Meekats, buns and French

The naked rat, which Reuben calls the 'pig rat'

We started our day, with what was meant to be just a quick look at the Meerkats, but this turned into a 90 minute look around Wigfield farm. I don't get to the farm that often, Geoff takes Reuben and Rosanna most weekends. So we really enjoyed looking at all the new animals and enclosures.
First to the small animal room.
Then the aquatics.
Terrapins
Our favourites at the moment, the Meerkats.



Mrs Piggy with really wild naughty piglets
Mrs Piggy, the mother who obviously follows Gina Ford!
All piglets down for a nap in their own room.
One little piglet in it's own pen.
New rabbit enclosure.

Donkys and a rescued goat.
Young pigs which are being weaned.
Hens
Rheas
Deers

Then back at home we made chocolat buns and then Imogen and Jemima had their first french lesson with new tutor.

Icebergs

Investigating fractions. Icebergs can tower up to 150m above the water. But, nine-tenths of their mass and three quarters of their height are hidden below the surface of the water. Using ice cubes we tried to look at the fractions above and below the surface.
We also tried to investigate the Archimedes' principle, but Geoff throw away the result!!

Various percentage, decimal and fraction work.

First christmas bits

Mima making a lego christmas tree


Experimenting with fimo. We made snowmen, presents, father christmas and food.

Eratosthenes' sieve

Eratosthenes was a Greek astronomer who lived around 200 Bc. He calculated the circumference of the earth from calculations based on the sun shining down a well.
Eratosthene's sieve is a way of producing the prime numbers.

Starting with a hundred square, you cross out multiples of 2, but not 2, then the same with 3, 5, 7, 11 and so on. The numbers not crossed out are the prime numbers.
It was tricky to read all the numbers to 100, so we did the excercise again, this time just up to 30.

Let me out...

First Fungus Hunt Of the Year

Our fungus hunting never took off in the same way as it did last year. We managed a couple of walks. The best spotting session was at Wombwell Woods. Using the Usbourne spotters guide, we set about identifying...



Our first positive identification (or so we think!) ochre brittlegill
Not sure what these are.
Bay bolete, dark brown cap that feels velvety when dry, sticky when wet.
Yellow pores turn blue when bruised.


Not sure what this is.
At last we found bracket fungus!
Razor strop or birch bracket. The flesh of this bracket was once used for tinder for lighting fires, as ink blotter and to stop wounds bleeding!


Time for a break -Terabithia style



Two very unclear photos of candlesnuff fungus
Common earthball, black centre indicates it is mature.

Jelly ear
Very pretty, but not sure what they are