Category: Homeschooling
Incr-Edible Science: Yeast (Micro Fungi – part 2)
After covering mold type fungi in Part 1, we moved onto the unicellular yeast: This is Leeuwenhoek, the man responsible for the discovery of micro-organisms through his very simple ‘microscope’ A labelled diagram of a yeast cell Yeast as we know it To find out a bit more about yeast we mainly used the same resources as before: We……
You Blutiful
My three-year old sidled up to me today, sticky fingers running through my not yet brushed hair. ‘Mummy, you blutiful. So blutiful.’ I smiled as I reflected on my girl’s words. She looked at her mummy, probably the most precious person to her in her tiny world, and saw beauty. There I was, not yet……
Project Based Learning – Making a Bug Observatory
You remember the Bug Adventure box I made up for the little ones to help with their chosen bug project? There was a reason I put everything in a large plastic box, rather than the customary wooden box I had used for the past few years. I had plans to turn it into a bug……
Project Based Learning: Microbes – Fungus
We’ve just spent a couple of weeks learning about Fungi. We’re not talking macro Fungi (mushrooms and the like) but Micro-fungi. Micro fungi are eukaryotic organisms which have an absence of the large fruiting body of the mushrooms and the like. Fungi such as mould, mildew, yeast and even rust. Both macro and micro fungus are vital……
Geography Nook & Simple European Countries Unit
We are still banging away at our school room, although we have given up setting ourselves ‘finish by’ dates because they keep coming and going with alarming regularity and yet the school room still isn’t finished. The geography area is however and it is being put to great use with my easy peasy European geography……
Project Based Learning : The Black Death
Not the most inviting of titles but a subject which has gripped my children. As we near the end of the second week of a six-week term I thought I would write more specifically about the projects the children have chosen to do. I am so incredibly excited about our new ‘project based’ status! My school……
Project Based Learning with Young Children: Bugs
When the decision had been made to home school using primarily project based learning, Gary and I had to decide whether we wanted to include the little two. Could they join in, learning the same subject matter as the older children, or should we allow them to choose a project just for themselves? I had……
Plans for this Term
We have a short six-week term ahead of us and are planning to keep ourselves busily ensconced in project work. Our experiment last term was so successful that the children had been begging to start school again last week, with T12 getting quite antsy that he didn’t have something to get his teeth into. We……
Medieval Banquet
We did it. After almost twelve weeks of preparation and work, and feeling like we would simply never be ready, the day of the banquet arrived. It went well, really well. The children did their presentations and answered our guest’s questions fairly intelligently. The food was remarkably good, considering we used authentic medieval recipes and……
Medieval Banquet Preparation
They say it’s all in the prep, and who am I to argue? So we went at it with attitude. Well, at least I did. The children didn’t really catch on until the day of the banquet when they miraculously turned into mini Super men and women, whizzing around enthusiastically (well, nearly) doing my every……
Ancient Aztecs
Please bear with me. I took a few days off after the presentation (to recover!). I will endeavour to answer all your lovely comments and visit your blogs over the weekend. For now, I just need to stare into space…. During this study, the children dressed up, made some Aztec masks and fans as well……
In Memory of my Dad
My Dad died five years ago. It was this which pre-empted our decision to move back to England, so we could be with Mum. Mum and Dad had divorced years ago, but were still incredibly good friends and his death was a huge loss for her. I’ve never talked about my Dad much in my……
Reflecting on the Success of Project Based Learning
Source I know this is usually my collage day, accounting our week of learning. This week we have been busy getting over infections and working towards our presentation (which due to illness had to be postponed to next Tuesday). I didn’t have the time nor the inclination to take any photos. We did however, bring……
A Literary Approach to the Hundred Year War
Otherwise known as the Lazy parent’s guide to teaching The Hundred Year War! Yes, I am all warred out. We have covered the Crusades in-depth and T12 has been learning all about the War of the Roses and concurrently we have been learning about the Hundred Year War. Enough already! Stop the fighting! Claire is……