Monday, April 13, 2009

Book #17: Tonight on the Titanic

Jack and Annie board the doomed ship to collect the first of four gifts they need to break a spell.

In this second-to-last MTH book before summer, I had my trivia ready, but we didn't get to do it. Why? We were busy doing Morse Code! Morse Code, you say, however did you accomplish such a task? Well, here is how:

I gave everyone a copy of the Morse Code alphabet. Using a flashlight, everyone who wanted to had the opportunity to spell out a word in Morse Code for the rest of us to guess. I was told the word in advance, and spelled it out on the white board as we got each letter correct. It was harder than you'd think, at first, but definitely got easier as we went along! We learned some Morse Code because that is, of course, what the radio operator on the Titanic used to send the distress signal. Nearly everyone wanted to try it!

Though we ran a little later than usual, we did get to our craft, and anyone who didn't finish there took supplies home with which to complete it. The craft we did was a very modified version of the shadowbox craft I found on this site.

Supplies:

small white photo mats
photocopies of Titanic era newspaper article (any Titanic related articles available online)
markers/crayons/colored pencils
glue sticks
self-stick foam shapes (sea-themed and letters)
brown paper bags
self-stick magnets
scissors

Cut to size and glue the newspaper reproduction behind the matting so the print faces out of the mat. Decorate with any writing or nautical theme you like. The paper bags can be used to give the mat an older look and feel. Place self-stick magnets on the back so you can hang your craft on the fridge or other magnetic surface.

Join us on Wednesday, May 13th, for the last Magic Tree House Book Club before summer vacation, featuring book #18, Buffalo Before Breakfast. Don't forget to register!

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