Our Growing Group

Our homeschool group has seen some new families join and we have a good sized (perfect I would say) group now.  The children are comfortable with each other and enjoy learning and playing together.  The core group is in the 5-8 year old range, but then we have a smaller group in the 2-4 year old range, and four babies who are 1 year old or younger!  I'm excited to see what the future holds for our group! 

Shops and Restaurants

This week at homeschool group the children set up shops and restaurants and enjoyed collaboration and imaginative play.

Monster and "O" rolling and cutting out playdough food for the restaurant. 

Monkey and "A" running the cash register. 

Afterwards we enjoyed some games and activities with the parachute. 

Cooking Class

We found a new indoor playground that also hosts "cooking" classes for the children.  The particular day we went they actually decorated doughnuts, but it was still a fun experience for them.

Term One Evaluation

Term two starts officially for James tomorrow (after an extra week off due to the birth of his baby brother) so I thought it was high time to write a review or an evaluation of what we did over term one.


Read Aloud Books We Finished:
Superfudge by Judy Blume
Eyewitness Disaster - Volcanoes
Looking at Weather and Seasons: How Do They Change by Angela Royston
Never Shake a Rattlesnake by Michaela Morgan
Planes and Rockets and Things That Fly by Richard Scarry
What Do People Do All Day by Richard Scarry
Investigating Why It Rains by Ellen Rene
Australian Habitats - Oceans
Australian Seasons - Summer
Olivia
How to Be a Happy Hippo
Hunches in Bunches by Dr Seuss
That Bad Bad Cat
Picturepedia - Sea Life
Best of All by Max Lucado
You Are Special by Max Lucado
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
Oh the Places You'll Go by Dr Seuss
Scrambled Egg Super by Dr Seuss
Falling Up by Shel Silverstein
Charlotte's Web by E B White
Batman: Killer Croc Hunter
An Usborne Flap Book: See Inside How Things Work
Wonder Woman: Attack of the Cheetah
The Unwanted Visitor: Liss Norton and Michael Garton
Reefs by Sally M. Walker
How Animals and Plants Survive in Australia's Oceans and Coasts by Greg Pyers
The Magic Porridge Pot
The Burglers Breakfast
Bonnie and Sam The Circus Pony by Alison Lester
Captain Small Pig by Martin Waddell & Susan Varley
Barry by Colin Thompson
Noni the Pony by Alison Lester
Willow the Wombat by Natalie Jane Parker
Enoch the Emu by Gordon Winch
A Pirate Tale by Margaret Beames
Superman: Parasite's Power Drain
Amazing Animal Facts
My Bible Friends Book 1


Books James Read Aloud to Me (or other family members):
Emily and the Big Bad Bunyip by Jackie French
Hairy Maclarey by Lynley Dodd
Slinky Malinki by Lynley Dodd 
Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
Green Eggs and Ham by Dr Seuss


Other Reading Activities:
Reading Eggs online program


Math: Targeting Maths Year 1
Term 1 section of the textbook which covered the following topics:
Number - count and write number to 20
2D shapes - in the environment and patterns
Number - Order to 20, more than, less than
Time and Area - days of the week, comparing area
Addition - addition sign, number sentences
Time and Length - months of the year, comparing length
Number - Count to 30
3D objects - cylinders, spheres, cubes, cones
Number - count to 30, coins to 30
Time and Capacity - O'clock, compare capacities
Addition - using a number line, doubles
Data and Capacity - graphs, measuring capacity
Number - number facts for 5, 6, 7 and 8
Revision  


School Zone Addition & Subtraction
Adding and Subtracting 0 and 1
Fact Families 0-6
More Adding and Subtracting
Addition Facts 7 and 8
Subtraction Facts 7 and 8
Practice Facts 7 and 8
Fact Families 7 and 8 
Addition Facts 9 and 10
Subtraction Facts 9 and 10
Practice Facts 0-10
Addition Facts 11 and 12
Addition Facts 9-12
Addend Turn Around


Excel Basic Skills English and Mathematics Year 1
Units 1-7 and Test
Number
Measurement
Space  


Other Math Learning:
Sudoku puzzles
Pentomine puzzles
Daily Sums Practice Notebook


Handwriting: 
Blinky Bill Alphabet Handwriting Book
Writing Forms Practice 
Birthday Thank You Notes


Scripture and Character Building:
Bible Reading Genesis - Ruth and Luke chapters 1-10
Big Ideas in the Bible by Chuck Swindoll
The Book of Virtues by William Bennett - various stories and poems


Science and Technology:
Baked ham and zuchinni muffins
Baked scones
Baked chocolate brownies
Decorated gingerbread men
Watched "The Great Barrier Reef" on television (three week series)
nightly work on large (500 piece) jigsaw puzzle


PDHPE (Personal Development, Health, Physical Education):
Wii Sports (tennis, boxing, bowling)
Weekly walk to the library and the shops
Riding his scooter


Socialization:
Weekly visits to the library for story hour and borrowing
Weekly participation at our local home school group
Weekly attendance at church and Sunday school
Scheduled play dates with friends
Attended his best friend's gymnastic themed birthday party
Attended a family friend's wedding


Creative Arts:
Free Drawing Time
water colour painting
acrylic painting


Other Activities:
Attended all my midwife appointments throughout the pregnancy
Played a variety of card/board games with both parents
Practical work with daddy - fixing light and hood for fish tank
Play Dough
Lego Construction


Excursions:
Powerhouse Museum



 

Fire Station Open Day

Our local fire station held an open day so the boys and I walked up and checked it out!

They took turns sitting in the fire engine... 

Tried on some of the equipment... 

And asked the fire fighters a million questions...

Welcoming a New Student

"The Munchkin" (as he'll be known on this blog)

born April 15th 2012

Learning Through Play

Monkey is not registered through the government for school at this time.

If I were sending my children to school outside of the home I would not send them to preschool.  I believe that play is their most important job at this tender young age.  I can incorporate a LOT of learning throughout their day just from our normal interactions.  They are like sponges and just soak it all in.

So while I'll be posting academic and school posts for Monster, I will also showcase Monkey and his play because that is his learning at this time in his life!

We put together the dinosaur puzzle and then Monkey gathered up his plastic dinosaurs and matched them (correctly) to the dinosaurs in the puzzle.  Unfortunately it is a bit hard to see in this photo. 

My best friend gave the boys a Mr Potato Head game and they alternate between playing the game and making up their own imaginative stories with them.