Busy with Projects.

 Some projects that we have been covering this term have been wrapped up (like the Christmas presents themselves) and put to bed. But never totally forgotten, if we happen across something else appropriate, we will re-open the file, a bit like the FBI :)

The Bubonic Plague was an interesting one. The story of such bravery from villagers in a little town in Derbyshire, called Eyam, is very touching. Also in the same century was the Great Fire of London, and the reason we have Bonfire Night, and a perfect topic for November, Guy Fawkes. 

Visiting old libraries and antique shops is a favourite pastime of our family, both of which we have happily done, while the weather was not so good. 

My son was home for Christmas from his forestry work placement and so we had a Home Ed Group Forest School out in the woods. The children built dens, cooked on the open fire and did nature crafts.  But mostly ran about and enjoyed the fresh air, laughed a lot, and built more dens. A wonderful day for parents to chat over a paper-cup of cocoa, courtesy of the log fire.

Each year we go to offer our help as a group [whether we actually do is a matter of opinion..] to sort the shoeboxes that have been packed full of goodies and destined for a war-torn country somewhere. This has been a valuable tool as parents have been able to introduce children to situations far from our cosy lifestyles. The children really put their heart and soul into it, hoping to bless a little child across the world, who would otherwise get no gifts. 

Our country of choice to study for this December is Germany. Not least of all because of all the good food associated with this time of year, like Stolen and Lebkuchen. No not at all. [I did say HE always finds its way to food] But the origin of the Christmas tree too. Study traditions of different countries - you may be surprised. 

Christmas Around the World Colouring Book

Lots of study guides for Christmas itself. We like to read Dickens Christmas Carol and have found one with a family devotion for each Stave. 

A Christmas Carol with Bible References

But remember the Greatest Story Ever Told.. 
Have a blessed Christmas, from our HE family to yours.

Autumn Days

The Most Beautiful Time of Year

I love this season, there is an opportunity for so many subjects to study, its a very busy time in the outdoor/indoor 'classroom'.

We made Autumn crafts

With the wonderful colours of the leaves, Autumn is the most obvious of seasons, so when better than to appreciate the four seasons we have and learn about them. With Autumn comes, migration, hibernation, (many mammals to look at here) and harvest. (see the Unit Studies Page for what we enjoyed so I wont bore you over and over again )

Our local Wildflower Centre has had lots of  free of charge 'outdoors days' this half term. The children planted seeds, made dens, made apple crumble, did printing and crafts.

Autumn baking -  food always comes into our projects somehow

When the weather is mild and sunny [or not, in which case turn your outing into a wellie walk] try to get to your local woods or park and collect conkers, acorns and other seeds and leaves to identify at home or go for a bike ride. In my book there is nothing nicer.  Or perhaps on a par, is watching the geese in their thousands, landing after a long haul flight, as the sun goes down. We do get the best sunsets around this time too. Dig out that Nature Bag [the one ready to go... packed with ID books, paints and sketch books...] and paint one.

Studing the US -   M&M made sweet potato soup and corn muffins

Gen 8 v 22  While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.

Learning through Literature - American History

American History

We have begun American History with the younger children this term, and they are enjoying it every bit as much as the older children did. Ideas are easier to absorb if they are in story format, then once the children have the basic idea, we may switch to a non-fiction book and they can see the sequence of events in more detail.

Visiting TN in the Autumn was such a thrill

We were fortunate enough to go on a mega field trip to the States and see things the children had studied like the Liberty Bell and the Declaration of Independence, staying with friends on a farm in TN, and in a log cabin in GA, and with friends in AZ and WDC, we were able to appreciate the geography and landscapes from the Grand Canyon to the Appalachian Mountains.

Themed Pocket Projects

Worksheets and crafts about Native Americans are favourite so far. We have snuggled up with a few DVDs lately, as the weather has perturbed us from venturing out every day as we like to. DVDs to start of the topic, like:
National Treasure
Calamity Jane
Brother Bear
Little House on the Prairie
Apple Dumpling Gang

I am sure you will have your own favourites.

We plan that this history topic will take a couple of months at least. But this is the best time of year to begin, for as we study the Pilgrim Fathers and the First Thanksgiving, we can make a Thanksgiving supper of our own.

M&M Pocket Project

Here is a unit study for some ideas to whet your appetite.
Native American Unit Study and the Trail of Tears.

International Homeschool Spirit Week

International Homeschool Spirit Week

The kids have had a ball this week in their Home Room - ''classroom skyperoom'' Their teachers are so full of enthusiasm not least of all because they are American. :D  We liked "Wear your PJs to school day"!!!

Currclick have 'Live Lessons' [some are free] where children from all around the world, sign in and can chat about the subject being covered. Our courses for this year are Magic Tree House, and American Girl. Both are history based and the teacher will show short clips and information, and talk to the children about that evening's particular topic. The classes can be once a week to once a month, depending on which class you take. 

