Friday, June 26, 2015

Term Two Evaluation ~ Monkey

Read Aloud Books:

Picture Books and/or Information Books - 
Do Not Forget Australia - by Sally Murphy
Jack's Bugle - by Krista Bell
Knick Knack Bushwhack by Mandy Foot
Monkey
Elephant
Lion
Hippo
Crocodile
Snake
Rhino
Vanilla Ice Cream by Bob Graham
If You Happen to Have a Dinosaur by Linda Bailey
Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin
Dinosaur Rescue by Penny Dale
Wombat Goes Walkabout by Michael Morpurgo
The Deep Dark Wood by Algy Craig Hall
Itsy Bitsy Spider by Iza Trapani
The Perfect Hug by Joanna Walsh
The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter
The Tailor of Gloucester by Beatrix Potter
The Tale of Mr Jeremy Fisher by Beatrix Potter
The Tall Man and the Twelve Babies by Tom Niland Champion
The Tale of Mr Jeremy Fisher by Beatrix Potter
Mr McGee and the Elephants by Pamela Allen
The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter
Olga the Brolga by Rod Clement
The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson
Hairy Maclary Hide and Seek by Lynley Dodd
Who Sank the Boat by Pamela Allen
Hairy Maclary's Rumpus at the Vet by Lynley Dodd
Mr McGee and the Biting Flea by Pamela Allen
The Kangaroo and The Porpoise by Agnes Lippo
Tiddalick by Robert Roennfeldt
Little Red Riding Hood
Saving Pandas by Dr Carla Litchfield
Warambi by Aleesah Darlison
Tom and the Dragon by Juliette MacIver
Elmer and Wilbur by David McKee
The New Small Person by Lauren Child
Belinda by Pamela Allen (PRC)
Brown Bear Brown Bear What Do You See by Bill Martin Jr (PRC)
Belinda by Pamela Allen
Brown Bear Brown Bear What Do You See by Bill Martin Jr
Olivia and the Missing Toy
Bears in Beds by Shirley Parenteau
Little Chicken's Big Day

Chapter Books - 
Charlotte's Web - by E.B. White
Other Reading Activities:
Reading Eggs online program


Maths:
Maths Plus Year 1 Textbook
Units 9 - 24 covering the following topics:
equal groups, counting by 2s and 5s, regular and irregular 2D shapes, covering areas, 10-frame addition, modelling numbers, left and right, comparing similar shapes, counting back, quarters of a whole, hexagons, volume of models, skip counting, sharing, picture graphs, o'clock, counting on, addition patterns on a number line, three-dimensional objects, comparing mass, subtraction from addition, counting patterns, vertices, data displays, describing patterns of 2, 3 and 4, counting by 10s, describing position, estimating area, addition patterns, australian coins, will won't or might happen, comparing length, bridging to ten, quarters of a collection quadrilateral, comparing capacity, equal groups, missing numbers, describing 3D objects, measuring mass, doubles and near doubles, grouping for division, pentagons, half past, subtraction on a number line, counting ten, interpreting data, months and seasons, missing addends, adding odd and even numbers, describing position, different area units, equivalence, decomposition, describing 2D shapes, favourite pets - column graph, counting back, related addition facts, top front and side views, the calendar, repeated subtraction, addition and subtraction problems, modelling 3D objects, comparing volume by packing
Diagnostic Review 2
Diagnostic Review 3

Handwriting:
Foundation Handwriting Year 1
Targeting Handwriting Year 1

Writing:
Institute for Excellence in Writing Curriculum
Teaching Writing: Structure and Style program

Scripture and Character Building:
Bible Read Aloud:
1 John ~ Exodus 15

Science and Technology:
Read aloud books (see above) on a variety of science topics

Conducted the "Seed in a Glass Jar" experiment
(watching the seed sprout)

PDHPE:
walk to and from the library
walk to and from the shops
walk to and from various parks
free play at various parks
riding scooter

Creative Arts:

Socialization:
Weekly attendance of church and Sunday School
Numerous play dates with friends of multiple ages
Attended best friend's sister's Ice Skating birthday party

