Term 3 Week 1 Day 1 2012

Well...today proved to be rather trying. To get the kids motivated was quite tricky, but with a few bickers and tanties we got there in the end.
Today we thoguht we would show you some of the more enjoyable activities we did today.
Connor did a great experiment project  to see how different substances change the time it took to dissolve an alka seltzer. He is still waiting for the oil to dissolve it...He guessed that the oil placed a barrier around the tab and that it may never dissolve.

Maddie and Jacob did some visual arts. Last term they drew some trees out at a local park. Today they used watercolours and acrylics and tree branches to paint a picture of a sunrise in our front yard. A brayer for the suburbia part.

Here is the photo...

Here is Jacob's

 Here is Maddie's

Signing off

Mandy

Science Experiments

These last few weeks have seen the kids very busy.
Lots of library time, with Ancient Egypt dvds being on our agenda.
Connor is doing a powerpoint presentation on Ancient Egypt making sure he covers information like everyday life, gods, a timeline, to name a few.
We are slowly learning Italian, Caio , hahaha...
So, science, we had a mystery liquid and had to do different ways of separating to discover what was in it.
First he did filtration, then we used heating to separate the water from the solid...on the stove in a pot...who says it has to be all scientific...lol...anyhows, here are some photos...

The kids also had to solve a crime....it was a bit daggy, but the loved doing it anyhow. The above photo is connor and jacob learning guitar...

OK
oh the places you'll go.....dr suess
cheers
mandy

2nd May 2012

Art and the Rennaissance
Today we talked about Leonardo Da Vinci with a myriad of his artworks flashing before our eyes. Just check you tube, there are that many you can pick from. I thought it would be fun to experiment with different drawing mediums.I said quick kids, go grab some stuff to draw. Would yoy believe they got some fruiy and threw it into a bowl...lol...we then made our page roughly in quarters and drew a graphite pencil drawing, an ink continuous drawing, which they loved, a drewing using charcoal pencils, and concentrating on shading. These pencils are much cleaner than blocks of charcoal.  The last was a choice of your own. e finished off with listening to Verdi's  La Traviata .Here are the results..

CONNOR

JACOB

MADDIE

ME

This was enjoyed by al the kids, and me!

Until next time

"And will you succeed? Yes in deed, yes indeed! Ninety-eight and three-quarters per cent guarenteed!"

-Dr Seuss

Mandy. Connor, Jacob and Maddie

Yes, I am really starting home schooling in the true sense of the word. With one anyway. Connor is in Year 7 and he will be starting on Tuesday. Jacob and Maddie are continuing Distance Education for this coming term, and we will see how successful that is and reassess toward the end of the term.

I called this blog Really? Home Education because many people certainly do have that response to this decision. Our reasons for starting home education were probably very different to why many homeschool, ie Jacob's illness and the necessity to do it. But since doing it, my attitude has certainly changed towards it, and I believe it is a very positive way for your children to learn I could go into the lists of why, but many people have already done this on many an article. I believe home education is a lifestyle choice, and we have gone down that path. With support from the many other wonderful homeschoolers, this lifestyle can be a wonderful one.

This blog will be for a record of what the kids do and how they are doing. The kids will be making entries as well with their triumphs and work.

This blog will show you the adventures the kids go on and how that is incorperated into their curriculum.

Hopefully this blog will give you inspiration and ideas for your children as well.

Ok. Well we are two days before school begins for Term 2.

The Subjects Connor will de doing are:
English
Maths
Science
Geography
History
Italian
Music
Visual Arts
Here are 2 of the many many text books we will be using for resources. (Thought I better put in a photo.)

I am a lover of all things Visual Arts so heres hoping for some amazing artworks. We are also all very excited about learning Italian and hoping that many of the family will become efficient in at least saying Hi! to each other.

No photos as yet. And there is still much to do. I need to sign them up with Maths Online. I have heard many wonderful things about this program. I still have some minor tweeking to do but in all honesyt I am really looking forward to the challenging times ahead.


Until next time
Take care
Mandy