Sugar!

We have been listening to The Swiss Family Robinson as an audiobook. 

Waratah wanted to know: "What is sugar cane?"

This led us to research how sugar is grown, refined and marketed, and the history of sugar over the years.

We then decided to perform some experiments of our own.

Here, Waratah is observing and comparing six different types of sugar. We had white sugar, brown sugar, castor sugar, fructose sugar, icing sugar and raw sugar. He investigated the differences in their colour, texture and taste.

Next, we set up two experiments. 

The first was to see whether raw, white and icing sugar react differently when exposed to air over time.

The second was to create a super saturated sugar solution for each of those three types of sugar. We dissolved sugar in cold water, in room temperature water, in hot water, and in boiling water on the stove,

comparing how much sugar we could add before reaching saturation point, and how long it took for that sugar to dissolve. We discussed our results and drew hypothesis from them.

We put the super saturated sugar solution (produced on the stove) into glasses with a toothpick anchored in some cardboard. Our aim was to observe the formation of sugar crystals over time.

This is the white sugar glass. It showed the most immediate effect, as we could see nucleation points on the toothpick right from the start. This will be an ongoing experiment as it will take some time for the crystals to grow.

Creativity

Mulga and I have been working on his pencil skills. Here is a rare drawing by Mulga entitled 

"People I love".

Waratah has been listening to Don Spencer's "Please don't call me a Koala Bear ('cause I'm not a bear at all)" on constant repeat. He was interested in finding out more information about this, as he was not sure it was true. To assist in his investigation, I drew up a Venn diagram for us to fill out as we researched the question. However, Waratah had other ideas. Here is my outline for a Venn diagram transformed into the head, thorax and abdomen of a rather lovely slater.

Some paperwork...

Waratah's painstakingly folded origami velociraptor 

from the book which Papa gave him for his birthday.

Mulga's fine motor skills sticker work.

A rare note from Waratah to me when he woke up early one morning, 

so I would know where to find him: 

"I am playing iPad in the playroom at 6 o'clock at day."

Mulga has become fascinated with Ben10, and is convinced that within the next year he will someway, somehow, obtain his own Omnitrix, so he can transform into a selection of amazing aliens and save the world, and especially his family. In an effort to (a) get him to stop talking about it for a little while by proving I had heard him and was taking him seriously, and (b) get him to make a mark on paper, since he does not display the same artistic drive Waratah had at that age (and younger), I asked him to draw some of the aliens his Omnitrix would contain, and wrote down what he dictated about them. 

When my ploy to exhaust his interest did not work, we went to Google and researched all we could about what the Omnitrix is, how it works and where it comes from.

New Silkworms.

(Dictated and photos by Waratah)

Yesterday we picked up our silkworms.
Today, one has started building a cocoon.




There are four more who are hungry.

We picked some mulberry leaves for them. We have four different mulberry trees. We want to find out which leaves the silkworms like best.

The English mulberry has very fuzzy leaves. The White mulberry has small leaves which are lighter coloured.


The Boy mulberry has flowers but never fruit. The Girl mulberry has lots of fruit. Their leaves look the same but I think they smell different. They are big and shiny. We snipped the stems off the leaves from the Girl mulberry so we could tell them apart.

We put the five caterpillars in the box with the four types of leaves. We will check back later to see which ones they like the most.




We put the caterpillars in their box with the leaves and some boxes for building cocoons in. The caterpillar who was building his cocoon started moving around more. We wonder if he is hungry and will stop building his cocoon to eat?

UPDATE
Here are the leaves we tested. The English Mulberry was the most popular. We wonder if that was what the silkworms were used to? When we breed our own silkworms, we will test them again as babies.

2012 Term 4 Week 7

THEME FOR THIS WEEK: Waratah had a dream about a Golden Eagle, so this week we explored Eagles, which also tied into our ongoing exploration of North American Indian culture.

RELIGION
- who are we named after? discussion of why our names and those of many of our friends and family are based on people in the Bible

ENGLISH
- discussion of written advertising; writing signs for shop (see description under Mathematics)

- writing about Golden Eagles: composition (dictation) and handwriting practice

Dictated: "Golden Eagle. It is not gold. It ac tually has brown feathers. Their feathers have gold tips when the sun shines on their wings."

