This is an easy tutorial for paper lanterns from a watercolor painting. You can of course make a painting just for a lantern, or use any other kind of paper.

gather materials: Watercolor painting, scrap cardboard such as from a cereal box, scissors, glue stick, tape, x-acto knife, tissue paper, clothespin, wire for handle

make a line 1 1/2 inches up from bottom, cut paper below line as shown

cut shapes from paper with x-acto knife

coat back with glue

 

lay tissue on the back

 

fold up tabs toward back

 

apply glue to the edge of one side

 

clip one end, this will help in holding it in place, tape seam shut

 

trace around cylinder

  

 

 

 

draw a circle just slightly smaller than the one you traced, cut out smaller circle. Trace the one you cut out so that you have 2 cardboard circles

 

coat one side of each cardboard circle with glue. One goes on the inside, the other glue to the bottom

 

Put something heavy (like a jar or can) inside to weight it down until glue on cardboard circles dry

 

Now you can add a wire handle. If you are going to carry it on a stick or dowel, make a notch in you stick abput 1/2 an inch from the end. This will make a place for the handle to rest on the stick without slipping.

Martinmas/Lantern Walk

St. Martin of Tours was born in 316 and died on November 11, 397. He is known as a deeply religious man who shared his cloak with a beggar and represents the attitude of brotherliness. According to old customs at this time, as the days become shorter and the stars appear earlier, children would walk with lanterns through the streets singing. As the world grows darker, the inner light of man wants to shine forth – from Shepherd Valley Waldorf School

Golden light is turning grey,
Mists begin to rule the day.
Bare the trees, their branches lift;
Clouds of dead leaves earthward drift.

Through the field the farmer goes,
Seeds of ripened corn he sows’
Trusts the earth will hold it warm,
Shelter it from cold and harm.

For he knows that warmth and light
Live there, hidden from our sight;
And beneath a sheltering wing,
Deep below, new life will spring!

Deep below, deep below, new life will spring!

Martinmas stories

Martin & the Poor Man- http://herbnites.tripod.com/waldorfinspiredschool/id15.html

A Golden Lantern- http://www.waldorflibrary.org/Journal_Articles/GW3808.pdf

This is the story I will use for a mixed age group. I will tell my daughter the story of Saint Martin while we make our lanterns.

The Lantern

There was once a boy called George who had been outside in the garden all through the Summer running after the butterflies, jumping like a grasshopper, singing like a bird, and trying to catch the sunlight. One day when he was lying on his back in the meadow gazing up into the sun-filled sky, he said, “Dear Brother Sun, soon the Autumn winds will blow and wail, and Jack Frost will come and make us all freeze, and the nights will be long and cold.”  Brother Sun pushed the clouds aside and said, “Yes, it will be dark and cold. In the deep midwinter, warmth and light live deep within, hidden from sight. In the time of dark and cold, you will tend the Light Within.” “But,” said George, “How will I tend this Light when it’s dark everywhere around me?”“I will give you a spark of my last Autumn rays once you have made a little house for it, for this spark must be guarded well. It will light the way for you to tend the Light Within throughout the time of dark and cold.” And then Brother Sun once hid again behind a cloud. George went home and wondered how best he could make a little house for the spark of the sun. He took a thick piece of paper and painted a beautiful blue and yellow watercolor upon it. When it was dry, he cut windows into his painting. Then he placed colored tissue paper on the back of his watercolor – and – he formed it into a lantern. He took a candle and put it into the middle of his lantern. And, as it was growing dark, he went outside with it. George held the lantern up above him and said, “Brother Sun, I have made a little home for one of your golden sparks. Please may I have one? I will guard it well.” Then Brother Sun looked out from behind a cloud and said, “You have made a beautiful home. I shall give you one of my golden sparks.” And suddenly, George saw how the windows of his lantern were lit up, and as he looked into the lantern, he saw a spark happily dancing on top of the candle. Oh, how happy the light was in his lovely lantern! It shone and shone so brightly. “Thank you, Brother Sun,” George called out, “Thank you.” And he took his lantern and carried it carefully home singing:

 The sunlight fast is dwindling,

My little lamp needs kindling.

