Very pleased

I think I've about sussed the basics now for Tom, this September, ( I may start him in July...shh don't tell him)
He will be in yr7, so age appropriate between 10-12

I've already posted about getting Maths and English sorted. Click on highlighted links to see what I've put.

Now for Science and History

I've just sorted Science



I wanted something that backed up God as Creator, rather than pushing evolution as fact, when it is only a theory. I also didn't want anything preachy! Something that was going to have good grounding for future exams, possibly IGCSE or GCSE.

I came across various curriculum's mainly US based, and finally plumped for Apologia Science you can find sample chapters there.

I bought mine from Conquest Books, they posted the same day as I ordered and I received the books the next day, excellent service!

Apologia is pricey, but I worked out the cost over the year, then divided it between 3 kids , and it seems reasonable then. Although we haven't started it I looked thoroughly through it, just some tiny points that I may adapt or leave out, but that's to do with personal preference nothing more.

It is very good, and covers quite a lot, I'm very pleased with it, I just hope it reaches my expectations, when Tom starts this.

I will use along side where appropriate with Galore Parks, So You really Want To Learn Science Bk 1 found here
It seems quite tame in comparison with Apologia, but it is in it's own right a very good book for yr7 ish Key stage 3, and one of the best I've seen from the UK.

Now for History, I wanted something to follow chronologically with World history and British history.

For World History I'm going to use the Story of The World books.
Book1,
Book2,
Book3,
Book4

There are 4 years worth of books there, I shall start with Book 1, when appropriate I shall use Galore Park History books I have all the junior and the two SYRWTL books here is junior book3
The Galore park books will be my spine for British History along with Our Island Story
With both World History and British History I shall use Encyclopedias to help with research along with any biographies and fiction books along the way.

Just got to get Geography sorted(nearly there with that) plus the very hard job of scheduling lessons plans , making workable schedules...that is what's going to take the time.

Life Cycle of a Butterfly

We received our caterpillars from Insect Lore yesterday. We had bought the Butterfly Kit at the education show see post *here* about the visit.



You receive a paper form to fill in and send off with the week you require the caterpillars for. You need to block out approximately 5 weeks, to watch their progress.

You can buy it from Amazon and it seems to indicate that's free delivery to at £14.99, you have to pay P&P at Insect Lore, which is dearer at £19.99


To document their progress I have set up a blog for my son Tom to do called Butterfly Diary

Tom hates to write with a passion, so I'm hoping by doing this blog it will encourage him, more with his literacy.

It took him a while to do, as he was constantly spell checking, he did alright,at least he is doing plenty of ICT. I'm just hoping he will keep it up, and not give up after the novelty of blogging wears off...I shall be with him as he does this, helping him upload photos etc.

Tom and Annie, shall both a Butterfly Project. I shall put some resources together and brainstorm over at my resources blog. I might do a lapbook too!

Lots of arts and crafts can be included, along with plenty of reading...young Ruth who is fascinated by them, will join in where appropriate.

Sketch Tuesday Blue...experiment update

This weeks Sketch Tuesday was to draw something blue, so here are the pictures Tom and Annie drew

This one is Annie's



this is Tom's



Next weeks assignment is to sketch something alive.

Check out the other 29 sketch's at Heart of Harmony, there are some lovely hues of blue.

Now for the update of Stalactite and Stalagmite experiment, unfortunately it's not gone well, or I should say it's not gone as expected. (But that's often the case is it not with experiments!!!)
In this first picture, you will see we swapped the large white plate for a small saucer, on it you can see where the liquid has dripped causing white staining, the string had become rock hard, and had crystallised, but not was not showing the proper shapes of the stalactites and stalagmites.





We stirred the water, and changed the saucer for a toy saucer so the string was drooping more, it then went all soggy! You can see the drip of water in this one. There is a puddle in the toy saucer too! Although you probably can't see it around the edges of the saucer it is starting to crystallise.

Jam Tarts - a lesson in rolling pastry

Although we have baked many cakes, I realised I had never made jam tarts with the kids. So when my dad came visiting, I got him to help the kids make them.

Now first off I have to admit to having bought ready made pastry (it was buy one get one free - I couldn't resist)but the main lesson was about rolling pastry, so I wasn't too worried. My dad made sure they did it well, telling them not to handle it too much, as it doesn't want to get too warm.

Rolling out, to just the right thickness


I couldn't find my pastry cutters so we improvised using plastic cups


Putting the filling in



Before the oven


All cooked - you will see there is less than in the tray, once on the plate, they were being gobbled up. Soon there was an empty plate.



It was a big hit, although they must make their own pastry, we shall do that hopefully soon.
The only downside was that I'm watching what I eat, and these were rather irresistible, so perhaps not too many pastry sessions ;-)

The last couple of days, have been doing the usual Basics subjects, maths for Tom, we are using at the moment as our base, CGP's 4B we also use other books and resources, but I like to follow one main book so I know where we are and if any particular area needs working on, plus hopefully I wont miss much out.
Today he has just started a book called Using Maths - solve a crime
(click on pictures)


The book says for ages 8 - 12
The principle is to use use Maths in 'real life' settings. So far so good, Tom has seen a direct link for how useful Maths can be.
Tom and Annie have both done read alouds, some spelling, writing, and science. They have socialised and played with friends over here too.

Almost forgot, lots of Education City too.
You will have noticed, that I'm using names rather than initials, as I had showed my dad my blog, he thought they needed names (not real) so here they are Ruth is the youngest. I'm not sure if I'll keep up with names as initials are so much quicker ...lol!

Roman Theatre Masks

I have a new goal to start the day off with some exercise, nothing too strenuous, just 5 mins of jogging, marching, waving hands wildly into the air. I felt great A, and R joined in enthusiastically, whereas T just grumbled and showed little effort. I will get T jumping and running around first thing in the morning, poor child, is so not an early morning person.

T sat down to a Maths test which was at the end of the Maths book he was doing. It was a Scofield and Sims 'adding and subtraction' He just got a couple of mistakes and on his workings out I could see it was just carelessness. I was pleased though as he hates subtraction and has grasped it well now.

A sat and did some writing practise, from this here(click on picture)

Then we did a couple of pages from the Key Stage 1 science book from CGP learning about seeds and what plants need. This will come in useful when we start planting seeds soon.

Then we discussed about Roman Masks that were used in Roman Theatre, how women were not allowed to perform ,and that men played both parts, wearing masks. If it was a brown mask, that indicated it was a man, and if it was a white mask ,then it was a women.

T and A went on to make a Roman Mask each. First the designed on paper what they wanted.


Then they started to paint the designs on their masks, which we had bought from Asda for a couple of pounds



Their masks next to their designs


Wearing the finished masks


I was really pleased with how they turned out. We got the idea from History on the Net we bought the download and use this as our basis for our Romans project, interspersed with other material.

We have visited a fort, where the children, 10 altogether, learn how a Roman soldier lived and on another occasion visited our local museum, same number of children where they learnt about Roman life, food, and were able to dress up as Romans.

After finishing the masks, we went and picked up R who had been at a friends, then on to the Library, then back home to write up about what they had learnt regarding Roman Theatre Masks.