the children to pick through. Inquiries take time and are often messy, so plan ahead and have supplies ready. The process of working an inquiry is a very natural way to learn. Involve the kids as much as you can in the preparation process, too, to teach time how to learn for themselves. Pace yourself and remember, you don't have to (nor will you be able to ) do all the Inquiries listed in this book. And you may add those of your own design, too, of course.

Adding Accoutrements

Managing the MoodDo all you can to truly immerse your self and your children into this Adventure. Make costumes or outfits for your “character”, decorate your home (at least once in a while) to set the mood, plan fun field trips. You might want to make a poster of the cover page somewhere in the house where the major learning takes place or maybe make it into a T-shirt. Go on field trips, or bring a field trip home (see visitors below). Anything to make the kids feel like they have stepped into the story.

Dressing the PartIt really helps the kids to feel a part of the adventure if they have an outfit. But beware, not all kids enjoy this. Outfits can be as simple as the same set of clothing taken out of their closet or dresser every time you go on a field trip, to something as elaborate as a full blown costume you, or better yet your child makes.

For this adventure, the kids are lost travelers in their own journey. For our group we plan to have each child choose their own outfit. We are telling them to imagine that they are going on a trip but that they have no idea where it will be, what the climate will be like, nor the weather or the terrain. We are asking them to think about the type of clothing they would want to wear for such an adventure. Would they want to wear flip flops, high heeled shoes, or tennis shoes or boots? What sort of pants would they wear? Would they bring along a sweatshirt?

Often in adventure stories the character has to wear the same clothes throughout the whole book (for example, in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, the children are lucky enough to be wearing fir coats from the closet, but the rest of the time they are always wearing their school clothes, with the exception of the very wend when they have grown up and are now wearing king and queen clothing.)

It might be a good idea to buy several of the same shirts, or even the same pants the next size up so they can still wear the same outfit all year long, or so they can still have the same shirt, if the one they wore last week is lost or in the laundry.

Don't forget to have your visitors (see below) come in costume, too. You can me it simple or elaborate. My experience is the more realistic you can get the more you are immersing you and your child into the adventure. But even a simple hat, vest or apron can add a touch of theatrics.

VisitorsVisitors add a special touch to an adventure. It truly brings the adventure to life. As you read the books and stories in this adventure, think about what characters from the story would make a great visitor. Another idea would be to have the author(s) come and visit. Here are some suggestions for each book/story:

Sleeping Beauty – Wicked Evil Fairy to give the kids their “curse” at the opening day, someone to demonstrate how a spinning wheel works and what a spindle is.

The Ranger's Apprentice – Halt the Ranger, or a knight in full armor

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow – Ichabod Crane

The Phantom Tollbooth – the Mathemagician, or the princesses Rhyme and/or Reason, or, if you can,

Adding Accoutrements (cont.)

find someone game dress them up as Tock the Watch Dog!

Hurcules – Hurcules obviously, or perhaps a hero from another myth.

Midsummer Night's Dream – Shakespeare himself!

Pecos Bill – a cowboy who does rope tricks.

Fablehaven or The Spiderwick Chronicles – an ogre or a fairy

Horton Stories – The Cat in the Hat, Maisy the bird, or any other Dr. Seuss character, or even Dr. Seuss himself.

Cinderella – how about the Fairy God Mother? Or use a character from one of the foreign versions.

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe – I'd love to have C.S. Lewis himself come, or perhaps one of the children like Lucy or Peter (maybe you can get one of your own children to dress the part).

Or come up with your own ideas. Get creative.

Field TripsThere is nothing like an actual Being There experience to really help sink in the concepts and ideas you want your children to learn. Each book ought to have at least one. If you are organizing a homeschool group that meets weekly, you may want to make one week during each component the field trip week. Or perhaps you make it on a separate day. Do what works for you. Here are some ideas for field trips for each book. We are only doing them for the five main books as a group, but you may want to do something each week if you have the time.

Sleeping Beauty – garden center to see different hedges; bedroom furniture store.

The Ranger's Apprentice – a forest; an archery range.

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow – pumpkin field, corn maze, old school house museum.

The Phantom Tollbooth – caves and caverns, gem store, go watch/listen to an archestra, an art museum.

Hurcules –

Midsummer Night's Dream – see a Shakespeare play, visit a theater backstage.

Pecos Bill – ranch with cows and horses, go horseback riding, go to the rodeo.

Fablehaven or The Spiderwick Chronicles – zoo, animal preserve.

Horton Stories – circus, sea port to go on a ship (such as the Queen Mary, perhaps)

Cinderella – dance studio,

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe –

Sojourn SouvenirsOne fun way to get your children to write is to start a journal or notebook. For this adventure we are calling it Sojourn Souvenirs. This can look any way you want it to look. It can be a three ring binder

Adding Accoutrements (cont.)

with dividers. It can be a spiral bound book. It can be a scrap book. The idea is to have a place to keep all the things the kids are doing throughout the year. Also, use this as a memory builder. Take photographs of your activities, presentations, field trips, projects, etc. Then give the kids copies of them to put into their Travel Log. A fun way is to use the scrap booking supplies you can find in nearly every store now. Get colorful paper to frame the pictures. Buy some decorative scissors for the kids to add some pizazz. Have a large supply of glue sticks, colorful pens, and stickers on hand and a location to do the scrapbooking. Set aside a specific time to work on them together. And don't forget to make your own Sojourn Souvenirs book. Remember, in order to inspire you need to lead the way.

ColloquiumColloquium is just a fancy word for book discussion. But it is more than your typical book group that reads a book and then tells each other why they liked the book. In a colloquium each person brings with them to the discussion what they have learned from reading and shares that with the others so all may be edified.

Hero's Journey ChartsThis is a document that is filled out detailing the journey the hero/heroine in the story has taken. If you have young children or non-writers of course you may act as a scribe for them. This is not a writing lesson first (although the more they can do on their own the more practice they get with writing), but rather a learning experience. A way to find out all the heroic path elements and document them. The kids can also color the picture, or do anything else to it to make it more memorable. Keep this in your Travel Log.

Incentive SystemSome kids do well with an incentive program to reward them for making progress. We have decided to purchase small hat pins that are based on the theme from each book that the kids can earn as they accomplish a set of “requirements”. But do not force the kids to complete this program. It is supposed to be inspirational. If they choose not to fulfill the requirements, the natural consequence is no reward. Don't worry, they will still learn lots of stuff.

Our requirements are as follows (adjust to suit your own needs):

1) Read the book/story. We are allowing this to happen in any way the child/family chooses. It can be each person reading their own copy. It can be through a family read-aloud time, either with the parent doing all the reading or kids taking turns. It can be by listening to audio versions of the story. For the Shakespeare play we are allowing them to read any version of the story, from the actual Shakespeare original text, to the Lamb's Tales version to anything in between. They can even watch it as a play either live or on video/DVD. The point is to get the story into the brain.