 

 

Handwriting: "They are great hunters. I want to own a Golden Eagle."

 

- independent reading (shop signs, packages etc)
- writing lists: a to-do list for our day; a shopping list

Story time - library books
- Lydia Monks, Babbit (2011)
- Arone Raymond Meeks, Enora and the Black Crane (1991)
- James Marsh, Bizarre Birds and Beasts (1991)

MATHEMATICS
- Waratah set up a shop selling cicadas ($2) and nut shells ($1) and rides on his skateboard ($100).

 



- measuring length, width and weight of an Eagle feather found in our bush (see above under English)

- counting to 100
- how much is 1 million?
- currency recognition; counting money
- weights and measures: making tortillas after reading about North American Indians

 

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
- make a snow globe: experiments with viscosity (adding glycerin to water and observing effects); experiments with particle size and weight (adding shells, tiny gemstone chips, sequins and glitter and observing which stay suspended for the longest time and how they move in response to gentle / violent forces)
- watch a number of short documentaries on Golden Eagles [playlist]
- observation: Christmas tree reproductive cycle; identifying male and female flowers, immature and mature pinecones
- investigating hydrophobic and hydrophilic properties of various objects
- plant vegetable seeds and watch for seedlings sprouting
- observation of moths
- observation of skinks
- observation of butterflies and a dragonfly (which you can just see in the net); discussion of catch, observe and release

- inventing and testing a butterfly trap

- David Attenborough Blue Planet: Tides

HUMAN SOCIETY & ENVIRONMENT
- discussion of relative values and how scarcity affects price (cicadas were worth more because they were more difficult to find)
- discussion of goods and services
- watching documentaries of humans interacting with Golden Eagles in Scotland and in Mongolia
- learning about the Golden Eagle Festival in Mongolia
- discussion of legislation in Australia preventing the keeping of Eagles as pets or for hunting
- Michael Stotter, Step into the world of North American Indians (1999)
- making beans and tortillas

CREATIVE ARTS
- oil pastel drawing of the Golden Eagle from Waratah's dream (he described it as being the size of our kitchen and pure gold)

- completed the water colour painting of a praying mantis

- clay modelling: making Christmas ornaments
- painting - goache on canvas. Waratah painted the picture of a spouting whale but was dissatisfied with it as pencil lines from his first idea - a gecko - were still visible, and there was a blotch where paint had dripped. We discussed what kind of background his subject might have and agreed that the spume might create a rainbow. Waratah asked me to paint in the background, and I showed him how his previous pencil outline could be hidden in the sea, and how the blotch could be disguised as a bird flying by.

- hand sewing: making a toy size feather pillow
- origami paper boats
- music: playing ukulele
- painting a feather: we learnt that since Eagles are now a protected and rare species in America, the Indians today use painted Turkey feathers to simulate Eagle feathers in their costumes. Waratah collected a white wing feather dropped by our pet Corella and painted it to be a feather from a more colourful species of parrot.

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT, HEALTH & PHYSICAL EDUCATION
- Upon A Time... Life: Neurons [Playlist - 3 episodes]
- Upon A Time... Life: Eyes [Playlist - 3 episodes]
- eye tracking experiments
- chasing and catching butterflies
- skateboard riding
- swimming: Waratah is now comfortable floating on back; attempted underwater rocket for the first time; working on putting head under water without holding his nose
- bike riding without training wheels: needs help starting off but is otherwise doing very well
- breakfast picnic under Waratah's new umbrella which he purchased using his pocket money

PLAY BASED LEARNING - MULGA
Create a car app
Scrambled picture puzzles
Sorting games
Clay modelling
Swimming
Drawing with oil pastels

INFANT DEVELOPMENT - BORONIA
Playing peekaboo
Rolling over
Trying to crawl
Self -directed movement
Singing
Observation of her brothers

2012 Term 4 Week 4 Day 5

English: Story Time
☑ Hugh Lofting, Dr Dolittle (1920) Chapters 12 - 13.

Mathematics: IXL / iPad
☑ Motion Maths: Wings (pre-multiplication)
☑ Mini Train for Kids (logic / puzzle solving)

☑ Excursion: Camden Library

☑ Excursion: Camden Museum

Mulga investigating a butter churn.

