Pope Urban II speech at Clermont, 1095, is arguably one of the most influential speeches of all times. It is the speech that fired up a whole nation to join together, even whilst parts of it were at war with each other, to fight against the perceived enemy of God, the Muslims; to fight for…
Author: Claire
Writing Assignments this Term
Source This year I am wanting to teach a new writing skill to the children - that of being able to write persuasively. Given the amount of nagging the children would naturally do if we allowed them (we don't) you'd think they'd be experts! I designed four writing assignments attached to the crusades: To write a…
Helping a Struggling Maths Student: Investigating Quadrilaterals
Goals of this week's maths fun: To discover the shapes and names of all the quadrilaterals To be able to recognise each of them as plain mathematical shapes and as shapes in everyday life. To sort, classify and display their findings relating to a bag of quadrilaterals To discover and fully understand the terms 2D and 3D…
One Year Pond Study Week 30: Celebrations at the Pond
Here is our pond this week: Although we have crept into the autumn months, there remains a dusty summer murkiness to the pond. I think in order for the pond to return to its former glory we need rain and lots of it. However, when the first day of home school celebrations were discussed the pond was…
Art Study – Medieval Illumination
Our artist study this term will be the Limbourg Brothers. They are famous for their 'Book of Hours' which is full of some of the most beautiful illuminations. Before we studied their work in depth, I had decided we would look at medieval illuminations as an art form first to become familiar with them as…
Preschool Adventure Box: BFIAR The Carrot Seed
I have just a few more Before Five in a Row titles to row in order to finish the curriculum. I am starting to realise I am a little pedantic about finishing things. It bugs me if I don't. So even though these last few books don't spark my imagination as much as I would like,…
Creating an Illuminated Letter
This week we begun our study into the illuminated letter. This is as a prelude to our artist study on the Limbourg brothers. I shall be doing a full post on Friday, but today we made our own illuminated letters and had loads of fun. Yesterday I had prepared them for this activity by reading through and letting…
Helping a Struggling Maths Student: Learning Without a Curriculum and Using a Maths Informationary
I'm not entirely sure I have what it takes to do this. This being teaching Maths without a curriculum. It seems a bit daunting. Bearing that in mind, it was important for me to be working within a frame work of sorts (the national curriculum). I'll not be teaching from it, but will use it…
One Year Pond Study: Catching up Week 28
Our pond a couple of weeks ago: I know, I don't mean to confuse you all. We did a pond study, at the same time as treating everyone to hot chocolates for A5's birthday, just before we went away on holiday. I had planned to write this pond study up whilst I was at my…
Angelicscalliwags Challenge: September Update
Hello, my name is Claire and I overspent on my holiday to Northern Ireland. There, I said it and it is very true. I'm thinking financially things will be a little tight until after Christmas, although to be honest that is always the case for us with every member of the family's birthday falling between…
Little House on the Prairie: American Folk Museum Part 3
Click here for part one: The Irish Side Click here for part two: The Ship And welcome to part three: The American Side After disembarking the ship we headed straight for the prairie house. I had been under the mistaken impression that it was a replica of the Little House. It wasn't. It was an…
Little House on the Prairie: American Folk Museum Part 2
For part one see here Having gone down the Irish street we entered the docking area to the ship that would take us to the American side: And yes, that is my husband carrying my hand bag. He carried it so I could take photos. It takes a very confident man to carry a woman's…
Little House on the Prairie: American Folk Museum Part 1
One of the places I really wanted to visit when we were in Northern Ireland was the American Folk Museum. The reason being that it had an actual prairie house which had been transported back from America plank by plank and reconstructed on site. No it wasn't a replica of the Little House (as I…
Happy Birthday to me, Happy Birthday to me…..
Source Yes, I know. One is not meant to sing happy birthday to oneself. It stinks of wanting to bring attention to said self. And believe me, if you heard me sing it (very out of tune) out loud it would bring lots and lots of attention (people pleading for me to stop, mainly). And yet…
Helping a Struggling Math Student: Utilising a foreign number system with a base 4
Please excuse the terrible photos. The children are rehearsing a play they have written and are intending to act out for my birthday. The living room has been turned into a theatre complete with scenery, stage and moveable curtains! It was therefore very dark when I took the photos!! The children discussed first what base…