Week 2 Fun stuff.

Dear Hailey, 

I love your excited screeches that you are producing these days. I have a few videos capturing all the awesomeness. I also love your facial expressions. You really know how to exaggerate a your eyes and mouth to give the cutest little micro expressions. I love it! 

This is how we roll to the pool. I load up the wagon with Hailey stuffed somewhere among the stuff and we walk the .1 mile it takes to get to the pool. We've been going in the morning and staying for about 2 hours before going home for lunch.

Dear Nathan,
We let you have your birthday present way early so that you can have extra time to play with it. You had a mini clinic in the neighborhood this Tuesday, and you are now have a few tricks under your belt.

 One afternoon, while Hannah was playing next door, Hailey walked over and handed me an Elsa dress while saying, "For you. " I replied,
     "It's just too small for me. I'm too big." and then I handed it back to her. She then runs over to you with the dress and asks,
     "Nay-Nay, you be Elsa?"

So, you being the amazing brother that you are, agreed to put on the dress and you two started to dance.

 I cranked up the music and just watched as the two of you twirled so happily.

Dear Hannah,
You and our next door neighbor are basically joined at the hip. You two love playing with each other and you sometimes fight like sisters. The good thing is that you both make up pretty quickly, so it ends up being just fine. You've been very helpful around the house and you are now wanting me to read Harry Potter to you. I have to pause every so often to ask you questions to make sure you still understand, so I kind of feel like you are not quite ready for it. You insist on continuing, so I'm just going to follow your lead.

The 2 big kids, you both earned your solid orange belt this week. The Sensei worked you hard.

 Hailey, sticking your tongue out is such a thing these days. You do it randomly, and then you will do it to ask if you can lick something. Usually the answer is no (especially when it is raw fish).

 When we go to the school in the mornings, we usually will see a friend or two to play with. We've been skating a lot before it gets too hot.

Well, that's about it for now.
Until Next week,
Love,
Mommy

Summer School Week 2: Who Are Americans?

Dear Kiddos, 

With the recent Black Lives Matter movement sweeping the nation like a storm, I decided to focus our lessons this week on learning about who we are as the people of America. 

Goals

I wanted you guys to be able to: 

1. Understand that our country is very unique in that it is a country with a diverse population of citizens, but because of our history, many people have been treated unfairly. People today are still being treated unfairly.

2. Explain instances when people have spoken up for what is right and hopefully you will be able to speak up for what is right in your own lives

3. Relate how racism is like bullying in that some people have to feel like they are better than someone else to feel good about themselves. 

Addressing COLOR

I started out the whole lesson with a globe. Sharing about how different parts of the Earth get more intense sunlight than others and that melanin is something that our skin makes to help protect our skin from the sun. The more melanin you have, the more natural sunscreen you have.

I had you all look at the variation of skin tones in our family and explained how my grandparents' grandparents came from a place with medium intense light (Central China/Taiwan) and that Daddy's grandparents' grandparents came from a place with not very intense light (Germany and Poland). Then I pointed out how some of our friends have grandparents who come from countries even closer to the equator and have even darker skin. 

I didn't know where to start, so I looked towards the census to find that our population is categorized into 5 main racial groups. I made up a little graphing activity for each of you to complete and came up with some questions to get you thinking about the numbers. 

For example: The percentages that were reported were over 100, so we talked about how many people like us are a mixture of people from different parts of the world. That's sooo cool! 

Native Americans

We started out with the Native Americans, because they were here first...hence, the name. We talked about how people migrated from Asia over a land bridge that formed at the Bering Strait during the Ice age. I then had you guys look around the globe to find other straits. (Country fains, I know what you are thinking...)

We then looked at how different Native Americans built homes using the natural resources around them and over thousands of years, they became different tribes. We went to Alaska last year, so with that as a reference point, Auntie Momo taught you guys a little more about Totem poles and we all built a construction paper Totem pole together. She then had you guys write a story that the totem pole tells.

It was interesting how you guys included a bear, bird, sheep, emperor penguin and seal into the story.

We played Carcassonne to simulate the earlier Native Americans exploring new lands and settling in the New World. 

