A Proliferation of Projects

1. Mealworm larvae, 2. Owlet candle kit, 3. Bugs, books, paint and science on the kitchen table, 4. Medieval catapult model, 5. Painting egg shells, 6. Egg shell mosaic, 7. Painting (mosaic hanging on the wall), 8. Dinosaurs, a Rhino and a Robot

We do not lack for projects in this house! At times they come straight from the imaginations of my children, while other times I have Pinterest to thank for the inspiration. Kits and pets are highly prized among my three children, be it STEMbox, Lego boost or Mealworm larvae (future chicken food). 

I read so much about followin your children's passions in order to homschool successfully, and I worrried they wouldn't have any and we would end up doing nothing. Ha! By spending time with them, knowing them, noticing their interests, I am able to find and suggest projects that suit their curiosity. They don't have to do them. They don't have to join in. Like recommending a movie you loved to a friend, their is no pressure or expectation, just a desire to share something you have enjoyed. And what a feast there is out there to enjoy!

What projects have you been working on lately?

Art, science, nature

  1. Magic light, 2. Deadheading the deck flowers, 3. Studying Van Gogh, 4 - 6. STEMbox, 7. Nature box exchange

Anything art, science or nature related is sure to pique my children's interest. And should it be a hands-on activity you best join in our jump out of the way! Lately, we have been adoring the collection of Van Gogh books at our local library and the free Van Gogh resources you can print online. We have brought Science Putty and Magnetic Putty, and they have been loved and fought over and experimented with in equal measure. Another STEMbox arrived, and the children and I were equally fascinated by the magnetic experiments. And, our Spring nature exchange box, through Nature Lovers, arrived and has been proudly brought out to show each visitor the handknit joey pouch, the beautiful photographs our wildlife carer partners have cared for, and the information printed on the reverse of each.

What a feast of learning we have all around us. And how inspiring it is to see it through the curious eyes of a child. xx

Experimenting

 Owl Pellets STEM Box, dissecting a Barn Owl pellet, uncovering three rat skulls and one vole

When you undertake an experiment you do so because the answers are not yet known. You may have an inkling, a hypothesis, an educated guess as to the result, but the truth is still waiting to be uncovered.

And so it is with our/my plans to homeschool next year. After several years of research, I will finally put my hypothesises to the test and uncover the truth for our family, as to whether homeschooling is the answer I have been seeking. Despite the pushback from my husband, family and teachers, the horror stories and negativity, I am still optimistic about participating in my children's education. I am keen to use this time to really get to know them, strengthen the connections in our relationships, explore the world with them more fully with fewer time constraints, and follow and share in their changing passions. 

In the meantime, my eldest was home today with asthma, and we enacted a homeschool day as I have planned out for our submission. Reading, writing, nature study, math, science and STEM. I couldn't have been more pleased. When I came up against resistance in the learning process we discussed it and got to the root of its cause and were able to overcome it. 

With luck, the Owl Pellets kit I bought from STEM Box arrived today upon our return from the doctors. Cohen and I spent the next hour and a half drawing, measuring, dissecting and identifying owl pellets - the hair and bone remnants of their food. As owls cannot digest these parts they regurgitate them instead. Thus, we uncovered three rat skeletons as well as a vole's. Fascinating! Or, in my sister's words, "cool and gross". We had anticipated finding a few bones and hopefully a skull, but were rather excited to find four skulls in the first pellet. Cohen plans to dissect the second pellet tomorrow and I can't wait to see what he finds.

Today's experiments have left me feeling excited and inspired about the experiment we take on next year. I will hold on to those feelings each time I feel the pushback when people realise we want to step outside the mainstream and defend their choices by expressing negativity about ours.