Category Archives: science

If i don’t blog immediately i forget everything!

Posted on January 28, 2008 by | 3 comments

I am having a problem with yesterday! SB did some violin practice and something else home-eddy [not sure what!] we read french books, looked at some barefoot stories together and we all did duplo. ermmmm….oh yes, BB and i had a go with some maize pictures. we are nearly out of happy maize and will have to look for something else. oh, some more leappadding and SB curled up with a book.
Mum and Dad arrived, as she went to # clinic for her plaster off today, so stopped overnight. cue much excitement from girls, running around having fun, being read too and lots of games! We also fed the fish, pottered outside, and did the RSPB birdwatch. Whiskey chasing a mouse around, SB crashing her binoculars against the window, and BB ‘popping out to scooter’ probably accounted for the poor show!

today i think chris has been quite busy! Sb practiced violin, did some handwriting, did the horrible science heart kit [which was fun although not a huge success! chris was impressed about how much SB remembered of the heart – 4 vessels, valves, lung thing etc. i have got a very accurate model heart that periodically she looks at, and she is always peering at one of the many body books we have. She also did some DK science cdrom [though a lot of cbeebies as well!] BB had obvously done a lot of duplo-ing! as well has watching nina and the neurons and magic school bus [obviously a science day].

when I got home, we read some lucy chat – actually SB had a stab at reading the french – impressed, moi?? SB went off to ballet whilst BB and I played bob the builder duplo, and a sort of snakes and ladders! [i mostly do what i am told] and we started decorating a wooden spoon.

i took SB to swimming. She seems to have great confindence in the water, but often near drowns herself by huge movements! her rbeast stroke legs are the funniest i have seen, as she gets tangled up, and when it goes ok, she lifts her whole bottom out of the water somehow. SHe has powerful legs though, and however amazing the stroke looks, races through the water. I think we need to go swimming as a family more oten, and have some stroke practice. I think this is why she is worried about the deepend ocasionally. The swimming instructor [steve] has managed this really well, and she gets to swim the width by the edge of the deepend, but i only saw her reach for it 2ce [though she crashed into it going backwards a number of times...]

BB fell asleep nearly the instant we got back, so SB and i played games, including a lot of rounds of uno. BB has her first session at playgroup tomorrow afternoon. SHe waned me to go with her, but I will be at work. This working mum thing really does feel crap a lot of the time. I am with Joanna on the best for family vs me thing.

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Posted in Butterbean's HE, Dance/drama, daubing and making, early maths skills, General, language, literacy, music, pre reading, science, Stringbean, Stringbean's HE, writing

crafting and relaxing

Posted on January 26, 2008 by | 1 comment

coming home is always a bit of a downer. luckilly, i had a couple of things from yellow moon to tempt the girls! Both happily painted a piggy bank – well a hennybank for BB and bunnybank for SB! Some more painting from both girls. SB did some stamping and blow painting, and BB did some waterlife stamping.

we read a lot of books together – lucie chat, i can read french, daughters of eve and other barefoot stories. BB and I played hisss and various other games. in particular we did some maths – counting and adding on one. looking and recognising numbers. [she thought it was a froggy game]. SB looked at her leappad for the first time in ages, has kept 3 books, and says the rest are for BB. so i need to find her a leappad to play them on. but both enjoyed the dinosaur book. SB also looked at a body one as well

erm, we didn’t do the horrible science heart thing – maybe tomorrow, but we did a lot of cuddling and being together. BB also glued a pompom animal – she has a real thing for pompom crafts at the moment, so i indulged it.

i am hoping that BB doing lots of things she loves will help, and after lots of talking with people in real life and online, we are ramping up her education – i did think she would be entirely autonomous, but maybe she needs a bit of a push of stimulation, so we are getting singapore earlybird and the before the codes, and will take it from there.

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Posted in art and crafts, Butterbean's HE, daubing and making, early maths skills, General, geography, history, language, pre reading, science, Stringbean's HE

Blogging from the new laptop

Posted on January 13, 2008 by | 3 comments

how very exciting. needing to get used to a whole new keyboard. well, the last laptop was on a plugin keyboard [as 2 integral ones had malfunctioned] which didn’t always work, oh and had no working battery. so, i have spent more money than i should have [but still far less than most!] on a ow end laptop. widescreen unusual, and glad i wear glasses! vista and turnpike incompatible, so my sys admin has rigged up a virtual xp popup with turnpike inside it – weird!

