Sunday, August 4, 2019

Learn About Life on A Ranch With Nicki Fleming

"Nicki" and "Thanks to Nicki" books by Howard Creel.
       Nicki Fleming is an animal lover living on her family's Colorado ranch who volunteers to train a service dog named Sprocket when her mother cannot fulfill this responsibility due to a pregnancy. Nicki also faces friendship difficulties which test her loyalties. Nicki was the first Girl of the Year to have two books: Nicki and Thanks to Nicki, both by Ann Howard Creel.
Online Research About Themes Found in Nicki Fleming Books:
Ranch Life in Colorado:
Artifacts Here Related to Nicki Fleming Doll:
FFA - Future Farmers of America
Training Service Dogs:
Books about American Girl Character Nicki Fleming:
  • Nicki
  • Thanks to Nicki
Fan Video for American Girl Doll, Nicki Fleming:
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Learning History With Josefina Montoya

Meet Josephina, An American Girl

       Josefina Montoya is a young Mexican girl living in New Mexico with her extended family. She and her family (including her oldest sister, Ana who is married to Tomas and has two sons, and her two other sisters, vain and headstrong Francisca and practical and sensible Clara) must adapt following the death of their mother before the books and the introduction of their mother's sister, Tía Dolores (who later marries Josefina's widowed father), to the family circle. 
       Josefina dreams of becoming a healer like her grandmother and is taught in this by her aunt, Magdalena, her father's sister. Josefina has a pet goat named Sombrita. Themes include adjustment to loss, day-to-day life of the Mexican people, and the cultural and societal changes and influences that occurred once Mexico opened trade routes with the US. Josefina's family speaks Spanish and there are Spanish words and phrases in her books which are defined in the glossary.
Our artifacts for the Josefina Montoya doll:
Crafting In the Past: What crafts were popular in 1894?
Research Based On Themes Found in Josefina's Books:
Online Learning About Mexican American Culture and History:
Heritage New Mexico.
Santa Fe Then and Now:
American Girl Doll, Josefina Montoya's Books:
  • Meet Josefina
  • Josefina Learns a Lesson
  • Josefina's Surprise
  • Happy Birthday, Josefina!
  • Josefina Saves The Day
  • Changes for Josefina
  • Secrets in the Hills
  • The Glowing Heart
  • Josefina's Song
  • Thanks to Josefina
  • Again, Josefina!
  • A Reward for Josefina
Fan Video's About Josefina Montoya Doll:
Advanced Reading: Historical Fiction about young women living in Colonial Latin America:
  • A Line in The Sand: The Alamo Diary of Lucinda Lawrence: Gonzales, Texas, 1836
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Thursday, July 25, 2019

A Valentine for Old Dolls

1852 daguerreotype of a black rag doll.

 
A VALENTINE FOR OLD DOLLS 
by Rachel Field
Let others sing of cooing doves,
Of beating hearts and new-found loves,
These my poor rhymes shall tell the graces
Of china, wax or wooden faces;
The charm of curls or painted braids,
Oh, sweet, perennially cheerful maids.
Your smiles shall last though nations fall,
And the young hands that dressed you all
In flowered flounce and ribbons gay,
Long since to dust be laid away.
Your years you wear like faint perfume
Of rose-leaves in a quiet room,
When winter at the threshold knocks;
Like some old tune a music-box
Tinkles as soft as phantom rain
Falling beyond a window pane.
And so, where'er you be to-day-
On parlor shelf; packed snug away
In attic camphor--still I'll praise
Your stiff-set limbs, your timeless gaze,
Knowing full well when I am gone
Thus you will sit and thus smile on.
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Saturday, July 20, 2019

Learn About the Musical World of Tenney and Logan

"You're the Music In Me" original song for Tenney's character.

        Hailing from Nashville, Tennessee, Tenney Grant is an aspiring young songwriter who dreams to express herself through music. The eponymous first book in the series by Kellen Hertz focuses on her efforts at songwriting and the opportunity to perform at the famed Bluebird Cafe. Unlike dolls from the Girl of the Year line, Tenney, along with Logan Everett, are marketed as regular characters to be sold for an extended period of time than as limited edition dolls sold only for a year before being discontinued.
       Tenney's sidekick and bandmate, Logan Everett is, in a break from series tradition, the first 18-inch boy doll from American Girl. Released alongside the main character, he is depicted as a drummer for Tenney's band, and as with Tenney, the Logan doll also comes with a modified hand to hold musical instruments.
Our Artifact/Accessories for The Tenney and Logan Dolls:
Online Research Into Themes Found in Tenney Grant Books:
Showcase Tenney's Songs:
Nashville, Tennessee Music & Fun:
American Girl Tenney Grant Books:
  • Tenney
  • Tenney in the Key of Friendship
  • Tenney Shares the Stage
  • A Song for the Season
More Fan Video About Tenney and Logan Dolls:
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Friday, July 19, 2019