2) Do a minimum of 2 Inquiries for each major book, and a total of 2 for all the shorter stories combined.

3) Give an oral report in front of a group. This can be a regular book report read aloud, it can be a poster that the child then describes to everyone, it can be showing something they have made and

Adding Accoutrements (cont.)

4) talking about it. It can be a song they have written, or a play, or a drawing. Anything. Use your imagination.

5) Participate in a group Colloquium.

6) Fill out a Hero's Journey Chart.

If a child (or adult) does all of the requirements they will get a pin. If not, they don't. Simple as that.

Year End CelebrationIt is fun to have a celebration at the end of the year to showcase what you have done all year long. Perhaps the kids have worked on a larger Inquiry all year long, or they may have several projects they'd like to show off. This is a great time to invite dads, grandparents, friends, etc. who may not have been able to see everything you have done. Of course, you can organize this any way you'd like to. I envision a sort of Science Fair atmosphere with tables and display boards, where the kids can stand next to their display and explain it to the passers-by.

You might also like to include some sort of talent show, or a play you have worked on, or perhaps just make it a pot luck dinner for all the families you may have been learning with if you are in a large homeschool group. Depending on the size of the people attending and what sort of celebration you plan, this can be held in your home or you may want to find a larger venue such as a local church.

The Curriculum

Component One

Sleeping Beauty/Land of NodBackground on the Story

The earliest telling of this tale was published in 1697 by Charles Perrault in the Tales of Mother Goose (Contes de ma mere L'Oye) It is thought that it may have been influenced by “Perceforest,” a French romance first printed in 1528. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perceforest

Another tale that is thought to have had great influence is Giambattista Basile's “Sun, Moon, and Talia” also known as Il Pentamerone.

The Grimm's brother included “Briar Rose” in their collection of tales. Needless to say Sleeping Beauty has been around for a long time.

This information will help you to understand some of the ideas behind the Key Points and Inquiries included.

Sleeping Beauty Intro Skit for Group

Parts:

Traveler 1: Dressed in Traveler's clothing

Traveler 2: Dressed in Traveler's clothing, also has back pack

Story Teller: One of the moms in the group, dressed exotically perhaps

Evil Fairy: Dressed in black like a witch (see bottom of page if you want fairy wings)

Good Fairy: Other parents dressed in traveling outfit, with kids' backpacks and Ranger's Apprentice book

Spinning Wheel Demonstrator: check in your area for someone who spins and can do a demonstration.

Props: Wand, backpack, Map cover for study, Picture book – Sleeping Beauty,

Traveler 1: [Come into the room talking about the last adventure. Do this in a checking off your fingers sort of way.] Our last adventure included zip lines, water rafting, elephant rides, desert camping, baby turtle hatchery, seeing water buffalo for the first time.

Traveler 2: That was some adventure. We sure had a great time. The other day my friend was telling me about this new adventure. I got so excited as she shared all that she did and learned. I've started making preparations to go.

Traveler 1: Wait, wait a minute! First of all, where are you going?

Traveler 2: We're going to the Runic Isles. Doesn't that sound exotic?

Traveler 1: The what? I've never heard of them before.

Traveler 2: The Runic Isles. Runic means writings, as in stories. You know, like the runes of a map. In fact, I have a map of the Isles right here. [show the map]

Traveler 1: Oh wow, that looks really fascinating!

Traveler 2: It does, doesn't it? The plan is to start at the Isle of Nod and travel from one isle to the next.

Traveler 1: What makes these Isles so adventuresome? They don't look so different, although the islands do have interesting shapes.

Traveler 2: That is the best part. Each Isle offers a unique set of opportunities because they are the settings of different stories. My friend said that they went horseback riding, learned about survival skills and saw the most amazing trees. And that is just a sample of what is to come.

Traveler 1: These sound like great adventures. Are you sure that you are prepared for all that?

Traveler 2: Well let's see [open your back pack and pull some of the stuff out. Start referring to the clothes you are wearing and why the things in the backpack will help you to be prepared.] I've got my closed toe shoes in case we need to climb any mountains, I am wearing my durable blue jeans, my T-shirt in case it's hot and my sweatshirt in case it gets cool. I have my back pack to keep my mementos in, like any souvenirs I may find along the way, as well as my camera or a water bottle, etc., I have my notebook to record my adventure with scissors, glue sticks, pens and pencils, etc.

Traveler 1: It sounds like you are set. When do you start?

Traveler 2: Oh, today. We start on the Isle of Nod. Sleeping Beauty lives there.

Traveler 1: Sleeping Beauty? Why call her that?

Traveler 2: Do you know the story?

Traveler 1: Sort of but not really.

Traveler 2: Wait, I have the perfect thing. Let's go visit the Story Teller. She can explain it better than me.

[Story Teller pulls out picture book and shares the story. Next she discusses the story a bit with the kids & explains the key points, then the hero's journey concept. See pages __ of this book for details]

Traveler 1: That's a great story, it sounds like the Prince was a real hero. He was valiant and good. He was prepared to face any obstacle for what he knew to be right. But what does all this have to do with our adventure?

Traveler 2: On the Isle of Nod we get to be the hero and try to experience some of the same things that Sleeping Beauty and the Prince did.

Traveler 1: Like what?

Traveler 2: Oh like....

[Evil fairy enters]

Evil Fairy: Wait just a minute! Hold it right there!! Why wasn't I invited on this adventure? Oh, sure, everyone always forgets old Maleficent!! Well, this should help you to never forget me again! I curse you all on this adventure! Yes, you will visit the exotic Runic Isles, but they will be filled with boring lectures, horrible written essays and research projects, and you will have to do spelling, reading, and math and all sorts of other horrific academic feats. You will be pushed outside of your comfort zones by having to meet strangers, get up in front of people and talk, and going to unknown places. You will have to travel far and for may boring hours. That will be your punishment for forgetting me! [She then leaves in a flourish]

Traveler 1: Who was that?

Traveler 2: The evil fairy of course.

Traveler 1: So what is going to happen next, I guess a good fairy is going to pop out and give us gifts?

Traveler 2: Hmm, you never know, we're already on the Isle of Nod after all.

[Each of the parents pop up and gives their gifts* as good fairies – pass the wand from parent to parent]

Traveler 1: What wonderful gifts. It is like the story is coming to life. What's next?

Traveler 2: We each get to make our own wands!

Traveler 1: No way. Let's go.

[bring kids to area to make pencil wands**]

Traveler 1: Gosh that was fun. The next thing you know we are going to see a woman with a spinning wheel.

