Category Archives: numeracy

Wreathed in smiles

Today also a busy day! We did some ‘home ed’ – Piano practice [she is getting confident at good king wenceslas], maths and writing. BB did some painting. We read books together – a bit on the Saxons and Sutton Hoo with SB, and BB and I read a book where she pretended to sound out words [panic not, she was entirely making it up!]. Both girls have done a lot of singing.

We spent A LOT of time making some festive wreaths to go on various doors. SB really was pleased to do it, and didn’t make any fuss about holly – I did say it wasn’t compulsory! We also had ivy, pine and bay branches. BB decided not to make it, she did some stamping and also playing with various toys.

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We then made some banana and chocolate muffins [to freeze for christmas breakfast – the list is gradually getting ticked off! Just in time for Nana and Grandad to arrive and give BB the wonderful farm for her birthday. [actually it isn’t quite that one, Merry ordered the other one for us [thankyou xx]. BB overjoyed and has played with it non stop since – as has SB.

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Oh, I did manage to take some passable piccies of the girls with tree – see below! And, if you go to the pages on the sidebar, I am gradually doing a craft and bake post!

After BB into bed, SB and I have made cheese scones for tomorrow – we have a VERY busy day ahead! I am making the last curry – phew! Chris is making sausage rolls for tomorrow, all go here.

A Nice Winter’s Walk

yesterday we met up with Michelle and family for a woodland walk and hopefully some bird viewing. It was a bit chilly, so we were all well wrapped, and arrived with not a huge difference between us – so not bad!

both girls were laden with cameras as part of the idea is that they are going to record what interests them on the walk, and be able to see some seasonal changes.

We did go in the bird hide briefly – but BB’s gentle rendition of away in a manger was annoying the other chap there [though not the birds!] , so we decided to mostly walk. It was a lovely walk, and we had a good terrain change with a disused quarry to walk down and up as well. Somewhere near the bottom it was apparent that the sun was likely to set before we made it back to the car, so we did less photography and more walking!

It was indeed quite dark by the time we got back to the car, but the dark walking had been on an easy path rather than quarry steps, so OK there, and we were alll set for food cooked by Marcus.

It was delicious – as always. And a lovely evening at their house before getting home far too late! The girls did great HE box ticking, by reading loads of Michelles interesting maths books, looking at Chloes tornado and twister facts, and drawing! BB was mostly adorable, but has left orange lizard behind. In the car she was making up songs for it ‘snakes aren’t interesting but lizards is’, and we did lots of carol singing. BB really does have a lovely singing voice and can hold a tune beautifully. Both girls enjoy singing and making up tunes and words. SB and I did latin in the car on the way home – car ed at its best!!
Thanks to our hosts!

I think I will add my photos to this blogpost, and at some point see if SB wants to do her own!!!

at home feelin fluey

Both SB and I have felt under the weather today, and taken our relative doses of nurofen. Unfortunately it meant that she missed the local group Xmas party, which is usually fabulous, and certainly the thankyous on the list suggest it was again.

Instead we have had short bursts of activity and lots of cuddles. BB wanted to make fimo Xmas trees like SB made last year, so we sat and made some, and some stars, and they are now hanging on the girls tree. SB then cooured in a SOTW map about the saxons whilst BB and I played a number counting game with frogs [or ribbets]. Both got grumped at fr playing so hard with the xmas decs that they were breaking left right and centre – nothing that a bit of glue wont sort though.

SB and I read some of the saxon pages from out english history series, and discussed the pictures, what it must have been like to live in raiding times. Moving on to war in general, she couldn’t quite understand how it could still go on. I reassured her that we weren’t imminently likely to be raided here [noting how sensitive she has been of late - she hasn't played animal crossing again...]

erm. general milling about and playing! I read Sb and BB some read alouds. BB particularly likes anything with a duck or egg in it. We then made some more 6 point stargodseyes I played a bit of scrabulous – the only bit of facebook for me I think!! [Tim is about to finish totally thrashing me!! - at present 482:330!!]

erm, I went and had my annual appraisal at work – and so the process begins! Whilst I was there, SB went swimming, and came out of the pool early as not feeling well. Good on her for trying anyway. When I got back, BB was asleep, and CHris was reading SB a science book [the usborne lift the flap we bought from Joanna which she enjoys v much. BB had fallen asleep and has not woken up from that yet!
We then snuggled in front of the TV on a programme about the earths atmosphere – so riveting we both fell asleep! So SB in bed, and I am drinking lots of fluids to try and drive this lurgy feeling away – or at least not get a migraine on top.

