weekly Wrap UP 12/15/17--DNA and RNA

We have been learning about DNA and RNA and doing lots  of fun activities to better understand in addition to lots of reading and watching videos.

I found a site that helps create your name in DNA which you can look up here

His finished name and we added sugar and phosphate
to the DNA strand

 Then turned it into a double helix

Continuing with our decoding exercises

We watched several videos to further explain DNA and RNA and how it all works.

I have to tell you someone told me about a (new to me) Science videos series aim more at middle schoolers call Amoeba Sisters.  Some videos even come with free handouts!  Check out their site here!

We plan to spend another week working on this and our next lab is to create DNA with real fruit and maybe even from our own body:)  We will see what turns out.


In Art the boys are learning about Faith Ringold and completing  few art projects.  We use Meet the Masters as a base and then we add to it as we can.  We find we are spending about two weeks on each artist to learn about their life and to do two different art projects, one from meet the masters and one that I find on my own.

Some of the books we looked at to better understand this artist

Did you know Mike Venezia books now come in Video form!  The boys loved that!

Not only is Faith Ringgold an artist but she is also an author

Worked on the Meet the Master art work

Boys finished projects.

We did another project that I came up with on my own, although somewhere out there in computer land I am sure someone thought of this too, but if they did I couldn't find it;).

The boys found a quilt pattern of an animal that they like

Then using paper (we used scrap book paper, origami paper and construction paper) the boys cut out and recreated their quilt pattern.  I thought they did a great job.  This project gave the boys an idea of what goes into making a quilt pattern and how much time it would take.

For Literature we have been reading Alice in Wonderland and learning about Nonce and Portmanteau words using our Lightening Literature program.

We had fun looking up these types of words and doing a few fun activities to go with the lesson.

After our lessons we had a few extra minutes so the boys decided to teach us about video games and even gave us Moms a quiz.  Luckily we passed only missed one question between us:)

The boys drawing out the various levels of the game on the chalk board.  :)

another busy week is done:)