Kids Who Want to Learn about Chemistry (with Video and iPad Links)

This year we are learning about Chemistry.
 
Ahhh, yes, all of us. Not just the kids. My own education wasn't strong in the sciences so there is lots of cool stuff for me to learn about also.

On Monday we will be attending a workshop hosted by Nathalie of Science for Home Educators entitled Elements, Atoms and Molecules. We have completed the CSIRO Scyance Chemistry kit but it didn't touch on the Periodic Table or the Elements. I want to get them up to scratch before the class so I've googled-together a collection of relevant links and thought I'd share them in case they're helpful to you too!

Video Links:

1. Daniel Radcliff sings "The Elements" on The Graham Norton Show (UK).

2. "Meet the Elements" by They Might Be Giants.

3. NOVA: Hunting the Elements (PBS) this link is viewable outside of the USA, unlike the listing on the actual NOVA site and in the associated app.

4. A CrashCourse in Chemistry (YouTube)

5. The Periodic Table of Videos (University of Nottingham, UK).

The plan is as follows... Suck them in with Daniel Radcliff, both being big Harry Potter enthusiasts. Then sprinkle on the cute/cool of the TMBG video. And then dive in deep with the NOVA doco (which looks pretty enthralling). The Crash Course and Periodic Table videos will be a great follow up if they want to learn more.

iPad Links:

If you're interested here is a list of the Top iPad Apps to Teach Kids about the Periodic Table. I have downloaded the NOVA and PhysicalSci ones. Ideally I would get the Theodore Gray one (The Elements: A Visual Exploration) but my iPad's brain is too small *insert sulking emoji*. I have seen the book and it's awesome and is definitely on my wishlist. Brainpop also have a section on Matter and Chemistry (we're not Brainpop subscribers but I'm thinking about trying a month-by-month subscription).

Do you have any great Chemistry links to add? Please add a comment!

p.s. Photo-credit: What's in an ink?

Free Writing for Kids

"I’m walking to the bathroom. 

Why? 

Because I just drank a full to the brim coffee.   

We’re in Palazzo Versace and the toilets seem as beautiful as my girlfriend Lucy.

O-boy, She’s good lookin!"

- 5 minute free write by L. Age 7. 

Each Thursday morning this term T has taken the boys for a writing class.
 
It's a win-win situation. They get to spend time with their dad, learning great skills that extend past my expertise and I get some time to myself.

One of the cool things they do at the start of their sessions is a free write.

Wikipedia says:

Free writing is a prewriting technique in which a person writes continuously for a set period of time without regard to spelling, grammar, or topic. It produces raw, often unusable material, but helps writers overcome blocks of apathy and self-criticism.

Just sit down. Set timer. And.... WRITE.
It doesn't matter what it's about or what it looks like or how it's spelt. Just write.

Pretty simple, huh?

But, this is where the raw stuff comes from. Where the unique only-in-your-own-particular-head stuff comes from. This is where great ideas are born. T uses it in his own daily writing practice. But it's the perfect activity for kids too. It's creativity in the making.

I disagree with the idea that it's often unusable. Now, at the end of the term the boys have each re-worked a few of their favourite free writes. Hug (9) has expanded one of his into a full-length story while Lovely (7) has chosen to illustrate his personal favourites (see above).

For the record, L doesn't drink coffee. Being 7 and all. Nor does he have a girlfriend called Lucy ;)

Although this approach is quite a contrast to the Charlotte Mason ideas I base a lot of our Language Arts learning around I think it's ingenious.

So, are you ready? Sit down. Set the timer... & get free writing! 

Raindrops. A Nature Study.

I was a bit obsessed with these beautiful lingering raindrops this morning.

If they're still there tomorrow I think they will be perfect nature study material.

And don't you love the subtle variations of green of the different leaves? 

Sketchbooks at the ready!

We haven't been doing nearly enough nature study (aka. sketching-in-nature) lately.

Where does your family find it's inspiration in nature? x

Mama Ain't Raising No Fools

We're not homeschooling in America but I do like me some infographics :)

Created by: CollegeAtHome.com

Giving

It can be tricky to find somewhere to eat a proper, healthy meal when you're away from home as a gluten-free (and partially dairy-free) family.

So I thought I might give a shout out to one of the rare places that we can all eat at and all like. Grill'd.

Something else particularly cool about Grill'd (menu options aside) is their charitable spirit. When you buy a meal you get given a token which you deposit into one of 3 glass jars. Each jar represents a charity. At the end of each month the charity with the most 'votes' receives a $300 donation with the other two charities getting $100 each.

When we ate at their Brisbane restaurant last week our vote went to the Cherish Women's Cancer Foundation.

My heart sang to watch my boys give our token but it was a particularly bittersweet song and unfortunately two days later we received the sad news that a member of our extended family had lost her battle with a form of gynecological cancer. I know our donated token is only a drop in the deep blue ocean but I still think it's important and I applaud Grill'd for making giving an important part of their business model.

And for making kick-ass burgers.

T is obsessed with the Field of Dreams mega mushroom burger.

I was Mustard and Pickled!

The kids got cute activity books which bought us an extra few minutes silence. Phew ;)

 How are your kids learning about giving? I'd love to hear. x

City Explorers

We were city explorers last weekend.
That's code for we're country livin' folk right. Usually ;)

But with 6 months of mostly-city-life ahead of us we needed some urban exposure.

So we wandered.
Wide eyed. On a quiet night.
And it was beautiful.

My #top2 cities used to be NYC and Barcelona, okay make it 3 and add Paris into that mix, but it's been a while between urban jaunts. I wonder what I'll think this time next year?! #exciting :)

What is your favourite city?