Other Activities:
Played a variety of board and card games
  • Snakes and Ladders
  • Skip-Bo
  • Chess
  • Memory
  • Blokus
  • Naughts and Crosses
  • The Dot Game
Imaginative (self created) Lego games with his younger brother

Term School Holiday Events:
July:
Library ~ Bingo
Library ~ Fun & Games Day
Library ~ Paper Aeroplane Construction
Lego Day hosted at a friend's church

Term Two Evaluation ~ Monster

Read Aloud Books:

Picture Books and/or Information Books - 
Do Not Forget Australia - by Sally Murphy
Jack's Bugle - by Krista Bell
Simpson and His Donkey - by Mark Greenwood
Life in Colonial Australia
Deadly Insects
Amazing Australian Reptiles, Fish and Amphibians
Child Convicts
Australian Convicts by Jill B. Bruce
Seasons in Australia: Winter by Greg Pyers

Chapter Books - 
The Donkey Who Carried the Wounded - by Jackie French
Charlotte's Web - by E.B. White
Grace and Glory - by Sofie Laguna



Independent Reading:
see written list ~ 

Other Reading Activities:
Reading Eggs online program
30 - 60 minutes of silent reading daily

Maths:
Maths Plus Year 4 Textbook
Units 10 - 18 covering the following topics:
3-digit subtraction with trading, equivalent fractions, acute, obtuse and right angles, millilitres, counting by 10s and 100s, thirds and sixths, patterns in tables, kilograms, counting patterns, multiplication facts times 8, symmetrical patterns, chance, jump and bridging strategies - subtraction, mixed numerals, combining and splitting shapes, millilitres, counting with fractions, division strategies, reflect, translate or rotate, two-way tables, hundredths, tens of thousands, grouping two-dimensional shapes, am and pm time, 3-digit addition, multiplication facts times 9, creating categories, grams, multiplying tens then ones, division with remainders, using a legend, perimeter, 4-digit addition, patterns on a hundreds chart, top front and side views, square centimetres
Diagnostic Review 2

Maths Plus Year 5 Textbook
Units 10 - 18 covering the following topics:
4-digit subtraction, prime and composite numbers, triangles, square centimetres, 2-digit division, revising two place decimals, probability (0-1), using scale, 5-digit addition with trading, multiples, line graphs, cubic centimetres, three digits multiplied by one digit, constructing number sentences, constructing shapes, 24 hour time, 5-digit subtraction, 2-digit division, describing objects, perimeter, multiplication, fractions on a number line, databases, square metres, 3-digit division, factors, number patterns and rules, rotational symmetry, order of operations, adding and subtracting fractions, chance, top front and side views, 5-digit addition, roman numerals, line graphs, cubic centimetres and millilitres
Diagnostic Review 2

Handwriting:
Foundation Handwriting Year 3

Writing:
Institute for Excellence in Writing Curriculum
Teaching Writing: Structure and Style program
wrote postcards to international pen pals

Scripture and Character Building:
Bible Read Aloud:
1 John ~ Exodus 15

HSIE:
Geography/History - 
We continued our Australian History Unit Study.
We utilized information books and chapters books as the core of our study.
** See read aloud and chapter book list above for book selection **
We read a variety of Aboriginal Dreaming time picture books.
We read a variety of books about ANZAC day
** See read aloud and chapter book list above for book selection **

Science and Technology:
Continued his personal blog
Learned how to edit photographs using Gimp program
Started independently composing and typing content of blog
Edited each entry with assistance from mum

Read aloud books (see above) on a variety of science topics

Continued keeping a daily weather log ~ tracking high/low temps, humidity, and rainfall using Bureau of Meteorology website and other weather websites as necessary.  Writing collected data down in a weather notebook.

