Science, Arts, Craft

Arden and I have still been working on a Bible block, looking at Hebrew and learning about seasonality.  We've been doing a bit of art and craft and science.  We started reading about the tower of Babel, followed by Moses, and next week we will read about Noah.  We've been looking at the Hebrew alphabet, and had a connective learning moment, last week, when we came across some written Hebrew on a sculpture in the Supreme Court Gardens in remembrance of all the Jews that suffered during WWII.  Since we've been learning about Moses, we've also been looking at different sorts of rafts, and this has combines nicely with some of the physics that Gabriel was doing earlier in the  year on steam engines.

Arden's painting of the tower of Babel.

My painting of the tower of Babel.

Making our steam boats, using a cigar tube.  Gabriel's model.

Arden and Gabriel's boats in action.  They moved slowly and steadily, and required some patience on our part waiting for the boats to get moving.

Basic boat design, flat piece of wood, with soap inserted in the back v-shape.  The soap causes changes the surface tension of the water to change, and sails the boat along.  This version sailed better than our steam boats!

Working on toothpick framed, wax covered boats.

Out to the Old Supreme Courthouse.  Fascinating day out looking at the history of the Aboriginal Rule of Land, and the later rule of modern Australians. 

I have just finished reading "The Test of Courage", and was planning on Gabriel reading it for English, but after reading it, decided it was probably more suitable in a couple of years time.  (Instead I'm encouraging Willow to read it).  Gabriel has just finished reading "The Great Escape"  instead.

Arden and I have been doing paper basket weaving.  Mine is now finished, we should be completing Arden's tomorrow.

We decided it was best for me to work out the cross weave before doing it together, so that I'd have a better idea of how it works, in case Arden needs help.

Finished, with a coating of beeswax.

Willow has been working on making her first home made bra.  (This was her practice run.)

I received some vintage seersucker in the post recently, and started off with a skirt out of this fabric.  I made it from a vintage '80s pattern, so it has an elasticised waist (which I'm not keen on), so needs to be worn with a belt, and with the way it sits, it looks better with a petticoat.

Willow has been experimenting with hairstyles.

Found this on our hard-waste trek around East Perth.  Was missing some mirror on the side, so I sawed off the extra bits of wood and sanded it back, moved a few clips to hold the remaining mirror, and now it's back in use!  Has moved into Arden's room.

Arden doing some woodwork, working on waterwheels and boats.

Arden working on sewing his pyjamas.

Irving playing with his paper butterfly.

Willow has sold a few more copies of her first book, the short story Ruby.  She still has it reduced for anyone who might like to read it at a reduced price.

End of term 2

Amongst Iolanthe performances we managed to get a little bit of school work done, but mostly we spent the time recuperating from the intense performance schedule (9 performances in two weeks).  Fortunately there was a long weekend in the middle, and so Damien was at home that day.  During the second week Willow got a cold, with a hoarse voice, so she learnt all about being in the chorus and being unable to sing!

Arden had been working on a block on homes, during Iolanthe, and we had hoped to get out and see some of the local historical buildings during the show, but we decided to leave it til a bit later, since people were run down, and it was a very intense schedule for Arden.  Arden did manage to build a model of our home in lego though, based of floor plans that he drew up.

We've had Arden and Irving playing knights and princes around here a little bit recently, and this led into building block castles.  Note the drawbridge.

Arden and I have been working at a book of creation from the Bible this week.  Lots of english and lots of painting.  Working at nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, etc; writing the story up in cursive and painting an illustration for each section.  

Gabriel has been looking at steam and combustion engines, we have plans for a more practical component during the break, but mostly we focused on theory during Iolanthe.  Some of the steam videos Gabriel watched.  This page was meant to be mostly combustion engines, but ended up a mix of things engine related.  This week Gabriel has moved onto chemistry and distillation.  We're hoping to distill essential oils after the break, and as a lead up he's making cold infused frangipani oil (we're thinking of trying this again later in the year, when the frangipanis are more fragrant) and a lavender water.

Willow has been doing a little sewing again, and made herself a small purse.

 

Gabriel is currently hand sewing his tie, and Arden is making progress on his jammy pants. I've been making a new bra out of green gingham;  I'm making the straps much wider this time.  On the whole I've been happy with my previous bras, except the width of the straps.

 We found this wooden ironing board in the hard waste.  Was too nice a piece of wood to let it get thrown out.

Arden and Irving being fairies on winter Solstice.

Enjoying my breakfast the day after solstice;taking in the sun, before getting started for the day.

We had our first home education excursion for awhile out to the Supreme Court this week for a hypotheticals session.  Willow and Gabriel found the process quite interesting.  Since Arden and Irving were too young for the session,we had a few other errands to do, for Irving's birthday tomorrow, so we met up with everyone later.

Crafts

Well today I finally finished knitting my socks.



They are warm and comfy and my favourite pair already I think. And now next I need to do a pair for my brother, Justin.

Also I finishen my marionette this week.



I am also pretty happy with her. And Arden has fallen in love with her- so I think I may need to make him his own doll soon. We called my doll Ruby, due to the colour of her hair. Arden has been giving her lots of hugs and kisses, and spending time tucking her into bed and clipping her in the pram. Willow and Gabriel have also started their marionettes. Both have done the heads, and are onto the gowns- Willow has already decided to name hers Emerald. Gabriel, meanwhile, hasn't decided if his is a boy or girl.

As Willow pointed out, we also went to the woodwork expo yesterday. Very good value and very interesting- I'll soon be getting a lovely simple woodwork book from one of the stalls there. It's called Woodwork for Women but it's just really for anyone that knows very little about woodwork. We also watched quite a bit of woodturning.

We'll be starting Willow's Egyptian block this week- should be fun and interesting, and continuing on Gabriel's Bible block.