Faraday & Watt

Week 14: Faraday & Watt

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Read K – 3:   This topic is a bit complicated for this age group.  I recommend skipping this lesson and moving on to “Week 15”.

 4 – 8:  Watch the following videos:

• Faraday video Part I: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEVEBzNSwTU
• Faraday video Part II: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVDHKKTC4tA
• James Watt & Steam Engine: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWppmWCW0Qw

Discuss: 

• Why was Faraday famous? (invented the electric motor & electric generator)
• T/F Faraday came from a wealthy family. (F)
• T/F Faraday was considered well-educated. (F)
• What country was Faraday from? (England)
• How did Faraday educate himself? (read many books in the bookstore where he worked)
• Who was Faraday eventually able to work for? (Humphry Davy, a famous scientist)
• At that time scientists believed electricity flowed in a straight line and only on a wire.  What did Faraday believe? (That there was an electro-magnetic field around where electricity flowed.)
• T/F Faraday had a strong faith in God. (T)
• How did Humphry react to Faraday’s success? (wasn’t pleased, possibly jealous)
• Why was Faraday’s invention so important? (generators eventually paved the way for power plants and electricity on a broad scale, motors eventually used to power many things including boats, automobiles, plains, machines, etc.)
• Why was James Watt famous? (made huge improvements to the steam engine, which became the catalyst for the Industrial Revolution)
• What was the Newcomen steam engine used for? (water pump for coal mines)
• Why did the Newcomen steam engine need improvements? (broke often, inefficient)
• Where was James Watt from? (Scotland)
• How was James Watt able to finance his new improved steam engine? (wealthy Matthew Boulton became his business partner)
• How were Watt’s steam engines used? (water pumps for mines, factory work, cotton mills, railroad transportation)
• What unit of electrical power is named in his honor? (the watt)
• Where did the Industrial Revolution begin? (Great Britain)

Discuss: 

K – 3:  None!

4 – 5: Which inventor, Faraday or Watt, do you consider to be more important?  Why? Explain your answer.

6 – 8: Write an essay on one of the following:

• Do you believe Faraday or Watt to be the more important inventor? (5 paragraph, 3 proof essay)
• Discuss how these three events: work at a book-binder’s, tickets to see Humphrey Davy, Humphrey Davy’s injury from a science experiment, paved the way for Faraday to become a great scientist. What role do you believe Faraday’s faith played in his achievements and decisions?

Copyright December 18th, 2016

The Brothers Grimm

Week 13: Great Literature – The Brothers Grimm

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Read K – 2:  Read the following short stories from An Illustrated Treasury of Grimm’s Fairy Tales (Illustrated by Daniela Drescher)

• Cinderella
• The Princess and the Frog
• Rumplestiltskin

 3 – 4:  Read the following short stories from An Illustrated Treasury of Grimm’s Fairy Tales (Illustrated by Daniela Drescher)

• Cinderella
• The Princess and the Frog
• Rumplestiltskin
• Rapunzel
• Sleeping Beauty
• Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs

 5 – 8:  Read the following:

• Who Were the Brothers Grimm? (Read this first)
• Cinderella: http://www.worldoftales.com/fairy_tales/Brothers_Grimm/Grimm_fairy_stories/Cinderella.html
• The Frog Prince: http://www.worldoftales.com/fairy_tales/Brothers_Grimm/Grimm_fairy_stories/The_Frog_Prince.html
• Briar Rose (Sleeping Beauty): http://www.worldoftales.com/fairy_tales/Brothers_Grimm/Grimm_fairy_stories/Briar_Rose.html
• Rumplestiltskin: http://www.worldoftales.com/fairy_tales/Brothers_Grimm/Grimm_fairy_stories/Rumpelstiltskin.html
• Snow White: http://www.worldoftales.com/fairy_tales/Brothers_Grimm/Grimm_fairy_stories/Little_Snow_White.html
• Rapunzel: http://www.worldoftales.com/fairy_tales/Brothers_Grimm/Grimm_fairy_stories/Rapunzel.html

Discuss: For EACH story you read, answer the following questions:

• Every story starts with a problem. What was the problem in this story? (answers will vary)
• How does the main character overcome his or her problem?
• Was there a happy ending at the end of this story? Why do you think the authors chose to end the story the way they did?
• Why do you think this is such a popular story?
• Did you like the story? Why or why not?

Questions for Grades 5 – 8:

• Why are the Brothers Grimm so famous? (compiled wonderful stories)
• What were the brothers’ names? (Jacob & Wilhelm)
• Were fairy tales written down before the brothers Grimm created their book(s)? (No, passed down orally)
• Why? (no one thought fairy tales were important enough to put into books)
• What country were the brothers born in? (Holy Roman Empire – German states)
• What tragedy occurred in the Grimm family while the boys were young? (father died suddenly)
• What professor greatly influenced the Grimm brothers? (Professor Savigny)
• Why were there suddenly strong French influences over the brothers’ German town? (Napoleon began conquering lands surrounding France)
• What hard times did the brothers go through as young adults? (under French rule, mother died; had to care for family; were both out of work, for a time only ate 1 meal a day, Wilhelm had health problems)
• How did the brothers find stories to put into their book? (by meeting with story tellers)
• What was the name of their book? (Children’s and Household Tales)
• Was their book successful? (yes, immediate success)
• Where did the brothers work together? (at a library)
• Name some of the other books published by the brothers. (More fairy tales, German legends, German grammar – which gave history of Germanic languages, German Mythology, German dictionary)
• How did the Grimms’ brother, Ludwig, contribute to their fairy tales? (illustrated them in later edition of their book)
• Why was Jacob forced to leave his university? (stood up to king, who was taking away people’s rights at the university)
• T/F The Grimm brothers lived together and stayed close friends most of their lives.  (T)

Activities:

K – 1: Draw your own pictures to go with one of the Brothers Grimm stories.