Traveler 2: – Now that you mention it, I believe you are right. If you would please follow me, I'll show you where she is.

[The spinning wheel demo]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[After demo]

Traveler 2: I'd really like to learn how to spin like (name of your demonstrator).

Traveler 1: I'm not sure that it's right for me. My kind of an adventure is in the woods, horseback riding, survival skills, and archery. That sort of thing.

Traveler 2: [Pulling out map] Well, you are in luck because our next adventure is on Rookie Island where we meet an apprentice Ranger to King Duncan.

Traveler 1: Really, when do we start?

Traveler 2: How about right here on this very spot next (fill in the next get together date)?

Traveler 1: Definitely works for me.

Traveler 2: Hey, don't forget to read your guide book this week.

Traveler 1: There's a guide book?

Traveler 2: Definitely! [show Ranger Apprentice book 1] Read Chapters 1-3. That will help you to understand more about the first part of our trip. Don't forget to bring your backpack and wear your traveling clothes so you're ready for whatever adventure comes along.

Traveler 1: Thanks! I'll be ready. I can't wait!

Traveler 2: See you here next (date and time) sharp.

*Ideas for gifts: base them on the gifts and talents your children already have, such as perseverance, a positive attitude, friendliness, helpfulness, musical talents, patience, artistic talent, etc. Anything that will help them overcome the "curses" the evil fairy has placed on them. Basically anything that is their strength that helps them do hard things. Point out how these gifts and talents will help them overcome the obstacles the evil fairy has set on them. It could be nice to write these up on a certificate type of paper, with beautiful artwork or calligraphy, etc. to present to them as a scroll.

**Pencil wands: get generic wooden pencils, or perhaps pencils with sparkly covers or something fantastical, and decorate them with jewels on wire, tinsel, pipe cleaners, feathers, ribbon, pieces of twisted tinfoil, etc. Look here for ideas: http://familycrafts.about.com/od/witchcrafts/a/magicwandpencil.htm , and here is another sample idea http://crafts.kaboose.com/pencil-wands.html Here is another idea that could be modified to be added to a pencil eraser end:

http://www.the-leaky-cauldron.org/features/crafts/woodwork/makeyourownwand-2

PS, if you want your wicked fairy to have wings, here is a great tutorial for home made fairy wings: http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Fairy-Wings , and here is another really cool one, although I do not know how they would work on a real person (they are for a 6" doll) http://www.cdhm.org/tutorials/making-fairy-wings.html

KEY POINTS:It was the fondest dream of the King and Queen to have a child. The King was overcome with Joy when at last they had a daughter.

The King ordered a great Christening feast to celebrate. Every relative, friend and other acquaintance of importance was invited. There were 13 fairies in the land but only 12 were invited.

At the Christening each fairy bestowed a magical gift on the princess. The 13th fairy arrives quite alive and in a vengeful mood cursing Princess Aurora at birth to die on her sixteenth birthday by pricking her finger on a spinning wheel. The last gift given by the 12th fairy is a deep sleep rather than death until awakened by a prince.

The princess grows in the magical gifts that she was given.

On her 16th birthday she comes across an old woman spinning. In her curiosity, she pricks her finger and falls into a deep sleep. The good fairy puts entire kingdom to sleep until they can think of a way to approach this daunting proposition.

Many princes set out on a vain quests to penetrate the hedge that has grown of briars to cover the castle. Though many entered, none was ever seen again.

It was a tenderhearted lad that came many years later looking only to protect the princess that was able to enter. He had a good and valiant nature.

The prince was drawn to the princess. Such was the power of her beauty that he leaned down to kiss her and broke the spell.

True love conquers all; pure good will vanquish pure evil; home is where the heart is

INQUIRIES

Geography – France. The tale of Sleeping Beauty is thought to originate from the French Fairy tale written by Charles Perrault. Locate France on a world Map.

What is the capital of France.

Locate some of the more famous sites seen in France on a map such as the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame Cathedral, Louve,.

Cooking:Learn to cook french food ie., Baguettes, croissants, cheese souffle, crepes, Ratatouille or French Onion Soup.

http://www.kids-cooking-activities.com/cooking-French-lesson.html

Language:

Learn some Simple French PhrasesAu revoir Good bye

S'il vout plait PleaseMerci Thank you

Soupe du jour Soup of the Day

Human Relationships: Taking Care of a BabyDiscuss the care babies need in feeding, clothing, bathing, diapering.

Take care of a doll for the day or the unit, keeping the doll with you a meal times and through out the day as if it were a live baby.

Take care of the needs of a pet or perhaps a baby chick for the day or for the week. Compare how this would be similar to taking care of a new baby. Write a journal entry of your day.

Social Studies

Culture: TraditionsChristenings, Birthdays, and weddings. How do you celebrate each of these in your family?

Research how different countries around the work celebrate birthdays. This link should provide you with some helpful ideas. http://www.kidsparties.com/TraditionsInDifferentCountries.htm

Make a list of the many people that serve in a castle.

Learn more about one of the people serving in a castle.

Pretend to be one of the many people in the castle. You might dress up and act the part for a day.

Create a castle out of cardboard boxes or make a diorama.

The Fairies give the Princess gifts of virtue, wisdom, beauty, wit, intelligence, musical talent, grace, generosity, temperament. Discuss the different gifts that the fairies gave to the princess. We have all been blessed with talents, discuss with your child the gifts that you have observed in them. Do we have untapped gifts? How do we find out what these gifts might be?

Make armor and/or a sword.

Language Arts

Vocabulary:Kingdom – a country whose ruler is a king or queen.

Spindle – a slender round rod or stick with tapered ends by which thread or yarn is twisted in spinning by hand and on which it is wound.

Sleep – the natural periodic loss of consciousness during which the powers of the body are restored

Betrothed – to promise to marry or give in marriage

Hero – a mythological or legendary figure of great strength or ability; An outstanding warrior or soldier; A person admired for achievements and qualities; One that shows great courage

Villain – an evil person; a character in a story who opposes the hero

Dragon - a creature of Teutonic mythology; usually represented as breathing fire and having a reptilian body and sometimes wings

WritingLook at the birthday traditions from around the world. Select one that you would like to celebrate on your next birthday. Then write a letter to your parents telling them why they should change. You may narrate to mom.

What would it be like to live in a castle? Do a little research and tell whether you would or would not like to live in a castle.

Rewrite the story from the point of view of the Prince. Where is he from, what was his life like before he found the castle hidden by the briars? What happened after they got married?

Math

Bake a birthday cake. Measuring the ingredients carefully. Why is important to be exact? Take pictures for your portfolio. Don't forget the smile when you taste it.

