Night Unit (and the Morning Bakers)

There is so much great literature featuring NIGHT as a theme or a symbol. We loved all the stories we read this first day, and kept track on a wall chart of what the different connotations and metaphors associated with the nighttime were. After we read a bunch of stories using the "something secret that happens while everyone else is asleep" formula, we wrote our own on the same theme. (Well, I wrote Malachi's while he dictated.) The boys got really into it, especially Abe, who made chapters in his. So cute!

We also read a few books about jobs that happen at night. We talked about which ones we would like to do, and which ones we wouldn't. Then we made bakers' hats (I looked at this for instructions but ended up just sort of winging it. Crafts are not really my forte.):

I told them whoever wanted to could join me in getting up at "bakers' hours"--4 a.m.--to bake cinnamon rolls for our breakfast the next day. They all wanted to.

They were sleepy, but willing, the next morning. (I didn't wake up Daisy.) They wore their hats, of course. It was fun to be up in the dark and talk about what it would feel like if we had to get up every day at 4 a.m. We got the dough rising for its first rise, and then went outside for a walk in the dark. We listened to all the night sounds and speculated about any cars or lighted houses we saw: why were they awake? Where were they going? The boys were so happy and talked in giggly whispers. They loved the feeling of being awake while everyone else was still asleep.

I made everyone go back to bed while the dough rose. They all said they were too awake to go back to sleep, but they all did fall asleep anyway. :)  When I woke them up the second time, it was good because we were able to talk about that hour of sleep, how long it had seemed, if they'd dreamed, etc. even in that short time---a good prelude to our discussion on sleep and dreams the next day.

We shaped the rolls and made frosting while they rose again, then baked them.

The cinnamon rolls were delicious and we all had a new appreciation for people who get up early to do their jobs! If I had to get up at 4 every morning to do something, I suppose baking would be the best thing. The boys said we should do this every day. I said NO. :)