Learning
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Computer Triage
When discussing with our teens what direction they wished to take with Science this term they were keen on studying and pulling apart small motors. Then the idea of dismantling computers was raised. Contacting a friend they were excited to discover the R family had 5 computers not functioning which they were welcome to have. Ideally it was hoped they could salvage at least 2 for the R family. A triage was formed, computers were gutted and parts moved around. Computer lingo began being bandied about; PC, DDR and DDR2 rams, LED fans, motherboards, hardrives, graphic cards, megabytes, gigabytes, kilobytes, terrabytes, CPU chips all became common words in our family…
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Living Math – Multiplication Picture Books
Our Princess has been struggling with maths. In particular she has needed to know her times tables but has been most reluctant. In a bid to foster a love of maths we put the workbooks aside and began a different mathematical journey. Knowing Princess enjoys picture books we sought out Living Math Picture Books. I spent time perusing the recommendations at Living Math, sorting through for Living Math Picture Books based on multiplication. The age suitability wasn’t clear either so it took time to decide what was appropriate for a nine year old. Multiplication Picture Books Bunches and Bunches of Bunnies – Louise Matthews Teach multiplication in a…
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The Big Day Has Arrived!!
Today is the day! Mary MacKillop is to be cannonised today. Searching through the 4Real forum I found a summary I shared five years ago. (I’ve altered slightly) Do read the conversation as some great links are shared. I realise many outside of Australia may not have heard of Mary MacKillop, but it is a special day for us here. She will be the first canonised saint of Australia. I have a particular love of her as I was taught by the ‘brown Joey’s’ (the order of nuns she started). Mary MacKillop was born in Melbourne. Her family fell on tough times financially so they were moved around amongst relatives.…
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Countdown – Three Days!
This coming Sunday Australia’s first saint Mary MacKillop will be cannonised! I have long had a love for Mary MacKillop, a love nurtured as a child by the St Josephites nuns who taught me. Yep I’m proud to be a Brown Joey kid, I loved the Joey nuns, in particular I loved St Mary H. My grandmother and her siblings, my mother and her siblings and in turn my brother, cousin and I were taught by the Joey nuns. We had a solid education both spiritually and academically. The direct result of Mother Mary MacKillop’s vision to provide Catholic education for all Catholic children of Australia. In my late…
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Instant Free Access to Mathsonline Primary!
I’ve shared before our happiness with our highschool maths program Mathematics.com.au. Imagine our excitement to discover that they are releasing their trial version for Primary, Grades 4-6. Get immediate FREE access to this award winning Primary Maths program, Mathsonline. Follow the link below to their years 4 to 6 trial site. Mathsonline.com.au login(automated): trial Password: au Forward this link on to EVERYONE! From the company: What the trial version has; · 280 + lessons (2 to 10 minutes long) with audio visual pause/rewind capabilities. Covering approx’ 90% of the various Australian States yr’s 4 to 6 curriculum. · Lessons are far more oriented towards developing numeracy/problem solving skills in our students than…
- Blog, Book Reviews, Home Education, Home Education - Curriculum Reviews, Home Education - Geography, Home Education - Highschool, Learning
Geography for Highschool
This year my three teenagers have been using Brenda Runkle’s ‘World Physical Geography’, this is the first time we have used a formal approach to geography. As Koala has just finished the program (she has crammed a year’s program into 6 months) I have interviewed her as my guest poster:) Welcome Koala:) I’d like to ask you some questions about your World Physical geography studies, thank you for taking the time to answer. Was this program written as a text book or a living book? It wasn’t a text book in the dry sense of the word, but more a living book with text questions. Each chapter had revision questions…
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On a History Quest
We’re on a ‘rabbit trail’ at present. We were contacted by a priest friend asking for help with research on a local tragedy that occurred 70 years ago. In our quest for further information we visited our local historical society yesterday. So fascinating and they had the information we were searching for! The children were thrilled to discover the ‘Card Index’ records the society keeps. Information is recorded on every family who appears in the local paper, we found birth notices and pictures of our family. Considering we have only been here for 15 years we were rather impresssed to find ourselves in records. Yesterday Koala and I visited an…
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Making Our Own Mega Maps
We have been engrossed in making Mega Maps! You have the choice of just how huge or small you wish to create your map. We chose big:) Our map was printed out onto nine sheets of paper, I approached a local architect and asked for discarded sheets to past our maps onto the back of. Big sister was lots of help. Plenty of team work and discussion. The little ones worked on the map of Australasia. Koala was very meticulous in her work. They look fantastic coloured in. The whole wall covered in maps has a huge visual impact!!
- Blog, Book Reviews, Books - A Book and Activity, Home Education, Home Education - Australia, Learning
‘Traveling’ to Australia’s ‘Top End’
This week we ‘traveled’ to the Northern Territory. Unfortunately we were unable borrow the core book, Nardika Learns to Make a Spear by Chris Fry but we used all the extension books:) Ernie Dances to the Didgeridoo – Alison Lester Ernie is a city boy who moves to the Arnhem Land for a year. He flies over the desert for hours, travels over the floodplains, crosses the East Alligator River and arrives in Arnhem Land. He writes back home to his friends telling of the seasons, of the everyday simple amusements, of the cultural life of the children of Arnhem Land. Interesting, informative and flows naturally. Held the attention of…
