Quarks Unit Studies
Quarks started class by marching and reciting the seven continents and then diving into North America this week. They found North America on their maps and placed stickers of native animals on the continent. Quarks were also excited to color North America on their blow up globes, so that now they have both North and South America colored. We also discussed the largest countries in North America (Canada, US, and Mexico), the main languages (English and Spanish), the longest river (Mississippi), as well as native animals, specifically bears. The black bear is featured in the story we read this week, “Blueberries for Sal”. While listening to the story, Quarks ate blueberries, and we wrapped up with a coloring page added to our growing “passport” folders.
Quarks Science/Math Games Last HourĀ 
This week our Quarks continued our discussion about Fibonnaci numbers and the golden spiral. We read “Swirl by Swirl” and discussed how spirals were an ever-expanding shape and the number patterns that allow that to happen. We brought in samples of spirals in nature and compared them in the form of sunflowers, seashells, a rose, seed pods, and on us — our ears!
The kids were shown the pattern found in fibonacci numbers and created their own spiral from beads to help them remember how it works — 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13 and they caught on to the pattern very quickly! Awesome class and the kids were surprised at all the places we find this working in Nature once we started looking for it.
Nuetron Art –Great American Artists
Today we studied Edward Hicks, an artist who is most famous for his over 100 versions of the Peaceable Kingdom, a work that shows creatures that would normally be enemies in the wild sitting together peacefully, often with small children. The kids made collages using colored cardstock and old Ranger Rick magazines, showing animals who would normally be predator and prey peacefully together. Some embellished their collages with yarn, buttons, or other item.

Blueberries and Peaceable Animals