Thanks Sarah – the books arrived today, and SB has had a look at the 2B already. oh. and in ne of my scrabulous games i have all vowels  humph!!

guess a quick catch up in order!

we still haven’t posted the early years cards = must do that!

Sb still happy with her timetable

christmas seems to have got here v quickly

I got the job! [co-ordinating some workbased education - but get to be called a programme director!]

Hmm, chris and SB have done some SOTW, she has doen computery things – such as the DK science explorer, and some solar stuff. Actually, today, she got off a chair, and said she knew why she jumped and came down. when she jumped she had enough energy to woosh her up, and then gravity pulled her back down. on the moon she would woosh up further. [i suggested she may even woosh off potentially!]. she;s done some maths and handwriting, made a cracker for xmas. together we have a secret project for daddybeans xmas present. i PROMISE it is better than the girls world head he got last year! She had a raucous playdate yesterday with R, her village-friend.
today I  was at work for part of the day. Chris says SB spent nearly all that time DS-ing on animal crossing – i gave it to her yesterday. she ds-ed for a further 2 HOURS when I got home – at which point i said she had had enough. Meanwhile BB and I played Hiss, with the lego and with her dinosaurs. SB moved onto a violin practice – consolidating notes! and then some webland [well rather a lot of webland] followed by rather a lot of jump ahead year 2. It seems to have been a v computery day!

BB and i made some 6 spoke godseyes – known as stars for Xmas tree, and SB also joined in. we have hung them on our ‘tasteful’ tree. chris bought the 2 real trees, and they will be put up tomorrow while I am at work. BB and I read books together, SB read books herself. BB and I played a number counting and matching game.
ermm, we watched ‘mary on the prairie’ and SB and i did some more secret project! bedtime books and she has ds-ed!

interviewed

Think i might be hoping the other guy did better. not sure – so indecisive!! It was midday though, so kinda ruined the whole day. the morning with the preinterview worries, and the afternoon coming down from interview high – poor buggers, having to listen to me on my soapbox expounding on education!! [btw, this is just a tack on to present post, no radical huge change! more hours though]

The violin strings game from bonners, so the violin is restrung. so had lost her music book – so have looked at the first tune a day book, and done lesson 3. rather stupidly [especially since I spent a proportion of the day saying I was god's gift to education] it hadn’t crossed my mind that SB’s reading of music is situation specific – ie she can find the piano note associated with the musical representation, but has ‘not a single clue’ [how she put it] what that note may be for violin. Her first violin basically uses the letters rather than the musical representation. Its obvious NOW of course! However, lesson 3 starts with d string notes, and actually she is quickly stringing them together.
Oh well, also today there was lots of playing with duplo and lego – S built a pyramid amongst other things, and both girls enjoyed both sizes, the kids k’nex also made an appearance and the marble run.

SB read a book about 5 brilliant scientists from scholastics great black heroes set, and was partcularly taken by how many things you can use peanuts for, and wants to make peanut soap. recipes please!! She also did some singapore maths [having done on line CIMT yesterday – sarah, do i need to send you money [how much] and address??], french on education city – leading to a discussion on whether it counted as french or education city – chose to tick education city on timetable!

we read a story about st nicholas, the st nick bit from while the bear sleeps, and have slippers out in hope. Also the usual bedtime reads. Have found my 13 days of christmas as a read aloud this year. Obviously a MUCH older book – the one I had as a child!

BB and I did some more christmas stamping -v over the top coverage of the card! in the end we were playing some complicated game where the stamps were friends, having picnics etc… SB was at rainbows. Fair bit of christmas carol singing. SB reprised her solar power experiment [under desk lamp] and we talked about electrons again – she seems to have got atoms comfortable in head, and electrons moving along like newtons cradle [well, ok, its not quite, but it sort of makes the flow of current make sense!]

BB still awake. she is such a cutie – i was singing and stroking her forehead n a sleep encouraging way, so she stroked my forehead and gave me lots of kisses!

Think thats it?

