Volcanoes

We have been looking at volcanoes this week, I got this book a few weeks ago and so Ebi-kun has got interested in volcanoes. I decided to make volcanoes the topic for the week. We used the 3 part cards - no photo sorry. There was a lot of new vocab for him to come to grips with so we focused on a few of the main words. I drew this volcano then he coloured it in and labelled it, he is trying really hard to write on the line now, I noticed this morning he had even drawn a line on his drawing board before writing on it :o)

Of course we had to do the volcano experiment, I have been wanting to do this since I took the Montessori course when he was a baby. We put a small glass in the middle of the tray and then used clay to build the volcano. Inside we put a couple of spoons of baking soda and some red food colour. He then poured in the vinegar for the eruption, he loved it and we had to do it again and again and again...
Yesterday was a rainy day, so we continued the volcano theme and painted a volcano. First, to get in the mood, we watched some eruptions on the computer - hurrah for google! Then fund some photos, we kept on on the screen to use as reference. Usually when Ebi-kun paints I basically leave him to it unless he asks for help but this time we discussed the best way to do the painting. I suggested that he draws the basic shape of the mountain and then paint the sky first, which he did, he then painted the volcano itself. He then went to study the picture on screen before painting the lava. He did a bit but because the paint on the volcano was still wet it was turning brown, I suggested we had a break and let it dry a bit then finish it off after lunch. He didn't want to do this but I managed to distract him. When he finished it off, adding more lava he commented on how the yellow was staying yellow now the brown was dry.

and here is the final volcano, mid eruption!

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