I may have already mentioned that I wanted to do a quick unit with Daniel on Weather.  One of the motivating forces was that I was going to give all our weather resources to a friend, another was that the other kids have always enjoyed our weather units and the third was probably the biggest, that at this time of the year we have “weather” to observe so it is the best time to do such a unit.

Daniel though, didn’t greet me with much enthusiasm at all.  “Mum, I know about weather – Miss Frizzle”  He was probably right.  Miss Frizzle from Magic School Bus has taught my children a good portion of their early science.  But I didn’t listen and I persevered with my planned lessons!

Daniel was right.  There really was no need to do more.  Jessica had a session with him one day when I was out of town and he completed 2 notebook pages on what makes weather (ingredients) and what are some different expressions of weather.

But what Daniel really wanted to do was to make “Mr Weatherman” – once again,  thanks to the kids on Magic School Bus.  He found a shirt that fitted his plan; the box of felt and was ready to go.  He had to draw a pattern, which he cut out but I cut out the felt for him.  He stitched a good 2/3 of the big black felt cloud onto his t-shirt.  By the end of this his fingers were getting a bit tired and started stitching through front and back of their shirt and getting into quite a tangle.  I finished it off for him.  He also designed a flash of lightening which we also cut out of felt and stitched onto the shirt.

The next thing he had his eyes on were shoes – Hero shoes.  I asked him, “How are you going to do that?”  He didn’t know yet.  One of his siblings reminded us of something Pete said a few days ago, “Anything Daniel can’t make from masking tape and cardboard – isn’t worth making!”  Sure enough, before long, Daniel had cardboard tubes masking-taped to his boots – Hero shoes!  He soon had a problem and that was that he couldn’t get his foot into these modified boots but that just gave him another situation, a problem, to ponder.  He now puts the tube on his leg, then his boots and then just pulls the tube down over the tops of his boots.  All things are possible with masking tape!

Daniel has been wearing his weatherman costume for weeks now.  Added to these items he made he wears a red towel, pinned into a cape and we have WEATHER MAN!