Anyway, we had a very busy day today, with lots of playing and doing. SB did both piano and violin practice, and we are going to try and do 4 15 min practices of each a week. doesn’t sound much, but to us will be a challenge! BB painted her money box pig that she got yesterday, and very happy she was with it too. We three sat together and read lucie a la plage, me french, SB english and SB and BB both did the pronunciation at the back, and then we read a ladybird book about dinosaurs for a bit. the girls did some general playing with this and that whilst i flickred yesterday. SB made her fairy house and BB stickered.

After lunch :wink: BB did some plasticine and then watched muzzy whilst SB and I had a fab time with her science kit - this enviro battery is fab [note they mixed up the description of the enviro battery and the dynamo torch!]. we chatted about electricity and currents again, made a working bioclock with oranges and with vinegar got a sound cell to play [just!]

More playing and we all snuggled to red the katie in various paintings books before watching dancing on ice with pizza, then a dinosaur prog and to bed.

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Posted in Butterbean, Butterbean's HE, daubing and making, General, language, literacy, music, noises and sounds, science, Stringbean's HE

title averse!

Posted on January 9, 2008 by | 4 comments

Hmm, we had a lovely morning of latin and science with local home ed friends. it is certainly popular! the children do prob about 1/2 of latin and roman related talking, and about the same of science or craft. The group does aim to do both! then loads of rampaging. we were late [as usual] so it had [as usual] a late start. perhaps one of my new years resolutions should be to not be late!! The science was water based – thinking about liquids, how they seemed to work, and then what might sink or float, how we could change the shape and perhaps it would float, and then we added salt to see if it would then float. A very untechnical description of why this happened! [by me, so i can be rude] we also looked at surface tension and made a mess! This was all greatly enjoyed, prob due to mess, and pics on flickr! lots of playing children after whilst parents got to chat.
SB had rainbows, and BB has been asleep. I’ve been texting family, scrabulous, and our mondeo is now fixed – woohoo.

SB has done a fair bit of ‘home ed’ with chris these last 2 days, with maths, handwriting and piano practice. Since back from rainbows we have read stories from the usborn stories of dragons, some SOTW2 [Christianity comes to Britain], thought about doing some calligraphy and found stuff for tomorrow for that, and read Lucie Chat en ville. such a good series from the book people that I have accidentally bought it twice!

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Posted in General, history, language, science, socialisation, Stringbean's HE

hmm, second manic crafts day

Posted on December 30, 2007 by | 6 comments

with less bagginess – well for a bit, though at one point I thought chris had put BB in the cellar, and in another bit, when I said that if she continued to sprinkle playdough all over floor and not put it away, she carried a wodge of it directly to the bin and said I could throw it all away :roll: . On the whole I have tried fr a non confrontational approach in the hopes that if she doesn’t see an opening to be dogmatic, obnoxious and stubborn, then the day may pass more easily. Hmmm

Anyway, today SB did some more of her fairy stamping kit, she has got more and more careful with painting, and is taking great care. BB did 2 of her ELC make puppet spoons kit, which she and I really enjoyed together . We all spent a while playing various games. BB and I were dinosaur and monster whilst SB on ‘puter doing DK first science explorer. BB did some playdoughing whilst SB did piano practice with me. [me giving SB attention was not well received]

They both watched some magic school house when I needed a few minutes of decreased interaction. the water cycle and bee ones. SB played with her lego. Erm, i flickred. You know, the day seemed much busier than that. funny hey?

Sb has read all the amelia earhart book, lost the first 4 magic tree house books and is reading holly the christmas fairy. we also practiced the odd bit of spelling – she needed to write the words, and I got her to guess before helping her out.

Back at work tomorrow. Sigh, I have been putting off a whole heap of worries there.

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Posted in art and crafts, Butterbean, daubing and making, General, history, literacy, music, pre reading, science, Stringbean's HE, writing

where to start

Posted on December 29, 2007 by | 5 comments

I think I will go backwards, but fiddle with the time stamp thing to appear in order – very important!

I think, crucially, I need to say that BB is driving me round the bend. i think its partly because she didn’t get enough attention over Xmas, with Chris and I so busy, and now we are both knackered. But, if she tells me anything else is baggy poo poo I think I will just scream. today she has had playdough thrown away, and the didicar put in the cellar, after hours of provocation. She throws things, screams, hits us and SB and just shouts what are for her obscenities. I have tried so hard today to do wall to wall attention. Am imagining it will take a while of hard parental work to get back on track. She has always been ‘challenging’ to parent – primarily due to her desire to bully SB – but recently – aarrrgh. Of course, when she is good she is totally adorable. Mum think she prob just needs a higher level of stimulation. Deep breath.

