In April, we rowed Who Owns The Sun? by Stacy Chbosky.
This is the story of a little boy who asks his father various questions about who owns different things he sees in nature.
His father answers that these things - the sun, the flowers, the stars, etc. - are too wonderful to own.
However, the boy happens upon a conversation that causes him to ask his father the most difficult question of all - how can his father be owned by another man?
This story was one that brought tears to my eyes.
It was also difficult to have to explain slavery to my daughter and that such terrible things happen in the world.
But the story ends on a positive note in which the reader learns that the boy and his family lived to see freedom. He goes on to make his father proud by the things he and his siblings are able to accomplish as a result.
Language Arts:
We listed things that are too wonderful to own.
This is the story of a little boy who asks his father various questions about who owns different things he sees in nature.
His father answers that these things - the sun, the flowers, the stars, etc. - are too wonderful to own.
However, the boy happens upon a conversation that causes him to ask his father the most difficult question of all - how can his father be owned by another man?
This story was one that brought tears to my eyes.
It was also difficult to have to explain slavery to my daughter and that such terrible things happen in the world.
But the story ends on a positive note in which the reader learns that the boy and his family lived to see freedom. He goes on to make his father proud by the things he and his siblings are able to accomplish as a result.
Language Arts:
We listed things that are too wonderful to own.
Piper came up with her own wondering question: "Why the trees are growing?"
I later realized she meant "How do new leaves grow on the trees?" since we were watching this phenomenon as spring had just begun!
Art:
We mimicked one of the illustrations in the book by using pastels to draw flowers and then using a green watercolor to add the grass in the background.
Science:
We did our Elemental Science lesson on heat from the sun.
The experiment was to cook with the sun.
We set up our sun oven with a marshmallow and placed it in our sunniest window.
Unfortunately the sun was still not terribly strong at that time so the marshmallow didn't quite cook.
However, it was warm and Piper was delighted about getting to eat a marshmallow!
We plan on trying this again in the summer on a really hot day when the results will be far more stunning!
Social Studies:
We discussed slavery - what it was and why it happened.
As a go along book we read Henry's Freedom Box by Ellen Levine.
The girls were very interested in this story and while it wasn't terribly gruesome or descriptive, it did paint an accurate picture of how horrible slavery is.
I also made the point to emphasize that the color of your skin does not make you more or less of a person.
We did the egg example one day during some baking.
The color of the shells may be different...
But what is found inside is the same!
In some ways, this was a difficult row.
But I am so glad that I can be the one to introduce hard topics such as slavery to my children.
Their questions and comments were so thoughtful and heartfelt.
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