Waratah looking at a wooden airplane propellor.

 

Human Society & Environment: Investigation
☑ At the Museum, Waratah was particularly interested in the Aboriginal artifacts. He also asked the guide if he knew how Bent's Basin got its name. Our hypothesis that it was named after someone who owned the land nearby proved correct, as we were told that the land grant was originally made to an Ellis Bent.

2012 Term 4 Week 4 Day 2

Kindergarten

Religion: Lives of the Saints
☑ Discussion:

• who lives in heaven?
• what is an angel? 
• what is a soul? (Waratah wanted to know whether it was the same as the soles of his feet!)
• what is a saint?
• what is a miracle?

English: Handwriting Practice
☑ Waratah tried to convince me to let him watch Tom & Jerry cartoons early in the morning, by writing a note. I was pleased to see him attempt phonetic spelling (as he usually prefers to have me spell words for him to write). On this occasion he was trying to see if he could communicate what he wanted by writing alone, so to ask would have spoiled the surprise. He wrote Tom, cat (with the C reversed), Gere (with the G reversed) and malse (mouse). (His efforts were rewarded with a single episode, as a compromise of our 'only educational tv on school mornings' rule.)

☑ Waratah also used Maily to compose an email to me. He took a photo of himself and Boronia, and wrote both their names correctly (after asking me how to spell hers).

English: Story Time
☑ Hugh Lofting, Dr Dolittle (1920)

Dr Dolittle is still extremely popular. We read chapters 3 - 9 today. Waratah wanted me to keep going, but my voice gave out! He is keenly interested in the story and happily answering comprehension questions.

Mathematics: IXL / iPad
☑ Motion Maths: Wings (pre-multiplication)
☑ Mini Train for Kids (logic / puzzle solving)

Creative Arts: Craft
☑ We attempted to use coloured blu-tack as modelling clay. However, it was too sticky, so it was impossible to separate the colours after they were initially joined in the first attempts. After that, Waratah experimented with mixing the colours by rolling and spreading the resulting ball, and investigating its texture (squishing, rolling, pulling slow to stretch, pulling fast to snap).

Human Society & Environment: Investigation
☑ We virtually visited the whale exhibit at Melbourne Museum. Waratah correctly identified an ambulocetus skeleton, and told me more facts about whales than were provided in the exhibit. He enjoyed this app and we will return to it again.

Science & Technology: Experiment
Theme: Egg and Chicken
☑ Today Waratah learned how to blow the contents out of an egg. We used the contents to make breakfast and the shells for our culture craft.

Personal Development, Health and Physical Education: Skills Practice
☑ Waratah demonstrated his mastery of the side gallop, performing it on the trampoline.

Cultural Studies: Craft
☑ We used our gouache paints to decorate the eggshells. Acrylic paints may give a better effect, but the boys were very pleased with the results of their efforts.

Waratah called his creations "Big Eye", "Longnose" and "Super Egg". He said he was inspired by Picasso (which is cool, as he didn't seem to pay much attention when we looked at Picasso a couple of months ago.) I thought we were making Christmas decorations, but the last time we painted eggs, about two years ago, we made egg faces. I had forgotten, but Waratah had not!

Big Eye and Longnose

 

Super Egg

PreK - Play-based learning (EYLF)

☑ Mulga similarly enjoyed the egg painting.

Infant - Learning story

☑ Boronia was introduced to Monkey See, Monkey Zoo (Lamaze). She particularly liked the leaping tiger, and after looking at all the pages closely, decided that they were also rather tasty.

☑ Looking in the mirror after her bath, Boronia was clearly focusing on her own reflection, and when asked, "Where's Mummy?" she directed her gaze to my reflection, then looked back and forth between the two reflections with a big smile. She is starting to recognise herself as a separate identity.

2012 Term 4 Week 1 Day 3

Kindergarten

Religion: Lives of the Saints
Theme: The Sacraments - Baptism
☑ John the Baptist - reread the Bible stories from yesterday.