Its beam shines far in darkest night,

Dear Lantern, guard me with your light
~ from Autumn, Wynstones Press, originally by M Meyerkort and revised by L Sutter.

Martinmas lanterns

Paper mache globe lanterns http://maymomvt.blogspot.com/2007/11/making-lanterns-for-martinmas.html

turnip lanterns- http://resurrectionfern.typepad.com/resurrection_fern/2008/10/how-to-make-a-lantern-out-of-a-rhutabaga-or-turnip-a-seasonal-tutorial.html

water color lanterns- http://naturenest.wordpress.com/2009/11/05/watercolor-paper-lantern-tutorial/

glass jar lanterns-  http://ourhomeschooljourney.co.za/wordpress/142/how-to-make-a-lantern-for-waldorf-festivals-or-waldorf-inspired-gifts/

folded construction paper lantern (only for older childern) http://www.pacon.com/projects/PaperLanterns.htm

For 3 songs you can hear go to http://astorytellingofcrows.blogspot.com/

Aricles about Martinmas

http://chicmommyusa.com/martinmas-lantern-walk/

http://www.waldorfwithoutwalls.com/newsletter/39 -halloween & Martinmas

 While searching the web for a worry doll tutorial I came across Amnesty International’s website. I had never heard of CEDAW, nor did I know the US was one of the only countries not to have yet ratified CEDAW. Instead of making worry dolls for ourselves we will make them, and send them to Amnesty International before december 10th, and take part in helping other women, and mothers around the world who are not as lucky as we are. Below is excerpted from Amnesty Internationals website. Please go there for more details,  how to make the worry dolls, and to learn more about CEDAW.

Amnesty International USA activists around the country are crafting worry dolls to send a symbolic message to the Senate. We’re urging them to help protect women’s human rights by ratifying the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).

Throughout the world, discrimination against women and girls is pervasive, and its impact is devastating. Of the world’s 1.3 billion poorest people, 70 percent are female. Violence against women is prevalent: one in three women worldwide will experience assault, rape or other abuse during her lifetime. Two-thirds of the world’s 771 million illiterate adults are women. Due to lack of adequate health care, more than 530,000 women die each year from pregnancy-related complications – one every minute.

CEDAW establishes international protections against these abuses: it offers women redress against violence, guarantees equal access to education, and commits nations to fighting maternal mortality. Yes the United States remains one of the only countries that has not ratified CEDAW.

One woman lost to pregnancy-related complications every minute means more than 10,000 maternal deaths every week — and those statistics are cause for urgent concern and attention. In Mayan tradition (and in some other indigenous communities around the world) one way to deal with worry is to make a “worry doll” — a simple doll made with a few popsicle sticks or a clothes-pin and some yarn or thread.

AIUSA members around the country are crafting these worry dolls. Join us in crafting 10,000 worry dolls to symbolize the 10,000 mothers we lose every week! Next year, we’ll deliver them to the Senate to push them to finally ratify CEDAW and protect women’s human rights.

Amnesty International USA activists around the country are crafting worry dolls to send a symbolic message to the Senate. We’re urging them to help protect women’s human rights by ratifying the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).

Throughout the world, discrimination against women and girls is pervasive, and its impact is devastating. Of the world’s 1.3 billion poorest people, 70 percent are female. Violence against women is prevalent: one in three women worldwide will experience assault, rape or other abuse during her lifetime. Two-thirds of the world’s 771 million illiterate adults are women. Due to lack of adequate health care, more than 530,000 women die each year from pregnancy-related complications – one every minute.

CEDAW establishes international protections against these abuses: it offers women redress against violence, guarantees equal access to education, and commits nations to fighting maternal mortality. Yes the United States remains one of the only countries that has not ratified CEDAW.