Plan a pretend birthday party with a budget of $150. Keep a record of what you spent the money on and how much it cost.

ScienceBriar or Brier is a common name for a number of unrelated thicket-forming thorny plants, including species in the genera Rosa, Rubus (see also bramble) and Smilax (such as Common greenbriar)

Look up more information about the common Greenbriar. Below is a picture. http://plants.usda.gov/gallery/large/smro_001_lvd.jpg

In the story they talk about the following creatures: frog, dove, dragonfly, dragon, or falcon. Pick one and learn more information about it through books from your library or internet search.

ArtBalletWatch the video of The Sleeping Beauty ballet. You can either borrow a copy from the library or It is also available http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8wYInov9YU&feature=related There are many parts to it so make sure you watch them all.

Paintingshttp://www.art.com/products/p10042439-sa-i791191/maxfield-parrish-sleeping-beauty-1912.htmhttp://www.art.com/products/p10042439-sa-i791191/maxfield-parrish-sleeping-beauty-1912.htmhttp://www.scottgustafson.com/Images/Whats_New/Sleeping_Beauty/full_image/Sleeping_Beauty

.pnghttp://www.1st-art-gallery.com/thumbnail/173983/1/Sleeping-Beauty.jpg

Sleeping Beauty illustrated byy K. Y. Craft has beautiful illustrations throughout

MusicListen to Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's Sleeping Beauty. You can find the different pieces that make up the 4 hour ballet here as well as listen to samples. http://www.amazon.com/Sleeping-Beauty-Pyotr-Ilyich-Tchaikovsky/dp/B0000041B

Princess Aurora is playing a lute. Listen to Lute music.

Life SkillsLearn more about spinning wheels. http://www.carsonsierraspinnersandweavers.blogspot.com/

Identify the parts of a spinning wheel – See worksheet in the resources section.http://www.woolery.com/pages/selectwheel.html

Attend a demonstration of how to spin fiber into thread.

Learn how to card wool.

Princess Aurora's bed was covered with the finest embroidery. Learn how to embroider a handkerchief.

Other resources:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perceforesthttp://www.kids-cooking-activities.com/cooking-French-lesson.htmlhttp://www.homeschoolshare.com/sleeping_beauty.phphttp://www.schoolexpress.com/fws/cat.php?id=2519 – Fill in the blank worksheetshttp://www.homeschoolshare.com/sleeping_beauty.php – Sleeping Beauty Unit Study

The Curriculum

Component Two

Ranger's ApprenticeThe Roving Ranger's Rookie

The Rangers Apprentice Book 1

Week 1: Knocking Out Your Knack in a Niche - read chapters 1-7Week 2: Forte of the Future - read chapters 8-14Week 3: Were the Wild Woods Are - read chapters 15-20Week 4: Woodland Wanderings - read chapters 21-26Week 5: Pow Wow - read chapters 26-32 Read chapters before coming to the group meeting.

Week 1: Knocking Out Your Knack in a Niche (Chapters 1-8) Key Points: *We all have been given talents or things we are good at.Like Will, sometimes we want to be good at a certain thing, but no matter how we try or how much we want it, it is not meant to be.The craft master is not going to take us just because we want them to. Our talents may lie someplace else.We need to search for our talents and find what we are good at, and how we can use it. I’m sure Will didn’t think climbing and sneaking around were worth while talents. #Group Activity:Have a group discussion on what the kids do well. Have them write a personal list. Tape a piece of paper on each child's back so the other children can write what they think the child does best. Or have each child put their name on the paper and pass it around so everyone gets a chance to write something. *In the medieval times an apprenticeship would be secured by the family if the child had talent or an interest in a certain thing .Some became apprentices because that was the family trade. Children rarely had a choice in what they would do because it was defined by the connections of his family. An arrangement was made with contracts and sponsors. Guilds required that a bond be posted to guarantee that the apprentice fulfill expectations and time, if not the sponsor was liable for him. The master of the apprentice became like a parent. They were responsible to clothe and feed the apprentice. Usually the apprentice lived in the house with the family. An apprentice was usually taken in the late teens and the apprenticeship lasted 7-10 years. Girls also had a wide variety of things to choose from. They were not limited but would only do their trade until they were marred, usually to someone in the same trade so they could help their husband.An apprentice was required to make a master piece as a test after his apprenticeship was complete so he could become a master . That is where the term Master Piece came from.

Nowadays there are still apprenticeships. They work regular hours and live in their own house and get paid. It is like a school and they receive a diploma when they complete their time. Week 2: Forte For the Future (Chapters 8-14) Key Points:*There are many skills you will need when you become on adult. Will needed archery and knife throwing, among others, but what skills do you think you will need? #Discuses with children what skills they will/may need. Topics can be as general as basic math, reading, and writing, or if they have an idea of what they want to do as adults talk specifics. *When you try something for the first time you usually don’t know what to do. The first time Will tried to shoot an arrow what happened? He got hurt. He learned from his mistakes and kept practicing until he got it right. You need to practice at anything to be good at it, whether it’s piano, cooking, driving a car or reading. Practice makes perfect. #Learn something new as a group, maybe a song or how to tie a knot, anything that your group would like to do together. *There were three types of warriors in medieval times: the knight, the foot solder, and the archers.The most common way to become a knight was to be a son of a noble.The first thing you would do to start your way to become a night would be to become a page at age 8. You would strengthen your body and learn to ride a horse. You would also learn to read and write. By age 15 or 16 you would become the squire of a knight. You would care for the knight and his equipment. About age 20 you would become a knight. A common man could become a knight by performing a great act of valor in combat. This was very rare. Week 3: Where the Wild Woods Are (Chapters 15-20)

Key Points:*Will has to learn how to survive in the forest now that he is a Ranger. He needs to learn how to tell time by the sun and which tracks were left by which animals.You may not live in the forest but there are lots of things you can learn about the forest.

*You can't have a forest with out trees . There are many kinds of trees that make up many kinds of forests. The kinds of trees in your forest and its location in the world will determine what kind of wild life live there, as well.

#Discuss with kids what kind of forest you live by. Talk to your local forest service.What kind of forests do you know of?

