This is our first post in our homeschooling journey :) We are the Minnell Family - Edward, Sophia (who likes to be called ClarissRose when she is online) and Polli. It's nice to meet you!
We started homeschooling at the beginning of May of this year and it's been GREAT!! We've had some teething problems of course - which is to be expected. ClarissRose was very nervous about maths and writing so we are working on helping her to get back to enjoying these things. She is also a bit nervous about challenges but she is learning that they can be fun! In talking to other families and reading forums it seems that one of the easiest ways to keep track of what we are doing is to blog!!
We started homeschooling at the beginning of May of this year and it's been GREAT!! We've had some teething problems of course - which is to be expected. ClarissRose was very nervous about maths and writing so we are working on helping her to get back to enjoying these things. She is also a bit nervous about challenges but she is learning that they can be fun! In talking to other families and reading forums it seems that one of the easiest ways to keep track of what we are doing is to blog!!
So....what have we done this term (being our first term).....
One of the first things we looked at was women in Paleontology and one of Sophia's favorites is Joan Wiffen.ClarissRose Says......."She found the first dino bone in New Zealand! She is an old lady and what I like about Joan Wiffen is she finds dino bones!"
We've also been learning about ancient Egypt and we put together this presentation.....
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SCIENCE RULZ!!!
We have gone for lots of walks and talked about what's going on in our world....
ClarissRose LOVES fungus......
SCIENCE RULZ!!!
We have gone for lots of walks and talked about what's going on in our world....
ClarissRose LOVES fungus......
This group of photos are ClarissRose's most favourite of all fungi!
This is the Amanita Muscaria!
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| Baby |
 |
| teen or young adult |
ClarissRose Says......."They come up in the fall - you see
those leaves in the photos?"
those leaves in the photos?"
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| adult |
 |
| elder |
This past two weeks we were learning about environments and habitats and we have made a Bottle Garden!
ClarissRose says....."It's like a rainforest!
It's got animals in it and a waterhole!"
It's got animals in it and a waterhole!"
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For LITERACY we're doing all sorts of things......
For LITERACY we're doing all sorts of things......
We've looked at poetry.....this is ClarissRose's first poem.....
COLORING AND FISHING
Here I am standing
by the sea
waiting, waiting
till my rod pulls hard
I say, "Wow! I've got a big one!"
At home
I was making a
Butterfly and colored
it too.
We've found a great set of videos to learn about literacy. This one is about similes and metaphors! It's is by the Bazillions! They do other cool songs for kids as well.....here is their website: http://www.thebazillions.com/
We are using lots of different things to explore literacy.... reading, worksheets and making lists. We are using Studyladder, IXL and BBC bitesize when we work online.
We're also using Minecraft, ClarissRose's most favourite game to do all sorts of things....we're building a world called Pikopiko and ClarissRose is using a mind-map and diagrams to plan what she wants to see in her world!
We found a great way to understand compound sentences......
'so, but, and, because, or'....can all be like station words (conjunctions) that join up sentences!
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For Maths we're working with......
Studyladder, IXL and BBC bitesize when we work online.
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WE e are also proud to say that ClarissRose achieved the Platinum Trophy
in her StudyLadder tasks, completing over 100 Maths and Literacy exercises!
in her StudyLadder tasks, completing over 100 Maths and Literacy exercises!
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OUR WHSN ADVENTURES!
We've had a lot of extra fun going out with the Wanganui Home School Network as well.....
....we went to the Waiouru Military Museum.....
A PICCY OF SOPHIA AT THE MUSEUM WILL BE HERE SOON
....to the brand new Sargeant Gallery where we made 3D chickens......
....roller skating!.....
