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Mama, Do You Love Me?
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Literature Based Unit Study by Susan Mallette
Share much love as you snuggle together to read this classic story of unconditional love between a mother and child.
Social Studies
Human Relationships: Love
Talk about what love is, how it means caring, sharing,
helping and being with someone else. Talk about how love looks when you do
something forgetful like throw your laundry on the bathroom floor instead of in
the hamper? Does love go away then? Do Mom’s love children more if they remember
to pick up their toys? Explain to children that love is not something you give
to them sometimes but all the time.
Culture: Inuit People (contributed by Wende)
Inuit – Inuit, meaning "people" is another
name for Eskimo, meaning "eaters of raw meat". The land of the Eskimo is vast,
stretching from eastern Siberia to Greenland, considered the coldest parts of
earth. Ever since they moved to this harsh but beautiful area thousands of years
ago, the Inuit have learned to cope with the elements. They were a nomadic
people, and would travel the Arctic regions following animals. They are thought
to have invented the snow houses, igluvigaq, called igloos, and became great
hunters of seals and caribou. They learned to use whatever natural resources
they could find. They learned to use all parts of the animals they hunted. Skins
were used to cover boats called kayaks, and for clothing. The blubber was burned
in lamps for light and heat. Bones were used for tools, and the rafters in their
snow houses. Other items they found, such as rocks or rare pieces of driftwood,
were pieced together to
make spears, harpoons, sleds, and bows. An Inuit's wardrobe consisted of layers
of caribou skins – a pair of boots and boot linings, two suits of pants and
hooded jacket, and a pair of mittens. They knew the benefit of dressing in
layers to lock in the body's heat. The first layer was worn with the fur against
the skin, and the outer layer was worn with the fur on the outside. The Inuit
diet consisted mainly of seal, caribou, and fish, them eating almost every part
of the creature killed, including the contents of the stomach. They would
preserve food by freezing or drying. While the Eskimos, true to their name,
usually ate the meat raw, sometimes they would cook it over the blubber lamps.
Inuit have always been fond of songs, dancing, and games. The men were the
hunters, and were judged by their skill with a bow, as well as their courage,
respect, humility, and willingness to share. The women cooked and sewed, raised
the children, and helped with breaking down and moving camp. Inuit children were
raised with patience and understanding, and were taught through games and toys
the skills they would need as adults. Today, there are few Inuit living the
traditional ways. During the mid 1900's, more than half of the Inuit population
died of smallpox, measles, and influenza. The traditional way of living changed
for the remaining few, as explorers continued coming to the land of the Inuit.
The Inuit, for the most part, now live in pre-fabricated
houses, attend schools, and use modern day conveniences.
Go along books –
Iglook's Seal by Bernard Wiseman
The World of the American Indian by National Geographic Society
Very Last First Time by Jan Andrews (FIAR Volume I selection)
Craft Ideas
Heart Card
What
you need:
Pink or
red construction paper
Markers
A
medium size see through jar
What to
do:
Help
your child think of a time he did something that tested your patience like dump
all his puzzle pieces from every box in one pile on the floor.
Cut out
a heart and write a sentence about that time on the heart. Something like I
loved Amy when she threw all the puzzle pieces on the floor.
Brainstorm more examples of good times like: I love you when you hug me in the
morning; and patient testing times like: I love you when you track muddy
footprints on the clean kitchen floor, and write them on hearts. Put the hearts
in a jar and next time your child is fussing about something pull a heart from
the jar, read it and give them a hug. It’s always nice to know Mom loves you all
the time.
Snow Collage
What
you need:
Glue
thinned with a bit of water
Dark
blue or black construction paper
White
items like: cotton balls, coconut, salt, sugar, white chocolate chips, frosted
white cereal, white beans and rice
What
you do:
Use
glue thinned with a bit of water to paint a picture on dark construction paper.
Then use white foods and objects to make your picture come to life.
Science
Salt Water Freeze Experiment
Question: How come the ocean freezes in the Artic? I thought salt water would not freeze.
What
you need:
2 small
clear plastic cups
Water
6
tablespoons of salt
What
you do:
Fill
both clear plastic cups 1 quarter full of water.
Put 6
tablespoons of table salt in one of the cups of water and stir.
Freeze
both cups.
Notice
how the salt goes to the bottom of the cup of salt water and how the water on
top freezes.
Answer: Salt water does freeze if the temperature gets cold enough like in the Arctic. The salt in the water separates from the water and the water freezes while the salt in the ocean water goes to the bottom.
Fact: In the Arctic the ocean freezes when it gets really cold.
Snack - Eskimo Cookies
Ingredients:
1 1/2
sticks of soft butter
3/4 cup
of sugar
1
tablespoon of cold water
1/2
teaspoon of vanilla
3
tablespoons of cocoa
2 cups
of uncooked quick oats
A bowl
of confectioners sugar
Cream butter and sugar, add water and vanilla and cocoa. Mix in oats and chill for 3 hours. Shape into balls or circle cookies. Sprinkle or roll in confectioners sugar. Keep refrigerated.
Note: The recipe above is not an authentic Arctic food. The Arctic people eat mostly raw fish and rice. Fresh fruits and vegetables have to bought from the mainland and are very expensive.
Go Along Books
No Matter What by Debi Gliori
Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney
Papa, Do You Love Me? by Barbara M. Joosse
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