One woman lost to pregnancy-related complications every minute means more than 10,000 maternal deaths every week — and those statistics are cause for urgent concern and attention. In Mayan tradition (and in some other indigenous communities around the world) one way to deal with worry is to make a “worry doll” — a simple doll made with a few popsicle sticks or a clothes-pin and some yarn or thread.

AIUSA members around the country are crafting these worry dolls. Join us in crafting 10,000 worry dolls to symbolize the 10,000 mothers we lose every week! Next year, we’ll deliver them to the Senate to push them to finally ratify CEDAW and protect women’s human rights.

This weeks lessons focused on the Ojibwe people of the great lakes region. I could have easily taken a month or two on them. I began with the story of Turtle Island, modern day north america. I told this story http://www.gct3.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/creation_story.pdf . It was a wonderful transition story to use to create a bridge from old testament legends  into our native american block. The Ojibwe creation story of Turtle Island is similar to the Noah story in that the earth is flooded by the creator because people had become wicked. Instead of a chalkboard illustration I decided to do a watercolor. I wish I could have taken more time on it, but it served it’s purpose. My DD put the story in  her new native stories main lesson  book.

We learned about how the pre-contact Ojibwe lived. We learned about birch trees that grow where they live/d, and how the bark is removed in sheets and used to create shelters called wigwams, canoes to travel through the lakes on, and buckets for harvesting things. My DD put a paragraph about wigwams, and an illustration in her shelters main lesson book. I put an Ojibwe prayer on the board, and we recited it throughout the week.

We talked very briefly about wild rice, a staple of the Ojibwe. We will return to it when we do our small block on the grains.

We had a great time making a dome shaped hut from newspapers. This was the part of our lessons that was enjoyed the most. It reminded me of the dome shape of a wigwam. It was pretty simple to make, not to mention the bonus of it being absolutely free! You can find a great tutorial at pepper paints blog . Throw a lightweight sheet on, and you have a cosy little hide away ready for hours of play.

We worked on the number 8, and it’s times table through rhymes & tossing a beanbag.  Since it’s halloween we made a spider mobile, and put the 8 times table numbers of the spiders bodies.

We also learned the story of the dream catcher, and Ojibwe legend. We made a dream catcher from things we had around the house. We went outside, and cut some vines that were growing around a tree to make the hoop, and used hemp string for the web. I used a combination of this story & this story to make one smooth Dream Catcher story. 

I also checked out a few picture books about Ojibwe legends from the library.

Windigo’s Return- Great story about a monster from Ojibwe legend who eats people. It’s kind of scary, but has a humorous ending.

The Legend of The Lady Slipper-Beautiful tale about a brave girl who ventures into the night to save her people from a sickness that has stricken her entire village. Were were going to make mocassins in conjunction to this story, but ran out of time.

Ladder To The Sky- Another Ojibwe story with similarities to an Old testament legend. In this story the people lived in peace without sickness, or death, until someone disobeys the creator, and consequence ensues.

On friday we went to Brookgreen Gardens, about 30 minutes from our house. The most amazing trees east of the Redwood Forests are here at Brookgreen. If I were to move from here it would be the trees my heart would ache for.

The trees in the pics are magnificent by any standards, but are not the most amazing in the gardens. These were all in the native species zoo. My camera battery went dead before we got into the gardens, which are just completely enchanted. If you are ever near the mid-South Carolina coast, Brookgreen is a must see.