Learn About Baking and Business With Grace Thomas

 "Grace Stirs Up Success" movie

       Grace Thomas is the thirteenth Girl Of The Year, released in 2015. An avid baker from the fictional town of Bentwick, Massachusetts, her story centers around her dreams of being an aspiring entrepreneur, with her trip to Paris as a key plot point. Grace made her debut on Good Morning America on January 1, 2015.
       The Grace doll has light skin with freckles across the bridge of her nose, light blue eyes, and medium brown hair with side bangs. She comes with a white print T-shirt with "Paris, Je T'aime" written in cursive script, a pink skirt with a black bow, and dark gray boots with bows. Her face mold is the Josefina mold. Some of her unique features are highlights, side bangs and permanent lip gloss. Tying in with the Grace doll is a television film based on her stories entitled Grace Stirs Up Success, starring Olivia Rodrigo as the title character, and the mobile app Grace's Sweet Shop for iOS and Android.
The City of Paris:
It's Good for Business!
Kids Can Cook:
American Girl Books About Grace Thomas:
  • Grace
  • Grace Stirs It Up
  • Grace Makes It Great
  • Grace and Sylvie: A Recipe for Family
Fan Video/Crafts for American Girl Doll Grace Thomas:
Advancing The Read: 
  • Clean Romance for Teens by Sandra Byrd - all about love and cake: Let Them Eat Cake, Bon Appetit, Piece de Resistance
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DIY American Girl Doll Potting Bench

Above is my finished version of an American Girl doll potting bench.

       We're setting up a play garden area on our back patio this summer, that is, as soon as the rain stops pouring and the sunshine shows it's face!

Left, craft supplies, Center, wooden drying rack, 
Right I'm testing to see if the rack will fit inside the lid of my shoebox.

The potting bench is glued
 together but not yet painted.

        A doll sized, faux wooden work bench for the little girl who loves to play at gardening, can be any size. However, I will include the exact measurements of the one pictured with this post for those of you who would like to build it with similar proportions.

Supply List:
  • decorative paper with rustic wooden motif
  • cardboard + a shoe box
  • masking tape
  • hot glue and hot glue gun
  • large wooden craft sticks (tongue depressors)
  • white school glue 
  • Mod Podge
  • slatted wooden tray insert (optional)
  • small plastic hooks
  • Sculpey or oven bake clay
  • plastic molds of garden tools, doll size
Step-by-Step Instructions:
  1. I believe that I used the lid of a shoebox to make the upper counter of this potting bench, but I may have cut it down a bit. It measures 16" x 6 1/2". Turning the lid of a cardboard shoebox over makes for an easier method, however I wanted to include the wooden drying rack on the table top, so I fit the cardboard counter for this.
  2. Cut the bottom cardboard piece the same length and width. The center shelf measures 13 1/2" x 5". The backsplash wall at the top measures 16" x 6". All three shelves and back splash were cut from of heavy cardboard.
  3. I covered the cardboard pieces with decorative paper having a rustic wooden motif using Mod Podge.
  4. Then I cut large wooden craft sticks to make the legs. I cut 12 of these to 9" in length.
  5. Next, tape the legs into triangular shapes, using three tongue depressors for each leg. 
  6. Then hot glue the legs in place supporting the top, resting on the bottom cardboard sheet. 
  7. Carefully hot glued the inner shelf in place.
  8. The backsplash was glued in place last along with two additional supports cut from tongue depressors. 
  9. After the assembly of the potting bench, you may wish to paint the wooden parts of the potting bench in a similar fashion.  
  10. Use acrylic paints that will dry fast in the sunshine, otherwise your structure could warp a bit.
  11. Add a few hooks for garden tools onto the backsplash.
  12. I also found a plastic mold for garden tools at my local hobby shop. From this mold I sculpted a pair of grass sheers, a hand shovel and a hand rake to paint and hang from those hooks.
  13. I purchased a small wooden bird house, crate, and wheelbarrow from a resale shop down the street. 
  14. The lowest shelf is perfect for our dolls to store their garden boots too! 
  15. Now our American Girl dolls can garden whenever they please on our back patio this summer!
Learn How to Make Potted Plants:
Here you can see the triangular legs for our bench made from wooden tongue depressors.

