Summer Fun 2014 - Water Balloons, Chalk Drawings and the Monument Men - 10 Minute History

I've been listening to an audio version of Robert M Edsel's The Monument Men, Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History.  The movie based on the book was a little lack luster.  I'm hoping the book is better, because the true story is quite intriguing.

The children aren't officially listening, but have been catching snippets of the story as they pass through whatever room I happen to be in. 

So, when I saw our chalk tracings had survived the night, and the sprinklers this morning, I couldn't resist setting up a quick Monuments Men inspired history activity.

First, I sent the younger children out to draw armies (rows of x's and o's  in different colors) advancing on each other in and around our irreplaceable works of art.

I lined the children up, a short distance from the patio, gave them a bucket full of water balloons, and a mission.

The girls' objective was to destroy all of the o's, while their brother attempted to wipe out the x's.

When all the water balloon bombs had burst, and peace was declared, the o's were gone, the x's were fading...

...the artwork was washing away...

...and the children had learned, lives aren't the only things lost in a war.