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Just Plain Fancy
 

Lapbook Templates
 

Bible/Character –

Envy – Discuss the story of Joseph and his colorful coat (Gen 37:1-4). Joseph’s father loved him than his brothers and made him coat of many colors. His bothers envied and hated him because of it. Envy is being discontent because someone has something you wish you had. Discuss how we need to be content and thankful for the things God has given to us. Talk about how being discontentment can soon lead to anger and hate.

Jealousy/Envy/Equality - Discuss how envy will sometimes make you do things that you know are wrong, like lie or trick people. Read A Bargain for Frances by Russell Hoban.  Discuss how the Amish feel that equality is very important, so that everyone is the same and not tempted to feel envy or jealousy.

Go along - The Peacock and the Crane from Aesop’s Fables

Washing of Feet – Amish follow this Biblical custom. Read John 12:3 and discuss how loving Mary was to clean Jesus’ feet. Coloring page to go with the bible verse

Responsibility –Discuss the responsibilities Amish children have such as Naomi’s responsibility is to take care of the chickens. The sisters also hung wash, served food, poured lemonade, and threaded needles for the women.  Naomi got her cap for being responsible. Are you responsible? What do you do to help your family?

Gossip –   There are two definitions for gossip-- one is-- a person given to idle (useless, senseless) talk or rumors, the second one is-- light, familiar talk. Discuss how we need to be careful not to spread rumors and idle talk because it is not kind or honest. The womenfolk in the story were doing what the second definition says. Chatting about their gardens, quilts, etc.  Help your student determine the difference between the two types of talk-- what things are good to talk about and what kinds of things are best left unsaid.

Social Studies –

Pennsylvania – Can you find any clues as to where this story takes place? Look at the back of the delivery truck. Study Pennsylvania with your child. Pennsylvania is the thirty-third largest state, located in the northeastern part of the country.  Pennsylvania, meaning “Penn’s Woods” was named after William Penn, who was given the land by the King of England in 1681 for a debt that was owed to his father, Admiral William Penn. Pennsylvania is known for its history during the Revolutionary War, with the nation’s capital being in Philadelphia. Pennsylvania was the second state (actually a commonwealth) admitted into the union in 1787. Pennsylvania’s outstanding industrial achievements were in iron and steel. Explore the state symbols and why the state adopted these symbols. Especially be sure to mention that the state tree is the eastern hemlock. Possible topics for discussion of Pennsylvania history are the Liberty Bell located in Philadelphia, Lancaster County, Hershey Chocolate Factory, Groundhog Day originating in Punxsutawney, or Gettysburg, the sight of the civil war battle and Gettysburg Address. Famous people from Pennsylvania include Benjamin Franklin, Daniel Boone, John James Audubon, and James Buchanan.

State Flower and Bird Coloring Page

Information and coloring pages can be downloaded from: http://www.enchantedlearning.com/usa/states/pennsylvania

Go Along Books:

The Folks in the Valley; A Pennsylvania Dutch ABC by Jim Aylesworth

Seeds of a Nation - Pennsylvania by Margaret Coull Phillips

Amish – In the 18^th century Anabaptists were persecuted because of their religious beliefs and began migrating from Germany to America. The first immigrants came to Berks County PA, but because of land issues moved to Lancaster County PA. The Amish get their name from Jacob Amman when he left the Swiss Anabaptists because he felt they were drifting away from their teachings especially the one to shun those who have disobeyed the rules of the church. The group was formed in 1693. Amish people have scattered over the eastern part of the US and Canada. There are now 3 groups of Amish- Old Order Amish, Beachy Amish and New Order Amish. Old Order Amish still live a lot like Jacob Amman would have lived; without electricity and a simple lifestyle. Beachy Amish and New Order Amish do not have nearly as strict church rules; some even have electricity and drive cars.
 

Amish Children-- Amish boys and girls each have their chores to do each day, but they still have time to play.  Small girls have rag dolls, which are made from cloth and do not have a face, as graven images are against their belief (Exodus 20). Boys usually play outdoors sports like baseball and volleyball. They also have swing sets and play board games. They usually only go to school until 8^th grade. Then the girls learn how to keep house and the boys learn how make a living. Discuss how Amish children still face the same temptations as we do. (Sharing toys, being honest, doing their chores right, etc.)

Culture –The Amish believe in the simple life and being separate from the world. Electricity is viewed as being connected to or relying on the world for something and that goes against their rule for living a separate life.   They can use batteries and generators to run some of their tools for their work. They use horse and mules to pull their farm equipment. They will not drive cars but will hire someone to take them to places they can’t easily take their horse and buggy.