If you read this blog you know it’s weird that I post this week’s lessons on Monday. I really just needed to go ahead & post them so that I could close the book, so to speak, on old testament legends (for now). We need to clean the slate & start fresh. Today we finished up the Noah/flood story. First we made easy origami doves which we colored. This was a great activity because this was a “folding story”. I retold the story of Noah as we did the folds. Each of the folds symbolized part of the story. I did a separate post on how to make the doves. If you hold their chests and move them up & down the wings & tail will flutter & appear to fly. My daughter just loved this, and made several of them. My daughter wrote the story in her book & did a few illustrations for it. We had a discussion about what it would be like to build such an enormous structure. Through out Noah we sang Shel Silverstein’s poem”Unicorn“. It is kind of silly, but most kids relish silliness. It tells of why the unicorns did not get on the Ark. There are several youtube videos of people doing it as a song if anyone wants to hear it. My dd likes to sing rather than recite, so I accomodate her when fitting.

We sculpted a few animals, and a rainbow from beeswax.

My daughter made her favorite doll “Posey” her Halloween costume. This served as handwork. Posey has been a constant companion since I made her when my daughter was 4. I have repaired holes, re-stitched hair, cleaned repeatedly, and even had to do a complete body replacement. A mean cousin  drew all over her face with a sharpie. That just devastated my daughter, but fortunately the most wonderful dry cleaners in the world at Conway Cleaners cleaned her up for us free of charge. Posey has reached Velveteen Rabbit status. She’s real. So it is only natural that she have her own costume. A is pretty good at working in 3 dimension. She hand sewed the gnome hat from a pattern she made herself. I was suprised to see a 3 panel gnome hat. That was not something I had ever thought of before, but it worked out well. She sewed pink wings onto the doll’s overalls.

So, thats all for now on the old testament legends. The remainder of the week we will work on wigwams made by the Ojibwe. We will hear about the beginning of Turtle Island, a story about a monster called Windigo that eats people & has a heart of ice, and the legend of the dream catcher, all three Ojibwe legends. We will draw, we will sew puckered moccasins, we will make a dream catcher to hang above our beds to capture any bad dreams that arise from all of the weird, scary, modern halloween images she takes in this time of year. Working from the spider theme of the dream catcher we will work on the 8 times table. I think since we are working on 8 in math our form drawing will reflect this too, although I am not sure what forms we will work on. I am thrilled to have a change, and I know my daughter is too.

You need a square of paper. Any size or kind will do. You may not want to get above 9 or 10 inches as it would start to get too floppy.

Ignore the crease in this square. I had to make a square from a rectangle, and the crease is a result of that, not something need to make a bird.

This is where you begin the Noah story if you are choosing to so this as a folding story. Begin the story, and when you get to the part where Noah is building the boat, fold the square in half. Just hold it slightly open, this is the bottom of the boat.

Now tell how it had a slanted roof for the rain to roll of off. Open the paper back up to the flat position, and hold it so that the crease is a vertical midline. Fold the top 2 corners to the middle so that it looks like a roof.

After you have done this fold continue the story about how the animals & food had to be gathered, ect. When the rain begins to fall, and Noah shuts the door, you will do the next fold. Fold the paper in half with the the 2 triangle on the inside. This is noah shutting the door.

Continue the story. When it gets to the point where the the rain has stopped, and the ark has come to rest on Mt. Ararat, turn the point to the side. This represents the mountain.

Now, Noah will open the windows of the ark. You must turn the paper upside down, and cut through all layers where I have drawn the green line on the paper. It is not necessary for you to draw the line unless your child needs for you to do it. I drew it so that you could see it.

After you make the cut, then fold the flaps up.

There is only one more fold. Fold down the tip to make the beak.

And there you have it….The dove who brought back the olive branch.

Super cute day of the dead necklace tutorial. The skulls are from salt dough, and the flowers are tissue paper. Most of us have all the stuff already on hand. What a sweet job Alpha Mom. This would make an awsome garland as well.

We moved further into our housebuilding block with shelters from the old testament stories. We learned about Jabal, Jubal, and Tubal-Cain, descendants of Cain who made the first dwelling on Earth. This was a nice story, and a very good one that represented the archetypal first house. We used the story from Jakob  Streit’s “And There Was Light” which I purchased through Bob & Nancy’s bookstore. 

