Project 213: Chess

We wanted a project that we could do on the move this week as the children were visiting their grandparents, so we decided to have a closer look at chess. Although Solomon has enjoyed the game for a number of years, we wanted to make sure the other two also learned how to play. In the end we stretched the project over two weeks, and as anyone will know who's studied the game, we barely scratched the surface. 

As well as learning the rules, and studying a few openings, the children read a story about the Lewis Chessmen, the children did some Twinkl worksheets, and designed their own chess piece. They also wrote their own stories about the finding of the Lewis Chessmen. 

Finally, they did their own chess artwork. 

Next project: Christmas and a Christmas Carol*

(*the blog is STILL a number of weeks behind!)

Project 212: Christmas Crafts*

It's seems hard to believe, but Christmas 2021 was out 5th home educating Christmas! For the last couple of years we've also had a craft project a few weeks earlier, so we can create Christmas cards and decorations (Project 110: Christmas Crafts; Project 161: Preparing for Christmas), and we did the same this year. 

In fact we started the project a day early, so we could light our advent candle wreath on the correct day:

It was was a busy week as we baked biscuits, picked and decorated the tree, and did numerous crafts and worksheets. It was also the start of the 'Crazy Scientist' advent calendar, which was good, but took up an inordinate amount of time. 

We went for a wreath look with our Christmas cards this year, using straws, paint, and sticky dots. 

Next Project: Chess

(* We're still a bit behind on the blog posts!)

Project 211: Swiss Family Robinson

With a busy week ahead we decided to have a book project to make sure there was a tangible outcome by the end of the week (although as the book was actually longer than we realised, it turned into a two week project to get it finished!). We chose Swiss Family Robinson as it followed on nicely from our previous book project (Project 206: Plundering Paradise).

As well as reading the book we also got the children to write their own journal entries, imagining their first two days on the island.

They also created their own porthole pictures of their first sightings of the island:

As the project went over two weeks we also had the opportunity to incorporate a home education workshop on fire-lighting and whittling at Ferry Meadows. 

We also built our own den there.

All three children enjoyed watching the film version of Swiss Family Robinson, although it has very little in common with the book. Whereas the book is all about nature and home building over a ten year period, the film seems to cover about six months and is mostly about fighting pirates!

Next Project: Christmas Crafts*

[*We're a bit behind on our blog posts!]

Project 210: Drawing

 As we hadn't had a project that specifically focused an art since Project 170: Vincent van Gogh, we decided it was time for one on drawing. 

We started the week with the children learning about different sorts of mark making, making use of some of the activities on Art Skills for Teachers, trying out different mediums to draw with (e.g., charcoal, graphite sticks, pen and ink etc), and learning how to draw Matilda. 

They went to Hamerton Zoo to practice their sketching:

And learned about Albrecht Dürer with a PowerPoint on Twinkl, and also doing a Dürer style animal drawing activity.

Next Project: Swiss Family Robinson