For my older children, Science Jim has some amazing live classes - what a character - there's always fun to be had. 

Science lessons, live from the States

It's just something a little different where HE children can feel included, learn and come together in a safe online environment. It's a lot of fun for us Brits who are not used to Home Rooms and Club Houses. 

GO HOME ED!!! 

Fun Fridays

For the most part of my career as a HE mum, I have employed Fun Friday!! 

Its a day of cooking, [Crumbs TV on YouTube is a very basic good food blog] experiments, art & crafts, board games, DVD or YouTube clips [educational of course :) ] You get the picture. Unschooling is maybe the word some would use.
Any child with work outstanding from during the week may have to finish up first before joining in.  I could add in there play dates or bike rides, nature walks and diaries, trips to the library, but that would go on throughout the week parallel to our curriculum any case for us.

Have fun and enjoy your children's day alongside them. 

A New Home School Year

When new magazines plop through the door

The most exciting time of year is upon us! Planning subject matter and time-tables, brand new additional topics may be called for, scheduling in sport and social days... and buying new stationery. How satisfying! I  can almost smell the freshly sharpened pencils just thinking about it :)

Throughout the year I keep a diary of topics covered,  and yet to be covered.  Interests or places to visit that have cropped up but we didn't have the time to delve into very thoroughly. This is my starting point when forming [a very lose] plan for the new term. But all subjects will be based on the children's own enthusiasms. 
There are many children' educational magazines that make good reading material. Societies like the RSPB or Bat Conservation Trust for example or Aquila, National Geographic Kids or Answers in Genesis Kids to name a few. 

We don't jump into the school year with both feet [I have tried various approaches over the years and that strategy made for unhappy children and mum] We slip in there gently with a couple of weeks worth of fun projects.   [Currclick has very inexpensive or free short topics/lapbooks if you need a little inspiration.] It would usually be a topic which has caught the kiddos' interest over the break, so its a natural progression.   

Looking at a duck egg embryo

Most of all don't stress, take comfort knowing that HE is flexible and it may take a few own-goals before you hit on the right track for your child for that season.  Help is out-there in the HE community. They are a very co-operative bunch, everyone is supportive and loves to talk about what worked for them.

Lessons from the Seaside

Luckily in England, we are never too far from the coast.  

After googling events around Britain for National Marine-life Week, we hit upon an area that was convenient for us.

Biology: The children did their research beforehand, to become familiar with names of shells, seaweeds, starfish and molluscs native to that shoreline, chatting to the curators at the local natural history centre, and looking at examples of crab and squid in the aquarium. There are lots of worksheets and spotter sheets available for free from many web sites. 

We went for a chat with Dennis the Coastguard about his job

Art:They painted 'dolphin v porpoise' pictures and made notes of their differences.  They also took along their watercolours and pads and with seawater, painted some of the stunning views. Photography tips from dad [a professional] were also on the curriculum.  

Dolphin watching

English language: The children kept a nature diary of their finds, complete with sketches.  The children read both fact and fictional books relevant to the seaside.

Some useful books:

Kids-Travel-Journal-Trip-Cornwall

                                                                                                                                                           Cornwall With Kids

Geography: The girls improved their map reading skills and brushed up on the use of an OS map.

Maths: Lots of uses here; distances travelled, money/costs, length of shells, crabs etc, 

Sport: The kids learned to bodyboard & canoe. Plenty of Surf-schools to be found on the coast.

We popped by a coastguard's station and had a chat with the coastguard there, and had a chance to board a lifeboat. 

It is very interesting to hang around the quayside for a few minutes and watch the process of the fishermen as they bring back their various catch.

Taking binoculars was a real boost as we were fortunate enough to see a colony of seals and a pod of dolphins. 

Who knew there were so many fun ways to learn on a Summer break??

Home Educated Children Can Achieve Certificates Too... And a bit about 'Summer Schools/Clubs'...

And a bit about 'Summer Schools/Clubs'...

We hear all the time from friends/family and newspaper articles, how school children are working towards certificates and goals.  Well if that's your 'bag', and you believe that it will encourage the children, there is plenty of scope for Home Edders to do this too.  From art, archaeology, sports, creative writing, to environmental issues.

The obvious place to start is with what interests the child, be it insects or football, and get in touch with local groups. Or get together with your HE group and book a day session, kayaking or pond dipping, or whatever takes your fancy.

Our group recently completed a 12-month ecology study of a local pond for the John Muir Award. 

The children have certificates in various areas and are currently working towards Art Awards for Trinity College London and their British Gymnastics awards.  Alongside their choir, they will shortly be presented a RPS Music Award. They have dance and ballet trophies and one child has many show-jumping rosettes, one child has won a shield for Army Cadets. They have won awards and prizes from competitions with the VG&M in Liverpool, the RSPB, and the Catalyst Museum in Widnes. 

My kiddos are not unstoppable go-getters by any stretch of the imagination, I am just sharing how obtainable awards can be, and how they record for keeps, in black and white [and pretty pictures if you are lucky :) ] some recognition for the child's enthusiasm and hard work.

