This Monday we will start what will essentially be a two week fest of doing whatever our heart desires. Well, pretty much. The girls will be learning some unusual tales to learn the tricky tables which don’t seem to stick in their head. I’m fairly certain that is not top of their list of ‘things they want to do’ but being the great sports they are and knowing that maths in general would be easier if they could just remember them, they have agreed to try the story telling way of memorizing. Who knows if it will work. We’ve tried everything else.
In addition, I thought it might be fun to spend a couple of weeks investigating something mathematical. My goal is to show the girls that maths can be magical, wonder-ful and relevant, whilst giving their brains a (sort of) mathematical work out. We are planning to investigate Fibonacci and his numbers. I chose Fibonacci because firstly it is claimed he was the greatest mathematician of the middle ages and secondly Da Vinci, (who we will be studying next term) was around about 200 years after Fibonacci and is said have used the golden ratio (which is based on the Fibonacci sequence) in some of his paintings such as the Last Supper Fresco. I just love how everything we study fits together so perfectly! I have collected a few books over the past month or so, some relevant for A5, some more geared towards the older ones:
The children will also be setting the scene for our Chaucer studies. I’ll be posting about the resources we’ll be using next week, but I intend for this to be a fun and easy 30 minutes each day.
All of these activities will take less than 1 hour per day, the rest is free time. Lest you all think I’m an ogre for making them do work during their break, they know as well as I do that they need some sort of structure to their day otherwise they start playing up (much like I did as a youngster. Actually who am I trying to kid? It’s like am now!)
However, each of them have expressed their own goals for these two weeks which I have gladly helped to make become a reality for them. The girls’ true desire is to learn to make elastic band jewellery. Even A5 is excited about this. To help them along, I invested in three inexpensive sets from amazon – one for each of the three older girls. I have also promised that they can view some YouTube videos and extend their rather limited knowledge. B3 will be trying her hand at beading and making her own set of jewellery:
T12 has asked to learn animation. One of our friends very kindly arranged for T to meet one of her animator friends. They went out for a milkshake and he was able to teach T lots of animation stuff, which has whetted his appetite for more. He remained excited even when the expert told him that it can take upwards of 2 1/2 hours to create just 30 seconds of animated film! I wanted to invest in this new passion, especially as I know he wants to use it in next terms project about Da Vinci, but to be honest I didn’t have much money going spare. Bless his heart though, he found a set of animation software on Ebay for less than £4, which he is hoping does all he wants it to do:
And what about me?
I am going to do a bit of work on my blog (maybe catch up a little!); I’m going to clean the areas in my kitchen which our bacteria studies have flagged up as being a bit grubby(!) and I’m going to be reading. What am I going to read? I’m so glad you asked! I bought myself a book a blogging friend from over the seas recommended called ‘Made to Crave’ and I’m going to peruse some home-making Pinterest boards for some warm and fuzzy homey ideas. I may even get a bit more of our school room done. It is now the only room in the house which is not organised (haven’t I done well?), although I have to admit that it takes disorganisation to a whole new level. My goal is to get it cleared and (yet more) stuff taken to the charity shops.
And, of course, I will be school planning. I’ve already done quite a bit with Chaucer, for which I will post our plans next week sometime, but I need to finish Gutenburg’s printing press as well start my Da Vinci planning. I’ve bought all the resources but as we will be studying him for a couple of terms and not all of it will be project based work, I need to put in a bit of work. Science-wise we will be finishing up our microbe study, as well as learning about Da Vinci’s scientific endeavours. I also need to plan the little one’s science and Mr Men school. Yes, I’ve got quite a lot to do, but I will be making sure I take it easy on occasion so I can start the new term fresh and invigorated.
Such fun! It’s Thursday, but everyone has completed their Plague projects and all we need to do to finish the term off is appraisals and some poetry discussion work. I already feel like I’m on holiday!
What a wonderful list of things to do.My daughter just loves her loom.
blessings, Dawn
They are really excited. They have bible study with one of their friends each week and are planning a loom fest with her!
Sounds like the kids will have great fun with their chosen activities. Have a wonderful holiday!
I’m looking forward to seeing how the animation goes. I just hope the software does all it promises to do!
Times Tales worked amazingly well for Brianna. I hope you find the same is true for your girls. Megan went through the rubber band bracelet craze. They were all over the house for awhile. I collected the ones I found lying here and there and, when I had enough, I had her make me a bracelet. 🙂
I hope it works too because we really are running out of options.
I’ve had promises of all sorts of elastic band jewellery. I hope they look better than they sound!
Sounds like yet another exciting term coming up! I have a few of the same Fibonacci resources lying around to be used, so it’ll be interesting to see how you approach this. I’m sure it’ll be excellent, as always. 🙂
I’m quite excited about studying Fibonacci in relation to Da Vinci. I just love how all our knowledge fits together so nicely!
We may have to try out the Times Tales too for Sparkles. I wish you the best with Made To Crave…
Do you say that because you loved it or hated it? I’ve read the first chapter and so far I’m nodding throughout. I have high hopes!
I needed the book. I ended up learning why I turned to food for comfort in place of Jesus. I was using food to silence my childhood pain of sexual abuse by my father. Reading the book was emotionally hard but worth all the pain for the spiritual freedom. The book is great but I had to drop out of the group Bible study I was doing and really slow down with it.
I’m teetering being completely burned out at the idea of finishing our school year, and desperately wanting to work on next year’s stuff. Which is about where I usually am at this point in the curriculum every year.
I’m sorry you’re feeling burnt out, Ticia. That’s not good. Try to make sure you get a few days when you do none of this years work AND none of next years work. Take a break!!
I will be in about a week, one more week and then we’ll probably have a 2 week break as the boys go to camp and then a week of VBS.
What a fabulous collection of resources! Fibonacci is so much fun. We liked Blockhead: The Life of Fibonacci too.
C(10) loves animation, too. I got some very good value “Animators’ choice Plasticene alternative” on Amazon which C has used for many projects. (I see it’s an add-on item now.) I wish T every success with his project!
Thanks Lucinda! Did your daughter ever email T? I didn’t receive any from her, but I wanted to make sure just in case it went to spam (which I suppose I could go and check right now! Okay, I’m off to check!)
No – after that first one that evaporated into the ether we haven’t got ourselves together to write another. But reading this post was a good reminder – on its way v soon!
Check out youtube for more elastic band crafts. You can make zebras, turtles, minions and all sorts of little fun things. I like your idea of free study, it’s certainly encouraging for all who are involved! Learning does not always have to be the three r’s. Well done. My 2nd daughter did a research project entitled ‘The Order Which Surrounds Us’ to demonstrate that fact that the world had a Creator with tremendous thinking power and therefore is not, as many believe, a result of any haphazard explosion or anything else. The Fibonacci sequence appears over and over again in nature – sunflowers, seashells, pine cones, lettuces… Great fun to go out and discover. Have a lovely time.
Blessings, S
Your daughter’s project sounds fantastic. What a huge undertaking! I am definitely going to show the girls how to look up loom band designs. They’ve already made too many bracelets than their wrists can take and it’s only the second day. I think they are ready for a greater challenge!
My daughter was loom crazy this winter but hasn’t touched it in months. I think it is something that some of them burn out on fast. Or else mine just is interested in other things more. There are only so many rubberband bracelets that we can wear. I hope you do have time to relax. I’m gearing up to start school planning in a couple of weeks. These relaxing weeks have been greatly needed.