Of course this ten week unit wasn't simply about the children having a great learning experience over their summer. Oh no, I had plans secondary to that. I wanted us to work on doing up our play house so the younger ones would have somewhere new and special to play during their school time. I…
Author: Claire
Reflections of a Summer Well Spent
Last year I wrote a post reflecting on the positives and negatives of summer 2012. We had just spent the summer weeks on an Aztec, Mayan and Incan adventure box. We had a great time, but it didn't really fill every child's needs that summer. Using the points I made and the changing needs I could see…
Helping a Struggling Math Student: Creating their own Number and Place Value Systems
What better way could the children investigate 'what numbers are' than by designing their own number system, followed by a number board which illustrated their own place value system? It was, as ever, very interesting to see how each of my children's minds work at understanding something. T11 understood and seemed to put together a logical yet fairly…
One Year Pond Study Week 27: Mid-way Reflections
Here is our pond this week: This week we are just past the six month mark of a year long pond study, and I can't actually believe I made it this far. It seems incredible that for the past 26 or so weeks we have faithfully visited our little pond. I am proud of us…
Little House on the Prairie: Week 10 – Prairie Party
We have reached the final week of our ten week summer study of Little House on the Prairie and what a summer it has been! Whilst I do have a couple more posts in the pipeline, this is ultimately my last one posting on our weekly adventures. This week was all about the prairie party and I…
Preparing for our Crusade Study
Over the summer the children have continued with their daily quiet times. This is something we have insisted on with all five children from the moment they stop napping. B2 is still napping. A4 has her quiet time in my room, listening to a book on CD and playing with her quiet time toys. The…
Reading Criteria for my Angelicscalliwags
I am writing this because tomorrow I will be posting about our Crusades books. As every family has differing levels of what they deem acceptable reading for their children I felt this post might be helpful for those wondering whether the books I have my children read would be suitable for their children. I know…
Helping a Struggling Math Student: Introducing Place Value
I have used two books to go over the concept of place value. The girls are certain that they do understand. I am not so sure. Whilst they do usually get long addition, subtraction and multiplication correct, there are occasions where it seems they have forgotten everything they have been taught. This tells me they may…
One Year Pond Study Week 26: Our Summer Night Time Pond Visit
Here was our pond this week: Last time we did a night-time pond visit was over the Spring on the 26th May. We went between 8 -9 pm, and whilst it is obvious it was evening time it was still very light. This week we went, again between 8-9 pm (nearer to 9pm) and it was pitch…
The Angelicscalliwags Challenge: August Sum Up
Sorry, I know I've posted it before, but I love this picture! Welcome to the August sum up of the angelicscalliwags' challenge. The challenge is on to pay off our mortgage by the end of 2017 How did we do this month? We have currently paid back 17% of our mortgage since January of this year. Only…
Little House on the Prairie: Week Nine
Last night Gary needed to take our youngest to A and E as she didn't seem to be using her left arm properly and kept waking up in pain. Because of a chest infection I had to stay at home, and spent a tearful few hours watching the clock move with the slowest tick tocks EVER. He…
T11’s Schedule
After much discussion, between us we have finalised his learning plans. First we looked at his own learning goals. He wants to study for his IGCSE in maths and physics early, followed by biology and chemistry. Right now he wants to study herbalism, but that is likely to change (last year was vet science, the year…
Love
When I was a little girl I did not dream of husbands and children. Oh no. I was going to be a career girl through and through. A doctor if at all possible, if not a nurse would do. One thing I was sure of was that I was going places in the work force. …
Helping a Struggling Maths Student: What’s the point?
If you have been reading my blog for very long you will know I have one strong maths student, one average and one weak. I stopped using all curriculum with the twins to attempt to rectify this. I can now with a certain amount of confidence say that I have three potentially strong maths students. …
One Year Pond Study Week 25: Atmospheric changes at the pond
Here is our pond this week: Each week we visit the pond there are almost imperceptible alterations to the atmosphere. This week, however, there really was a noticeable change. Things were calm, as they have been for a few weeks. The difference this week was that there was an air of slight desolation. The water level…