An Unusual Week

I've managed to be poorly all week so things slowed down a little for a while.

A friend took my two eldest to two homeschooling outings:

HISTORICAL MEDICINE, a cross-curricular workshop examining the science and superstition of the past. It contrasts modern medicine with the practices from various historical periods, from Ancient Rome to Victorian England. Utilises an extensive handling collection of real and replica artefacts.

GUY FAWKES GOES BANG! based around the Gunpowder Plot of 1605, includes a summary of the events of the plot, an investigation of the science of gunpowder using some simple indoor experiments to show the effect of expanding gases in a confined space . It concludes with further experiments using gunpowder, demonstrating the different effects of burning loose gunpowder and exploding a small charge

.

...while the two littlies stayed home and made these cute little owls.

The Boy has named his 'Come On Then Bruiser' - as you do...

...and Panda Girl has named hers 'Big Owl'. Cute :)

Painting with stencils and experimenting with paint on shiny paper

Mixed spice and raisins for baked apples.

Camping out in the classroom.

Lunchtime in the den.

Late-night baking.

The two eldest helped the younger two with lapbooks on dogs, having read the Kipper stories.

Taking out sunflower seeds from our sunflower.

Ballet Girl is ready for Christmas!  She plans and organises all year and this is her stash of wrapped presents for all her aunts and uncles and cousins.  She's quite something!

Panda Girl is well on her way too!

Monkey Girl's speciality shortbread.

Outside

  Sundays are for chillaxing.  We went to our favourite park and we stayed there for four hours in the beautiful October sunshine.

My Man.

We're Going on a Bear Hunt!

While the two eldest worked on their Civil War project the two youngest had super fun with We're Going on a Bear Hunt, by Michael Rosen.

We read the book...

...and watched Michael Rosen himself telling the story (we had to watch it three times because it was brilliant).

Here's the video!

 And then we made lap-books.  Panda Girl didn't want it to end: "Mummy, no!  I want more!"  That's always a good thing :)

Here's The Boy's lovely work...

 ...and here is Panda Girl's

We're Going on a Bear Hunt board game

The kiddies have to play out after lunch, rain or shine.  This is me attempting valiantly to make them love the rain.  I mean we are English after all - what choice do we have?!

Our friends are spending a year with their kiddies travelling around the whole of the USA in an RV.  They left 4 months ago and have just reached the Pacific Coast having arrived on the Atlantic Coast.  We have a rough map of their ongoing trip.  Love you guys!

 In history today (separate from our thematic work about the Stuarts) we learnt how Richard II reached his twenty second year and demanded the Keys to the Kingdom and the Royal Seal from his Uncle, John of Gaunt, who had acted as protector while he was a minor.  

We practised making our own seals.  This was such a hit!

I've rearranged the two youngest's desks so they are now together.  This is them after the end of our school day.  I love how much use all four desks have had.  I would say they were the best purchase I have made since having kiddies.

Apple picking...

...and apple-bobbing :)

Cavaliers or Roundheads?

My brilliant Cavaliers.

And this little one dressed himself, because he rocks :)

Making cupcakes.

The Boy showed our lovely neighbour his Stuart work so far.  She's a fan and we're very grateful :)

For an extra dose of fun today the two littlies did some Gruffalo bits and pieces.  You can't beat The Gruffalo!

Panda Girl worked out the height of the tree in the field next door by looking upside-down between her knees until she could just see the top of the tree.  Then she walked to the tree from that spot and counted her steps. :)

A Poem

Yesterday, Ballet Girl (age 11) wrote this poem. 

The Kings and Queens of the Stuarts.

Firstly there's, a good Queen Bess, from the Tudor era.

She died in pain, and never again, was she to rule with terror.

Then secondly, most astonishingly, came her dear old cousin...

James the I, or James the 'curse' 'cause he ruled over Scotland.

Then Jamie dear, died in fear, 'cause he was an old chap,

Then came his son, who had no fun, who lost his head (went splat).

The one who killed, (his head was spilled) broke the Puritan laws,

Charles I, who was the worst, at fighting civil wars.

Then Ollie Cromwell, had to stop well...(he fought Ireland galore)

He had no fans, since fun was banned, and he kept fighting wars!

He died and then, a monarch again, since Charles's son came back!

He's Charles II, (not David Beckham) and partying was back!

Then Charlie died, while his people cried, for they had suffered lots,

The plague and fire, for they desire, that they're all covered in spots!

Then came dear James, the one who came, he was over-thrown,

'cause he was a catholic, the people did not pick, that king by them alone.

Then next came Mary, the one that married, the William of Orange,

Then Mary died, while William cried, as he used an old bandage,

since William fell, over and tell, and he died all alone,

Next came Anne, who had no fans and no-one to succeed the throne.

Since Anne had nine, children (divine!), they all died of sickness,

Then Anne died, while the people cried, that they had no joy-ness!

Then that's the end, of the Stuarts, bend, of the royal success,

Then came in line, the Georgian line, of unhappiness...........

The Puritans and a Bit O' Basketball

As part of our Stuart work we spent an hour or so today looking at the gradual rise of the Puritans during the 1600s.

Panda Girl had fun designing Puritan and non-Puritan clothes.

Which colour would the Puritans have chosen?  The Boy chose black and we made...

...this (stolen from a theme on The Pilgrim Fathers - similar stuff)

The two eldest worked on researching and extracting facts from our library books.

And the two youngest dressed their teddies in Puritan clothes!

Ha!  We finally got 'round to putting up Mummy's old basketball net and so break time was about shooting some hoops :)

The Boy was very proud of his red-faced-I've been-playing-basketball look

He's doing so well with his Spanish flashcards!  We all love the way he says la bufanda!

Nature Study.  

While the weather remains so warm and dry you have to study in the hammock.