Trees by Joyce Kilmer

Water lilies by Monet

I think that I shall never see
A poem as lovely as a tree,
A tree whose hungry mouth is pressed
Against the earth's sweet flowing breast
A tree that looks at God all day
And lifts her leafy arms to pray.
A tree that may, in summer, wear
A nest of robins in her hair
Upon whose bosom snow has lain
Who intimately lives with rain.
Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.

The Three Foxes by A.A. Milne

Once upon a time there were three little foxes
Who didn't wear stockings, and they didn't wear sockses,
But they all had hankerchiefs to blow their noses,
And they kept their hankerchiefs in cardboard boxes.

They lived in the forest in three little houses,
And they didn't wear coats, and they didn't wear trousies.
They ran through the woods on their little bare tootsies,
And they played "Touch last" with a family of mouses.

They didn't go shopping in the High Street shopses,
But caught what they wanted in the woods and copses.
They all went fishing, and they caught three wormses,
They went out hunting, and they caught three wopses.

They went to a Fair, and they all won prizes--
Three plum-puddingses and three mince-pieses.
They rode on elephants and swang on swingses,
And hit three coco-nuts at coconut shieses.

That's all I know of the three little foxes
Who kept their hankerchiefs in cardboard boxes.
They lived in the forest in three little houses,
But they didn't wear coats and they didn't wear trousies,
And they didn't wear stockings and they didn't wear sockses.

Beethoven Term 1 Composer 2010

2010-2011 TERM 1 (This term's artist is Albrecht Durer -1500, Renaissance) Ludwig von Beethoven (1810) (Classical/Romantic)

Listening selections for this term:

Piano Sonata 8 (Pathetique) Opus 13

Piano Sonata 14 (Moonlight) Op 27

Symphony No. 3 (Erocia-meaning 'heroic') Opus 55

String Quartets opus 59, no.1-3 (Razumovsky Quartets)

Piano Concerto 5 (Emporer) Op 73

Symphony No. 9 (the one with Ode to Joy at the end) Opus 125

I think I got all the Term 1 selections on this playlist:


http://listen.grooveshark.com/#/playlist/2010+2011+Term+1/32915062

-- Phyllis, now in Ukraine

Thanks Phyllis!

The children, especially Cody, love Beethoven.  Cody's favorite is Symphony No. 9.  I like the third movement of Piano Sonata 14 Op27.  Claire likes Beethoven's 5th played at ear shattering decibels, but it was not a term selection.

Albrecht Durer (1471-1528) Term 1 Artist 2010

These great study notes came from AO member Kelly from Canada!


 Albrecht Durer (1471-1528); German painter, printmaker and theorist;


Northern Renaissance ~

Activities and questions aren't necessary for your children's enjoyment

of the artwork. Remember: the main goal of Art Study (Art Appreciation)

is that your children have opportunity to view different pieces of art

(thus learning to recognize works by specific artists) -- and that they

enjoy the experience. :-)

Self-Portrait at Twenty-Eight Years Old Wearing a Coat with Fur Collar,

1500; OIL on lime wood panel,

Note/Activity: Dürer is posing in a way very similar to portraits of
a specific religious person. Who is this person? (Jesus Christ)

Why do you think Dürer painted himself like this? (He wanted to symbolise his statement of faith: Christ was the Son of God, and God had created Man. Artistic skills are a God-given talent.)

Why was he dressed like this? (Dürer's fashionable long, curled
hair and expensive fur-lined mantle shows that he has become a
successful, well-known artist.)

There is writing on the painting; what language is it in? (Latin,
the common language of the Renaissance.)

 What do you think the writing on the painting says? (Translated: 'Thus I, Albrecht Dürer from Nuremberg, painted myself with indelible colours at the age of 28 years.')

 What does 'indelible' mean? (Permanent; won't fade) ~KG

Field Hare (or A Young Hare), 1502, watercolour and gouache on paper;

Note: Dürer carefully observed, then drew or painted from both living and preserved creatures. It is for the craftsmanship exemplified in this specific painting that Albrecht Dürer is considered "the father of watercolour painting".

Activity: Using watercolours, paint a picture of a living creature or plant, or a piece of one (i.e., feather, flower).







