More great state books

These Dover books are affordable and informative--the kids can color while listening to read-alouds.
These are a nice addition to the state notebooking pages or for a change of pace.  They are also good to bring on-the-go with a pouch of prismacolors.

Butterfly bookshelf

This one is by James Howe, the author of the Bunnicula books--the illustrations are gorgeous, and just might inspire some painting or pastel drawing.

This book is amazing--each letter of the alphabet is designed into the butterfly wings!  There are facts about the different varieties of butterflies featured as well.

 

Lois Ehlerts collage art is so colorful and detailed.  This book follows the process of metamorphosis and includes information about the various butterfly types and stages.

Great American Postcard Swap #14 and 15--Indiana and Iowa

Here is a teacher's resource packet for discovering more about Abraham Lincoln and pioneer life in Indiana.

And here is a lesson plan with resources relating to WWII, the military, and Memorial Day from the

 Indianapolis Motor Speedway 500 Festival.

Visit the Iowa State Fair and see the butter carving competition.

Butter Cow

Iowa was once the home of Laura Ingalls Wilder, the author of the Little House book series.  Here is a link to the Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum and Homesite.

The Little House series is a great window into the lives of the pioneers, and Margie Gray's Prairie Primer is a terrific resource for extending this into a year-long unit study.

Nature's Mosaic

The Flowers

All the names I know from nurse:

Gardener's garters, shepherd's purse:

Bachelor's buttons, lady's smock,

And the lady hollyhock.

Fairy places, fairy things,

Fairy woods where the wild bee wings,

Tiny trees for tiny dames--

These must all be fairy names!

Tiny woods below whose boughs

Shady fairies weave a house;

Tiny treetops, rose or thyme,

Where the braver fairies climb!

Fair are grown-up people's trees,

But the fairest woods are these;

Where, if I were not so tall,

I should live for good and all.

-Robert Louis Stevenson

Celebrating Flag Day

Find some activities for Flag Day here and some printable coloring pages here. And learn about the history of the American flag/.

The new issue of Martha Stewart Living features the 50 states.  You can get a $1 off coupon here.

Here is a printable worksheet for learning the state abbreviations.

GAPS #12 and #13--Idaho and Illinois

Learn some Idaho state history and try out some Idaho potato recipes, and then make a  Chicago style hot dog to go with it.  You might also enjoy reading some poetry by Carl Sandburg, an Illinois native.

Great American Postcard Swap #11--Hawaii

I found this website http://www.state.hi.us/dlnr/dofaw/kids/teach/index.htm which has some great teaching resources, including printable activities about Hawaiin forests, endangered birds, a watershed project, coloring book, and fact sheets.

The circle of life

We thought we had seen one of our painted ladies visiting the butterfly bush in the front yard two separate days and times, but then we checked today, and there were two!  We are so happy that they are hanging around our yard.

And we discovered two tiny caterpillars on our hollyhock plant!  We had moved it outside after the butterflies were released, and I noticed some laciness to one of the leaves yesterday.  Upon closer inspection, we found two little caterpillars munching away.  We brought the plant back inside and placed it back in the tank, hoping to watch the transformation once more.  The boys have witnessed the complete butterfly life cycle!