The potting bench pictured both with and without the wooden drying rack. I purchased this for two dollars at resale.
The front and backside of our glued, faux wooden planting bench.
Plastic mold for sculpting garden tools.
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Learning About Dance and Performance With Marisol Luna

 Review of Marisol by Social Studies Dolls

       Marisol Luna is a nine year old girl who aspires to be a dancer. She moves from Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood to a suburb that does not have a dance studio where she can practice her favorite ballet folklórico dances. Introduced on January 1, 2005, Marisol had an extensive collection of dance outfits and accessories. Marisol has medium skin, brown eyes, and medium brown hair. Her face mold is the Josefina Montoya mold. Marisol is the first Latina (Mexican) American Girl of the year made by American Girl.
Artifacts: Crafts, Printables Etc.. For Marisol:
Online Research Into Themes Found In American Girl Marisol Luna's Book
The City of Chicago and Their Latino Community:
 Latino Girls Have Wonderful Dreams and Goals:
 Dance Studios and Classes for Kids/Adults:
 Watch Children Perform Ballet folklorico, Jazz, Tap etc...
  1. Mexican Revolution Dance by Children
  2. Jazz Dance Kids
  3. Child Ballerinas in Costume
  4. Baile Regional "El gusto"
  5. Adorable sisters dance at home
  6. kids Hula to "I'm Your Hula Baby"
  7. Tap Dance to "Why Do Fools Fall In Love"
  • "The Beloved World of Sonia Sotomayer" by Sonia Sotomayer - for ages 10 and up
  • "Enchanted Air: Two Cultures, Two Wings" by Margarita Engle - 13 and up
Advanced Reading: Fiction about Latina girls and women
  • "Love Sugar Magic: A Dash of Trouble" by Anna Meriano - 8-12
  • "My Name Is Maria Isabel" by Alma Flor Ada - 7-10 years
  • "Stef Soto, Taco Queen" by Jennifer Torres - 8-11
  • "Becoming Naomi Leon" by Pam Munoz Rayan - 9-13
  • "Lucky Broken Girl" by Ruth Bhar - 10-13
  • "The House On Mango Street" by Sandra Cisnerors - 14 and up
  • "I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter" by Erika Sanchez - 14 and up
  • "Under the Mesquite" by Guadalupe Garcia McCall - 12 and up
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Learn About Ice Skating With Mia St. Clair

Mia book by Lawrence Yep.
       Mia was previewed on the November 21, 2007 episode of Oprah. The doll was subsequently released on January 1, 2008 with an extensive collection and two books: Mia and Bravo Mia, both written by Laurence Yep. Mia's stories chronicle her passion for competitive figure skating, which is at odds with her hockey-playing family. 
       Mia is featured in a computer game (Mia Goes For Great!). In her books, Mia is a part of a poor family who works hard to ensure that all of their children can pursue hockey or figure skating at the local ice rink. Mia, while much better at hockey, chooses figure skating instead so she does not live in the shadow of her brothers.
       The Mia doll has light skin, hazel eyes and light red hair. She comes in a light grey skirt, a magenta long sleeved sweater with a snowflake printed on the right side, and blue high-top sneakers. 
Artifacts for Mia St. Clair Doll:
Online Research for Themes Found in Mia St. Clair Books:
Professional Skaters On Ice:
Figure Skating Fashion:
Hockey vs Figure Skating:
Everyday Life On The Ice:
Doll Crafts for Mia:
American Girl Mia St. Clair Books:
  • Mia
  • Bravo, Mia
Fan Videos for American Girl Doll, Mia St. Clair:
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Thursday, July 18, 2019

Explore Our Environment With Lanie Holland

Books about Lanie Holland, an American Girl.
        Lanie was released in January 2010 along with her collection. Lanie Holland is a ten-year-old girl living in Cambridge, Massachusetts, depicted as having an affinity for science and biology and considers herself a scientist.
       The Lanie doll has light skin, hazel eyes, and curly blonde hair with side bangs. She comes in a blue and green striped polo dress.
Artifacts for Nature Themes Found in Lanie Holland's Books: How To Keep a Science Journal:
 Science Web Sites Included in Lanie's Books:
Gardening With Children:
American Girl Books About Lanie Holland:
  • Lanie
  • Lanie's Real Adventures
American Girl Doll, Lanie Holland's Fan Videos:
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Learn About Film and Photography With Z Yang

Video by Sydney Rose Paulson About Z Yang doll.

       Suzanne "Z" Yang is an aspiring film maker and photographer, specializing in stop-motion pictures. Z is the first Korean American character made by American Girl.
       Z is a Korean-American character doll from Seattle Washington released in 2017.
Artifacts for Z Yang Character Doll from Our Collections:
Themes Found in Z's books and movie:
Fun Locations For Photoshoots in Seattle Washington: 
More Stop Motion Doll Photography/Vlogs:
History and Methods of Stop Motion Film:
S.T.E.M. Camp: Stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math
American Girl Z Yang books:
  • The Real Z
  • Z On Location
American Girl Doll Fan Video About Z Yang:
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