Last week we went to Australia. Our activity was to make an aborgine message stick.We looked at some examples of real meassage sticks used by the Aborigines, the carvings and the patterns they used.Ours weren't carved, but the kids had fun coming up with their own symbols for words (the Aborigines did not have a written language). Some wrote messages to friends, while others wrote Bible verses. All were unique! I may hold some of these back for the open house. So, if you don't see it come home, that's why. Also, our main focus last week was on the "discovery" of Austraia by Captain James Cook. We then talked about how since England had over populated prisons and could no longer send prisoners to the new world, they decided to set up a penial colony in Australia. I could go on.. and trust me I want to... but that's the bulk we talked about. Feel free to ask why James Cook was sent to Tahiti, who was the god Rono, and about the "great southern continent".
This week we are back in France. We will discuss how the United States and colonization of Australia will inspire France to revolt against King Louis XVI. We will go back and look at the mistakes that the French Kings made and the class system of France that led to the revolt. There will be lots of heads sent to the guillotine. We discussed the Storming of the Bastille and the mistakes Maximillien de Robespierre made as he took on more power in France. We compared to other men in History last year that made the same mistakes. This week's activity will be making French Revolution pins. If your 7th and 8th grade kids come home wanting to make a guillotine and asks for a Barbie and jelly beware. That idea was all theirs!
Make sure you send in 1 cup of flour per family next Wed. to be used in making pinatas. Enjoy your holiday weekend!