English: Reading Eggs
☑ Map 5 Lesson 49 (partly completed)

English: Handwriting Practice
☑ See Science below

Mathematics: IXL / iPad
Theme: Measurement - What attributes can be measured?
☑ Rocket Maths (subtraction)
☑ Zoom (number lines)
☑ Hungry Guppy (addition)

Creative Arts: Craft
☑ Make a paper helicopter flyer

Human Society & Environment: Brainstorming
Theme: All about me.
☑ Watched several episodes of Little Human Planet and brainstormed ways in which the lives of children around the world were different to our life.

Science & Technology: Experiment
Theme: A baby grows to an adult.
☑ Continued to observe our potato growing experiment, which has expanded to include some (much more impressive) carrot tops.

Science & Technology: Observation and Report
☑ Waratah chose to collect all the different grasses that grow in our front yard and put them in a book. He was particularly pleased to find an ear of wheat which had sprouted from some dropped birdseed, so he illustrated this with a photo and feather from our pet corrella and a photo of one of our roosters (both of whom eat wheat). This project also involved voluntary handwriting practice.

Personal Development, Health and Physical Education: My Body
☑ Once Upon A Time... Life: Cell Planet [Playlist - 3 episodes]
☑ Once Upon A Time... Life: Birth [Playlist - 3 episodes]

Cultural Studies: Craft
☑ Waratah pinpointed Italy on the globe, but we were unsuccessful in our search for a traditional Italian baby toy that we could make. Instead, we made Italian mountain climbers, climbing over the Alps. Waratah used some of the wool from our farm visit for snow on his mountain.

PreK - Play-based learning (EYLF)

Sensory Play
☑ Sand pit

Exploratory Play
☑ Mulga experimented with arranging his construction toys in various shapes.



Manipulative Play
☑ Mulga enjoyed making the helicopters, and was inspired to do some crayon colouring (which he normally avoids).



Dramatic Play
☑ Construction crew

Creative Play
☑ Making a mountain climber





Infant - Play-based learning

Sensory Play
☑ air bath

Exploratory Play
☑ toes in the clover

Manipulative Play
☑ rattle ball

Dramatic Play
☑ peek a boo

Creative Play
☑ nursery rhyme singing

Term 3 Week 9 Day 5

Kindergarten

English: Independent Reading
☑ Sue Graves and Belinda Worsley, Harry's Hat (2007)
- Waratah read the whole book aloud to us, with just a little assistance.

Personal Development, Health and Physical Education: My Body
☑ Study of nutrition - discussed and put posters on the fridge for "Eat a Rainbow" and "1 Great Plate"

Science & Technology: Project
Topic: Looking around you - Town and Country
☑ Comparing the Town and the Country

Town: The town is smoky and you can't see the stars.

Country: The country is great. You can see lots of stars. There are ducks and wattle trees.

English: Handwriting Practice
☑ Writing about "the town" for science - see above.

Creative Arts: Craft
☑ Making a bird feeder from paper cups.

Mathematics: Weights and Measures
☑ Introduction to the balance scale

☑ Estimating - how many grams?
☑ Adding two column numbers
☑ Spin and compare weights game [Link]

Cultural Studies: Investigating Diversity
☑ Looking at pictures of towns in different countries - India, Greece, Russia and Italy. Comparing features and talking about what it would be like to live in each one.

Human Society & Environment: Mystery Activity
Topic: Families Past and Present - What is an artifact?
☑ Exploring some artifacts from my family heirloom treasure box. Waratah's favourite item (and mine as well) is this very old American Indian seed necklace. We also looked at a photo of an oil painting of our ancestor wearing the same necklace. I told Waratah about seeing the painting  hanging over my Grandma's piano, when I was about his age, and also showed him photos of and items inherited from my Grandma - his great grandmother. We agreed that sometime in the future we would like to conduct further research to learn more about our Indian ancestor. All we know is that she is a Cree from Canada who married a Scotsman.

Preschool

☑ trampoline
☑ marbles
☑ tree climbing
☑ story telling - Mulga has not stopped telling everyone all his favourite details about our visit to the swimming pool yesterday.
☑ iPad - Mulga spent some time on 3D ABC, and then played Create a Car.

Infant Activities

☑ Peek a boo
☑ lots of singing
☑ introduction to a shaker (maraca)