Butterfly Lab

For our Life Science studies, we did a butterfly lab where we got to see the butterfly life cycle from egg to larva to pupa to adult unfold before our very eyes!

(Somehow, I think I managed to lose the larva pictures)

There were ten tiny caterpillar that grew very quickly.  (I neglected to read the direction that said you were supposed to move the chrysalids to the butterfly pavillion after they were formed, so one of the butterflies hatched out in the little jar before we even realized it). Ironically, the rest came out of their chrysalids within the next 48 hours and we managed to miss every single one of them emerging!  Even when we had them propped on the table right in front of us. They're awful quiet, I guess.

We then quickly moved that one into the pavilion along with the other chrysalids.

We fed them carnations and Sofia renewed their sugar water supply daily.

After several weeks, they came to the end of their life span.  This one died in captivity so we decided to take out our yet unused microscope we got for Christmas to take a closer look at it. Sofia was sad of its passing. 

As soon as it was warm enough outside, we let all the others out into the garden.  At this point, they were a bit old and so they were also quite docile.

Sofia encourages this one to hop onto a rare bloomed flower.

I think he (she?) liked it. R.I.P.

[Also, I now have a new excuse to buy a macro lens.  My all-purpose one struggled to get this picture.  I love homeschooling and the school supplies it requires].

Princess Tea Party

Classic Sofia

Today Sofia got all dolled up for the Princess Tea Party at the library. Unfortunately, Sofia isn't exactly the type of girl that would have a collection of Disney princess costumes. We tried a princess-y dress we got for a costume party when she was three but alas, it didn't fit. So we were forced to take out the big guns. The "wedding dress" as she calls it. Technically, a flower girl dress she wore a few years back. It fit! We curled her hair, then she asked about make-up. So we did a tiny bit of that. We had some time on our hands so we even painted her nails with pink finger-nail polish. I lent her some jewelry and she was all set for the ball. Or so she thought.

The tea party was quite the full event, about thirty or so girls. On the way, she had asked if there would be some princes there. I told her probably not but there might be a couple. And there were three. She had a good time despite the look on her face. Large groups of girls are just not her cup of tea. (Yes, pun). She was excited to get a stamp on her hand in return for her entry ticket and the tea party treats of course which she recounted to me in great detail -"One cookie, two strawberries, and one piece of banana. Oh, and tea [juice]".

On the way home I asked her how she liked the event. She said she liked it fine but it wasn't what she expected. "Oh, why is that?", I asked. "Because, I would have liked Marcelo to have been there so he could have danced with me". I have to agree. Where was the ball? And drinking tea on the floor from a paper cup is not very lady like. She wasn't impressed by the absence of real tea cups. But what can you do.

Sofia was so tired on the carriage ride home, she had to rest her face on the wheel.

I tried to console her suggesting maybe Marcelo would dance with her when we got home. She didn't think he would, "He never wants to dance with me". She was right. I enlisted Dad to step in. She finally cracked a smile. After a few minutes, Marcelo stepped up as Sofia's prince.

For Achievement In ...

To congratulate Sofia's completion of her first year's math curriculum, I presented her with an achievement award and a small prize. I thought her own wallet might be a good gift. She has a small collection of cards that need safekeeping already and this might give her a chance to have some responsibility over her moneys. It was well received. She was excited to find her school ID card, library card, Build-A-Bear card, and Princess Tea Party library ticket in there, as well as a dollar bill and a note from Mami. But Sofia is Sofia so she asked me if she could trade the dollar for some coins because apparently she finds them much more interesting as far as money goes.

Later she commented to me that she couldn't wait to finish her reading program because she would probably get ANOTHER wallet! Note to self -spend more time on logic.

The ? bone is connected to the ...

We are super lucky to have a highly intellectual and well connected benefactor in our home school endeavors. Tio Pedro has made several donations to our "study" -our new space housing all things to further the intellect- including books in art and literature as well as our entire "fossil collection" as I like to call it.

Sofia highly enjoyed this activity which went well into the night. Trying to piece together dinosaur bones is even harder than it already seems.

Kid's Club

Sofia has been going to Kid's Club at the local library for the past few months. It's an hour long activity, once a week for kids age 6 to 11. She loves going. In contrast with last year's summer camps, she seems to have outgrown the initial shy/awkward phase about entering into a new social activity. (I now have a better understanding of those issues and their source. But that's for another post). She's more confident and I think she feels important being part of this diverse aged group. It's been a positive socializing venue. It seems to give her just the right amount of extracurricularness in her homeschool routine. The summer Kid's Camp will be shorter and not as exclusive, but we'll continue to go as it's a great free resource.