Blogging From A to Z Challenge: K is for Knitting

Happy Monday! I hope you all had a great Easter—even if it was probably not your usual way to celebrate the holidays. My family had a virtual gathering—about ten of us on a Zoom call, eating ham, Grandma's famous potatoes, and a bunch of veggies. And of course, there was an egg hunt. So much chocolate!

I didn't write a blog yesterday, because the Blogging From A to Z Challenge takes a break every Sunday, but I'm ready to kick off this week with the letter "K." Oh, in case you missed it, my theme this year is 26 Super Fun Learning Activities You Can Do From Home. That's right, I'm conjuring up 26 "educational" ideas to keep you busy while you're safe at home. But don't get too hung up on the word "educational"—so far, they've all be fun activities. Am I wrong?

Just to recap, I kicked off the challenge with Art for the letter A. Next up was B was for Baking. My sister and I did some chemistry for the letter "C," and I rounded off the first week with a family dance off. "E" was for exercise (which was way more fun than you think) and "F" was all about family. We did some gardening for "G," celebrated Poetry Month and the letter "H" by writing haikus. And of course, I was for Invention. Week two ended with juggling. How did that go for you? I didn't break anything, but Mom says she's ready for us to "move on" from "J." So, here we go....

K is for Knitting 

Before we sat down to dinner last night, Mom and Grandma did a food exchange—Mom left a Lemon Cake on Grandma's doorstep, and brought home a bag Grandma had left for us. Her delicious potatoes were part of it, but there was something else in the bag too—two sets of knitting needles, and a bunch of yarn.

At first I was confused—Mom doesn't knit. Grandma does though, and my sister and I have received a number of knitted sweaters and scarves over the years. She loves to knit. So why would she give us her yarn?

Turns out, Amelia and I are learning to knit today—on a Zoom call with Grandma. I tried to hide it, but I'm sure my face scrunched up with confusion. Knitting? How is that fun? Or educational?

But then Mom showed me a couple of patterns Grandma is going to show us how to knit and the "fun" part became clear. Butterflies for Amelia (the junior entomologist) and PUMPKINS for me. (If you've been following my blog, you know I love all things Halloween.)

But what about the educational part?

Mom says "knitting" is a life skill—even if we hardly use it—and it teaches us focus and concentration (here we go with those words again.) But apparently it also helps with counting and math, and also, how to cope with frustration. I get the feeling it might not be as easy as it looks. Luckily, Grandma has a lot of patience with us.

Want to learn too knit but you don't have anyone to teach you? Check out YouTube for a bunch of great tutorials, including this one.

Gotta jet! Don't forget to check back tomorrow for the letter "L." Until then...happy knitting!

~ Chase Superman Duffy

Blogging From A to Z Challenge: J is for Juggling

How did you inventing go yesterday? I didn't come up with anything new, but my sister and I did try some of the ideas from the videos I linked to—so much fun. Oh, in case you didn't know, I'm participating in the annual Blogging from A to Z Challenge and my theme this year is 26 Super Fun Learning Activities You Can Do From Home. That's right, I'm conjuring up 26 "educational" ideas to keep you busy while you're safe at home. But don't get too hung up on the word "educational"—so far, they've all be fun activities. Honest!

Last Wednesday, I kicked off the challenge with Art for the letter A. On Thursday, B was for Baking. My sister and I did some chemistry on Friday, and I rounded off the week with a family dance off. On Monday, we did some exercise (which was way more fun than you think) Tuesday was all about family, Wednesday we did some gardening, and yesterday we celebrated Poetry Month by writing haikus. And of course, I was for Invention.

Today's "J" post is all about the fun.

J is for Juggling 

I wouldn't call myself the most coordinated kid in the world. Sure, I can run fast—super fast—but when Dad jokes that I can't chew gum and walk at the same time, he's not all that wrong. It takes all my concentration to multi-task.

Which is why today's educational at-home activity is a little...daunting.

A few years ago, Grandma bought us a juggling kit and well, today we're going to give it a try. Don't worry if you don't have a juggling kit—you can juggle all kinds of things. Just not...breakables. And maybe aim to practice where there aren't other breakables...

This diagram is a good way to get you started:

But there are also a ton of YouTube videos you can watch, like this one.

Sounds like fun, right? I think it will be—but how is it educational? Well, juggling helps with coordination—which is something I need—as well as concentration. (I talked to Grandma on the phone this morning and she warned me it wouldn't be easy.) And that kind of focus can be applied to all learning—like problem solving, reading, and even physical activity...pretty sure I'll get lots of exercise today chasing after my bean bags when I toss them too far!

Gotta jet! The Blogging From A to Z Challenge takes Sundays off, so there's no post tomorrow—but I'll be back Monday for the letter "K." K? K! I hope you and your family have a Hoppy Easter—it may not be the kind you're used to, but it will definitely be unforgettable.

