Discovering (w/c 14/11/15)

This last week has been all about Discovering;

* DISCOVERING more about The Second World War.

making soldier Hama beads,

making poems with daddy, painting pictures of an RAF pilot, making a spitfire model and reading "Growing Up in Wartime". We also have found some wartime recipes to make next week.

* DISCOVERING the amazing Home Ed network in Horsham and the surrounding area. 

We found out that there is a Home Ed session at gymnastics which is fantastic considering the after school sessions have a six month waiting list. Willow had a great time she got to do lots including backward rolls, handstands and working on the bars.

We discovered more Home Ed Facebook groups which led to us going to a Winter Wednesday session organised by the lovely ladies who admin 'Horsham Home Educators'

Willow started to make a Christmas stocking (yay the Christmas crafting begins, my favourite!!) She cut out and used a template before cutting out her fabric and then laying out/designing her embellishments. She then used the sewing machine with pedal to sew on the ribbons, before beginning to sew on the sequins by hand.

This week we also started to discover more about shapes; 2D, 3D. Willow watched a programme called Peg and Cat, which was about 2D, 3D and counting in two's. ( I didn't realise it would be about shapes just a lucky coincidence)

THE CHRISTMAS LIST HAS ALSO BEEN STARTED!!!! 

The Beginning.....

...of Home Schooling (to be explained in a later blog). It has been a really great first week with plenty of learning and fun. It has primarily been based on World War II; something she has been inquisitive about for a while and that has been triggered again by Remembrance Day last Sunday. We have been working through the Usborne Sticker Dressing The World Wars book,  it has been a great primary source for questions and for a basic explanations / timelines for both The First World War and Second World War.

We have started a project book in which we have been sticking pictures in and writing about Evacuation, Gas Attacks and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S.Lewis. Her writing is really coming on and the project book is a great way to practice. We also use a small whiteboard which I write on as we spell out words together and then she copies.

As well as World War II we have been working through a couple of workbooks one of which is   Year 1 Basics published by School Zone Publishing Company it is colourful, fun and nicely laid out. 

Today we went to the library, learnt to search on the library computer and stocked up on some more World War II books including some fiction books including Little Manfred by Michael Morpurgo. I shall write a review about it once we have read it. 

We had our first Home Ed Group meet up this week, it was so great to see so many families that home ed and reassures me that what we are doing is OKAY. We went along to an egg decorating session where Willow decorated spray painted blown eggs with melted wax from crayons using the end of a dressmaking pin. She absolutely loved it, anything Arty/Crafty is always a winner.

Next week we will continue on the World War II theme and also start some science fun involving Glow in the Dark paint!! Exciting!!

Useful websites from this week include Paper Zip, Primary Facts, Woodlands Junior Resources.