And then I had you guys gather natural resources from our back yard to make a shelter. You guys picked up a bunch of branches, vines, and big leaves. We would build the shelter on day 2. 

Ango/Europeans

On Day 2, we learned about what happened during the real Thanksgiving and how the white settlers arriving to the country affected the Native Americans who lived here. We talked about how some Native Americans like Squanto were captured as slaves, we talked about how the settlers brought a disease (like COVID-19) that killed millions of Native Americans. We talked about how peace treaties were made, but then later settlers completely ignored them. 

I made sure to point out how the person who eventually taught Squanto English did what he believed was right and sent Squanto back to his home. He could've kept Squanto as a slave, but he did the right thing. 

And then we ventured out to our back patio to make some shelter. We were like the Pilgrims trying to survive and settle in a new land. I gave you a challenge that it must fit inside the box lid and be able to let smoke out. 

We still have to cover it, but the frame is solid. There's even a little fireplace in the middle.

Blacks/Africans 

On Day 3, I had you both lay down next to each other and told you that you guys had to stay there for 1 hour. If you got hungry, too bad. If you needed to use the potty, too bad. After some rebellion and complaining, I announced that I was only kidding, but then immediately showed you this map of how slaves were transported in a ship. It was very different from our cruise experiences, to say the least! 

I piqued your interest by announcing that slaves were related to sugar and candy and then I had you guys watch a YouTube video over the triangular trade. We talked about how at first slaves were criminals, but when there were no more criminals to trade with the Europeans, the Africans started to wage war against each other to catch prisoners to trade with the Europeans. The video that we watched told us that much of the fighting and instability in the African nations today started back then. 

I then asked you both to pretend that you were a chief of an African tribe and some Europeans were here to trade guns for slaves.  What would be the right thing to do? 

After lunch we switched gears and we talked about the slave system in the US. We watched Brainpops about 3 people: Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks, and Abraham Lincoln. All 3 of them spoke up against slavery because it was what they believed was right. 

We then role played different scenarios of what we could do in school where if we saw that someone was left out, or someone was being teased. I also reminded to Hannah that she can totally speak up for herself too. 

Chinese/Asian 

I started our lesson with a slideshow of where my Grandfather came from. I was fortunate to visit his birth place 10 years ago with my dad. Here is my dad sitting with a bunch of distant cousins of mine. My grandfather grew into a farming/landowning family. He had the opportunity to go to the city to get an education and then later joined the Chinese military. When the Communists took power, he was part of the group that rebelled and fought. When the Communists defeated the rebellion, the rebellion, along with my grandfather sought asylum in Taiwan. 

 My grandfather bought his family this land so that they can have a steady source of income. He didn't just give his family a fish, he taught them how to fish.

 I then showed you guys some pictures of their way of life.

 This is a storage room.

 This is the potty.

 This is the kitchen

With the only source of running water right outside. 

 

The walls were basically mud and straw.

 I hoped that you guys would be able to appreciate how hard it was for people to not have the modern technology and luxuries that we have from living in a first world country.

I then showed you guys some wedding pictures of Gong gong and Ama, about what they did when they immigrated to the US.

In the afternoon, we listened to a book  that explained the Transcontinental railroad. I tried to explain how unfair wages work with supply and demand, but I think it just went over your heads.

We talked about how many people got angry at the Chinese people for working for less pay that Chinese people were deported back to China unless they were business owners. Fun fact: This is a reason why there are so many Chinese restaurants today. I briefly talked about how unfairly the Chinese were treated, but we didn't go too much into detail.
We had chinese food for dinner that night.

Hispanics
On Friday I briefly reviewed how the 4 groups that we've been studying this week arrived to the US. Then, I showed you guys how another explorer from Spain came to Mexico and settled there. Over hundreds of years more people settled (and some mixed with the Native Americans who were already living there).

Having missed out on Texas history because I moved here during my Jr. year of high school, I decided to consult YouTube for a little bit of Alamo history. We then took a virtual tour of the Alamo grounds and fell into the YouTube hole and watched a few lego stop motion reenactments of the Battle of the Alamo.

