2011 homeschooling highlights in pictures

A look back at some of the highlights of 2011.  It's been a year of variety plus the usual weekly activities!

January

• Bought a smart globe which has had lots of use learning about other countries (HSIE)
• Lots of water sports - surfing, swimming, kayaking, water skiing, fishing (PDHPE)

February 

• February saw a trip to America which (as well as being a lot of fun!) saw learning opportunities about American history, & geography, science and movie making (HSIE, Science & Technology, Creative Arts)
• Watched a documentary on Stephen Hawking (Science & Technology) 
  

March

• Swimming and life-saving techniques (PDHPE)
• Martial arts (all year) (PDHPE)
• Art classes - Art Around the World (Creative Arts, HSIE)
• Creating circuits (Science & Technology)
• Canoeing (PDHPE)
• Fractions and decimals (Maths)
• Experiments with base indicators (Science & Technology)
• Watching Mythbusters (Science & Technology)
• Visit to Fort Scratchley (HSIE)

April

• Art exhibition of the Around the World art made in classes (Creative Arts, HSIE)
• Tocal field day with activities such as water testing (Science & Technology)
• Egyptian art (Creative Arts, HSIE)
• Visit to the historical Tocal Homestead (HSIE)
• Visit to Hyde Park Barracks learning about convict history (HSIE)
• Archery (all year) (PDHPE)
• Science experiments (Science & Technology)
• More art classes (Creative Arts)
• AFL under 10's team - training & games for the season (PDHPE)

May

• Started using Khan Academy for maths (Maths)
• Woodwork
• Watched Bell Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing at Sydney Opera House (Creative Arts, English)
• Camp at the Hunter Valley Zoo learning about native animals (HSIE, Science & Technology)
• Outdoor field archery (PDHPE)
• Tea bag rocket experiment (Science & Technology)

June

• Continued AFL season - even in the mud! (PDHPE)
• Watched a local production of James and the Giant Peach (Creative Arts)
• Grew plants in a terrarium (Science & Technology)
• Learnt about the Australian coat of arms and state symbols (HSIE)

July

• Watched Richard Hammond's Engineering Connections documentaries (Science & Technology)
• Week long martial arts camp (PDHPE)
• Visit to Cessnock Art Gallery for an Aborginal Art exhibition (Creative Arts, HSIE)
• Learning C# programming (Science & Technology)

August

• Learning more about codes & signals (braille, morse code, semaphore, phonetic alphabet) (Maths)
• Manning a fund-raising stall for a charity fundraiser (Community, Maths)
• Engineering studies - learning about pulleys, circuits, steam engines, pumps (Science & Technology)
• Visit to Spotswood Pumping Station & Scienceworks   (Science & Technology)

September

• 8-week photography course  (Creative Arts)
• AFL season came to an end with a presentation day (PDHPE)
• Visit to the newly re-opened Newcastle Museum (Science & Technology, HSIE)
• Visit to Maitland Art Gallery with a photography & Aboriginal Art exhibitions (Creative Arts, HSIE)
• Visit to The Goat Soap Lady and picnic at the river (HSIE)
• Learning first aid and hygiene (PDHPE)
• Disability Awareness activities (community)
• Memorised and perfomed a poem at his drama class's concert (Creative Arts, English)
• Completed the Premier's Reading Challenge (English)

October

• Watched a performance of Fantastic Mr Fox (Creative Arts)
• Recorded weather observations for 2 weeks - rainfall, wind speed / direction, temperature (Science & Technology, Maths)
• Continued with Khan Academy (Maths)
• Rock-climbing, flying fox and other outdoor activities (PDHPE)
• Visit to Camelot Lavendar and Exotic Animal farm (HSIE)
• Swimming and water play (PDHPE)

November

• Dinosaur egg & nest exhibition & science exhibition at the museum (HSIE, Science & Technology)
• Map-reading and compass work  (Maths)
• Making and firing bottle air rockets (Science & Technology)
• More pool time with friends (PDHPE)

December

• Most improved student for the year at Martial Arts (PDHPE)
• Java programming to create a Minecraft plugin (Science & Technology)
• Watching Horrible Histories (HSIE)
• Helping cook the family Xmas pudding (Maths, Science & technology)
• End of year archery (PDHPE)
• Maths CDs like Carmen Sandiego Math Detective (Maths)

Bring on 2012!  I have no idea what it will bring, but I'm sure there will be plenty of learning opportunities!