More Information about the Amish Life
 

Science –

Birds –  The life cycle of a bird is simple in comparison to some other animals: egg, chick and adult. The male and female bird mate, and the eggs are fertilized as they meet with the sperm. Fertilized eggs can be laid for up to two weeks after mating. Most birds lay one egg a day and when they have laid their clutch; they start to incubate them. Incubation time varies among the different birds-- from 10 days for the cowbird up to 80 days for the albatross. Sparrows, thrushes, and robins incubate for 11-15 days; while chickens incubate for 21 days. During incubation the mother turns the eggs once or twice a day to evenly heat them and to keep the membranes of the embryo from sticking to the side of the egg.

Birds eat nuts, seeds, insect, berries, tree sap, flower nectar. The different types of bills tell you what kind of food the bird eats.

Birds have bones specially designed for flight. They are lightweight yet strong. They have four types of feathers; down, body, wing and tail feathers. Down feathers are soft and close to the body and help kept he bird warm. Body feathers lie smoothly over the down feathers and are oily and waterproof. Wing feathers are the long feathers which help the bird to fly. Tail feathers help to steer the bird as it flies and helps balance it on the ground. Adult birds molt at least once a year. Molting is the replacement of feathers; a bird never loses all of its feathers at once-- it happens over a period of time.

The difference between birds and fowls is that fowls are often grown for eating their meat or for their eggs. Birds are not usually eaten. They are enjoyed for their songs and the fact they eat harmful bugs and insects.

bird fertilization

bird incubation

feeding birds

Peacocks -- Peafowl is the term to refer to both male and female. Peacocks are male and Peahens are the female and peachicks are the young. There are two species of Peafowl; the Indian peafowl (Pavo cristatus) from India, often called Blue peafowl and the Green peafowl (Pavo muticus) which lives farther east in Burma, Thailand, Indo China, Malaya and Java. The India Blue peafowl is the one most often found across America. Peafowl are in the pheasant family and are easy to keep and hearty.
 

Peafowl are omnivorous and eat plant parts, flower petals, seed heads, insects and other arthropods, reptiles, and amphibians.

When many people think of a peacock, the first thing that comes to mind is the beautiful colors of this bird’s feathers. Blue, green, gold, and the appearance of what looks like an eye, right in the center of some of the feathers, are the trademarks of this bird. They also have a crest, or crown, on top their head, making them appear even more regal than they already do. The beak is (on average) an inch long in a full-grown bird. Reaching heights of over three feet, an adult peacock’s ‘train’ of tail feathers can be sixty inches in length. A peacock does not come into this full glory of feathers until he is about three years old.   (sources-- wikipedia and essortment)
 

a site with lots on info

another interesting site

coloring pages of peacocks
 

Language Arts –

Foreshadowing – Look at the picture adjacent to title page. What is happening? What do you think might happen in this story? What does “exotic”, written on the egg cartons, mean?

Vocabulary –

Shunned - means to avoid deliberately, to keep away from, take pains to avoid (Amish shun (expel) their people that have disobeyed the rules of their church.)

Ordnung – is a German word for order. For the Amish it is a set of rules, often unwritten, that they live their lives by. It is how they should act, what they are allowed or not allowed to do. Each church has its own Ordnung.

Botherment – a mixture of feelings-- worry, troubled, sadness, uncertainty

Frolic – means a work gathering, usually to build a barn that was burned or any other big work project that needed more people than just your family.

Organdy – a fine, thin yet stiff muslin white in color that Amish ladies use for their caps

Miracle – an event that cannot be explained by any known law of nature, something so rare or unusual it seems like a miracle

Comparing Works –Read the classic story of The Ugly Duckling by Hans Christian Andersen.  Does it remind your student of Just Plain Fancy?  How is The Ugly Duckling different?   Discuss the similarities and differences as well as the moral of the story(ies). 

Math –

Phone Number – On the back of the delivery truck you can see the beginning of a phone number. With your youngest children, help them to memorize their phone number this week.

Art –

Quilting-- Quilts often reflect the quiet lifestyle of the Amish -- the soft, muted colors used in the different designs. Generally solid colors are used in their quilts, and then they are stitched with elaborate designs. They have quiltings where a group of women and girls gather for the day and hand quilt a quilt. It is a social time where younger ones learn to perfect their skills and also learn values from the older ones.  Quilts are given has wedding gifts and for other important events.
 

Try to quilt:

Take two pieces of plain light colored cotton material about 12-18 inches square. Using a pencil lightly draw a simple design (heart, circle, Letter initial) on one of the squares. Put thin quilt batting between the materials and put between an embroidery hoops. Tighten the material in the hoop. Using white cotton thread and needle stitch up and down making small even running stitches.    

This website has detailed instructions and pictures for hand quilting.
 

Another idea is to use colored construction paper and cut it into shapes (squares, stars, rectangles, and triangles) and make a quilt design of your own.

This is a link to a picture of an Amish quilt called Trip around the World