Weekly Wrap Up - Japan week 2

We have a lot of fun around here.
This week we finished up our study of Japan.

Eli built the Nanoblocks Kinkaku-Ji which is a Japanese temple.

He also read Little Leap Forward: A Boy in Beijing, which I got almost free by doing a survey for the publisher.  I love it when I catch a good deal via someone's facebook tip!  

We used the book Multicultural Crafts from Recycled Materials to make these bonsai fans.  I've had this book for years, since the big kids and I did an Around The World unit study when we lived in Santa Rosa.  It's fun to be circling back around and doing some of the same things with the middle kids.

We had a Japanese food tasting one night at dinner, which included the big kids.  

Annaliese is the only one of us who had prior sushi experience.

Fortunately, we have a pretty adventurous crowd.  

That, and I told them they couldn't have dessert unless they tried a taste of sushi.  

Somebody gave Jack a spicy piece.

His try was a very small bite.

'Ese also made some edamame, which Hannah loves and Josiah said was pretty good.

Dessert was mochi, which is a Japanese ice cream treat.

It's covered in a flour like substance (cornstarch, I'm guessing?).  That apparently goes well on one's nose?

It's ice cream wrapped in some sort of gelatin coating.

Which is "okayish" but not a big favorite.

The wrap part is a little like the texture of a gooey marshmallow.

(I have to sneak photos of this one.)

We also located on a map where Zachary was stationed when he was in Japan.

Inspired by a blog post I happened across recently

the kids and I painted Japanese cherry blossoms.

They used brushes for the stems

and fingers (or thumbs!) for the flowers.

We got to blend colors and turn our fingers pink.

And my artistic child was in her element.  

I believe this is Jack's masterpiece.  

They dried much lighter in color than they were when wet.  

Coming up next:  Russia!  I added a bunch of movies to our Netflix queue, and we'll be learning about the ballet and the art of Russia, as well as history & geography.  Should be fascinating!

We're #28! Thanks a million for clicking for us at Top Mommy Blogs!