What kind of forest grows near you.?What animals live there?Which of these animals do think you would like to see? Week 4: Woodland Wanderings (Chapters 21-26) This is the perfect week to go on a field trip to a forest near you. If you don’t have one go to a park with lots of trees . Learn about the trees in your area. If available, have a forest ranger talk to your group abut the forest. See what kind of wild life and traces of wild life you can see. Go on a nature walk through the forest or, if you can't, play nature games. #Nature games:

• Sit quietly and listen to the sounds of the forest. Have the kids name what they heard.• Go an a nature scavenger hunt. Have the kids find things on a list. For example:

Something blueA red rock A featherA pine coneA bug that fliesA bug that crawlsAn animal trackA leaf

• Do leaf and bark rubbings• Do leaf and flower pressing • Play Know Your Tree. Have the kids choose a tree that they get to know by feeling it, smelling

it, naming it, etc. Next have them introduce everyone to their tree and tell its story (it can be made up). You can add a fun twist by blind folding them and then leading them a little bit away from their tree and then un-blindfolding them and having them try to find their tree again. Make it even more difficult by blindfolding them before leading them to a tree you have picked out for them, then see if they can find it after taking away the blind fold. This can also be played with a rock or pine cone, etc.

• Inch Hike. Make a circle with a piece of string on the ground and have one or more children search in that circle to see what they can find using a magnifying glass.

Week 5: Pow Wow (Chapters 26-32)Colloquium - Book DiscussionBook should be finished before coming. Have a character from the book come and lead the discussion. It could be someone dressed as Halt or Will or just as a Ranger. Also the King is an other option. Another idea would be to get someone who is currently a police officer, but be sure to have them read the book ahead of time, too. They could also tell a little how their job is similar to the Rangers. What ever you like. Have the discussion at a cook out or picnic in a place with lots of trees, or even in your back yard. If you can have a camp fire that would be fun .

OrHave a Medieval banquet like the one at the end of the book. This would be a good one to have the King come to. Maybe you might want to have everyone dress up in medieval clothing to add to the atmosphere. *Discussion Questions:

• Why did Will want to be a Knight so much?• What if Will had become a knight? What do you think would have happened to him?• Why was Horace bullied at knight school?• Why did Horace put up with it? Do you think he should have told someone?• What would you do if you were Horace?• What do you think things were like for the girls Jenny and Alyss?• How much of becoming a great spy or knight was made up of boring training? What do you

have to do that is boring to be good at it?• What makes a Hero?• Who decides that a person is a Hero?• Why does Halt refuse to take any credit for the battle which saved Araluen?

When the Author wrote The Rangers Apprentice he based the idea of the rangers on The U.S. World War II Rangers, the British Commandos Rangers and the Texas Rangers. Who do the rangers in the book remind you of?

Websites: Treetop,4-H forest resourced beginning guideextension.umnedu/distribution/youth development/da6201.html Treetures Programtreetures.com discovertheforest.org ultmatecompersources.com

INQUIRIES –

Learn about careers you're interested in. Younger children can learn about community helpers such as fire fighters, doctors etc.Find out what you need to do to have the career of your choice. What does that person do?Go to work with a parent.Learn about Medieval castle life and what kinds of jobs people did then.Even though it is not a real place it is very similar to Great Britain. Name the countries in Britain. Learn about Ireland, Wales, Scotland, etc. You can study the customs, food, history, geography, etc.Learn about gravity.Go rock climbing

Write a story about someone finding their talent.If you had to go to a choosing (like in the book) what job would you want? Draw a picture of you doing that job.What kind of apprenticeship would you like if you lived in Medieval times? Write about it.Learn about Icelandic horses.Learn to ride and/or saddle a horse.Learn knife throwing (with adult supervision).Learn the Heimlich Maneuver.Learn house cleaning.Learn mending and sewing.Learn first aid.Cook something you have never cooked before.Go hiking.Learn how to change a tire on a bike or a car.Learn how to properly take care of your bike.Learn mouth to mouth resuscitation.Learn sign language.Learn fencing.Learn archery.Learn how to sew on a button.Learn how to follow a recipe.Learn how to knit or crochet.Learn the constellations.Learn a new skill not listed above, or improve your skills in one you have just started doing.Make an obstacle course.Boy Scout can earn the Family Life Merit Badge.Webelos Scouts can earn the Family Member Activity Pin.Count rings on a tree and learn what they mean.Learn about forest animals. Pick one and do a report.Collect leaves and make a leaf bookDo leaf and bark rubbings.Make a tree encyclopedia of trees in your area using photos of the trees, leaves and bark rubbings.Learn about edible plants and herbs. Share it with your friends or family. Make a nature notebook.Boy Scouts can earn the Environmental Science Merit Badge.Cub Scouts can earn the Forester Activity Pin.Press flowers.Learn about animal tracks be able to identify them.Make a bird feeder or bird house.Draw a picture and label the layers of the forest.Identify 6 forest trees.Identify 6 forest plants.Draw a poster about photosynthesis.Look at a tree with a magnifying glass. what do you see?Learn abut what type of hunting knights did.How did they hunt boar in Medieval times?What kind of hunting is done in groups?Learn about knights warfare.Make some weapons used in the medieval ages such as catapults and trebuchets.

If it is small enough bring and show the group.Make a knight's shield and/or helmet.

The Curriculum

Component Three

Sleepy HollowFASCINATING FACTS:

1. Washington Irving was born at the end of the Revolutionary War on April 3, 1783. He died on the eve of the Civil War, on November 28, 1859.

2. Irving’s parents, Scottish-English immigrants, were great admirers of General George Washington, and named their son after their hero.

3. Sleepy Hollow is a snug rural valley near Tarry Town in the Catskill Mountains in New York.

4. The legend featured in the story is that of The Headless Horseman, the ghost of a soldier who lost his head to a cannon-ball during “some nameless battle” of the American Revolutionary War and who “rides forth to the scene of battle in nightly quest of his head.”

5. With Irving’s companion piece Rip Van Winkle, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is the earliest American work of fiction to still be read widely today. Constructed from German tales but set in America.

6. In 1842, American President Tyler appointed Irving Minister to Spain – a position we would now call ambassador.

7. Knickerbocker (from Irving’s pen name) came to mean someone from New York. The basketball team, the New York Knicks (Knickerbockers) still use it today.

BOOK DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

Who is the Hero in this story?

What makes this story interesting to so many people?

Have you ever met someone like Brom Bones?

Why do people like to tell ghost stories?

Ichabod loved to tell ghost stories but what happened when he had to walk home alone afterwards?

Why did Ichabod leave the party sad?

Did you like this story? How about the ending?

At the Harvest Festival the women had many many different types of food. Ichabod couldn't decide what to eat so he had some of it all. What are your thoughts about this?

What do you think happened to Ichabod Crane?

KEY POINTS -

Sleepy Hallow is a place where strange things happen and the townsfolk seem entranced by spirits.

Ichabod Crane, a well-educated teacher comes to Sleepy Hallow as the new teacher and singing instructor.

He is a tall, lanky and sharp-featured, with clothes to small and ears too big. Crane is a serious and strict teacher, but liked well enough by his students and their families.

He has no friends but is like well enough as he passes from house to house eating whatever he can help himself to in exchange for doing light chores and entertaining the housewives with his gossip.