2 – 3: Draw your own pictures to go with your favorite Brothers Grimm story and tell in a short paragraph why it is your favorite.

4 – 5: Write a paragraph on the following: What lessons do you believe the “Frog Prince” was meant to teach children?  How is the princess similar to teenagers today?  How is she different?

6 – 8:  Write an essay on one of the following:

• What lessons do you believe the “Frog Prince” was meant to teach children? How is the princess similar to teenagers today?  How is she different?
• Overall, which fairy tales do you find more interesting/entertaining, those of Hans Christian Andersen, or the Brothers Grimm? Why?
• When the Brothers Grimm published their fairy tales, they were very popular, but some parents felt they were too violent. Discuss the violent aspects of the fairy tales you read, and how they differ from the same versions of the story you hear today.

Copyright December 11th, 2016 by Gwen Fredette

 

Hans Christian Andersen

Week 12: Great Literature – Hans Christian Andersen

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Read K – 2:  Read the following short stories from Hans Christian Andersen Fairy Tales (Compiled by Michael Hague)

• The Emperor’s New Clothes
• The Ugly Duckling
• The Little Match Girl

 3 – 4:  Read the following short stories from Hans Christian Andersen Fairy Tales (Compiled by Michael Hague)

• The Emperor’s New Clothes
• The Ugly Duckling
• The Little Match Girl
• The Little Mermaid

 5 – 6:  Read the following: 

• A Fairy Tale Life by Joann Johansen Burch (Read this first!)
• And these stories by Hans Christian Andersen at www.readcentral.com: The Ugly Duckling
• The Little Mermaid
• The Emperor’s New Clothes 
• The Little Match Girl 
• The Princess and the Pea 

7 – 8:   Do the following:

• Read all of the above selections (from Grades 5 & 6)
• and Read The Snow Queen

Discuss: For EACH story you read, answer the following questions:

• Every story starts with a problem. What was the problem in this story? (answers will vary)
• How does the main character overcome his or her problem?
• Was there a happy ending at the end of this story? Why do you think Hans chose to end the story the way he did?
• Why do you think this is such a popular story?
• Did you like the story? Why or why not?

Questions for Grades 5 – 8:

• Why is Hans Christian Andersen famous? (wrote wonderful stories)
• What was life like for Hans when he was a boy? (very poor, father died after being in Napoleon’s army, teased a lot by boys, loved by parents and grandmother, loved to hear stories and plays as a child, loved to play with his puppet theater)
• What was his father’s job? (shoemaker)
• Where was Hans from? (Denmark)
• What did Hans look like? (very tall, very skinny, very big hands and feet)
• Did Hans learn much at school? (no, daydreamer, school bored him)
• Who was Hans’ favorite author? (Shakespeare)
• As a teenager, what did Hans like to do with his time? (Sing & Make up stories and plays)
• Why didn’t people like Han’s stories when he was young? (Stories good but he had little education and his spelling and grammar were terrible)
• T/F Hans sang well enough that he was able to go to the Royal Theater’s singing school for free. (T)
• Why did Hans have to leave the school? (His voice changed & he was often sick because he didn’t have warm enough clothes)
• How was Hans able to get an education? (Directors of Royal Theater found a play he had written “worthwhile” and recommended him to King Frederick VI who gave him enough money to live on for 3 years and gave him free instruction at a boarding school)
• Describe his experiences under Meisling at school? (Meisling belittled and bullied him until he felt worthless; finally it was arranged for him to have a private tutor)
• After he finished his education, were his plays and stories a success? (Yes)
• Why did Hans call his fairy tales “trifles”? (didn’t consider them important)
• Did Hans ever marry? Why? (no woman wanted him)
• Name some of Hans most famous stories? (The Little Match Girl, The Emperor’s New Clothes, the Ugly Duckling, the Little Mermaid, the Snow Queen, The Princess and the Pea)
• How is the Little Mermaid different from the Disney movie? (Little Mermaid doesn’t marry the prince)
• T/F Hans wanted to be famous for his children’s stories? (F – wanted to be famous for his plays and stories for adults)
• Authors write best what they know.  For each story you read, tell how one or more of the characters is like Hans or is similar to what he experienced in life?

Activities: 

K – 1: Draw your own pictures to go with one of Hans Christian Andersen’s stories.

2 – 3:  Draw your own pictures to go with your favorite Hans Christian Andersen story and tell in a short paragraph why it is your favorite.

4 – 5:  Write a short essay on one of the following:

1. Compare and contrast Andersen’s The Little Mermaid with the Disney version of The Little Mermaid.
2. Compare and contrast The Ugly Duckling with Hans Christian Andersen’s life.
3. Compare and contrast The Little Mermaid with Hans Christian Andersen’s life.

6 – 8:  Write an essay on one of the following:

1. Compare and contrast The Snow Queen with The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe.
2. Compare and contrast The Ugly Duckling with Hans Christian Andersen’s life.
3. Compare and contrast The Little Mermaid with Hans Christian Andersen’s life.

Copyright December 2nd, 2016 by Gwen Fredette