Meet The New Housemate…

Picked up a new boarder yesterday. He doesn’t eat much.

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We haven’t decided what we’ll call him yet..
He’s not highly detailed, but there’s a basic idea of nerves, arteries and veins. He has a heart, and you can unclip the upper part of his skull to take the brain out.Β Cool!

In other news, there was extra origami making at the end of the week –

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We have a noddy dog (two separate parts, so the head nods)

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A laughing crow (flap the wings to make the beak open and close)

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…and, finally, the parrot. It took a while, but we figured it out in the end – a triumph of perserverance! πŸ™‚
This week should be fun…

Published in: on March 8, 2015 at 7:51 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Folding Paper And Skinning Eggs

We’ve been having a good year in homeschooling so far πŸ™‚ . Last year felt like a bit of a write off – due to ill health and pockets of confusion, we didn’t get to do as much as I had hoped. The basic learning got done… but I felt I still would have got a failing grade as a teacher by the end of the year. I’ll let you in on a secret…
We’re not perfect…
(Shocking, I know πŸ™‚ )
Every so often, I read homeschooling blogs. They’re great – you can pick up a lot of tips, and feel part of the greater “classroom”. Often, though, I end up feeling inadequate – my boys are lovely and, I think πŸ˜‰ , quite intelligent. We’re not on track to great inventions and amazing masterpieces, though. We’re… average. Maybe even a bit more than…
So, I have to focus on what’s best forΒ my family – their intellectual, emotional, physical and spiritual health and growth.
I think we’re on track for that…

What have we been doing over this last week? There was a bit of origami..

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Littlest bean made a puppy, biggest boy a cube, then

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a sumo wrestler!
Littlest bean started a parrot. It’s not been finished yet…
He did finish a pencil portrait of me, done with his non-dominant hand –

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πŸ™‚

In other news, we soaked two eggs in vinegar for a couple of days.

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What happened?
Vinegar contains acetic acid (a weak acid), which reacts with the calcium carbonate in the eggshell, producing calcium acetate and carbon dioxide gas (that’s the little bubbles you’ll see). The membrane of the egg is left intact, allowing you to see the yolk inside. Cool!
Apparently the reaction isΒ CaCO3+ 2H+ -> Ca+2 + H2O +CO2

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It’s a little bit difficult to photograph…

Just as a warning – the egg will be more fragile than it was. Treat it gently, if you don’t want to have to hose off the back patio. And one small boy…

Published in: on March 3, 2015 at 6:40 pm  Leave a Comment  
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