Going Colonial
We are into our Colonial Unit full force.
Yesterday we learned about Colonial housing. We made cute little pop-ups for our Colonial Wall. They included little representatives of a log cabin, a salt-box house, a stone house, and a brick house.
We also started on building our own wattle and daub house in the back yard. I’ll post more about this when we’ve finished. It rained today, so we couldn’t finish it up. We found this project in Kris’s book, Great Colonial American Projects You Can Build Yourself. I’m gonna give her all the advertisement I can because this is an awesome book! So stay tuned for pictures.
We made this cute little pocket to hold all the things you would find in a Colonial barn.
Then we learned how a rope bed is made by weaving a rope bed from a piece of cardboard with the glued on pattern, and using twine.
I was pretty surprised that GB seemed to really like this activity.
The top corners have velcro to hold on the mattress.
GB was not as happy sewing the mattress…. he said it was too ‘girly’….
Sorry, folks…. I’m trying.
I had to sneak these pictures of him sewing …. he didn’t want that documented.
We didn’t have any straw to fill the mattress, but our hamster did have some alfalfa, which worked nicely. If I was a colonial, I’d appreciate the nice smell. 
Here, we’ve combined the mattress with the straw bed. If I was a munchkin, I’d think it looked pretty darned cozy! We hung this up on our Colonial wall with the other things. It’s starting to come together…. 
Love the little woven bed activity. How cool!!
Comment by Jennifer — January 10, 2008 @ 7:08 pm
Excellent projects. Too cute about the sewing!
Comment by
lapazfarm — January 10, 2008 @ 7:46 pm
These are some great activities! We, too, are doing our colonial studies. Alexandra is really enjoying her History Pockets book. I need to get some photos posted! Thanks for sharing GB’s work with us.
Comment by Dana — January 10, 2008 @ 11:08 pm
What a great project! I continue to be impressed by all the great things you post - Your children are learning so much!
Out of curiosity, do you have a yearly plan for the units/themes you teach/introduce to your kids or do you allow their own interests to direct you?
Comment by Makita — January 11, 2008 @ 10:15 am
You are so sweet. Can’t wait to see pictures of the wattle and daub house.
Comment by
paradisefound — January 11, 2008 @ 12:32 pm