Space Battle, Dr. King and a Frogs and Toads Diagram

While I was getting their spelling words together this morning, Luke sat down and started creating a board game. He first wrote instructions on "how to play" in his journal. He then drew a diagram of what the board and cards would look like. I gave him half of a poster board and some 3x5 cards and he created the "Space Battle" game. Today I read to them Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by David A. Adler and Illustrated by Colin Bootman. I think it is a great simple overview of MLK and his "dream." Luke knew about MLK having attended public school for two years, but it was Isabel's first time learning about racism, separate drinking fountains etc. It is wonderful how strange and silly that whole concept seems to children. I know this sounds so dramatic, but I kind of felt sad like I was taking away some of her innocence in just teaching her what racism is. Okay okay, back to school stuff, when I was looking for the link to this book I found another book by David A. Adler, A Picture Book of Martin Luther King, Jr. Illustrated by Robert Casilla. I'll have to get that one too.

Another wow-they-ARE-learning-things moment the other day. I have been reading to them out of a book called, What's Inside a Frog by Aimee Bakken. Luke writes down on a big piece of paper anything new that we learn about frogs. There is a section in the book that explains the differences and similarities between frogs and toads. I suggested to Luke that he could make two lists: frogs and toads. He said, "I'm going to do this." and he drew a VENN DIAGRAM!!!