Non-Book day - ermmm - well...

...more of a non anything day really. We don't seem to quite have a handle on this 'back to school' thing atm - the sunshine is too irresistible and no-one wants to be inside! Ah well - I guess it's OK - we could be packing up the house next week and for the next month, so I'm sure not much schooling will happen these next couple of months anyway - and then it will be summer holidays and we can start afresh in September - new house, new space, new system - I hope!!

So today began with them all doing some quiet reading. Phoebe's book of choice atm is he Bible :D. Then the rest of the day consisted mainly of bouncing on th etrampoline (PE - check) and yet more bubbles (maths, science, creativity, exercise - all check), only this time with sugar added (makes the bubbles last longer) and the mixture did make it possible to get a LOT more big floaty ones, and multi ones, even up to 5 all joined together a few times. The boys invented games with them - mostly a war game, where, dependent on the size of the bubble it was either an aircraft bomber, a bomb, or a nuclear bomb and when it exploded, and with what velocity that explosion happened, determined the damage caused to the opponents location! Nothing but creative anyway :D. The many wands today were constructed not only using Zome (which I have now ordered more of, but could only find in the USA in decent quantities), but also using Knex. It worked just as well tbh, but was a bit more complicated to get more than flat shapes from for the littlies. That's the lovely thing about Zome - it really is soooo easy to use - even for Ellie. I think the best result we got today - in terms of huge-ness - came from the  big, flat rectangle that Jake built. It made like a sheet of bubble which then created the biggest bubbles!

Some other activities DID happen today though - only more spontaneously than usual: The big girls did some beading, making beaded keyrings for the girls next door, one of whom has just turned 8. Abs thought quite carefully about her patterning (maths- check). Abbie also made a card for her - completely by herself (Art/craft - check) :D. Ellie caught up on her Headsprout reading books (we had a few to do) and although she does need to re-read them and practice them, she is doing pretty well actually, when her memory works to full pelt! And When it was getting cooler in the garden I did persuade the boys to do some 'homework' (my word for finishing off stuff, or doing stuff they should have already done earlier!). Jake did a lesson on Conquer Maths and Joel finished of Literacy Yr6 on Ed City (he is actually only 'in' Yr5, so he is plenty ahead)! He has actually almost finished the Yr5 maths on there too, I just want him to up his results in the tests. He got 77% and 69% (test B) on his first try (that's a good Level 4 in SATS terms), so it shouldn't be too hard to improve. I'd like him to get 80% on at least one before I put him up to Yr6 Maths. Science - well it's not his forte and he's only about half way through, but I think with a little time and effort he would catch up with that too - maybe with all this time when I am going to be packing boxes that's something for him to work on. I can see ED City being worth it's weight/cost in gold in the coming weeks...

Nat's first for the day was pushing E's doll pram part-way home from playgroup - very cute!

More Firsts...

Sometimes I wonder where my little baby is going - he suddenly seems to be mastering new things each day. I guess it will be using the potty next!

Today's first were drinking from a cup (at his request) and holding himself (avec nappy) and saying 'wee wee' whilst sautering off to the downstairs loo! Oh - and eating a slice of apple!

Morning school pottled along while I busied myself in the study making labels for our new Workbox System (soon to be implemented). Afternoon school was supposed to me History (Romans) and Maths ( Singapore MPH), but our printer is not happy with its refilled ink and won't print the materials I need atm + the sun was shining and we all just wanted to be outside. A game of Carcassonne was suggested, but not warmly received by all (some, but not all - mostly coz it was so nice out) and they had been playing bubbles (again) over lunch, so a brain wave came over me - happens rarely you might know! I almost caved to their pleas to not 'do school' - I just made it feel  like we weren't. I collected the 'Zome' and proceded to make a cube in an attempt to recreate this - it worked once - and that was enough - they were hooked! They then spent the next 2-3 hours playing with Zome and bubble mix (just plain ol' Fairy liquid and water 1:4). They learnt the word 'bubbleology' and instantly declared themselves to be such scientists! Mid afternoon I asked them to tell me what they were learning. Their responses were (as best I can remember them - I just wish I would remember to record on my phone when I ask these questions!); 

• "Triangles are harder to get good bubbles from, but 3D shapes are good." (Abbie)
  
• "House shapes and hexagony shapes work the best, but squares are quite good too." (Joel)
  
• "Double shapes with big spaces make great double bubbles, but if the spaces are too small the bubble just goes in together." (Phoebe)
  
• "If the mix is too thin or too thick they just pop all the time." (Jake)
  
• "You can make bubble mix with washing-up liquid." (Phoebe)
  
• "Whatever shape we make they always go to round." (Phoebe & Joel)
• "Sometimes they are so big they are all wiggly." (Joel)
• "The bigger they get the harder it is to get them to float." (Jake)

Not bad for an afternoon's fun :D. Check out all the pictures on my Picasa album. (click at the bottom of the oage), but here's a few of the best ones to pretty up the blog :D.