Ichabod begins to like Katrina Van Tassel, the beautiful daughter of a wealthy farmer. She responds to his attentions and Ichabod begins to court her but this makes Abraham “Brom” Bones, a rival suitor, quite angry.

Katrinia's parents enjoy the company of Ichabod and encourage him to come often.

Both men are invited to a Harvest festival party where Ichabod outshines Brom Bones because of his social skills and dancing. Crane also enjoys lots of food of which he can never seem to get enough. The people begin telling ghost stories.

After the party, Ichabod proposes to Katrina but it doesn't seem to go well as he leaves sad.

On the way home Ichabod is joined by a shadowy rider, which Ichabod presumes to be the headless horseman. He remembers that the legend tells if he makes it to the covered bridge that the horseman will disappear. At the bridge, the horseman hurls his “head” at Ichabod. It is Ichabod who vanishes.

All that is left the next day is Ichabod's hat, the smashed pumpkin and the farmer's horse standing along the side of the road munching grass. Ichabod isn't seen in Sleepy Hallow again.

It is hinted that Brom Bone has a knowing laugh whenever the tale is told.

Katrinia eventually marries Brom Bone.

INQUIRIES –

History:• Read a book about the American Revolution • Learn about a Court Justice's job and what it entails.

Social Studies:• Read a book about “Old Wives Tales” • Tell a tale to your family and Explain the meaning of “Old Wives' Tale”• Learn• List what skills a teacher needs to have.• Compare the skills of a teacher now versus then. You might complete a Venn Diagram to help

with the comparison.

Geography:• Map the area that was part of the American Revolution.• Locate New England and New York on your map• Is Tarrytown real or fictional? Locate it on your map if it is real.

Field Trip Suggestions: • This site share information about local tours. http://sleepyhollowcemetery.org/ • Visit the Sleepy Hollow Cometary where Irving Washington is buried and Ichabod sought

sanctuary from the headless horseman.• Visit the Philipsburg Manor – where Ichabod saunters beside the manor's millpond with the

“country damsels” of the neighborhood.• Sunnyside, Tarrytown – The Home of Washington Irving. www.hudsonvalley.org• andre' Captor's Monument, Tarrytown. Revolutionary War Site. A monument marks where

three Americans caught British spy John Andre' and exposed Benedict Arnold's treasonous plot to turn over West Point to the British. It is also the spot where Ichabod first encounters the Headless Horseman.

• The Legend of Sleepy Hollow in Concert at the American Fork UT Amphitheater. http://www.sleepyhollowshow.com/show.php

Character:Ichabod - greedy, fearful, Gluttony, helpful, flatterer, Indulgent, superstitious, gossip

Brom Bones - bully, rough, jealous

Katrinia – flirt, “stuck on herself”

LANGUAGE ARTS

Vocabulary:landlord - –noun a person who owns or runs an inn, lodging house, etc. haunted -inhabited or frequented by ghosts: a haunted castle.

superstitious - believing in, full of, or influenced by superstitionsuperstitions - any blindly accepted belief or notion. preserves - to prepare (fruit, vegetables, etc.) by cooking with sugar, pickling, canning, or the like. board - an official group of persons who direct or supervise some activity: a board of directors.

Writing:• Think about what might have happened to Ichabod Crane. Write what happened to him after

the Headless Horseman threw the pumpkin at him. You may also narrate the new ending.• Using the Legend of Sleepy Hollow, write a script for at least 3 players; Ichabod, Katrina and

Brom• Complete an author notebook page for Washington Irving• Compare the life of a school teacher then & now• List the responsibilities of a teacher.• Create your own ghost story. Share it with your family or club.

Reading:• Read another version of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”• Listen to this version of Sleepy Hollow.

http://www.botar.us/sleepyhollow/sleepy_hollow_irving.mp3 • http://henrysteiner.com/DIRcomm/sleepyhollow/article.htm • Read a superstition. http://www.corsinet.com/trivia/scary.html• Read about the origins of superstitions. http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/eng/osc/index.htm• Read a book about pumpkins.

Math:• Predict how far you could throw a pumpkin• Measure the distance that you threw the pumpkin.• How big do pumpkins get?• What is the average size for pumpkins?• Lots of math fun and pumpkins. http://www.mathwire.com/themes/themepumpkin.html

Science:• Learn and Describe how fog is made.• Demonstrate how fog is made.• Learn more about how covered bridges are made. Write a summary of your findings.• Put a photo of your favorite covered bridge in your notebook.• Make a diorama or model of a covered Bridge.• Read a book about Covered Bridges.• Learn how to saddle a horse. Why did Ichabod's saddle fall off?• Read a story about farming.• What skills does it take to be a farmer?• Observe an optical illusion and describe how it works.• Read a book about farm animals and tell your family about it.• Take care of a farm animal. Decide with your family the things you will do and how long you

will do them. • Name and describe six kinds of farm animals and tell their common uses.

• Horses – Watch how you saddle a horse. Why did Ichabod's saddle fall off?• Invent your own magic trick.• Learn and show 3 magic tricks.

FIELD TRIP: Visit a farm

Life Skills:• Make a list of chores that Ichabod might have done. • Make a chart of your chores and keep track of them for 4 weeks.• Learn how to take care of younger children. (American Red Cross babysitter course). • Mind your siblings or other children for a couple hours if you are old enough or act as a

mother's helper for a couple hours..• Construct and/or design a Halloween costume.• Read a book about etiquette at parties.• Learn a country dance share it with the group.• Describe a Practical Joke. What makes a practical joke funny?• Ichabod loves to eat. At the Harvest Festival there were many things that he tried in fact he

tried them all. • Research what types of foods they have at a Harvest Festival. From your research, pick one

and learn to make it.

Fine Arts:Art:

• Observe 3 harvest images • Compare to 2 images What mood does the artist portray How does the use of color contribute to the artists intent• Create your own harvest art • Display or tell about your harvest art.

Music:Music Instructor: What would a music instructor do?Choir Director: What would a choir director do?Listen to spooky music.Describe how music can change the mood.

Theatre: • Make a recording of the Legend of Sleepy Hollow for the radio. Don't forget sound

effects to set the mood for your listeners.

• Watch a Movie of this legend. There are many versions available. This link has a brief summary of several. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Legend_of_Sleepy_Hollow

• Chorpenning, Charlotte B. Rip Van Winkle;A Play for Young People from the Story by Washington Irving. Chicago, IL: Coach House Press, 1954.