We had chicken tacos for dinner. (totally unplanned, just a coincidence) 

In the afternoon, I had you guys work on a mosaic craft. First I passed out a bag of glass to each of you and had you design your stepping stone. 

 Then we went out to the garage to make the stepping stones.

 Let it sit overnight and then voila!

That evening I asked you guys the following question:
How was our craft project like America?
Hannah: There's concrete everywhere?
Nathan: No! It's made up of lots of colors.
Hannah: Oh, and we are made up of lot of different people.

I then added, like you guys each found something special about each piece of glass, everyone in the Earth is special and then I started singing:

Jesus loves the little children,
All the children in the world.
Red, brown, yellow, black and white,
they are precious in His sight,
Jesus loves the little children of the world.

Now we have the 3 colorful stepping stones at the front of our house to remind us how everyone is special!

Even though I have been considered a part of the model minorities, I've faced lots of discrimination and have had to put up with lots of people with racist stereotypes. I think this explains why Ias a kid, I avoided the asian crowd and now play roller derby. Because of having an the pressure of fitting into a particular stereotype, I rebelled and tried to prove to others that I was not a "typical" asian. I did it out of shame. I did it because I knew that being Asian didn't completely define who I was.

I shouldn't have felt that I needed to do that.

Now I know better and I'm proud of my heritage and I pray that you three will be able to grow into who you were created to be, apart from prejudices and fear of being judged by the world.

Love,
Mommy

Summer School Week 1: Pokemon School

Dear Kiddos, 

This last week was the official start of summer break. Since we are basically stuck at home with nowhere to go, I figured that we should stick to a schedule which includes some learning. I asked you guys for input on the theme of the week and unanimously, you all shouted, Pokemon. So, with some research, I think I came up with a pretty good week full of a variety of fun, but educational activities. 

On Monday we brought our nets to the lake to "catch" fish. You all were able to catch the small minnows that hung out by the shore, but your eyes were on the big fish, who were smart enough to stay away from you guys. 

In Pokemon Go, we usually have to feed Pokemon treats to keep them happy. Hailey, you and I worked on the term "let's split it" in Chinese along with the terms for "long" and "short." 

Duckie and Hippo both want the pizza. What should we do? 

And then a few days later, Hailey, you would turn around and teach Hannah those same phrases. 

I had each of you pick 3 of your favorite Pokemon to study this week. Monday-Wednesday, you all did a directed draw for 1 of those Pokemon and you practiced your handwriting by writing the Pokemon name 5-8 times under the picture. 

Hailey got a coloring sheet instead. 

We also worked on some phonics and focused on partner vowel blends. I had you think of words with the long A sound, I wrote them down and then had the 5 year olds circle the partner vowels that made that sound. 

We also did the same for each of the other long vowel sounds. The main goal was for you to realize how so many words don't typically follow the phonics patterns that we've been working on for the past few months. English is a crazy language! 

Nathan, I gave you a list of partner vowel blends and had you sort them based on their sounds. I think this was the perfect level of challenge for you. 

For math, we practiced counting money. I assigned prices to Pokemon cards and I gave each of you a handful of coins. You had to figure out what cards you could buy with the money that you had. 

On Tuesday, Hannah, you woke up coughing you head off. Immediately my mind went to thinking, "Oh no, she has COVID-19." You coughed continuously for about an hour and then as soon as I let you have some screen time, it stopped. We basically quarantined you in your bedroom that morning, through early afternoon and since you didn't have a fever and was back to acting completely normal, we let you out of your room for the remainder of the day, but you still had to wear a mask. 

One activity that I am having you guys do is timed math facts to increase your fluency. Nathan, you actually love doing these and Hannah, you don't mind them too much. You both do try to beat your time from the day before though, and you usually do. I'm just not letting you know that these worksheets are slightly more difficult each day. 

The mornings have been pretty nice, so we still tried to get out and play before it got too hot. Swinging and chalk art on the driveway is always a favorite. 

And then there are the bike rides at the school parking lot. 

And we also spend quite some time reading. Nathan, you are currently re-reading books 1 of Harry Potter to Hannah and re-reading book 2 to yourself. We are almost finished with book 3 and I'm going to have us take a pause for now until you are a bit older before we read book 4. 