Oh! I forgot—another great "J" activity is JOURNALING. Dad says we should be documenting this whole pandemic thing, and I agree. I think it will be interesting to look back a year from now and think about all of the ways life had changed. I wonder how much of it will have gone back to normal?

Okay, going for real now! See you Monday.

~ Chase Superman Duffy

Blogging From A to Z Challenge: I is for Invention

Hoppy Friday! I know, it probably doesn't feel much like Easter right now—though, I hear the Easter Bunny has been declared an essential service!—but Mom says we're going to make the best of it with a virtual egg hunt at Grandma's house, a nice ham dinner, and a Sunday full of eggcellent crafts. <heh> But before that....

I'm participating in the annual Blogging from A to Z Challenge and my theme this year is 26 Super Fun Learning Activities You Can Do From Home. That's right, I'm conjuring up 26 "educational" ideas to keep you busy while you're safe at home. But don't get too hung up on the word "educational"—so far, they've all be fun activities. Honest!

Last Wednesday, I kicked off the challenge with Art for the letter A. On Thursday, B was for Baking. My sister and I did some chemistry on Friday, and I rounded off the week with a family dance off. On Monday, we did some exercise (which was way more fun than you think) Tuesday was all about family, Wednesday we did some gardening, and yesterday we celebrated Poetry Month by writing haikus. Feel free to share yours, by the way.

What have I planned for the letter "I?" Scroll down to find out!

I is for Invention

Did you know that the walkie-talkie was invented in 1942 by two Canadian men? Or that Jacques Plante—also a Canadian—invented the hockey goalie mask? In fact, hockey, lacrosse, and even basketball are Canadian inventions! And you know the IMAX movie theatre? That was invented in Canada as well.

You might be surprised by how inventive Canadians are—they've created everything from Superman (yep, him too!) to insulin for diabetes.

And of course, if you've read the Superman Duffy graphic novel, Fields of Home, you know that canola is Canadian too. The list goes on and on. In fact, you can read about a bunch of Canadian inventions in "O" (download it—and all of the Superman Duffy graphic novels—for free here.)

You might not think so, but now is a great time for creating things. Yes, while in self-isolation. We hope that some Canadians are making a vaccine for coronavirus right now—because history shows that some pretty great things were invented during times when people had to isolate. Shakespeare wrote King Lear during the Plague in the 1920s. The famous painter Vincent Van Gogh painted his masterpiece "The Starry Night" while alone in the hospital for an extended period of time. And Isaac Newton's theory of gravity germinated while he was in quarantine.

Obviously no one expects you to be Shakespeare, Van Gogh, or Newton (though I bet you could do anything you set your mind to), consider other "inventions" you might try—like, using your cooking skills to invent a new recipe. Or maybe a new game you can play virtually with your friends.

Need some inspiration? Check out this video for three simple kid-friendly inventions that use common household items.

Worried you're too young to try an invention? No way! Take a look at this list of inventions by kids I bet you had no idea were invented by kids—like Christmas lights!

Gotta jet! My sister and I are drawing and colouring giant paper Easter eggs to put on the windows for our neighbourhood Easter egg hunt. When kids walk by they will see our Easter eggs and hopefully it will make them smile. After that, it's time to get inventing. What will YOU come up with?

See you tomorrow for the last Blogging from A to Z Challenge post of the week—a super fun letter "J."

~ Chase Superman Duffy 

Blogging From A to Z Challenge: H is for Haiku

Hi! Today's Thursday, in case you're losing track of the days, like me.

As you've probably figured out, I'm participating in the annual Blogging from A to Z Challenge. My theme this year is 26 Super Fun Learning Activities You Can Do From Home. That's right, I'm conjuring up 26 "educational" ideas to keep you busy while you're safe at home. But don't get too hung up on the word "educational"—so far, they've all be fun activities. Right?

Last Wednesday, I kicked off the challenge with Art for the letter A. On Thursday, B was for Baking. My sister and I did some chemistry on Friday, and I rounded off the week with a family dance off. On Monday, we did some exercise (which was way more fun than you think) Tuesday was all about family and yesterday, we talked about gardening.

Here we go for the letter "H."

H is for Haiku

Not only is April host to the Blogging From A to Z Challenge, but it's also poetry month—and if I was in school right now, we'd be learning about all of the different kinds of poetry. I'm not great at all of them, but they can be fun to try.

And if you've read the Superman Duffy educational graphic novel 5-7-5 ERRAND BOY, you already know about my favourite kind of poem—the haiku. What's that?

A haiku is a very short poem—three lines—that doesn't rhyme. The entire poem is 17 syllables—five in the first line, seven in the second, and five again in the third. (That's where the title for the book comes from, too—get it?)