RESOURCES

Reading Suggestions:Irving, Washington. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Rip Van Winkle. New York: DoverPublications, Inc., 1995. (in easy-to-read type)

Art Resources:Legend of Sleepy Hallow Art.http://www.porterfieldsfineart.com/josephholodook/legendofsleepyhollowmainpage.htm

Smithsonian American Art Museum - http://americanart.si.edu/education/insights/pictures/quidor/

“Harvest at La Crau” or “The Red Vineyard”- Vincent Van Goghhttp://www.vggallery.com/painting/p_0412.htm

“Haystacks at Giverney” - Claude Monet

Scenes of Impressionist art Harvest sceneshttp://19th-century-art.suite101.com/article.cfm/harvest_scenes_in_19th_century_art

Tomato Harvest by Laura Leederhttp://3.bp.blogspot.com/_5cab34qFGfY/SwFjopYxA6I/AAAAAAAAAgk/-S41rq2UEyc/s1600/Tomato+Harvest,+Nov+13,2009.jpg

Autumn Harvest – Lois Bryanhttp://fineartamerica.com/featured/autumn-harvest-lois-bryan.html

Autumn Harvest – Meridith Campbellhttp://www.meredithcampbellart.com/index.php/portfolio/archive/autumn_harvest/

Autumn Harvest – Jennifer Vraneshttp://www.dailypainters.com/paintings/67837/Autumn-Harvest-Vineyard-Painting-by-Jennifer-Vranes/Jennifer-Vranes

Book List: Edith Hamilton; "Mythology." Washington Irving; "Legend of Sleepy Hollow." Elizabeth George Speare; "The Witch of Blackbird Pond." David J. Skal; "Death Makes a Holiday: A Cultural History of Halloween"

Play List: Arthur Miller; "The Crucible." William Shakespeare; "King Lear; MacBeth."

Movie/Television List: Charles Schulz; "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown." Tim Burton; "The Nightmare Before Christmas." Disney; "Bedknobs and Broomsticks."

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow with Jeff Goldblum (also available from Amazon.com)

Songs: Petra; You Tube; "Witch Hunt." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vyr8RvRmTm4Ω

RESOURCES:

Read more: How to Create a Halloween/Harvest Unit Study | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_4558284_create-halloweenharvest-unit-study.html#ixzz0vqoweru6

The Curriculum

Component Seven

Heroic HortonKEY POINTS: During his long career, Dr. Seuss wrote more than 40 children's books, which have sold more than 200 million copies worldwide.

Although he was told by a high-school art teacher that he would never be an artist, Seuss illustrated many of his books under the name Theo. LeSieg. Dr. Seuss' first steady job after he left Oxford was as a cartoonist and advertising illustrator.

Dr. Seuss was a master of words, real and imagined.

Dr. Seuss was more interested in telling a good story than he was in telling a true story.

Dr. Seuss was haunted by the war in Europe (WWII). He showed an editorial cartoon he had drawn to his friend. She took Ted's cartoon to Ralph Ingersoll, the publisher of the New York newspaper PM, who published it on January 30, 1941. For 2 years Dr. Seuss was the chief political cartoonist for PM. He drew over 400 editorial cartoons.

Dr. Seuss is known for trying to tell the reader important messages. These messages are called themes and are not told directly in the story but are something that the reader has to figure out based on what the book is about. He reminds us all what it means to be a good person, citizen and friend through his works.

One of Seuss' characters, Horton, counters the greed, selfishness and laziness of the world around him by displaying trustworthiness, loyalty and patience amid difficult trials.

In Horton Hears a Who we learn that “a person's a person no matter how small”. Horton also reminds us that the individual rights of personhood are often secured by the sacrifice of others.

BOOK DISCUSSION:

Horton Hatches an Egg

• What does "I give you my word" mean?

• Did Mayzie keep her word about not being gone long?

• What does it mean to be faithful?

• What if Horton was LESS than 100% faithful? Is it possible to be partly faithful?

• Horton was faithful in the face of death. He made a courageous statement of faith when he said "Shoot if you must, but I won't run away." Do you think it would be difficult to be faithful when facing possible death?

• What do you think of the miracle of love and faithfulness that changed the baby bird inside Mayzie's egg into an 'elephant bird'? Do you think this is this scientifically possible?

Horton Hears a Who

• Why did Horton help the Who's?

• What is the message that Dr. Seuss is trying to tell us in this story?

• What is your favorite Dr. Seuss book?

• If you could rewrite one of the books, which one would you choose, Why?

INQUIRIES: Writing

• Write your own poem.

• Make a list of words from the story that are made up. Create your own definition to go with the word or create a picture dictionary.

• Write a book review of your favorite Dr. Seuss book.

• Dr. Seuss used words that are very similar to rhyme. Make a list of the rhyming words.

• There is a name for the technique that Dr. Seuss used in the book. It is called alliteration. Do you know of another example of alliteration?

• Write about the theme of this book and why a theme makes a book more memorable.

• Re-write one of the books by Dr. Seuss by changing the characters, setting, actions or wording.

• Write a report about Dr. Seuss.

• Complete an Author Study of Dr. Seuss.

• Play Higgety Piggety

• Make a vocabulary quiz or word search puzzle for the vocabulary words below.

• Make your own dictionary using the words below.

Vocabulary for Horton Hatches an Egg

Absurd faithful laughed sputtered

aiming fluttered lonely sunshine

begged footsteps prop surprise

bobbing gentle rifles tenderly

crept icicles rumbled taunted

continued immense sneaking vacation

elephant kinks softly weigh

Vocabulary for Horton Hears a Who

alarm eagle mayor repair

apartment elephant nonsense smallish

building faint Person speck

ceiling fear pool trunk

church holler pouch twerp

clover jungle protect voice

dust Kangaroo Racket yelp

Science

• Learn about the life cycle of a bird

• Research the incubation times for different birds eggs. What is the longest? What is the shortest.

• Learn more about the things that Elephants can do. Share it with your family.

• Learn more about hearing and sound. Why could only Horton hear the Whos?

• Research the anatomy of the human ear.

• Learn more about the animals in the story: elephants, kangaroos, monkeys, eagles, vultures.

• Learn about the type of knots they would have used to tie up Horton.

• Create a display board of 8 different types of knots.

• Learn more about jungles. Ask yourself some questions about what you would like to know first, then try to answer your own questions through researching books and the internet (with permission)

• List the seasons and types of weather that passed while Horton sat on the egg. Learn more about one and share it with your family.

• Make some yummy Elephant Ears.

• Make a recipe from the Green Eggs and Ham cookbook.

Art/Music

• Use model magic to create your favorite Dr. Seuss Character

• Create your own who

• Create a diorama of your favorite Dr. Seuss Book.

• Create quilt squares based on the characters in the books that you read.

• Create an advertisement for your favorite product. It could be cereal, shoes, toy etc.