My dd put these stories in her old testament book even though they are lessons that are transitioning us into our houses block. She is making great strides in her writing, and illustrating. She is very careful, and makes very few mistakes. This is a huge improvement from the end of last year. Now, I just help her start the story summary, and she writes the body of it herself, in her words, with only a few suggestions from me.

I had planned on making, and painting hamsa hands for our own home, and reciting  Jubal’s song of consecration as we hung them up, but as usual we were running behind, and only got as far as tracing the template onto the wood. Hopefully we can make them soon, and if we do I will post it here.

The next old testament dwelling is the story of Noah and the Ark. I told her the story, and we started making animals from beeswax for a scene about the story. This is my incomplete chalkboard drawing. I plan on adding more animals over the weekend. I am not feeling this drawing much. We will finish up the Noah lesson on Monday.

I used “clouds of Glory” by Miriam Chaikin for the Noah story. I like her retellings better than any I have read. They are written in  an accessible way that makes them perfect for children. They are not dark, or dry like so many others, but full of life & color. Most libraries have her books, all of them are wonderful. I bought a copy on Ebay for $5.  

The story of Noah also gave way to a wonderful language lesson. This lesson was born from the notes in Eric Fairman’s Path of Discovery grade 3 book. In the Garden if Eden Adam named the animals & told what they did. With that we learned naming(nouns) & doing(verbs) words. In this lesson we learned color words (adjectives) & how words (adverbs). I began this lesson with a short little story about Noah & his wife Naamah needing to write down and create a record of the animals that made it off of the ark and onto the new earth . They began with the name, then the name & what the animal does, then what it looked like, how it does what it does, and  finally making a complete sentence about the animal by adding the helping word(article) and a period. We did 5 of these. One animal from each of the 5 groups…mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians. We kept the theme of each type of word having a specific color so that our words would form rainbows of words when complete. We thought and acted these out together before she wrote and illustrated them on paper.  This exercise helped her to see that with words we breathe life, moods, and color into our writing.

We also worked on form drawing, and knitting a headband. I usually read to her while she knits. This week I read a beautiful book called “A Prayer for the Earth: The Story of Naamah, Noah’s Wife”.   I highly recommend this book if you enjoy picture books. The pictures are done in a soft, but very vibrant watercolor. In the story Naamah is given the task by god to collect and save the seeds of all the plants on earth.

Next week we will continue the houses block, but will transition in dwellings of native peoples.

ModEco Kids has a really nice printable chore chart that you can customize with your child’s name, and specific chores.

I love this!! Thanks ModEco. 

We are trying to make & play a different math game every week. This is this week’s. It’s called Bean Dip. It is simple, inexpensive, and most importantly, very fun. We had more fun than I thought we would with this one. It was a huge success.

Materials needed:

• a bowl
• a scooper (we used one that came with a can of coffee)
• biggest dried beans you can find ( we used large limas $1.29)
• sharpie fine tip pen

How to make it & play it:

• Take your dried beans & write a number on each side at random. You will have to repeat each numerous times to get enough for your bowl. We added “wild beans” too. They can be used as any number you choose. Go light on the zeros. They do  nothing for the game, but a few are nice.
• When you have enough beans in the bowl to get a good scoop, take turns scooping out beans
• each player has to add up the beans they scooped onto the table. You can make it a competition if you like, but we just take turns and do not keep score.

My daughter wanted to take a turn again & again, with each turn trying to scoop up more beans than the previous time. At first she took very light scoops only scooping up 5 or six beans to add together, but after a few goes she was scooping as much as the scoop could hold.

This game was great at allowing her to see the relationship between numbers. She could sort them out into groups that equaled 10, then easily add the remaining beans, or she could group by number, and use her growing multiplication skills to add alot of numbers quickly. We made this game strictly for mental math. No gems or counters allowed, and no paper either.

Littler children can “play along” by taking scoops and just sorting into groups

 You can even have then work out multiplication problems with the beans