Taking a break while pot-holing

 Photo or drawing competitions are a good way to begin.

Each Summer the local libraries have a reading scheme, with goodies and a certificate for every child who completes the tasks.  There is Tennis Summer School or Summer Athletics Club for example if you want something more short term to test your child's interest over the holidays.

Bake Off Competition

Country fairs usually have categories for children to enter a homegrown vegetable, a homemade cake, or a flower display.  Or even enter your dog in a charity dog show.

It's an exciting moment when a certificate drops through the letterbox :)

Shakespeare for Kids

Another Spontaneous Tangent

My eldest daughter has loved Shakespeare since she was a mere 'sprite'. Maybe since we saw Romeo and Juliet performed by the English National Ballet, perhaps she is in love with the poetic language of the AV Bible, or maybe it was even the pre-loved Shakespeare
books we were given. Either way, all I'm saying is that she didn't get the enthusiasm from me. :)

This has rubbed off on my younger children so we went in search of a unit study. We didn't find exactly what we needed for their varying ages, so we threw together our own.  The cherry on the cake is yet to come:  tickets to an outdoor theatre company's production of A Midsummer Nights Dream! We've been to many an outdoor Shakespeare play but this is the family favourite.

While on a 'field trip' holiday in Italy we saw these Othello costumes

• We made a puppet theatre.
• The children learnt that some phrases we use today were coined by Shakespeare.
• There are many story & picture books suitable for most ages.
• YouTube have some BBC cartoon Shakespeare productions.
• Make a lapbook
• Cook an Elizabethan meal
• Compare quotes from the Bible to Shakespeare's quotes.  Can you tell where each came from?
• Check out my Pinterest Shakespeare board 

• Shakespeare online

Act 4 Scene 1 Merry Wives

Kids Love Shakespeare

BBC Animated Midsummer Nights Dream

Lapbook

Unit Study

Hands-on Shakespeare

Shakespearean Feast

The Shakespear Stories

For the older child - Ten Tales from Shakespeare

Picture book - Mr William Shakespeare's Plays

You know you're a HEdder when....

...you choose your family holiday according to your geography studies!

We do this all the time :) It fits in nicely. The children are so much more enthused about a subject, if we can actually go and see something of it.

Be it visiting a castle in Wales after studying the Medieval period, or camping in the lakes after reading Beatrix Potter's biography, we like to get out and about. 

When Ryanair had a sale, we flew to Venice for £5 each. We chose that destination after studying Italy with Galloping the Globe and reading Vendela in Venice. 

We loved Italy so much we are planning a short trip to Tuscany. [There is a sale again :) ] The children are actively involved in every detail of the planning. Searching bus/train timetables and prices, Googling the most popular attractions, through to where their favourite Renaissance art is housed. In fact everything from accompanying me to the passport office, to having their pocket money changed into Euros. 

They have also been doing some serious studying. Learning about famous Italians, the geography, the Romans [again], volcanoes, artists and composers, and even a few phrases that will no doubt come in handy...

Watch this space!

Arrivederci!

Leonardo DaVinchi's Woman with Ermine

The snow has gone...

This winter seems to have gone forever to us Brits. 

School in the garden

Always a pencil and sketchbook in the backpacks

Using water from the waterfall to paint a picture of it

Animals in hibernating and insects have paid the cost dearly. Farmers are counting their losses. BBC News Item But for now we are having a little sunny spell, who knows how long it will last till the rain is with us again, and come September, we are wondering if we even had a summer... Sound familiar? We made the most of our sunshine, with highs of 22C by packing some snacks and taking our studies outdoors.

Exploring a run-down mill

Lots to Catch up on...

Easter Term

We have had fabulous craft days, thanks to Merseyside Polonia Society and World Museum Liverpool over the past couple of years and this Easter was no letdown, Do check the WM web site as Easter approaches, and also Midsummer, as this is also celebrated to the max by the Polish community, and there will be fun galore!

Crafts at Polish Easter session

The next exciting encounter was at the Walker Art

Gallery where a Jane Austin style dance group

put on an excellent performance to music performed by a string quartet. The dancers were very chatty and told my children everything they wanted to know.  This was very much appreciated by the Pride and Prejudice fans in the family :)

National Science and Engineering Week

edible DNA

Needing a memorable way to learn some facts alongside our Science & Engineering Week Project, we hit on some fun interpretations.  There are plenty of worksheets and ideas available online. Here are some of ours:

•  Extract some strawberry DNA - DNA Experiment
• Make some 'blood'
• Make a DNA strand
• Make gumdrop molecules



blood componants

• Gloopy cornflour experiment

An Einstien 'the man' project

electronics lesson

3D moths 

non-Newtonian fluids experiment

Resources

Curclick - Speedy Science - Blood Basics

Molecules

Radiographer for the day

Science Bob
cornflour Experiment