All about Apples

A fantastic idea I found on the internet was making lapbooks.

A lapbook is a manilla folder opened up and then each side is folded into the centre to create a type of brochure.

As it is Autumn, R and I decided to create our first lapbook around the theme of apples.

The front of the folder

Inside the folder I tried to create one activity across each KLA (English, Maths, HSIE, science, art and PDHPE).

This is what the folder looks like when it is opened up.

On the right hand side you can see the art component which was a couple of different views of an apple made using felt pieces.

For PDHPE we googled "apples" to see what is actually in an apple that makes them so healthy.

Lots of water apparently.

For maths we made some playdough apples and cut them into halves and quarters and thirds and then did a fractions worksheet which we glued in.

We have English still to complete - Rhianna will do procedure writing and find an apple crumble recipe which we will then cook for Science - see how beautifully it all comes together.

On the weekend we are going to Bilpin to go apple picking for the HSIE part of the folder.

The lapbook will then be complete and can be something Rhianna has on her book shelf to revisit. She is already asking to start an Easter one. They would be good to make for holidays as well.

Google them on the net, the Americans do fantastic ones. (of course)

Latest Happenings at our House

Rhianna and I have been getting into some maths - this week :: fractions.

We made some playdough apples and then divided them with a knife into halves, quarters, eighths etc.

Much fun.

We had a wonderful time at a pool party last weekend.

Love this idea for a party as the girls spent hours playing in the pool and very little time gorging themselves on high fat party food.

Lastly, netball training started this week so we spent an afternoon at the school while the girls came to grips with chest passes, pivoting and wearing bibs.

Hilarious to watch - can't believe they are supposed to play their first game in under 2 weeks time.

Saturday 26th February

The last weekend of Summer. A slow start to the weekend, we did lots of newspaper reading and coffee drinking and general lazing around.

Bill wanted to go out and buy some new runners but I was happy just to potter around the house.

I've been dying to get a new camera (a Canon Ixus 105) and as a little present Bill bought one home for me - I was very excited as the clarity of the pictures is just 10X better than what I've currently got with the Nikon.

Here's the very first photo I took with the new camera. Umm, I better clarify - it's my husband.

Rhianna stayed in her Pj's most of the day. She's been getting right into the computer lately - mostly researching. Her skills are developing rapidly.

We started work on our shark diorama. We painted water and sand and added some shells we had picked up at Cronulla beach Then we popped the sharks in. Still to go:: the seaweed and other little extras.

This afternoon we had our first Netball Muster day.

This is the first year Rhianna has played Netball. The Muster day is just a chance to meet the coach and decide on training days etc.

We knew lots of other people there - here are some of Rhianna's team mates - she knows them all from her school.


The other thing worth mentioning here is that I will be the Team Manager.
(Well nobody else was putting their hand up).

I'm not sure what that entails yet - but I'm sure they will let me know. I'm hoping it involves sitting on the sidelines with a nanna rug and a hot cup of coffee yelling encouragement.

A Great Week

We have been working hard here at green-ness this week.

Lots of reading and maths. The concept of time is proving to be a little harder to teach than money - which Rhianna picked up easily.

We have been doing a lot of shared reading in bed at night. I really do think this is one of the most enjoyable moments for me as a parent. I know I spent a lot of time laying in bed reading with Broc and I spend a lot of time reading with Rhianna. Not just her home readers which I find quite dull and uninspiring but lots of other sorts of texts too.

Today we did however finish a HR and then made a book about it.

We focused on the books orientation, characterisation and plot points. These were new terms to Rhianna but she picked up the concepts behind then easily enough.

Then some shark craft. We made some shark cut outs and painted them and then researched their features on the web. Tomorrow we are making a diorama for them.

For me, this week I have been focusing on the eco side of things.

A few more crocheted dishcloths to add to the collection....

...and yesterday I was in Katoomba so headed to the Food Co-op there to get some organic fruit and veg and found this little gem - I'm stockpiling for Winter.

Was pretty expensive but oh so worth it. (I hope).

Overdue Update

Well I know the posts are getting few and far between now. I guess I feel it's because I don't have a lot going on at the moment. But here are a few random things I have been doing and thinking about the past week.

The thing taking up most of my thought processes is Rhianna's education.

Last year she had a brilliant teacher and I was resting easy about her learning. This year I am not so sure.

Rhianna is in a Year 2/3 composite. She is in the year 2 portion of the class ( the minority). That is not the problem however. It's the teacher I'm afraid. I didn't really "warm" to her when I first met her but hey, I figured I don't have to like everybody!!!!

No, it's a couple of other things - like the fast finisher work that she has given Rhianna - it's basic Kindergarten stuff. Laziness or bad teaching - not sure yet!

Then the other day Rhianna came home and she had wet her pants!

After much prompting and crying she told me that her teacher said if the kids go to the toilet during class time then they have to "make up" the time at recess and lunch.

So basically, a detention for having to go to the toilet. These kids are 7 and 8 years old. Not only had she wet her pants but she was too afraid to tell the teacher and had sat on the bus all the way home in soaked pants.

Of course I was furious.

I went up to see this teacher and asked her outright if this was her "toileting policy".

Well, yes she said. After all she said, she can't go to the toilet during class so why should she let the children? Well, ummm, because you're an adult with a few years more practice with bladder control than a 7 year old! Because you have the cognition to understand that you have to use the toilet when you have the chance!

So I told her that Rhianna was to be able to go to the toilet 20 times a day if she needed to and she was never to be kept in during recess or lunch unless a phone call was made to me to explain why.

Gosh, I have rambled on a bit here haven't I.

I actually started this post to tell you about the home schooling I intend to start with Rhianna. I am not pulling her out of school or anything (yet) but I am going to be focusing more on her literacy and numeracy at home.

We have been doing a lot more shared reading at home. I noticed she had slid backwards with her reading over the Christmas holidays.

We've been borrowing these Aussie Nibblies books from the library.

We've also started on some basic grammar work and maths.

When I was teaching year 2 (many moons ago) I recall money and time being the two most difficult concepts to cover in maths so we've started on money for this week.

We set up a little shop at home with her toys and priced them accordingly. Rhianna then has to "buy" something and create the exact amount of money with the notes and coins available to her. During the week I intend to make it progressively harder.

The Sunday Shop

The Sunday float

The weekend is the perfect time to sit around and do these activities but unfortunately it seems that Rhianna is never home. Yesterday a bowling birthday party and today a play date.

I wish I had her life sometimes.