Expedition Earth: AFRICA - Morocco

What a beautiful country !  

I am inspired and would love to go here and explore.

We Learned

We experimented making repeating patterns.
We used Pattern Blocks from Sonlight.

• Moroccan food tastes wonderful !
• Morocco is known for it's ceramic tile designs.
• The designs themselves are an act of worship and are in keeping with the Islamic law, humans or animals or plants are not to be depicted in art.
• The kings castle has golden doors.
• During Ramadan they don't eat during the day.
• One sand dune is so tall it has a name. 
• The Cascades d'Ouzoud waterfall is 100m.
• Their colours are green and red.
• Some one calls from the mosque minaret to announce prayer. This happens five times a day.
• They speak Arabic in Morocco.
• All children must go to primary school for six years. 
• Only half the people can read and write.
• They have a king in Morocco. Morocco is one of three kingdoms in Africa.

The Resources we Used

Books

• Villas and Courtyard Houses of Morocco: with 235 Colour Illustrations By (author) Corinne Verner, Photographs by Cecile Treal
• Welcome to Morocco by Deborah Fordyce (For Primary aged students) *****
• Modern Middle East Nations and their strategic place in the World: Morocco by Lynda Cohen Cassanos. (High School Students)
• Mirror by Jeannie Baker.This book compares the life of two different families, one from Australia and one from Morocco.
• Usborne Stories From Around the World Illustrated by Linda Edwards Retold by Heather Amery. Story Read: Clever Aisha Page 72 (Sonlight P 3/4)
• The Usborne ART Treasury Author: Rosie Dickins

Notebook Pages

• Morocco Lapbook over at Homeschool Share. (FREE)
• Morocco Printable over at National Geographic KIDS (FREE)
• Expedition Earth over at Confessions of a Homeschooler
• Epedition Earth Discovering Gods Animals over at Confessions of a Homeschooler (FREE)
• National Symbols of Morocco (Barbary Lion, Coat of Arms, )

On the Net

• Learning about Morocco over at Homeschool Creations.
• Beautiful building / photo's of Morocco over at  My Marrakesh
• Moroccan National Anthem: Arabic + Transcription + English Translation  
• Visit Morocco 
• Arabic alphabet for kids on YouTube
• Area and Population of Countries on infoplease. 
• Time and Date.com
• Morocco Slide Show Time For Kids
• Morocco over at National Geographic Kids. Interesting video.
• Morocco Photo's over at National Geographic
• Moroccan tile documentary.Very interresting.
• Moroccan tile patterns.

Folktales from Morocco

•  Four Folktales We did not enjoy these however they were an interresting insight in the types of stories told.

Animals

• Dorcas Gazelle
  Dorcas gazelle (Gazella dorcas)on ARKive
  Kids 'n' Countries.
• Fennec Fox
Fennec Fox (Fennecus Zerda) on YouTube eating a scorpian.
Fennec Fox on National Geographic Wild
Fennec fox sounds on YouTube.
Kids 'n' Countries.
• Honey Badger
  Honey Badgers Identification
  Honey Badger-The Most Fearless Animal on Earth National Geographic
• Striped Hyena
Striped Hyena on YouTube.
Update on rescued Stripped Hyenas

• Spotted Dolphin
Pantropical Spotted Dolphin colouring in sheet at Enchanted Learning
Atlantic Spotted Dolphin over at ARKive.
Guardians of the Sea: Wild Dolphins. Start at 2:35

• Scimitar-horned oryx (Sahara Oryx)
  Arabian oryx - endangered species conservation success
  Sahara oryx (Oryx dammah) On BBC Science & Nature. 
• Slooghis
  The Prince of Slooghis
  Kids & Countries Animals of Morocco
  Kids 'n' Countries.

Cooking

• Mint Tea
• Chicken Morocco
• Moroccan Casserole with Cous Cous (Coles Recipe)
• Ghriba - Moroccan Cookies *****

These biscuits were gorgeous.  We really like them.  We had to add extra oil as she says in the video.
 I took the two Moroccan dinner dishes and combined them to make a one pot meal.  I made the cous cous as a side rather than adding it.  It was delicious.

Blessings
 Chareen 

PS We pick and choose what to read from each site. We do NOT read every article in its entirety.  
Due to the every changing nature of the Internet please check that these sites are still safe before allowing your children on them.
This post does not contain affiliate links. 

Linking with 

Grateful for Grace: What We're Learning

 Collage Friday over at Home Grown Learners,   

Favourite Resources at Learning All the Time.
Look what we did at  Home Grown Learners

28 TT - Resurrection Eggs

 Welcome to Tuesdays Treasures(TT).  I started these posts as a way of sharing great books in honour of my friend in New Zealand who would arrive with the treasures she had unearthed at her weekly trip to the library!

There are so many wonderful books out there hiding on shelves so I invite you to blog about a book on your shelf, one you're reading or one you found at the library and add your post to Learning All the Time Favourite Resource Link Up. 