Feast of the Rose Garlands, c. 1506, oil on poplar wood panel;
ALTARPIECE for the Church of San Bartolomeo, Venice; Národní Galerie,

Center detail: http://www.wga.hu/html/d/durer/1/05/03rose1.html

Detail of right-hand side: http://www.wga.hu/html/d/durer/1/05/03rose2.html

Note: Dürer was hired to paint this altarpiece for the German population who attended the Church of San Bartolomeo in Venice.

Activity: What is an altarpiece? (A piece of artwork -- either painted or carved -- that is place either above or behind a church altar. An altar is a raised platform from which the religious service is given by a Catholic priest or Protestant clergy. Also, an altar may be the table where the implements for Holy Communion are displayed.)

Can you find the artist's self-portrait? (He is the man with long
hair wearing red, standing in front of the tree on the right-hand side
of the painting.) ~KG



Praying Hands (or, Study of Hands of the Apostle), c.1508, PEN AND INK
drawing with white gouache on blue paper

Note: This is one of Dürer's most recognised and imitated drawings.
He created this and other drawings while preparing to create the (now destroyed) altarpiece commissioned by Jakob Heller, a Frankfurt merchant and councilman.

Activity: What is a 'study'? (A practise drawing created by making
careful observations. A 'study' is more detailed than a quick sketch.)

Why would Albrecht Dürer make study drawings? (To focus on specific parts and practise drawing it until it was just the way he wanted it to be.) ~KG



The Four Riders/Horsemen of the Apocalypse, 1497-1498, fourth of fifteen

WOODCUTS in the series "The Apocalypse in Pictures"

Activity: Dürer based his drawing chapter six in The Revelation of

St. John. Read the pertinent verses, Revelation 6:1-8.


What opened seal does each of the horsemen represent? (1st Seal:

'Conqueror' holding a bow. 2nd Seal: 'War' with a sword. 3rd Seal:

'Famine' with weigh scales. 4th Seal: 'Death' on a sickly, pale horse.)

What do you think the devouring creature is? (Hades, the realm of
the dead.)

Why is it there? (The horsemen are bringing plague, war,
famine, attacking wild animals, and death. Hell is the ultimate
destination for those without Christ.)

Important Note: Although this print is one of Dürer's masterpieces,

it may not be appropriate for young or sensitive children. ~KG



The Knight, Death, and the Devil, 1513, ENGRAVING on laid paper;



Note: This engraving, along with Melancholia I and Saint Jerome in His Study, is known as one of Dürer's 'Master Engravings'. It is considered to be one of his best works. Erasmus' Instructions for the Christian Soldier, published in 1504, may have inspired it.

The engraving is dated and signed by Dürer with his monogram. On the bottom left of the engraving is a table scribed "S. 1513". "S" stands for 'Salus', which means 'in the year of grace' (in the year of our Lord, AD).

Activity: Albrecht Dürer titled this print Rider. The horse's
proportions are taken from those determined by Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519). Compare Dürer's engraving to a drawing by Leonardo: Study of horse from Leonardo's journals, date unknown, Royal Library, Windsor Castle.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/54/Study_of_horse.jpg

Modern art critics give many different interpretations for this

print. Two interpretations are:

~ Interpretation #1: It is an allegory of Christian salvation. The
knight rides on a narrow trail with his loyal dog, ignoring Death and
the Devil. Death reminds the knight of his impending mortality
(hourglass). The Devil is behind the knight, trying to urge him off the
right path. In Greek legend the fox's tail was a symbol of greed,
cunning, treachery, and lust. The fox's tail on the knight's lance
indicates that he has fought his flesh and conquered it. The knight
steadfastly ignores both as he resolutely moves forward to his ultimate
reward: eternity with God (castle in the background).
Can you think of a specific Psalm that represents this
interpretation? (i.e., Psalm 23)

Read Ephesians 6:10-18 and discuss as it pertains to you personally
and to Dürer's engraving.

~ Interpretation #2: The engraving exemplifies the German robber
baron. Students who read Otto and the Silver Hand by Howard Pyle in AO
Year 2 will be familiar with robber barons. They were German nobles in
the twelfth and thirteenth centuries that illegally collected tolls
(transportation fees) from ships sailing on the Rhine River. If there
isn't any religious symbolism in the Dürer's engraving, then the fox's
tail on the knight's lance may be significant in a different manner. In
this interpretation the fox's tail indicates that the knight is prey to
sins of the flesh. (This alternative interpretation was suggested by
writer Sten Karling in 1970.)

