Natural Dyes - colour chart

http://www.pioneerthinking.com/naturaldyes.html

Yesterday and today - so different

Yesterday was a beautiful day. The sun shone, it was warm and we went to the beach. We had a lovely time. I stayed at the flat for most of the time and knitted and Springy and C went body boarding (well Springy did - C supervised) and then Springy dug along the breakwaters in the sand. "Can you tell I'm having a good time, Mummy?" was her question - yes, I could because she was smiling and covered in wet sand. She was looking at anemones on the breakwaters and gently touching the ones with their tentacles in. We spotted barnacles, mussels and then did a bit of fossil hunting. Some men were digging up lugworms and they had a little group of children with them so Springy got to play with them. I also found some hermit crabs and brought them up shore for the children to see. We then returned them to the water.

Today the rain came. It's so grey and damp out there. We had about an hour or two late morning/early afternoon that was grey but dry so the bantams and guineapig girls went out on the lawn to have a graze. Springy has found that if she picks up the pullet and takes her to the bottom of the garden she will run very quickly, using her wings with a flap, to be back with the hen. It's very funny but I've said to Springy she must not do it too often because it could stress the pullet.

An article on how learning at home happens (sort of)

It seems to be a bit of a PR drive for a new book but since I happen to like Dr Alan Thomas's other books I know I will be reading it. In the meantime here is the link to the newspaper article:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2008/aug/19/schools.education

Geographical awareness

Springy likes to draw maps and following on some reading from other wonderful home educators I reckon it would be nice for Springy to draw a map of our home and where we live.

The weather is something we're discussing and the autumn is the perfect time to discuss leaves changing colour (not in detail). We've been picking blackberries and I'm hoping to make some Hedgerow Crumble soon with the elderberries, sloes and blackberries from around the hedges here.

Springy keeps reversing letters at the moment so I need to work on some lemniscates with her - off to the right and back to the middle (8 on its side). Her favourite toy at the moment is her little wooden road set and she's getting better and better at building it herself. We're now down to the last 3 pieces that she needs help on (rather than about 10).

EYFS

Here is a link to how to get an exemption for the EYFS:

http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/eyfs/resources/downloads/guidanceexemptions.doc

First Grade from Linden Waldorf school

I liked this summary of Class 1 (age 6/7 years) from the Linden Waldorf school:

"The first grade curriculum provides a context out of which language arts and math learning grow. It awakens capacities of memory and thinking. At this time in the first grade students’ lives, retaining content is less important than what content and form of presentation do to the children in terms of body growth, physical health and moral development.
History: Fairy tales, folk tales and nature stories cultivate imagination and awareness of environment and world.
Literature: Language is expressive in vocabulary, poems with strong rhythms. Fairy tales imagery gives way to reality of ideas and relationships.Geography: Wonders through observations of nature.
English and Grammar: Writing and reading evolve out of oral tradition. Instead of abstract symbols, the introduction of letters is as actual characters with which the children have a real relationship. Fairy tales and stories introduce each letter. In addition,straight and curved lines are observed in body, classroom, and world and practice through walking and drawing in air, sand, blackboard, and paper. Form drawings train motor skills, awaken powers of observation, and create a foundation for letters. Speech exercises, short plays, and class play are included each year.
Science: Stories from nature build awareness of and sensitivity to their surroundings and they are introduced to the kingdoms of nature through storytelling. Also, the children go outside twice a day to maintain a close connection to seasons and environment.
Mathematics: The children are introduced to whole numbers to 100. They learn qualities of numbers before learning addition or subtraction. What is oneness? What is there only one of in the world? Stones, acorns, and other natural objects are used to introduce counting. Considerable practical experience in adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing is expected before written symbols are introduced. This qualitative approach stresses the natural experience of the numbers realm. Rhythms, mental arithmetic, Roman numerals, and number riddles reinforce skills.
Music: The children learn the pentatonic scale, in which all notes have a harmonious sound in any order they are played. Songs are based on seasonal themes. Playing the pentatonic flute develops finger coordination, concentration and breath control.
Artistic work: When painting, the children experience working with color, not creating formed pictures. Children imitate teacher’s work, drawing whole shapes, not filling in outlines. Feeling for form is encouraged through beeswax modeling and crayon illustrations. Form drawing, painting, beeswax modeling, knitting are also practiced."
Ref: http://www.lindenwaldorf.org/curriculum/grades/grade_1.html


In terms of handwork we have done Springy has started with knitting and has also done some weaving (for her dollshouse rugs). Her first knitting project was a plain knit rectangle which has been used in her dollshouse.

Saint Lucia Day

I've been looking up recipes for December called Lussekatter which are saffron buns for St Lucia's Day and/or the Winter Solstice.

It seems you need:

saffron
milk
yeast
butter
flour
salt
sugar
eggs
raisins

I've yet to find a recipe in full though, that I know is guaranteed to work (since I don't trust recipes unless someone has approved them).