Term 2 part 2

Towards the end of the term we spent a month looking at poetry, in different styles and learning about metres, and how to understand them.  Arden and I worked together to come up with the our own poems in the various rhythms. 

We have a few poetry books at home, but I figured we needed a greater variety for this, so collected some more from the library.

The poetry books we used.

During this time we were also reading Beowulf. 

Plus we ordered a denk fire bowl to use in the colder weather.  It doesn't really get cold in Perth, just overnight, so we got up early on Winter solstice and made a small damper to bake in the embers of our bowl.

It got a bit stuck to the aluminium foil, but was still delicious!

We were playing hopscotch whilst out and about for a while, after meeting a lady who drew up a game of it for us!

Arden recently finished reading Hemmingway's "Old Man and the Sea".

We read "Tom Sawyer" earlier in the year, and we used Kovacs' "Ancient Rome" as well as Emily Frenkel's version of "Aenas" for Arden's first block on Ancient Rome.

Third time around we are using "Lingua Latina" for Latin.

Irving and I had been working on some cursive, helping to build up his familiarity with the alphabet.

Irving experimenting with celtic knot patterns.

Irving and Arden working on geometry.  Irving likes to join in, so he does the bits he can manage.

I'm still working on this,just recently traced the quilting image onto it, unfortunately it won't be ready til next winter! (I'm sitting under it right now!-2025)

Irving is starting to get the hang of skateboarding.

term 2-highlights

Well this has been a bit slow.  I was all set to post this months ago, and our computer was unco-operative and then I didn't get back to it.  Life with two teenagers and two children just got a bit hectic! 

A beautiful afternoon at Pelican Point with some home education friends.

Working on cursive with Irving.  I've been teaching cursive in class 1 since I read about the benefits.  I do also teach print, but I try to focus on cursive in our lessons.

Form drawing- making a circle from freehand lines.

Constructing an icosahedron, as part of our learning about the Platonic solids.

Our fire shaped tetrahedron, helping to remind us that the tetrahedron's element is fire!  And adjacent, our tetrahedron die.

Some fun with sketching mathematical patterns after watching Vi Hart's youtube channel .

Some fun activities from "Earth, Fire, Air, Water".. The zaptrapp was a favourite.  Simply make a face on a piece of paper, half wrap it on an orange, and roll him along.  Arden and Irving had a lot of fun racing their oranges.

Looking at the tension of water, by floating a pin on its surface.

Floating and sinking a stone with a balloon.

Found this beauty whilst out collecting flowers to press.

And these beautiful tiles on an old building in our local area, whilst out collecting firewood.

All ready-  with our Denk firebowl, Arden and Irving keen to try cooking on it!  So setting it up with this idea in mind.

And our evening fire.

Crafting- Irving's knitting fork work, turned into fairy light decorations.

Term 4 in a Nutshell

This term has seen us doing a broad range of activities as we wrap up our planned school work for 2016.

A large part of Arden's activities have involved looking at fibres, how they're made and making a piece of clothing.  We've done work with wool and cotton this  year.  Spinning our own wool using a drop spindle, and using the wool to know with.  Arden is currently knitting Christmas decorations.  He's also done some weaving this year, and has spent much of the year, sewing pyjamas by hand.

Our spun wool drying.

Jammy top in progress. (I just need to finish the buttonholes for him now!)

One of our other themes, has been looking at buildings and structures.  Damien and Irving and I all head out to visit the Old Mill, and take a look around the building, as well as see how they used to mill grain there.  We had been to the Old Mill before (when we first moved to Perth) however at that time Damien was so busy with work that he was unable to come with us.

Grind stone at the Old Mill

Appreciating the Swan River from the South side

We also visited Woodbridge House in recent weeks, a beautiful old mansion, and we were quite sad to see how few are left in Perth and how under appreciated that they are.  Sadly Woodbridge House's lattice work and paint were in poor repair, and given how many beautiful homes of this style, Damien and I grew up surrounded by and visiting, being from Adelaide, we were sad to see that this house, being unique in its style in WA, was not being appreciated for its story by enough people.

Stopping for coffee at Woodbridge House.

Arden and I have also being doing some work with a dip pen, in the aim of supporting him creating beautiful print and cursive.  I found with Gabriel that the friction of the dip pen was useful for slowing his writing, and enabling it to come out clearer and crisper.  I thought that this might also be helpful for Arden, and it certainly worked!  I am thinking that we might focus on using a dip pen most of next year, and also do some drawings with it.

Dip pen writing

Dip pen sketches by Arden

Dip pen sketches by me (left and right handed- I've been learning to write right handed whilst helping Arden with his writing.)

Willow has spent a bit of time filming the youtube series, "Focus" that she will be in, this term, as well as doing a lot of music preparation for her audition at WAAPA last week.  She's also taken a bit of interest in making make-up and has made her own lip gloss recently.  She's been continuing with learning to use the sewing machine, and recently made her own bra.

Willow's sewing.

Whilst Willow was busy with filming and hanging out with Damien, Gabriel, Arden and Irving and I, headed out to Perth heritage days festival, and toured some of the historic buildings around the city.

Government House (the Gardens were beautiful!)

The old Palace Hotel

And Gabriel and Arden took a ride on an old fire truck!

Gabriel has been doing a lot of studying of WW1, and this past week he and Willow went to the Spirit of Australia ANZAC exhibition.  He has also spent quite a bit of this last semester studying transport, and it's evolution.  We picked up a model 4cylinder motor to construct recently and are in the early stages of construction.

Working on the engine model.

Attaching the cylinders to the crankshaft

Gabriel also had an opportunity to do a metal smithing class, which he was very please about!  He's been asking me where he could do jewellery making for a while, and we felt lucky to finally find somewhere.

Gabriel's metal work

I've been doing a lot of sewing recently, and it seems that in recent years I've discovered my passions; rock and roll/rockabilly dancing and sewing!  I've been loving sewing since I've made friends with my machine ( we were a bit at war to start with...)

Jammy shorts for myself.

Irving in his new jammies.

A cushion cover

Pockets for pants!

The pants the pockets belong to!

Irving getting fast and splashy on his balance bike.

A new space craft for Benny!

Australian Ringneck eating flowers in Midland.

And finally another cow in Perth's cow parade.

-

2025

Irving also hand-sewed  some pyjamas a couple of years ago.  His were in linen.  He learnt to use the sewing machine the same year.

Pyjamas.
https://unicorn-pegasus.blogspot.com/2023/10/term-3.html

Machine sewing.

https://unicorn-pegasus.blogspot.com/2023/12/end-of-term.html

We did some Historic excursion to National Trust properties including Woodbridge House earlier this year.  Those excursions can be found here.

https://unicorn-pegasus.blogspot.com/2025/06/gradually-getting-into-swing-of-things.html

https://unicorn-pegasus.blogspot.com/2025/06/we-made-it.html