Find verses in Proverbs that this interpretation represents. (i.e.,
Proverbs 5:22-23)

Read James 1:12-15 and discuss how these verses may apply to the
engraving.

Weeds and Seeds

Copywork

After reading HONS p. 512-513, I assigned as copywork a quote from p. 512 defining what a weed is.  Then, we headed out on this 102 degree windy day to look for seeds.  We decided to do the sock seed activity.  I slipped a worn out sock of Dad's over a shoe of each child.  Our destination was a dry meadow about 1/4 mile south of our house.  I encouraged the children to walk through the weeds and avoid the path made by the oilfield company.  The pumping unit was whirling away today.

Cleome

I had a specific destination in mind.  About a month ago, I discovered an area that was covered with what I believe to be wild Cleomes.  I once planted Cleomes in my flower bed so I'm pretty sure I am identifying them correctly.  I didn't know that they grew wild.  The area in which they are growing seems hardly suited for anything!  It is a recently bulldozed, shaly dry hill, yet there they were--hundreds of them!  When I found them, they were in bloom.  The seed pods were still green and sticky.  I was hoping to find the seed pods dry today.

Black-eyed Susan

Cleome seed pods and seeds

Our timing could not have been more perfect.  The seed pods were completely dry and most had begun to split open.  Claire excitedly collected dozens of pods into a ziplock bag.  We'll plant them in the spring.

We collected a Black-eyed Susan to press and place into our notebook.  We found many which were spent and dried from which we collected seeds. 

Silverleaf Nightshade

We also had collected two marble sized tomato looking seeds from a plant.  I noticed a plant containing the same types of seeds that also had a bloom, so we added it to our collection.  At home, we identified it as a Silverleaf Nightshade.  Apparently, those tiny tomatoes are poisonous, so I'm throwing them out before my little 4 year old mister gets any ideas.

Upon arriving home, (very hot and thirsty), I cut the socks off and we planted them in an old, broken hermit crab habitat.  I only had African Violet potting soil so I hope our tough, red clay inhabitants don't find their new accommodations to be too cushy.

Splash Zone

We went on our second annual Splash Zone outing with Clarissa and Felicia. 

 We had an amazing time!  I estimate that we went down the Zinger at least 40 times. 

Cody even braved the Drop Zone with me once. 

 I was thankful that he was content at Kiddie Cove at least for a while. 

 I don't think I could have hauled that raft up the steps even once more.  I came home slightly burnt, battered and bruised, but it was worth it.  Can't wait to return next year!

Cicadas

Claire's drawing of a dead cicada

With hopes of improving upon last year, (which I consider to have been highly successful),we begin second grade.  We didn't do so well on our nature notebook last year.  I do feel that we met our goal of spending a huge amount of time outdoors and observing nature and her inner workings, we just don't have anything tangible to show for it!  That is where I hope to improve this year.  So, I am attempting my very first blog!  Our plan is to do nature study/notebook entry on Fridays.  If necessary, we can continue on Saturday. 

August 6, 2010
CICADAS
The finding of a cicada shell and a dead, yet in tact, cicada inspired this nature topic.  We looked up information on cicadas.  This is the narration given by Claire, age7.

A cicada sheds its skin many times as a nymph.  It does not go through a complete metamorphosis like most insects, but instead undergoes an incomplete metamorphosis consisting of 3 instead of 4 stages: egg, nymph, adult.  Other insects that undergo incomplete metamorphosis are grasshoppers, dragonflies, crickets, and squash bugs.

Some people eat cicadas.  The females are more desirable as they are meatier.

Female cicadas lay many eggs in slits which they carve into trees.  Nymphs emerge from these eggs and spend most of their life underground shedding their skins many times as they grow.  A nymph sheds its skin one final time before emerging as an adult.  Adult cicadas do not shed their skin.  We can often find this final skin on doors, walls and trees.

A cicada's eyes are far apart, much like a human's ears.  Its wings are transparent and heavily veined.  Our cicada has a V on its back.