Here’s a delightful way to finish the school year with a catty unit study.
Finish the School Year with a Catty Unit Study
One usually thinks of the great poet T.S. Eliot as the composer of serious poetry. He had a silly side to him, though. In 1939, he published a book of goofy poems about all the cats he knew. He called it Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats. Once you read it, you’re hooked!
Here’s a fun way to finish the school year using Practical Cats as the anchor for a little unit study for the whole family:
- Family read aloud. Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats is best when read aloud.
- Have your high schoolers (and some middle schoolers) complete our 7Sisters fun Literature Study Guide for Old Possum.
- Discuss the cats on the cover of the book. Many of the editions have several cats humorously portrayed. Have an art moment and sketch some silly cats.
- Go to YouTube and watch some silly cat videos on I Can Haz Cheezburger.
- Andrew Lloyd Webber’s famous Cats: The Musical was based on Old Possum. Watch it as a family.
- Write some poems yourselves. 7Sisters Introductory Guide to Poetry Writing is easy, adaptable to all your age groups, and FUN!
BTW- 7Sisters has several free unit study posts for various occasions, including:
- Unit Study for Memorial Day
- Unit Study for Native Americans Hertich Month
- Unit Study of Black History Month
Just for fun, here is 7Sisters Sabrina’s homeschool spoof of Thomas Nashe’s classic (1600) poem, Spring, the Sweet Spring.
Thomas Nashe (1600) – “Spring, the Sweet Spring”
Spring, the sweet spring, is the year’s pleasant king,
Then blooms each thing, then maids dance in a ring,
Cold doth not sting, the pretty birds do sing:
Cuckoo, jug-jug, pu-we, to-witta-woo!
The palm and may make country houses gay,
Lambs frisk and play, the shepherds pipe all day,
And we hear aye birds tune this merry lay:
Cuckoo, jug-jug, pu-we, to-witta-woo!
The fields breathe sweet, the daisies kiss our feet,
Young lovers meet, old wives a-sunning sit,
In every street these tunes our ears do greet:
Cuckoo, jug-jug, pu-we, to witta-woo!
Here’s Sabrina’s HOMESCHOOL version of Thomas Nashe’s beautiful ode to spring:
Spring, the sweet spring, is the homeschoolers’ king,
We finish things, to our checklists do cling.
Cold doth not sting, and our children all sing:
Woohoo, plug-plug, complete work left to do!
The garden grows, pollens on the air flow.
Sneeze from the nose, this is how springtime goes.
Finish our schoolwork? Ah, yes! I suppose.
Woohoo, plug-plug, complete work left to do!
Our goal we’ll meet, raising children so sweet
With brains – a feat! Homeschool is such a treat.
So rewarding to know we will make it!
Woohoo, plug-plug, complete work left to do!
You WILL make it to the finish line. He who began the good work in you and your kids will be faithful to complete it!
Want some more unit study ideas for the end of the year? For more fun unit studies based on a movie, check out this freebie: Unit Studies Based on Popular Movies.
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Finish the School Year with a Catty Unit Study
