Learning Together: Beethoven Lives Upstairs & Zin! ZIn! Zin! A Violin!

 Earlier this month both kids spent some time learning about music, instruments, and sound.  Jack used Beethoven Lives Upstairs and Alice used Zin! Zin! Zin! A Violin.  (There is a movie version of the Beethoven book and a Reading Rainbow episode of Zin! Zin! Zin!)  Jack used printables from Homeschool Share and I made some for Alice using the Type It In Lapbook Templates that are free for HSS Blog subscribers.

 Of course we used this!  Jack read through this one on his own.

 I found this one at our library.  It is not really great to just read, but it has a CD that goes along with it so you can hear the pieces they are talking about.

This is a funny book about how he changed apartments so frequently.

 We found some of Beethoven's music with words added!

 Lyrics were added to these songs, too, but they're funny ones.  Both of the kids loved this CD.

Jack did a bit of writing on Beethoven--more on this some day when I get caught up on things!

I had both of these books on our science shelf and we tried out several of the experiments.

 Alice really liked her straw flute!

The cartoon version of this book is one of the kids' favorites.

 The Story of the Orchestra is a great introduction to the instrument families.  There are selections on the CD that highlight each instrument.

Alice also used The Bremen Town Musicians and Berlioz the Bear.

 Alice made an I covered with instrument stickers!

 I picked up this music kit on clearance at Hobby Lobby and the kids enjoyed making some of their own instruments.

Alice also used this book.  It was fun to get to see a lot of these instruments in person when we went to the music festival last weekend!

Since then we've learned about weather and more, so I need to get a few more posts up soon!

Saturday in Norman

 The kids and I spent most of yesterday in Norman.  We started at Touch a Truck.

 We've been to Touch a Truck many times before, but this was the first time Alice was really excited about it.

 She loves to watch Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood, so she was really excited about the trolley.

 Testing out the cherry picker--Jack wanted them to raise it up, but they said they couldn't.

 Jack has always loved mascots and Alice has always been a little unsure of them.  He went right to this bowling pin guy as soon as we got there and right before we left Alice asked him to go over again with her.

 After lunch we went to the Sam.  The kids loved this giant inflatable spider.

 It went along with the Bugs...Outside the Box exhibit.

 There was also a really cool macro photography exhibit 

 Obligatory canoe pic.

 

 Our last stop was the Norman Music Festival.  Somehow we had never been to this before and I happened upon an article about it Thursday night and decided it sounded fun.  We will definitely go back!

 We spent all our time in the Wild Prairie Family Park where they had all kinds of cool--and free!--things for kids, like Rockstar Hair!

 And face painting!  (That's the remnants of her brother's chocolate ice cream cone on her lips.)

 Jack asked for a custom lightning bolt.

 They had an area where you could try out all different kinds of instruments.

 We spent some time learning about the different groups of instruments a few weeks ago so it was neat for the kids to get to try them out.

 Both of the kids enjoyed the chalking area in front of the stage.

 Alice, dancing next to her name.

 Jack and his giant triangle man.

We made it home around 7:00, ate pizza, and then Jay and Jack went to Jay's sister's house while Alice and I stayed home and watched Milo & Otis.  She went to bed around 10:45 and the boys didn't get home until almost midnight.  It wasn't a relaxing weekend, but it was fun!

Fun Friday: National Pretzel Day

 Today was National Pretzel Day so we tried making our own pretzels.

 We used this recipe.  It wasn't as easy at it sounded, but we still did a pretty good job for never having done it before.

 Rolling out the dough was the toughest part.  Jack says he does not want to be a pretzel maker when he grows up!

The finished product!

Happy Friday!

Friday Fun: Recovery

 There was nothing too crazy today.  We have been learning about weather and rainbows and we had a rainbow lunch.  We got to stay home, and I was thankful because we were out late last night--and we're hardly ever out at all at night!--and I needed a recovery day.  

 We went to the museum to see a special exhibit and the kids made their own vases when they were done.  Jack worked really hard on his!

 Alice made four--one of each kind they had--and left two for the display board.

It has also been a long week.  Sunday night Jack threw up, and when we went to the doctor Monday morning to have Alice's ear checked out (she had an ear infection), she threw up in the parking lot.  Wednesday night was extremely stormy.  The other days we have been out running errands and other things.  So I am so glad we could stay home and regroup today!

Alice learned to blow up balloons this week.

 She's also going through the Take A Picture Of Everything Phase, which Jack did at this age, too.  He made me laugh the other day when he saw her taking so many pictures and said, "Alice!  Stop!  You're going to use it all up!"  When I asked him what exactly she was going to use up, he wasn't sure.  I always leave these pictures because I think it's funny to see what they think is picture-worthy, like a picture of the messy kitchen island taken through the back of the barstool.

 Or your brother's gym class.

Or a horse from the leg of your favorite pajamas that you can still squeeze into, even though they're a size too small and your toes may bust out at any moment.

Happy Friday!

Fun Friday: Ballet

 

 This morning we went to see Angelina Ballerina.

 

 Alice has liked Angelina for a long time and she even took her own Angelina to see the performance!

 Our next stop was to see "The Five Moons" sculptures at the Tulsa Historical Society.

 This is the Maria Tallchief sculpture.  We were just reading a book about her yesterday to tie in with our Degas artist study and then I read this afternoon that she passed away.

 Jack had to try some of the moves.

Happy Friday!