• Make a whacky Dr. Seuss hat. You can start with an existing hat and just add to it.

• Listen to Dr. Seuss Music http://www.rhapsody.com/dr-seuss

• Observe or complete a picture study of a Theo LeSieg's painting. There are some listed below. http://www.drseussart.com/artofseuss.html

Joseph Katz and His Coat of Many Colors (acrylic)

A Plethora of Cats (Oil on canvas)

Cat Detective in the Wrong Part of Town (Pencil and watercolor)

O solo Meow (oil on Canvas)

A Man Who Made an Unwise Prochess (Oil on canvas)

• Sing Dr. Seuss On the Loose (tune: Old MacDonald)

Dr. Seuss is on the loose,

And this how we know.

Cats, hats, eggs and ham,

Cats, hats, eggs and ham,

Cats, hats, eggs and ham,

We love his fun books so!

~ Author Unknown

• Watch a Video based on one of Dr. Seuss' books. Here's a list to get you started.

The Cat in the Hat

The Lorax

Green Eggs and Ham

Horton Hears a Who starring Jim Carey

The Sneetches

The Grinch Who Stole Christmas

The Best of Dr. Seuss

Literature/Poetry/Quotes

• Memorize or recite your favorite poem.

• Practice reading your favorite book out loud until you are able to do it without your tongue getting twisted over the rhymes.

• Read your favorite Dr. Seuss book to a group of children

• Read other poems that were inspired by Dr. Seuss

Look out Dr. Seuss, Our Poems are on the Loose.

Shel Silverstein

Giggle Poetry http://www.gigglepoetry.com/poetryclass.aspx

Literature/Poetry/Quotes contd.

• Read another book written by Dr. Seuss. Here's a short list.

ABC Book (alphabet)[Soft Break]The Cat in the Hat (water cycle, stranger

danger)[Soft Break]The Foot Book (opposites)

To Think that I Saw it on Mulberry Street (using one's imagination)[Soft Break]Fox in Socks (Alliteration, matching)[Soft Break]Gerald McBoing Boing (Onomatopoeia, Talents, sounds, Making Fun of others)[Soft Break]Green Eggs and Ham (cooking, trying something new, rhyming words)[Soft Break]The Lorax (ecology, botany, recycling, pollution, greed)[Soft Break]Maybe You Should Fly a Jet, Maybe You Should be a Vet[Soft Break]My Many Colored Days (color mixing, art, poetry[Soft Break]One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish (shapes, colors, fish, counting)[Soft Break]The Sneetches and Other Stories (Prejudice, story problems)[Soft Break]Ten Apples up on Top (Counting, Showing off, Prepositions)

Thidwick (forest animals, habitats)[Soft Break]The Tooth Book (Teeth)[Soft Break]Wacky Wednesday (Calendar, Alliteration)[Soft Break]Oh, The Thinks You Can Think (thinking)

Oh the Places you'll go (geography, preparation for the future)[Soft Break]

History

• Research famous heroes in history who have been faithful in the face of certain death. (Examples: David and Goliath, Daniel in the Lion's Den, war heroes, etc.)

• Make a list of all the places that Horton traveled with the circus.

• Locate all the places on a map and connect them together.

• Create a timeline of Dr. Seuss' life and accomplishments or his books when they were published.

• Discover why Dr. Seuss wrote The Cat in the Hat and tell your family about the challenge he was issued.

• Discover what it means to be a cartoonist or illustrator.

• List other well known American cartoonists, artists, or authors of children's books.

Math

• If you completed the map activity, how many miles did Horton travel with the circus?

• Make a list and graph the items in your house that make noise by their loudness levels.

• Play reasoning games here. http://www.seussville.com//university/reasoning/

Movement

• Play Guess Who with the characters from Dr. Seuss books. The person that is It picks a character from the story. The Guessers then try to guess the character. The person that is It may give hints about the color, type of character etc.

Being-There Immersion

• Celebrate Dr. Seuss' Birthday (2 March, 1904) in Pajamas

• Lunch with Dr. Seuss (someone dressed up)

• Visit Dr. Seuss National Memorial at the Springfield Museums in Springfield Massachusetts.

RESOURCES

Books: On the Loose with Dr. Seuss by Shirley Cook

Dr. Seuss & Mr. Geisel: A Biography

Green Eggs and Ham: Recipe and Cookbook

Internet Resources: This site has lots of fun ideas to go along with Dr. Seuss' books

http://childfun.com/index.php/holidays/winter-holidays/dr-suess-birthday/369-dr-seuss-birthday-crafts-and-activities.html

Fantastic ideas to go along with books.

http://www.homeschoolshare.com/seuss.php

This website allows you to fill in the blanks to write your own poem.

http://ettcweb.lr.k12.nj.us/forms/newpoem.htm

Online Rhyming Dictionary

http://www.writeexpress.com/online2.html

This site includes an indexed list of book titles and unusual characters.

http://www.dartmouth.edu/~drseuss/whoswho.pdf.

Ear Anatomy Printout

http://members.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/anatomy/ear/label/label.shtml

Free Elephant lapbook

http://www.homeschoolshare.com/elephants.php

Free Mini books on character study

http://www.homeschoolshare.com/character_lapbook.php

Hearing Pitch or Sound Frequencies article

http://www.school-for-champions.com/senses/hearpitch.htm

Magic School Bus In the Haunted House - Sound (Library)

http://www.gamequarium.org/cgi-bin/search/linfo.cgi?id=3424

Another site with fantastic activities to go with each book.

http://www.thevirtualvine.com/drseuss.html

Helps for creating your own Dr. Seuss Birthday party.

http://www.seussville.com/Parents/par_birthday_party.php

Lots of fun activities and printables.

http://www.seussville.com

Dr. Seuss' Political Cartoons

http://orpheus.ucsd.edu/speccoll/dspolitic/Frame.htm

Advertising Artwork for Dr. Seuss

http://orpheus.ucsd.edu/speccoll/dsads/index.shtml

Directions for making a Cat in the Hat Hat

http://www.kckpl.lib.ks.us/ys/crafts/cathat.htm

Learn more about Dr. Seuss – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkOHQGA8hZc (parental preview required, not suitable for all ages)

BIBLIOGRAPHY: http://www.easyfunschool.com/Horton-Hatches-the-Egg.html

http://www.easyfunschool.com/Horton-Hears-A-Who.html

http://www.homegrownhearts.com/HortonHearsAWho.htm

http://www.easyfunschool.com/article1078.html

http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/collateral.jsp?id=31305

http://orpheus.ucsd.edu/speccoll/dspolitic/Frame.htm

http://hnn.us/articles/3963.html

http://jbuoy.myweb.uga.edu/ChLitPortfolio/Seuss.htm