Haikus traditionally describe nature, but in 5-7-5 ERRAND BOY, Chase's entire day is filled with haikus, starting with a list of errands from his mom...on his birthday! The book is also about canola and biotechnology—there's a lot to learn if you have the time (which, of course, you do). You can download it free from the Alberta Canola Producers' Commission website.

You can learn more about how to write a haiku in this short video.

I think today I'll try a haiku about being safe at home during this pandemic. What will you write about?

Gotta jet! "I" will see you tomorrow.

~ Chase Superman Duffy

Blogging From A to Z Challenge: G is for Gardening

Good morning! In case you missed it, I'm participating in the annual Blogging from A to Z Challenge. My theme this year is 26 Super Fun Learning Activities You Can Do From Home. That's right, I'm conjuring up 26 "educational" ideas to keep you busy while you're safe at home. But don't get too hung up on the word "educational"—so far, they've all be fun activities. Right?

Last Wednesday, I kicked off the challenge with Art for the letter A. On Thursday, B was for Baking. My sister and I did some chemistry on Friday, and I rounded off the week with a family dance off. On Monday, we did some exercise (which was way more fun than you think) and yesterday was all about family.

We're officially one week into the challenge—are YOU ready for an exciting "G" activity? Here we go...

G is for Gardening

Wait, gardening in April, you ask. I know, I know, it sounds silly. In most of the province—and definitely in my back yard—snow still covers the ground. And even without the extra snow and cold this past month, Mom never starts her garden until about mid May.

But usually, she starts that garden with plants from the greenhouse—and this year, well, we're not entirely sure the greenhouses will be open or what they'll have to offer. No way she wants to be without flowers and vegetables (we have a small garden, but it's always full.) So...today we're starting some plants from seeds.

Before I talk about what we're planting—okay, I have to tell you one thing because I'm so excited...Mom bought WHITE pumpkin seeds. White! Won't those be spooky for Halloween?—I should talk about the educational benefits of gardening. I mean, that's what this theme is all about, right?

First off, gardening teaches you how to be responsible for something. I had a cactus once in my room, and well, it didn't make it. Mom says they don't need much attention, but I should have given it some. So, she's putting me in charge of the vegetables. I'll have to plant them in the peat moss pods, check on them daily, water them when required, and transplant them to a bigger container until we can put them outside. I've got this!

As you know, my grandparents own a canola farm, and so I know a lot about where food comes from, but gardening teaches about that too—not to mention how long it takes certain crops to grow (Mom says the radishes will come up quickly, but the carrots might take a little longer to germinate, for example), and what factors contribute to a plant's growth, such as water, sunshine, and cold.

And not now—but when it's time to plant the seedlings in the ground outside—you can really learn a lot about soil. What's so great about that? I thought you'd never ask. <grin>

In the Superman Duffy educational graphic novel Beneath the SOIL!, "cartoon me" goes underground and comes across some creatures of unusual size and shape. It's the spookiest book in the series, but you'd be surprised what you might find in a handful of soil...and I don't just mean worms.

Okay, time to get planting. Mom says we have seeds for: tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, carrots, lettuce, basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, spinach, Swiss chard, parsley, peppers, and pumpkins. PLUS, she has about 10 flower varieties including daisies (her favourite), sweet peas (my sister's favourite), and more. Whew! Looks like I need to get a move on.

Gotta jet! If you are planting an indoor garden this month, be sure to share your pictures in the comments below, or email them to me at chase.superman.duffy@gmail.com. And of course, I'll see you tomorrow for the letter "H."

~ Chase Superman Duffy

Blogging From A to Z Challenge: F is for Family

In case you missed it, I'm participating in the annual Blogging from A to Z Challenge. My theme this year is 26 Super Fun Learning Activities You Can Do From Home. That's right, I'm conjuring up 26 "educational" ideas to keep you busy while you're safe at home. But don't get too hung up on the word "educational"—so far, they've all be fun activities.

Last Wednesday, I kicked off the challenge with Art for the letter A. Thursday, B was for Baking. On Friday, my sister and I did some chemistry, and I rounded off the week with a family dance off. Yesterday was E for exercise (which was way more fun than you think)—and that brings us to today for the letter F. Here we go...

F is for Family

Even though my friends and I have been FaceTiming or Skyping, I miss hanging out with them. I miss school, and I'm bummed that we had to cancel our spring break plans. But I am grateful that I've been able to spend so much time with my family.

Whether it's watching a movie, challenging each other to a dance off, or beating my dad at chess for the first time ever, these past few weeks have helped me see just how important my family is—and yes, I mean my sister, Amelia, too.

So for today's post, I've conjured up some educational ideas that have everything to do with family.

1. Interview a family member. Have you ever wondered what your grandfather's first job was? What is your grandma's favourite colour? Why? I like to think I know a lot about my family, but today, I'm going to come up with a list of questions to ask them that I honestly don't know the answers to. Then, I'm going to write an essay or short story based on the responses—which means not only am I honing my research skills, but I also will get some writing in.

