Building Civil War Pontoon Bridges

We discovered last time we did this unit that water bottles make great pontoons! Sebby was fascinated with all kinds of bridges at the time, so we went much more in-depth in our bridge and army engineering study than we might otherwise have. While I don't currently have anyone quite as obsessed as Seb was, spending an afternoon at the little creek building bridges is great fun for anyone!

Here are a couple videos about modern Pontoon Bridges:

SR-520 Pontoon Float-out

Floating Bridge Documentary

We split into teams so that each team could build their own bridge. I let them figure out their own designs and how to construct them!

Gus fell in the water almost immediately, of course. Luckily it was a hot day.

Daisy and Junie's first bridge was great! Strong enough to hold several marching soldiers.

Gus soon cheered up and was happily showing me how the cut on his toe was "almost better."

Daisy and Teddy tried a different bridge design, which worked maybe even better too. It was good to have some space between the pontoons for the current to go by and put less pressure on the bridge.

Their bridge was also nice and long!

The soldiers were able to sneak over to the enemy camp for a surprise attack!

Goldie and Junie tried a second bridge after seeing Daisy and Teddy's.

It was very sturdy!

Camp Floyd field trip

I read that Camp Floyd, which is a historical site about an hour away, was having a "Johnston's Army encampment" day during our unit. Johnston's Army is the army that came out to Utah during the "Utah War," and we members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have no warm feelings toward them, that's for sure! It was in 1857, a little before the Civil War, but the uniforms and weapons of the soldiers were similar to Civil War times. And Camp Floyd is the place they were stationed. So I decided we'd go out there for a field trip.

We'd seen Civil War reenactors before at Fort Douglas, which is right in Salt Lake City. But I'd never been to Camp Floyd. I was surprised how small the State Park is, and how little there is to do. Ha! I would never have gone there if there weren't this event being held, but even with the event I was glad we'd brought a picnic so it didn't feel like a total waste of a trip! And it got more fun after the re-enacting soldiers started showing us things like how to fire a musket and what was in their knapsacks. There were even some fun little old-fashioned games over in a nearby field. So we did have a good time.

Gus rolling hoops

Carrying water

Stick horses

Building a log cabin

There's a little museum inside this Inn, which was a stagecoach stop and a stop for the Pony Express. There are some interesting period artifacts and furniture inside.

This is a key from the telegraph machine that was here

The hugest lilac tree I've ever seen!

Our favorite part was when the soldiers showed us how to load and fire real muskets

This soldier also had an authentic army rucksack with the items a solider would have carried—comb, razor, tooth powder, sewing kit, etc.

Clementine had fun just running all around!

On the way home there was a cool storm that framed Mount Timpanogos perfectly!

Memorizing the Gettysburg Address

I challenged the children to memorize the Gettysburg Address and told them there would be a reward if they did so! Daisy, who always accepts a challenge, was the first to get it memorized, and I assumed would be the ONLY one to do so. But when the others saw her eating the RitterSport candy bar I gave her, they were galvanized into action, and they ALL ended up getting it memorized! Well, Junie, Goldie, and Teddy, I mean. I'm sure Malachi could have done it (he often memorizes 10-minute-long oratories for Debate!) but he didn't bother. :)

One day when I was talking to Abe on the phone (he's on a church mission in Texas right now) I asked him if he still remembered the Gettysburg Address. He said he didn't but he could probably do parts of it if you got him going! I think it was lots easier for me to re-learn it this time, having done it before. It's really just those last three long sentences that are the hardest.

Somehow I didn't take a video of Teddy yet! But I will update this if he still remembers it. Anyway, here are the rest of the children reciting it, for posterity. 

Goldie

Junie

Daisy

Danish Heritage Day

Our Stake had a Family Discovery Day and asked people to sign up to do table about their family heritage. We chose to show things from our Danish ancestors, which are on both sides of the family! Most of the stuff I had came from my mom's mother, Nana.

Daisy and Goldie dressed up as little Danish girls. I did their hair in what we call "Danish braids," and Goldie wore her Santa Lucia outfit. Daisy wore a pretty apron Nana made for me…not sure it's really "Danish," but Nana was Danish so it counts!

Here is our table. We made about 200 æbleskiver and let people sample them. We had lemon curd and whipped cream to put on top. Yum! They all got eaten, every single one.

It was fun to celebrate our heritage and learn about other people's family history as well!

Vortex Cannons and (Yarn) Yama Men

We talked about Civil War weapons and then made Vortex Cannons, which aren't really the same thing as Civil War Cannons at all, but they're fun, anyway! You just seal up all the air in a box, cut one hole in it, and bang it on the sides to get an air vortex to come out! It's pretty easy to knock over a whole stack of styrofoam cups with the blast of air. Here's a video where they put smoke in the air so you can actually see the vortex!

The Vortex Cannon--Student Science

This was an interesting video about the many steps for loading and firing a musket and cannon.

Musket Drills and Firing Cannons

This video shows a musket firing in slow motion. Really cool.

Slow motion musket firing

And here are our vortex cannons in action. Takes a minute to get them pointed the right way, but you can sure tell when you've got it right!

We did an activity where we made yarn dolls like the children in the 1800s might have played with. My grandma called these dolls "Yama Men," for some reason, so we do too! (There's even a little song my mom would sing while creeping the Yama man up to tickle your chin…"The Yama Yama, the Yama Man, He will catch you if he can! So run for your mama, 'cause here comes the Yama, the Ya-ma Man!") 

Basic instructions are here, but it's easy to fiddle with once you get the hang of it! The kids through Teddy had no trouble making their own.

I can't say it's a very neat activity, though! :)

Daisy made a whole Yama Family. So cute!! I loved the baby especially.

Junie made different colors, and Yama Mamas as well as Yama Men.

Goldie made lots of cute ones too, but somehow all I have a picture of is this cute little puff of a baby.

Kind siblings made some Yama Men for Ziggy (or did I make these? can't remember now.)

Teddy made a really cute Yama Bunny, after which Gus demanded a "Yama Caw" for himself.

So with great ingenuity, I made one. My masterpiece!

Gus loved him! He slept with him for quite a while. Of course, these guys inevitably fall apart after a few weeks, and then you're finding yarn all over the floor and throwing them out in frustration, but never mind that—they are fun till that time comes! :)