Learning
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Geography Songs – Review
I am searching for solid resources for Geography but am increasingly frustrated in my attempts to find what I am looking for; resources that teach straight geography knowledge. Continents and their countries, countries and their capitals, rivers and mountains. Generally I want the children to have a good grasp of just where place names are located when they read of them. Earlier this term we purchased the Geography Songs Kit from Audio Memory. There are 33 songs that teach the names and locations of the continents, oceans, planets and 225 countries. The children and I listened to a few samples online, I read many reviews and it appeared to be…
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Building Medieval Weapons
The children are continuing with their project work some more diligently than others. For some, individual projects have given way to jointly working together, which creates a wonderful flow of energy. Michelangelo is researching Medieval Weaponry. This is very reminiscent for us as quite a few years back Carpenter was into making all sorts of weapons, although I do think time has honed skills. Michelangelo is planning on making miniature replicas of various weapons. His first item is the catapult. The spring mechanism of rubber bands produced a surprising spring. Carpenter made a slightly different model of the catapult.
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Following Interests
I have briefly shared that we are trialling a little of project based learning. We have most intrigued by the areas of interest the children have each chosen, they are rather varied and some choices have surprised us. Princess’ choice however wasn’t a surprise in that she expressed an interest to learn more about Native Americans, in particular the Plains People. This was an area of interest she had last year and it had got pushed aside. Hopefully we can encourage her this year. Princess was rather keen to make a teepee. A small scale teepee was suggested but when she saw a picture of a large one she wanted…
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Questacon Science Fun Play
As promised some photos from the Fun Play. It was very well organised. When we arrived Questacon representatives read Pamela Allen’s ‘Who Sank the Boat.’ Then they led the children in a discussion of flotation and displacement, in an age appropriate manner of course, in conjunction with an experiment. All week my children have been re-enacting with plasticine boats and gemstones. Even the bigger children have joined in the act, taking 75 gemstones before their boats sink. After the discussion the children were free to interact with the science centers set up. There were feathers in sauce bottles that held Jack Jack attention for a long time. He also loved…
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Learning All The Time
The holidays have given my boys and younger girls time to build some incredible K’nex creations. They have spent hours and hours building, and learning;) The cement mixer is my personal favourite, the mixer on the back spins as the model is pushed! How amazing is that? A car. A motorbike. An aeroplane. And the king of all, the group effort a very large robot!
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Term in Review – ‘Triffic Thursday
This term we delved a little into Space, truly it is such a vast topic. The best books we found on the topic were by Seymour Simon. The information is fascinating and informative and the layout with eyecatching pictures makes his books an enjoyable read. The Stars The Sun and Destination: Jupiter gave us our introduction. For studying the moon we read So That’s How the Moon Changes Shape!- Allan Fowler for the little ones and picture books The Sea of Tranquility by Mark Haddon and I Wish I’d Gone to the Moon with Neil Armstrong- Leonie Young. Along with these we used Dinah Zikes’s Great Science Adventure, The World…
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Term in Review – Math Buster Monday
As I’ve shared we have been trialling a new approach. I have written a little before about our Math Buster Monday and thought I’d share some further highlights. Angela’s idea of Marshmallow Maths inspired us of the fun in building shapes and bridges with marshmallows and toothpicks. Be sure to see Theresa’s ideas too. Marshmallow Maths Carpenter had so much fun that he wouldn’t believe me when I told him that this was maths. He was convinced it was craft. We continued to read living math picture books on Mondays. One we particularly enjoyed was The Three Little Pigs by Mitsumama Anno. Most of our books…
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Reading the Works of ‘The Bard’
As I shared previously we were to study a little Shakespeare this term. Well we stayed to plan (amazing!;) We reserved a pile of books from our library and found we only had time to read the one. Stories from Shakespeare by Geraldine McCaughrean became our favourite, we read plays such as Henry V, Romeo and Juliet, and Twelfth Night. We also enjoyed listening to Shakespeare for Children by Jim Weiss this CD was of a Midsummer Night’s Dream and the Taming of the Shrew. The Bard of Avon: Story of William Shakespeare by Diane Stanley a biography for children rounded out our study. I was pleasantly surprised to find…
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Paper Making
Recently we studied China and during that time read a picture book The Cloudmakers by James Rumford Princess was particularly taken with this book, it tells the story of how, many, many years ago men from Kazakhstan were raiding over the border of China. During one such raid a grandfather and his grandson were swept up in the raid. They were to be sold as slaves until it was stated that they could make ‘clouds.’ They were given 7 days to prove they could, using their hemp sandals the little family set about making paper. There follows a detailed and amazing account of the process. They were successful and went…