Conducted the "Seed in a Glass Jar" experiment
(watching the seed sprout)


Spelling:
daily oral review of weekly lists as sourced from year 4 lists on the internet
(20 words per list)
written test taken every Friday


PDHPE:
walk to and from the library
walk to and from the shops
walk to and from various parks
free play at various parks
riding scooter

Creative Arts:


Socialization:
Weekly attendance of church and Sunday School
Numerous play dates with friends of multiple ages
Attended best friend's Ice Skating birthday party

Other Activities:
Played a variety of board and card games
  • Rummy-O
  • Yahtzee
  • Snakes and Ladders
  • Skip-Bo
  • Flinch
  • Chess
  • Memory
  • Blokus
  • Naughts and Crosses
  • The Dot Game
  • Scrabble
Imaginative (self created) Lego games with his younger brother

Term School Holiday Events:
July:
Library ~ Bingo
Library ~ Fun & Games Day
Library ~ Paper Aeroplane Construction
ANSTO ~ Colour & Light
Lego Day hosted at a friend's church

Week Ten ~ Natural Learning and Outdoor Play

After nearly two weeks of rainy weather we spent our last week of the term enjoying LOTS of outdoor play and some natural learning.
We made sure to go to the various parks in the morning so that we were home in the afternoon to work on the remainder of our written/structured work.

MONDAY:
We went to our local park (closest to our house) and enjoyed chalk drawing (and treasure hunts) as well as some spinning and LOTS and LOTS of running!







TUESDAY:
An impromptu play date at the park near the Fire Station.
More spinning...
More chalk drawing...
More treasure hunts...
More running...
and some fun on the swings!









WEDNESDAY:
The park near the community centre...
Duck feeding was first on the agenda!
Then swings and slides...
conquering tall "mountains"...
and fun on the spider swing!
Plus a couple of fancy looking birds!












THURSDAY:
Back to the park near our house...
Spider spotting as we walk the bushwalk trails
(and a chance for me to practice my manual photography skills)!
Then swinging, spinning, and hanging around!






FRIDAY:
We finished up the week meeting up with homeschool group at the newest park.
Munchkin spent almost the entire 5 hours we were there playing with this digger.
The sand is always the main attraction at this park!





Friday, June 19, 2015

Week Nine ~ Examples of Hands On Learning

 We finished reading the first girl in the Our Australian Girl series...
Monster and I are reading these as part of our Australian history curriculum.



 The boys LOVED it when they discovered that much of their math for the week was hands-on type of work.  We pulled out the balance scale and the kitchen scale and they got to work.

 Not to be left out Munchkin decided to have a go balancing Legos on the balance scale.
Never too early to start having fun with mathematics!

One of his favourite activities at the moment is cutting and pasting.
He will gather all his equipment and settle down where he wants to be and get to work.

Friday, June 12, 2015

Week Eight ~ Winding Down

As the term winds down I seem to be taking less and less photos...
Here are our read alouds for this week...






Friday, June 5, 2015

Week Seven ~ Monkey's Registration

Munchkin LOVES this Discovery Toy pattern block set that was mine (and my siblings) when I was younger.  He is getting quite good at figuring out what shapes he needs to create the pictures and he very rarely asks for help.
It is a joy to just watch the learning process at work.
















There was much fun had with the Etch-A-Sketch and all three boys took turns drawing different designs and pictures on it.
Monster in particular was quite proud of his elephant (above photo).


Munchkin enjoyed working on a puzzle set from a friend...



While Monkey and Monster played a basketball game in the boys bedroom.



The big event of this week was that Monkey had his first official registration since he turns six in July.  The teacher in me came out even more and I actually had lots of fun displaying all our learning resources on the dining table for the Dept of Education to have a look at.  We had a different authorized person than we've had in the past, but he was lovely. He stayed for an hour and we chatted as he looked over the work I had prepared and I know what is expected of me when BOTH boys re-register in January 2016.
He is pleased with the work we have been doing and is excited to see a summary of our learning when he returns in the new year.






 Munchkin LOVES the fish magnetic puzzle that I found for him at Toys R Us.
He plays with it nearly every day.
The actual puzzle is WAY too easy for him... but using the magnetic fishing rod is fun for him and he also makes up little stories about the different sea creatures!

 Lego creations inspired by our Lego excursion from a few weeks ago!










 And finally our read alouds for the week... including Charlotte's Web which we've really enjoyed reading AGAIN!  I've lost track of how many times I've read this book to the boys in the past three years!!