Antarctica

For our geography, we have been looking at Antarctica.  In preparation I made a Continent Box full of information and activities to inspire learning through experience and fun.
{I will be making more of these Continent Boxes, and I will share them as we go.}  I found the idea on *this blog*

Plenty of reading material 

Maps and Charts
The 2 penguin drawings were done by Crystal and Blossom two years ago for *Penguin Science*.

Pictures of flora, fauna, land forms, transport each with a short explanation on the reverse of the card. 

Tactile resources

To begin with, on a suitably cold rainy day, we watched 2 dvds - Arctic/Antarctic and an Arctic Tale.  I thought about whether or not to include the Arctic in our resources for this unit, and decided it would be useful to make the comparisons.

Next I gave the children chunks of ice on a baking tray to play with the little animals.

Arrow's and Cedar's tray

Blossom's and Crystal's tray

A lot of action

All playing together

A few library books

I enjoyed putting this together for the children.  They enjoyed looking through all the bits.  On occasion someone will mention an Antarctic fact they have learned, or ask to look at a resource again.  Excellent!

Watch out for my next box... ''New Zealand''.  Coming soon.

~Lorna

August Activities

 This August we did a few winter-y activities.  

Crayon resist water colour art.

These are our crayon resist water colour winter scenes.

Mine - pine tree through window
Arrow - snowflakes falling on snowman
Cedar - rainbow snowflakes

Butterfly - Merida in the snowy woods
Blossom - sparkly white snow flakes on a hill
Crystal - snow covered pine tree with Anna and Olaf

Food is always fun.  

Snowman cup popcorn

Marshmallow snowmen

And a cute little chocolate banana penguin!

The girlies eating their penguins

We each made an igloo from mini marshmallows.  We set Eskimo babies by our igloos and  talked about how the people who live in the arctic north like to be called Inuit rather than Eskimo.

These are our paper snowflakes...well they proved quite hard to make as there was a distinct lack of instructions online on how to actually do them.  I eventually found a website...in Chinese!

The boys got into the puzzle groove this month.  

Cedar is really enjoying his lessons.  Yay.

It is true.  I found another dead bird.  If it is safe enough to stop I always try to remove them from the road as the hawks end up as roadkill too, trying to get a meal.  

A beautiful Pukeko

 My pretty butterfly!

~Lorna

Painting a Rose

We learn by copying others.  So when Angel decided to paint so did Arrow and Cedar.

Simple watercolours...

Little masterpieces!

Angel's painting project.

Using acrylic on a real rose.

Looking good so far...

Done.

Angel's photography skills are sharpening up too.  This next photo is her work and her words in the caption.

{'Would you tell me, why are you painting the roses red?' -Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.  
Bringing the fairy tales to life.  And in fact it is possible to paint a white rose.
(I've been wanting to do this forever.) ~Angel}

~Lorna

Art by Butterfly

From October until December 2014 Butterfly attended an art class run by Youth Line and UCOL.  Tonight they had their exhibition opening and certificate presentation.  Butterfly's print was chosen to be the poster for the exhibition advertising! 

 Only 12 places were offered on the course so we are thankful that she was able to take a place and attend.

She really enjoyed herself and her confidence in her abilities was given a boost!

The artist and her masterpiece! 

And as well as creating lovely works of art they also got to build a box city.  Below are some of the things she worked on.

A house with matchbox furniture

A Café

Aerial view of a lake

Side view of the lake.
They learnt sculpture and made little figures for the city.  Butterfly made the ducks and the loving couple on the park bench (modeled after her parents...I'm sure of it!)

Mr V and I are proud parents.  I hope you enjoyed this.  I know there will be more to share from this artist in the future!

~Lorna