Latest learning

Well we have been really engrossed in our Earth project this week, and all the offshoots from it.
Each morning we have watched 2 hours of Human Planet on TV and its been fascinating. When I was Barnabys age I wasn't in the least bit interested in that sort of thing but he really is intrigued to learn about the different ways of life and culture in far flung places he couldn't imagine til he saw it on telly. It opened his eyes to a boy of 11 who spends 6 days dangerously walking a frozen river in Tibet just to get to school, and a man who lives in an entire community floating on the ocean from man made items. He can dive under water for over 5 minutes to catch fish for his family. Was amazing to see how these people are adapting to this lifestyle to the point where his eyes actually work better in the water than they do on land.
We have downloaded google earth onto his tablet and he went to see various things from Sydney Opera House to Daddys house to the North Pole. We even found a tardis parked up in London (which I got totally over excited over!!)

Barnaby has decided he wants a bike so spent some time creating his new target chart. I got some squared paper to make it easier for him to draw a chart, counting 5's to where he wants to be. He's chosen the bike he wants to save for so we printed off a picture to stick on the top. Next job was to count up the money in his Tardis (spot the theme!) Money box and he's doing really well at the denominations and adding it all up. He's pleased he's got a third of the money he needs already.

We enjoyed farm club again, this month was chickens and eggs and all the kids collected fresh eggs then looked at them under a microscope. Then they checked some other eggs from the incubator to see if they could work out how many days growth they were and how long it'd be before they hatched. Have to say the kids guesses were better than the adults. Then we had a real treat because we saw the lamb they bottle fed last month who was in the pen with some more newborn lambs. It was amazing to see just how much he had grown in 4 short weeks!! If anyone wants to visit we go to St James City Farm in Tredworth, Gloucester. It is well worth going, they have loads of animals and a date and all the staff are very welcoming!

The last couple of days he's been den building with blankets, cushions and the lounge furniture. He spent 2 hours watching Netflix under the table this morning where I couldn't disturb him!

We've made plans for our forthcoming holiday, he's started writing his list of things to pack and started his first journal entry about when and where we are going and who he's going with. I've printed off some journal pages and seaside games to take with us.

He's been playing on Minecraft a little bit but not as much as I'd thought he might. When the weathers lovely he'd much rather be outside!

One day this week I was reading a book on Isambard Kingdom Brunel which I got out the library - its one of the things that I remember from my history lessons and still love a bit of Isambard to this day! Coincidentally, that afternoon there was a kids programme on called Absolute Genius with Dick and Dom. And it was all about Brunel! Perfect timing! I thoroughly enjoyed watching it and Barnaby was fascinated at seeing how he created the tunnels under the Thames and designed Clifton Suspension Bridge. Now I'm all excited that I might be able to take him to see Isambards legacies sooner than I imagined. Happily the tickets to the as Great Britain are annual passes so that will be money well spent I feel.

Sadly sports club was cancelled this week and we missed the Cheltenham home ed meet but we did get to the Gloucester one where he played some tennis, made some playdough something-or-others and ate some of Finns birthday cake. I met 2 more new Home Ed parents to the group which means I'm not the new girl anymore! Was lovely to meet them, and to chat to some long standing members I'd not met before. Always surprises me the number of teachers we have in our group who decided that home ed was their way forward too.

My phone broke while I was away last weekend so we managed to get Barnaby a second hand camera for a tenner which was a fab bargain. He's spent the last two days taking photos of anything that moves. Mainly me and the kittens! He loving learning how to use it, we are slowly going through the settings so he can see what they all do. It will mean we can document our adventures and our holiday too!

And that's about all to report for now. As always I'm sure there is loads more but I tend to forget it all!