Advent Lights

well, so its the end of the timetable week. I took a picture of it, but we’ve then done a few extra things so need to do it again! IMG_1823

So today, excitement at getting a chocolate from an advent calendar. Even more excitement when chris’s parents came round and gave them each another one. Game playing with grandparents, then SB was going to do violin – and we found the snapped string! So she did some singapore maths 2B, and then spent ages on education city – we had a huge wobbly over telling the time, so practiced over and over again, and think she might now have got it! She also did some writing practice and then more playing before grandparents left.

BB was mostly playing with her bob the builder duplo, but she also likes making patterns with the connect 4 game, and did some playing with poisson rouge. we read books – she now reads some to me too, mostly describing the picture, but she is good at red nose readers.

We put on some xmas music and gave the playroom a good tidy whilst chris was out getting some bits and pieces. looks much better! BB did her ‘match and sort‘ drawing round shapes and numbers. she did an amazingly perfect dot to dot as well – from 1-10 in order! [think this might be a fluke...] and had some lovely strops and eye rollings.

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ermm, we read the first while the bear sleeps story – always nice to get back to that. SB and I did the questions and narrations for the SOTW chapter we did this week – she had remembered a lot actually from other books too. we had a french conversation, and looked at our usborne le ferme des pommiers! quite a discussion after that and also singing away in a manger on polite and friendly yous [rofl!].

BB and I baked a chocolate cake whilst SB did some colouring and then piano practice. it was a bit of a scramble then to get out of the house.

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SB was helping the rainbows deal out mince pies [free] at the grand light switch on in the village. She was really proud of being so helpful. The local brass band played carols, and most of the houses got their lights to go on at roughly the switch on time. we – of course – did not. on returning home i found the socket switched off. sigh. I had tried to persuade chris to walk all 10m home and check! The local car driven sleigh made an appearance with sweetie wielding FC. It was cold then, and I had totally forgotten we were supposed to be going to ‘the big house’ afterwards – though we did meet them and R and had a chat, and also the couple and children who used to be know on blog as home-dad [long since back at work!] so very nice.

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Got home, BB into bed and SB and I made chocolate cornflake cakes before watching a to the beginners guide cosmos -about black holes etc. v exciting. I think SB enjoys them! She is now in bed and we have moved from the balloon book to chicken soup for the soul – a story for each advent day.

SB does want to continue on with the timetable.

hmm, skimming catchup

with a hope that chris might blog!

Tuesday – a Chris day! Nope, cannot remember anything they said they did! library day.

Wednesday – unfortunately I had to go into work for the morning. Mum came by for the day on the way to little nanny’s so that was lovely. Sb played the violin for her – jingle bells – rather nicely. much playing of games altogether.Bit of maths and some practicing latin – sort of. At least I remember some now!

Thursday – Latinetc at the intown alternative venue. lots of playing as well I gather [another chris day - I really missed out this week!] and then they went shopping and had a lot of fuss with static electricity in John Lewis. oh, and those blue lighted phones were bought! I got home late, but joined in with the talking about static that was still going on! So we found a good book and looked at atoms, electrons, protons and neutrons. It shew how static happened with a nifty diagram showing electrons shooting off, and how to make it. Sb had asked the night before how the elephant got its trunk – so we read some rudyard kipling – rofl! we decided it was just a nice story rather than truth though.

friday – And so to today. Has been the not so local group with an egyptian theme obvously daddy’s day. some SOTW activities etc. seems like a good time.

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i got back and a bit earlier! so played, watched tv and did some experimenting with the cabbage water indicator from tea! so we guessed whether things were acids or alkali and then tested our hypothesis. oh, and we had great fun, particularly with mixing bicarb and cream of tartar. Sb particularly liked this eves chapter of 21 balloons – all about Mr M’s house, and she would like the elevator bed. I just quite like the idea of a gourmet government! oh well, krakatoa soon to explode!

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hmmm. it is particularly crap blogging a week where i barely play a walk on part

Open Ballet lesson

just got back from work in time to take S to her open ballet lesson. I really enjoyed watching it. SB puts her heart and soul into it and really loves it.  A bit of left and right awareness would prob be helpful!Their teacher appears to really enjoy teaching too.