So, today. BB and I started off with making her father christmas present reindeer fridge magnet. We then went on to painting the plaster of paris people we made yesterday [yep. will do yesterday!] Sb did some lego building with dad, and then some painting with one of her kits with me whilst BB did playdough. I then did a fair amount of legoing with SB, playing farm animals with BB. SB aso painted her suncatcher and read the whole of her childs bible. BB also did som katamino [a real hit] chalk pictures, apple tre farm reading.

We had a major tantrum from BB about some castle characters that arrived from ebay. I was goin to give them as a 12th night present, but she was wailing and wobbling over the unopened parcel she had seen, so I relented, and pointed it was to share with SB. After all the following wailing and screaming over the knights horses she did, it is lucky that all the castle stuff isn’t also in the cellar. I regained some equanimity by flickring and scrabulous, parking BB in front of NEMO. Chris and BB did more lego – it is now finished. BB and I made up, had the girls bathed and an early bedtime. Sb and I read about amelia earhart, inventing flying machines, and a bit about piston engines. We also practiced our Latin.
Chris and I should get an early night too so that we can be better parents tomorrow.

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Posted in art and crafts, Books, Butterbean, Butterbean's HE, daubing and making, General, history, language, literacy, pre reading, science, Stringbean's HE

Magna

Posted on December 15, 2007 by | 3 comments

we have been here.

It was not one of our more trouble free trips. those that twitter may have noticed that on my first attempt, I was aware the seat of the car seemed wobbly. It seemed wobbly from when I first got in – the girls put it down to chrs always leaning back to pick things off the floor for BB [i hope not when driving!] By the time I had gone 20 mins down the road, pulled into a laybye to give it a wiggle, I was quite clear I wasn’t dong a 4 hour drive in that car!.

A return, and apparently some plate thingy is cracked. so got all gear accross to my v old but mostly trusty work car! Mentioned the heating been a bit dodgy – chris thinks thermostat, but is going to try coolant top up – aargh! we have spent a fortune on these cars this autumn.

oh, btw, the first drive out was fab with all these heavilly frosted arable fields and low sunlight!

Had lunch [which we should have been having in magna!] and tried again. This time straight to Kirsty’s, delaying magna for next day. Despite work car having no entertainment of any sort, both girls were fab on the journey up, the traffic OK, and we got there without a hitch. Te children ran off to ds and multiplay ds for most of the time, BB was a bit fish out of water, so snuggeld, read, cbeebied and corrected my drawings [hard taskmaster] whilst Kirsty and I managed a chat between interruptions and mediations [not that many actually]. M was particularly nice to BB, and also gave me a violin demonstration. i was relieved that my tuning agreed with kirsty’s dooberry thingummy whatsit!. SB wathced her inaueral simpsons – rofl!

The children were all particularly awful at going to bed In the end we split them all up. BB a pest, but then…
So not the brightest and earliest of parental starts, though BB was up with the larks! we did go to Magna though and really enjoyed it. It was COLD in there – thank goodness we were all winter wrapped!! and dark and noisy, so at the time BB required a fair bit of ‘managing’ but in retrospect thinks it was fantastic and wants to go again! Sb also enjoyed it, and wants to see the river of fire next time [note they are both planning a repeat!] Most of the time, we had the place to ourselves by careful avoidance of the school group there. [i think i might have slightly annoyed one of the teachers by adopting their tone and suggesting my group be ready to come with me - and the children in my group were much more easy to manage!]

Thanks Kirsty for a lovely stay! Flickr to follow – halfway through but do need to go to bed!!!! must try some of these.

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Posted in Butterbean, General, history, Out and About, science, socialisation, Stringbean, Stringbean's HE

at home feelin fluey

Posted on December 10, 2007 by | 1 comment

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!!

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Posted in art and crafts, Books, Butterbean, Butterbean's HE, daubing and making, early maths skills, General, geography, history, numeracy, pre reading, science, Stringbean, Stringbean's HE

guess a quick catch up in order!

Posted on December 8, 2007 by | 7 comments

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!

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Posted in art and crafts, Butterbean, Butterbean's HE, daubing and making, early maths skills, General, history, literacy, music, numeracy, science, Stringbean's HE, writing

interviewed

Posted on December 5, 2007 by | 4 comments

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?

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Posted in Books, Butterbean, Butterbean's HE, daubing and making, early maths skills, General, language, literacy, music, numeracy, pre reading, science, socialisation, Stringbean's HE