This week ...
Resurrection Eggs

Resurrection Eggs

• Format: 1 plastic egg carton, 12 plastic eggs, 11 unique objects to illustrate the Easter Story, 1 bilingual booklet.
• Number of Pages:
• Vendor:  Publishers
• Publication Date:
• ISBN: 978-1-60200-392-7
• Produced by: Family Life

We used these for the first time last year.  Sir N really loved them. Ever since I took the box down in preparation for this years readings he has been nagging me is it time yet ??  We will be starting our readings tomorrow. Each of the stories in the book starts with a scripture reading followed by a short explanation making it real for little hearts.  Opening the egg with the symbol helps with understanding the progression of the Easter story.

Available from: Family Life, Koorong,Word, Amazon , Book Depository, and Christianbook.

Blessings

What others are saying on the www:
Shower of Roses
Catholic Icing. (Make your own eggs)
Want What You Have (Make your own eggs)

HSMJ 19 - The difference between entertaining and Hospitality

The Home school Mother’s Journal began as a single post on a Friday morning over at The Homeschool Chick, and turned into a link-up for home school mothers across the blog-O-sphere to share a piece of their journey with one another each week. The link party is open from Friday to Monday so join me in The Home school Journal and lets encourage one another on our home school journey.

In my life this week…

 
In our home school this week…

• We started our Morocco Expedition Earth study.
• Went on a trip to see the HMAS Castlemaine
• We did a Picasso Inspired piece of art.
• Have not completed Morocco this week as I intended so will need to finish on Monday when we start on Kenya.
• Finished the letter "V" in spelling.  Wrote some letters to Grandad and Nanna.
• Worked on math facts for the number seven.

Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share…

• Sonlight's Book Changes in 2012 over at Last in Line
• What to do when your Home school Schedule goes awry ? over at Home School Share
• Home School Schedules over at the Happy Housewife
• Blooms Taxonomy of Learning. 
• I have been looking at the Ultimate Home school Planner SAMPLE by Apologia and am inspired by the 7th page (pages 254 & 255 in the sample.)  There are three great lists: Identify your child's learning style, Blooms Taxonomy of Learning and Study Smart Student Toolkit. Have any of you used this planner ?  
• Make your own worksheets from Tools for Educators.

I am inspired by…

• Waste Time on this NOT that over at Relevant.  Here is a sneak peak: There is a danger of getting sucked too far into the online vortex, but it’s a danger that’s easily averted if we approach our time at the computer with a healthy sense of perspective and balance, along with a few basic goals............... Remember to head on over to Relevant and read the full article.
• Living on Rice and Beans over at Always Learning.

Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…

• Monday was a busy day we visited a friend for her birthday and then went to a home school mothers meeting.
• Tuesday we joined my mom and some homeschoolers and went on a trip to see HMAS Castlemaine.
• Wednesday  and Thursday we were at home.
• Thursday night Paul and Sir N went on another night time adventure with some friends and came home very cold. Autumn has definitely arrived in Melbourne.
• Saturday are going to visit a home school family for lunch / afternoon / evening catch up we have been trying to organise for over a year.
• Counting down the months, weeks and days

My favorite thing this week was…

• Listening to Sir N's exclamations of pleasure and excitement when he realised it's only seventeen sleeps till we fly out to South Africa.

What’s working/not working for us…

• the laundry ....... 

2012 in 2012

• Read about this idea over at Behind the Scenes and was really intrigued.  I think I will give it a go.  Won't make 2012 I don't think but it will definitely help me de-clutter.

Opening Balance	What	This Week	Balance
2	Thrown Away	0	2
0	Sold	0	0
0	Donated	0	0
8	Returned to their owner	0	8
	Running Total out of the goal 2012		194

Questions/thoughts I have…

• I've been asked to do some guest posts at a Home school blog and been wondering what sorts of things I should write about .........

Things I’m working on…

• I've been working on my first post for the Charlotte Mason Companion blog hop starting on the 2nd April.  I look forward to reading your thoughts on Nature Journaling with children.
• I have also been working on ideas to do with Sir N next Friday for Vincent Van Gogh's birthday.  So I have been looking at: Art Projects for Kids, Practical Pages, Relentlessly Fun Deceptively Educational and Confessions of a Home Schooler.

I’m reading…

• Homeschooled and Illiterate 
• A home schoolers response to the above article: The Serious and Sensible Post over at A Peaceful Day.
• Making good use of Pinterest over at Homegrown Learners.
• How Pinterest can ruin your Home School over at Jimmies Collage
• Hardness of your Hearts over at Always Learning.
• Strong Willed Children over at Always Learning.
• Perhaps you should sue God over at Everything and Nothing.
• “You Just Broke Your Child. Congratulations.” by Dan Pearce over at Become a Better Father.
•  

I’m cooking…

• Flathead Fish Cakes
• Ambrosia
• Looking for a Moroccan Dish to finish off our Morocco studies.  Any ideas ??

I’m grateful for…

• The wonderful encouraging post  Dating your spouse over at Always Learning. I am inspired and encouraged to grow deeper in my marriage and love my friend deeply. Lori encouraged me to Delight in My Husband and not kill my marriage. She encouraged me not to lose the art of home making and to keep on keeping on.

A photo, video, link, or quote to share…

• There is a difference between entertaining and offering hospitality. Entertaining seeks to impress. Offering hospitality puts the emphasis on others so they feel refreshed, not impressed, when they leave your home. - Karen Ehman

Don't forget to pop over to read what other home school Moms are doing
Blessings

This post is linking to:
Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers
The Homeschool Chick