Studying Asia

Today we went to Asia...  We combined Week 8 and 9 for CC - locations included China, Korea, Japan - so we had a combo of looks for all those!  We made Chinese books and Japanese scrolls and then we ate foods from those 3 locations.

 We used wide craft sticks and raffia or twine to make the "books".  First we marked about 1/4" down from the top on each end for all the sticks.  Then they were notched using two different methods.  One of us used carpenter's blade and made V notches and the other used nail scissors (but you have to hold on to the wood closely and firmly to avoid it splitting).  It was definitely a challenge and not as easy as you'd think to make those notches!  Next we used the twine/raffia to place in the notches and connect them.  The technique that worked the best in the end was to line them all up and place a heavy weighted item on the end.  Then we tied a knot around the first stick and wound it around the next stick and knotted that and so on.  They don't lay perfectly and are looser then you'd think -but they worked fine in the end.  We did have some difficulty with putting them together and figuring out how to make them work.  Seemed simple but it wasn't.  I would definitely say it's not something a younger child could do themselves unless they're gifted in craftiness!  Next we used sharpie markers and I had printed out chinese symbols for them to then pick what they wanted to "write" on their sticks.

We also made Japanese scrolls.  This project required 4"x12" paper, toilet paper rolls, red string, glue and tempera paint.  The kids made Japanese characters on their paper, let it dry, then glued the top of their paper to the toilet paper rolls and ran a string through the roll to hang it by.  

Lastly, we had a variety of foods from Korea, Japan and China.  They drank green tea, miso soup, Korean style dried seaweed, rice, chicken and broccoli stir-fry and sushi rolls.  To end it all they ate fortune cookies of course.

Some of what was made is below (coolie hats and fans were awesome and made/brought by one of the Moms/kids)....