2. Draw a family portrait. Even if you can't draw—my sister is excellent at stick figures and bugs (she thinks she's a junior entomologist)—today could be the day to break out those pencils and crayons, and create a family picture Mom would be proud to hang...at least on the fridge. Can't let those art skills go to waste!

3. Research your family tree. Do you have a famous relative? Maybe your great great great grandfather was friends with Shakespeare. (Just one example!) How far back can you go? With a quick internet search you can even find a template to help you organize each member of the family.

4. Try a family-favourite recipe. I know we already covered baking and all of the things you can learn when you measure out ingredients, but don't just make a recipe—consider learning about why it's a family favourite dish, and whose recipe it was to begin with. In TASTING MY STORY, cartoon Chase learns all about Monster Cookies and which of his family members was the first to come up with the ingredients.

5. Create a family emblem, motto, or song. Be sure to include things that are important to your family—like how we all love the movie The Princess Bride. (Pretty sure the words, "as you wish" will be in any song / motto we come up with!)

When I showed Mom this list, she suggested a virtual family reunion—which sounds pretty great. You can set up a Zoom and invite up to 100 people! (We don't have that many family members, I don't think.) I was thinking....that might be one way for us to celebrate Easter this weekend.

Gotta jet! I want to try and catch Grandpa before he goes out to do chores this morning—even though I know a lot about him, I bet he has some stories he hasn't shared with me. I can't wait to write about them!

See you tomorrow for a fun letter G. (Seriously, have I let you down, yet?)

~ Chase Superman Duffy

Blogging From A to Z Challenge: E is for Exercise

Good morning—it's Monday. I don't know about you, but I'm having trouble keeping track of the days. This is the first Monday that it "hit me" I won't be going to school again this year. At least not in an actual classroom. I know this is for the better, but it's kinda sad.

Keeping busy helps though. Which is one of the reasons  I'm participating in the annual Blogging from A to Z Challenge. In case you missed it last week, my theme this year is 26 Super Fun Learning Activities You Can Do From Home. That's right, I'm conjuring up 26 "educational" ideas to keep you busy while you're safe at home.

Last Wednesday, I wrote about Art for the letter A, and Thursday, B was for Baking. Friday, my sister and I had fun with chemistry, and we ended Saturday with a family Dance off for the letter D. This morning, I'm kicking off the week with something to lift my mood. Ready?

E is for Exercise

I know, exercise doesn't necessarily sound fun. But if you've been following my blog for a while, or you've read the Superman Duffy series of graphic novels published by the Alberta Canola Producers' Commission, you know that I love to run—I'm on the track team, and sometimes I practice by running around my grandparents' canola field. I can do it nine minutes flat. 

But, training for track and field when the gyms aren't open, and there's still so much ice on the sidewalks (not to mention fresh snow!), isn't ideal. I've had to dive into my mom's old exercise DVDs, and well, let's just say they aren't quite white I'm looking for. 

I know some hockey players and actors are linking to home workouts—and sure, there's lots of ideas. But we don't have a lot of equipment. So, I started looking around for activities—besides dance, even though we worked up a sweat during our Family dance off on Saturday. 

Of course, you can set up a workout space in front of the TV and check out these free online workouts for kids. And if you were a gym member before this all started, many of the gyms are offering live workouts online. But I wanted to find some activities that didn't feel like exercise. I love to run, but my sister Amelia would rather craft or bake. Both are fun...but they're not going to keep me in shape for track season. 

Here are three cool things I found:

1. Circuit training. Draw pictures of activities and put them around the house. For example, maybe when you get to the living room, you have to do 10 jumping jacks. Create a "circuit" of activities that has you moving (carefully) from room to room. Other ideas include sit-ups, push-ups, and leg lifts. See if you can come up with 10. 

2. Go on a nature walk—away from other people, of course—and turn it into a scavenger hunt. My dad and I went snowshoeing this weekend and saw moose tracks, rabbit trails, and much more. Create a list and then hit the road...with an adult, of course! 

3. Zoom around the house in cardboard box cars. (Obviously I love this idea.) My grandpa and I have made box cars before—and there's a great guide for how to make them in the Superman Duffy graphic novel Gotta Jet! But if you don't have access to that book, here's another set of instructions. 

This is just a start—I'm sure you could add to this list, right? Don't be shy! Add your ideas in the comments below, or email me at chase.superman.duffy@gmail.com. 

Gotta jet! One thing I don't have on the list is shovelling, but after last night's snowfall, it's time for me to get the sidewalks clear...and not just my sidewalk. Mom likes it when we do the neighbours' walks too. Time to get moving. See you tomorrow for a fun letter F. 

~ Chase Superman Duffy