Postman Pat buns

Daddy, Reuben and Rosanna making Postman Pat buns.

Koch Snowflake

The is a mathematical curve and one of the earliest fractal curves to have been described. It is based on the Koch curve, which appeared in a 1904 paper titled "On a continuous curve without tangents, constructible from elementary geometry" (original French title: "Sur une courbe continue sans tangente, obtenue par une construction géométrique élémentaire") by the Swedish mathematician Koch.

The Koch curve can be constructed by starting with an equilateral triangle, then recursively altering each line segment as follows:

1. divide the line segment into three segments of equal length.
2. draw an equilateral triangle that has the middle segment from step 1 as its base and points outward.
3. remove the line segment that is the base of the triangle from step 2.

After one iteration of this process, the result is a shape similar to the Star of David.

The Koch curve is the limit approached as the above steps are followed over and over again.

Arty stuff

We have started using the Usbourne book of art projects. Our first project was to draw/paint trees using chalk, oil pastels and water colours.
Then on to pen drawings. First we draw outlines of fashion accessories. Then used felt tip pens and chalk pastels to fill in different parts.

Then after finishing the fashion accessories, we went of to the Cooper gallery to look at the latest exhibition.
Our next project was the Watercolour city. We started by building up the city, then a wash for the sky.
Next the buildings were outlined and details added. Then people and vehicles.
Our completed Watercolour cities...

The true cost of Christmas

We calculated the cost of Christmas, based on the song, The twelve days of Christmas. We got a list of prices from the internet, a partridge in a pear tree costs $93, but if you want to buy one online the cost, including delivery, would be $147.50.
The calculation was set out in a table, working out the cost of sending 12 partridge in a pear tree, then 11 x 2 turtle doves, 10 x 3 french hens and so on...

And the grand total was $66, 301.92

The calculations are linked to Pascal's triangle. We looked at this, but it was very tricky to understand, but we could see the pattern when it was highlighted. They was also some link to Fibonacci.

Weeding and Pruning

It was raining at the weekend, but we have decieded that we need to do some jobs every weekend, especially gardening jobs.
The front garden has been overgrown since before we bought the house, and many of the plants are were so overgrown that we had to take them out.




Jemima pruning the Raspberry canes ready for new growth.

Cold weather

The cold weather gave us lots of learning opportunities. We measured the temperature and discussed the negative numbers.

Icy spot tray.
Fern frost on the window. Called fern frost, because the it looks like the leaves of a plant.
We read about dew and frost and how it is formed. Frost is formed when the temperature of the ground goes below zero, which has happened lots this winter,
A patch of disturbed snow, with no footprints around. We tried to work out how this had happened. Was it a mole trying to get out from underground? or a bird?
Our bug hotel.

A day in the life of...

Our day starts with looking at the prices of the things we bought on Monday and looking at the reductions and prices.

We then went onto do more reductions, the girls worked on their whiteboards, and we went through the process of finding the reduction in steps.
After maths, Mima decieded to write a story and Imogen wanted to find some french phrases for a holiday in France. It's not yet booked, but the girls are working out where we are going and how nuch money to change.
While eating our lunch we spotted an usual looking bird on the feeders. The girls got out the bird books and started looking on the internet. We think it was somekind of Chaffinch.
Friends came round in the afternoon to do some french. We did some french speaking, then played french games and finished with some french songs. We played a french game of uno, the children had to say the colour and number in French.
Reuben and Rosanna played with the playdoh. Then we needed fresh air, so we went to the garden.
I haven't been up to the garden much over winter, except when it snowed. So it was a bit of a shock to see the garden today. There's so much work to do.





Looking back at the new attic window
Perfect weather for a bonfire.

The best bonfire we've had in ages.



Jemima trying to get the fire re-started.
Everyday and week is different in home education. Some weeks we do lots of stuff at home. Others we are here, there and everywhere.

Clifton Park

We had a lovely visit to Clifton Park museum with our friends. I didn't take many photos, but the children did do other things other than eat!!!


We went outside to look at the Roman remains, the children looked closely to find roman numerals etched on the stones. And here they are prentinding to be Roman statues.