Night of the Moonjellies Five in a Row Activities

Are you homeschooling with Five in a Row, too?  Our latest row was Night of the Moonjellies by Mark Shasha.

As I read the book to Big Brother, I couldn't help but feel like we were in the midst of the hustle and bustle of Mar-Gra's hot dog stand.  

I felt like I was part of a special memory between Mark and his grandmother.    

I felt like I was in the middle of the sea surrounded by moonjellies!  

This sweet story was inspired by the author's childhood; it just proves the importance of making memories with the ones you love-- it may turn into a book one day!

Night of the Moonjellies Activities

Social Studies:

• Geography--New England:  

We've talked about the states that make up New England, but much had been forgotten!  But I am pretty confident he knows where this region is now!

• Slap a [New England] State:  

Here we are using our US State cards from Lakeshore Learning; I like that the states are colored by region, but it's also on the back of the card so there was some "cheating" going on!  

We also played with cards from the Scrambled States game, but it was difficult for Big Brother to recognize the states.

• Responsibility:  

Check out my post detailing Big Brother's new Tic-Tac-Toe Chore Chart.  Two weeks in and he still enjoys crossing the boxes off!

Language Arts:

• Descriptive Writing/ Five Senses:

• Short/ Long Vowel Sound Sort:  

Big Brother learned short /a/ and long /a/ vowel sounds while rowing Mirette on the High Wire, also.  This beach themed sorting activity were just perfect for this row!

Math:

• Counting Money:  

Using our Melissa and Doug Money Set, Big Brother practiced making change to buy food.  We used money cards from Making Learning Fun.

Learning how to count change was a great math activity for this book as the setting happens to be at Mar-Gra's restaurant & you better know how to deal with money there!

Art:

• Watercolor Jellyfish:   

This lesson is from Deep Space Sparkle-- my FAVORITE art blog!!  I wish we had better watercolor paper for this project... the cheapie Crayola brand is too thin.

• Jellyfish Craft:  

I've seen a couple different ways you could make one, but decided on the paper mache' method.  Big Brother coated half of a balloon with iridescent orange paper and after it dried I used a hole punch to make holes around the base of it.  Then I threaded ribbon in each hole and tied the pieces to stay in place. 

Doesn't it look like a real jellyfish?!

                                         

Science: 

• Label a Jellyfish 

• Aquatic Biome:  

Big Brother learned that things that live in the water, need water to survive.  Big Brother colored some fish and coral printables and we used them in a ocean diorama.

Just for fun:

• Field trip to the Aquarium!  

This was by far my favorite part!  My husband thought I was "Jellyfish Obsessed" because all I did this week was talk about Jellyfish... jellyfish... jellyfish-- but it was a theme of the book!  There happened to be a special Jellyfish Exhibit going on at the time -- so awesome to SEE these creatures we had been studying about!

And we saw MOONJELLIES!

Last but not least, 

• Swimming with the Jellies!  

A genius idea to use glow sticks in the bathtub!  Both kiddos LOVED this!

Night of the Moonjellies Inspiration:

• What are Moonjellies?

• FIAR Pinterest Board

Visit our page, Homeschholing with Five in a Row, to see our activities from every volume

More Ocean Activities:

• Ocean Small World

• Ocean NUMBERS Card Game

• Paper Plate Jellyfish