Petits Haricots

.. beans and energy and enthusiasm! We have had a great day [rather full-on]. i might even have to dash backwards and forwards re-editing, as I think its going to be hard to remember it all. i had thought that since I fell asleep with the beans last night and then woke up at 11, stayed up till 2, and at 3 had to leave to sleep in spare room as chris snoring so loudly it woke me up [I kid you not!] that I would feel lousy, but somehow no.

We started with reading. In a rather countdown style when SB asked me to read, I asked for 1 from the top, 3 from the middle for her to read and 2 from the bottom [rofl!!!] i sort of got them. So I started with the story books - the twelve princesses orchard books [v nice] and something a bit mawkish about baby snow fairies from the library which she really liked. In fact liked it so much she then read it to herself. She then read – with varying degrees of success, but at last really trying – 3 red nose reader books. Both she and I were really proud of this. I then read a fair wodge of the rest of the Usborne Greek Myths [bellorophon and the flying horse, king midas, the chariot of the sun, pygmalion and his wife, eros and psyche]. She has got the hang of quite a few of the ancient greek gods – and goes ‘oh no’ in advance whenever a character says they are better than one of the gods! Whilst I played with BB for a bit, she then got out the Happy Street and made a huge track.

just before lunch we went for the chosen craft of the day – glass bottle painting. I had got some half price glass paints from lakeland last christmas sale, and chris had gots some Ikea bottles, so SB set too. the isntructions were limited, so it has been a bit trial and error. For some of them I drew the demanded shapes with the black outliner for her to colour in, and others are coloured without/spotted/splodged. We have done this on and off then all day, as you have to wait a fair while for side to dry enough to turn and do next side [oops for the drippy sides]. We haven’t quite finished any yet – 4 on the go and a window transfer. Both of us have really enjoyed this!

Between sides I finished off some of the mammoth greek myths session [as above] and suggested we get a greek history book to look at things in more detail. Nope said SB, I want this one – Usborne beginners Elizabeth 1. We read the book and discussed bits and pieces of it. She was much taken by the idea, and remebered some of the names from before. We – for once – dd the internet linked bit as well, and printed off the pages to colour in as well as looking at the various games and linked sites. She particularly liked a link to some Elizabethan music. so we stuck on a CD of roughly right music while we then read most of The history of britain – the Tudors. This book is aimed older, but still reasonable as a read aloud, with snipping if the page doesn’t seem to be as attention grabbing. the first thing SB noticed about henry the 7th was that he didn’t have many jewels, so we discussed fiscal reponsibility, and the fact that wars had made the country nigh on bankrupt. how much she takes in I don’t know, but I go round things until she indicates we move on – or I run out of knowledge! When we got to Mary Queen of Scots, it shows her being beheaded – but she was in prision shouted SB, so we wenty back to first book and re-read it, pointing out she was beheaded in the text, even if the picture was prison. I guess that means it is mostly going in. Not that I actually mind. i think of this as foundation stuff – learning to love listening, finding out, and working out how things are ordered – for example king and queen numbering is understood now, and that there are many year gaps, asn she is happy our queen is Elizabeth 2.

Half way through the book and BB woke up. As agreed with SB, this was BB special time, and she sat down to colour in the Elizabethan pictures. BB and I played with cars, rolling them to each other. We put the happy street people in and out of the cars. We did a bit more peeboo games and walking practice. BB then meandered over to where SB colouring,a nd did her best to see what was going on! SB decided to join in – so heavily moderated happy street play. [No SB, you can't take all of BB's cars to the far end! - we have at least 20 of the things!!] SB played peeboo too, and then pushed BB around in the happy street box, until decided it looked fun, so daddy roped in to push them both! A final bit of glass painitng and curry for tea. Aaargh to SB eating speed!!

After tea and bath SB insistant on Joe the Dragon maths website. She did the non-carry over addition and subtraction pages – though I scaffolded quite heavily some of the subtraction as she was being odd about it. [7-3=7 type thing??] however, soon got the hang and I could be less gritted teeth.

Just as I thought she would go to bed, she spotted the newly arrived rainbow resources box [yippee!!!!] We pulled out the story of the worlds and their activity books. the main text is apparently for when she is 9 [her arbitrary age!] and the activity books for now. And then she saw the Latin!!!! So, massively excited to be learning Roman language, and we have done the first 3 sounds. It is really nicely done, and suitable for her age [though I do have to do the reading] So thankyou really v much Jan for that tip. Dare I open up the massive doorstopper of a rainbow resources catalogue though????

I think that might be it – I was childed out as it were though by this stage!!