Sunday, September 13, 2009

Our week of learning - 13th Sept - A new website!


Current Readaloud: The BFG by Roald Dahl

The BFG

English: Lots of reading & audio books. He watched the 2nd part of a spelling program ("Spelling with the Spellits").

Maths: Several Cyberchase episodes - covering probability, area, estimating and fractions. We did a probability experiment - tossing a coin 20 times and recording whether it came up heads or tails. It actually ended up 10 / 10!! He also did some measuring around the house with the tape measure.

He spent many hours completing a computer game called "Clue Finders: 3rd Grade Adventure". It included maths, english, science, geography and logic. He's doing really well with multi-digit addition and subtraction. His method is "non-standard" but it works for him. For eg to add 25+34, he will break that down in his head to 20+30+5+4. While it may not be "by the formula", it proves to me that he understands what he is doing rather than just following a formula.

Science & Technology: He made 'rockets' using a film canister, alka seltzers & water.

The big project that he's been working on this week has been learning to use Frontpage and creating his own webpage (beware - the home page is very colourful!!!). He also used Photoshop and Pivot in it's creation.

I signed him up to Skwirk.com.au and he spent some time on the science section.

HSIE (Human Society and it's environment): We had a discussion of Greek mythology including Mt Olympus and Zeus. We read the myth of Pandora's Box from a great comic book of Greek Myths.

Greek Myths

At Joeys they had an "Around the World in 80 days" theme and played games from different countries.

Creative & Practical Arts: Drama, lots of imaginative play, and a trip to the Lovett Art Gallery to see an exhibition of book illustations.

LOTE (Languages other than English): Nothing.

PDHPE (Personal Development, Health & Physical Education): Circus class plus lots of practicising through the week with his diabolo, devil sticks and spinning plate.

Life skills (cooking, gardening, housekeeping): He helped with gardening, tidying and vacuuming.

Other fun stuff: As well as the Joey's fun day, he also invited neighbourhood friends over on Wednesday afternoon for a play.


8 comments:

Wendy said...

Because of your "Week of Learning" post from last week, in which you mentioned "The BFG", I went to the library to pick up some Dahl books.

We snagged "Charlie & the Chocolate Factory". I haven't read that since, um... Well, it has been a looong time.

I read it to Gavin for the past week and he really enjoyed it. Now I'm borrowing "The BFG" from a friend tomorrow!

So thanks for inspiring me to get some Dahl for Gavin. I loved, loved, loved Dahl's books when I was a child. Now Gavin has heard his first and I think he will enjoy more.

I wish we had PBS here, but we don't. :::pout::: Can't even watch it online. Ah, well.

The "Around the World in 80 Days" game theme sounds like alot of fun!

Caz said...

Sounds like a full week! SKwirk.com.au is pretty cool, great for covered a few of those more obscure outcomes (at least for us qld'ers!)

Suji said...

What a fun week! :) And what a talented young man to create his own absolutely fun looking website! You sure do have a computer whiz here Kerrie. Already using Photoshop...gee whiz!

Kez said...

Wendy - We loved Charlie and the Chocolate Factory too - apparently he has Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator coming from a friend as a late b'day present! Can't wait!! You'll love the BFG - farts are now known as whizzpoppers around here :)

Caz - yeah it's nice to be have a fun way to check off the outcomes that we have to do!

Suji - Yeah he's pretty comfortable with the computer :) I'll be asking him for help soon!

3anklebiters said...

the website is great. love the photo and the link for parents. we enjoy R Dahl books here, but are currently reading and rereading selected poems that only a boy could love from A Pizza the Size of the Sun.

Dana said...

My son does something similar with double digit math...he looks for the tens. If it works......

Looks like you both had a great week!

Kez said...

3anklebiters - I will have to look for those poems!

Dana - exactly. I'd prefer he understand "why" than just do the maths that way because he's told that's how it's done - kind of like how I learnt :(

Laurie said...

My son does the same kind of math as well, as does my mother, even at 67 years old. We used to tease her about it - we even named her method, "Equals". Imagine my shock when my son explained how he got an answer in his head and it was the same method. LOL But, just as you said, it shows that he *understands* what he's doing and not just going through the motions.