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Daddy and BB made some yummy scones whilst we were there, and when we got back we all ate one before SB rushed off to swimming.

potentially of interest to all those following the timetable saga, today Sb chose to do ‘happy street’ as SB’s choice – rofl!! She also finished her singapore maths 2A book – woohoo, and did some handwriting practice and piano practice. Since daddy’s doing bedtime, that means no MTH or mummy’s book, so I guess that is 6 boxes today. [ i will get bored of this too!! ]
BB and I got to have a lovely cuddle and snuggle and I put her to bed today. she is currently going through a bit of a winnie the witch phase.

first timetabled day. A maths day

After having a discussion on the starting day of the week, and how it is sunday, though tbh monday seems a more likely point, Sb decided to start her ‘timetable’ today rather than Monday – i think she was desperate to start! However, we actually – I think – didn’t consider ‘the timetable’ as such when choosing what to do.

The girls got up before me and watched nemo. When I got up we did some violin practice – SB getting more and more confident and is holding and playing nicely. practicing jingle bells for Xmas! SB then wanted to do something at her desk, so looked at a roman activity pack, which she probably could have done at a push, but we both agreed might be better left for later, so intead drew me and BB mazes to play with.

new desk

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An interesting discussion over brunch leapt out from how to make yoghurt to measuring temperature, absolute zero and why it was absolute, what it meant on the particle front which meant you couldn’t get colder. how our standard celsius temp is all tied in to water melting and boiling at a standard pressure. etc etc. we weren’t too sure if we had a box for thinking…

BB has done a fair bit of stickering and colouring this morning but mostly played with her lacing game and the bob duplo – which we knew would be a massive hit! S joined her for a bit, and they collected wood to roast chestnuts for all the trucks – rofl!

Sb bought me a ‘box book’ which are interesting books that we choose for the week to go with MTH, my story, SOTW or what she fancies. this one was sir cumference and the round table[ as initially recommended by kirsty]. I read it – SB guessed early on that round was going to be best, and we considered the various maths elements within the story. This led naturally on to drawing lots of circles and marking out diameter, radius and circumference and measuring them. we had a brief chat about pi, but might leave that for a different book! she decided that ‘sircles‘ didn’t fit anywhere in the timetable, so that got added to a blank box.

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SB then took ages getting dressed, and the girls played upstairs for a bit whilst i did a bit more work admin – must never get behind again [who am i kidding!] SB then did some singapore maths [which counts as maths!] and daddy gave her a bit of help, and BB and I played… Bob the builder! SB moved onto zoombinis [computer box] whilst BB and I read lots of books and played lots of games. BB also did some plasticine at one point. Chris found a best of slade cd!! so SB enjoyed dancing around to that.

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getting late and tired, so both up to bath, down to watch numberjacks and mama mirabelle before tea. BB fell asleep pretty much by end of tea, and was whisked upstairs. SB and I have done some felting, and I read to her the first chapter of the new SOTW book while she did this, and then whilst she coloured in a princess. We read the next chapter magic tree house, and 21 balloons at bedtime.

SO we counted that as 9 things! [yesterday without the timetable was 7]

hey its the weekend!

so i had a it of a lie in and chris brought be brekkie in bed – gotta love that man! whilst i did this, SB did some piano practice -good girl, and then playing. BB crept up and we played the hatching game. when SB was little – at about this age – she liked to pretend she was a chick in an egg, and i had to hatch her out. now BB plays it!

I did get up, and play with the bob duplo with BB and read to her – copious amounts of apple tree farm! SB and I did violin practice, and she did her maths. We then read a load of books together and did the usborne balloon puzzle one as well.

BB did drawing and stickering with birthday presents, and lots of playng with the bob duplo. we then went into the kitchen, SB to make a fimo tooth pot, and BB to make a plasticine monster – well that what she says it is! SB also made a totally fab fimo father christmas dec for the tree. i helped in telling her ovals and cylinders tough think she could have done without, but we like being a team! SHe and BB watched Spanish Muzzy.

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oh, chris and I put up a freecycle desk as SB keen. She also wanted a timetable. we compromised on a chart showing what she might do in a week. i was in the interesting position of haggling down her expectations! I still think we have an enormous amount on her home-ed chart, but sad we can change things later [i think she thinks we will add to it!]

Chip supper with ‘mary on the prairie‘ as BB calls it. SHe played with her lacing game before bed, and once she was gone, SB varnished her fimo and then did some felting. What an active day! In bed she has been reading a balloon race story, and a fact book about grasslands – as she is reading loads of books about ‘big cats’ – including DK tiger tales earlier today.

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I am a bit [lot] behind on various admin tasks work related, so had a headbanging evening. sigh!