One day we went on a bike ride and decided to stop by our neighborhood playground (not to play) but to read under the shade. Here, Hannah, you are reading to us! 

Hailey, you still love to draw. One day I traced some magnets that we have and had you draw in some of the features yourself. This activity then morphed into a puzzle as you matched the puzzle piece with the traced shape. I thought it was pretty cool that you made up your own game with what you had. 

On Thursday, I let you big kids turn on an incense in your Pokemon Go game to attract Pokemon to our house. Nathan, you made a tally-ish chart and recorded all of the Pokemon that showed up.  Hannah, you quit after 4 Pokemon so you just used Nathan's data. 

 I then had you guys graph the data on a bar graph. 

I had found a YouTube video that showed the real animals that some of the Pokemon are designed after. I had you pick your favorite, do a little research and report over the real animal and draw it. Then the next day, I had you use your favorite animal (Nathan doesn't have one, but Hannah, you love flamingos) to create your own Pokemon. For Nathan, I had you write a short Pokedex description of your Pokemon invention. 

In the afternoons you guys practiced martial arts. This week you both have belt testing (virtually) so I had you guys attend class as much as we could. Hailey, you are even inspired to practice martial arts! 

Sometimes you big kids will just play upstairs. Sometimes you play superheros, sometimes it's battling Pokemon, and then there have been times when you guys are playing Beauty and the Beast. All I know is that most of the time all the toys are pulled out to make some sort of barrier or fortress and I need to do a better job of getting you guys to clean up afterwards. 

Hailey has been saying, "Mom, I want to play board games." So I've been picking out some of the more complicated ones and simplifying it a lot so that you can understand the game a the most basic level. Yesss, one more gamer in the family. 

On Friday, I let you guys complete a special paint pouring project, something that I've been exploring with and enjoy doing. I let each of you pick 3 colors, mixed the paint in a cup,

and then you guys would dump the cup over to let the paint drip and swirl around on the canvas. 

It's a pretty fun (but messy) project. 

Even Hailey could do it! 

The 3 of you are super proud of your work and they are all hanging proudly in your rooms right now.

On Friday, Hannah and Nathan helped me make Chinese bread. You helped roll out the dough and wrapped the dough around the creamy custard filling. 

On Saturday morning, we tuned into Sesame street and CNN's special to have you guys learn about racism, which is an issue that is being brought up recently. I was a bit disappointed in the quality in that it was like a CNN show with one expert after another answering questions. You three quickly became bored and I stayed on to watch the remainder of the show to see what I could do to help you guys understand this issue better. After watching it, I have decided that I will teach you guys about the history of the American people starting from the Native Americans, to the white/Europeans, to the blacks, to the Asians and then the Hispanics. The main message I want to teach you guys is that mistreatment of others often comes along when someone feels like they are more important than another person and treats them unfairly. And then I'm going to encourage you guys to stand up for those treated unfairly. We'll see how it goes. 

Auntie Momo arrived shortly after the show and the first thing we did was to make some focaccia bread for lunch. 

You guys made the dough

Decorated the tops of the dough with fruit and candy (totally Hannah's idea and I just reluctantly went along with it as to not crush that creative spirit)

This was after I told Hannah that a lollipop sticking up would not be a good idea....

Nathan, always taking the healthier route decided to make a fruit rocketship. 

The bread turned out delicious and we were able to finish it all in 2 meals. Yum and fun! 

Hailey, you are getting really good at drawing people! I find so much joy in seeing your little creations. Here you drew yourself, with crazy hair, legs, ears and facial features. Sometimes you will just go off on your own and draw for 30 minutes. You have proven to be trustworthy with a dry-erase marker and so I let you draw and erase to your heart's content. 

On Monday morning, we went swimming and in the afternoon we started our Americans unit. I'll share about those lessons next Monday. 

Auntie Momo went back home today, so it's back to just us again. We will miss her fun and silly self (fake country accent and all) and hope that she will come and visit really soon. Nathan, you've been enjoying the endless conversation about Pokemon and Hannah, you will miss the snuggles and games that you have played together. 

Until next week, 

Love, 

Mommy