Kez's Blog

Homeschooling Jan - June 2014

2014-07-02T11:56:00.000+10:00

OK so my monthly updates have slid out to term updates, now to a 6 month update! We're just too busy living life to blog it!

Creative Arts

This continues to be Billy's focus. He has weekly music (singing & trumpet lessons), is heavily involved in drama and has this year started with a Scout media unit (JNN) to learn and take part in producing, filming, audio, and editing short video segments.

Music

Weekly singing and trumpet class

Drama

As well as weekly drama class, he was backstage crew for Upstage Youth Theatre's Romeo & Juliet production - including taking part in all day bump in (technical set up of lights etc).
He took part in audition workshop
Went to the Gloucester Shakespeare Festival and watched "Much Ado about Nothing"
Participated in a Bell Shakespeare drama workshop
Is involved with weekly JNN TV Media unit training - filming, editing, audio etc

Art

Regular visits to Maitland Art Gallery

Bell Shakespeare Drama workshop

JNN Media Crew - editing room

Cast & crew of Romeo & Juliet

HSIE

Australian History

Historical walking tour of Maitland
SteamFest
Tunnel tour of Fort Scratchley


Historical walking tour of Maitland

Fort Scratchley Tunnel Tour

Other cultures

Chinese night at Scouts - ate food, made kite, discussed Chinese culture

Maths

Billy is working through the Maths OnlineYr 6 curriculum
Some exercises from Targeting Maths Year 6
Everyday maths - cooking, measuring, budgeting etc

Science & Technology

Billy watches lots of science videos including the VSauce and Veritasium channel.
Heavily involved in creating videos including use of programs such as Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe Photoshop, Avid

English

Read "Refuge" by Jackie French, "The Road to Gundagai" by Jackie French, "So Much to Tell You" by John Marsden as well as listened to numerous audiobooks.
Writing short films, plays and stories.

PDHPE

Participated in the Homeschool Swimming carnival
Participated in weekly Archery in Term 1
Did an overnight hike in Brisbane Water National Park
Took part in Menu planning for hike - discussion on nutrition, hygiene
Basic First Aid training (emergency DRABC, snake / spider bite treatment, recovery position)
Bowling

LOTE

Italian classes (Term 1)
Duolingo Italian app

Scouts 'Curriculum':

Citizenship badge

Knots, bushcraft construction

Making a Rope bridge

Community service

helped out with crowd control at SteamFest
Colour Party (flags) at Region AGM
Working bee at hall
Masters BBQ fundraiser
Clean Up Australia day

Clean up Australia day

As well as plenty of time spent hanging out with friends and family.

A quick update...

2014-04-01T20:58:00.002+11:00

Just in case anyone is still following my blog, I will still continue to post homeschooling updates on here periodically.

But I'm far more active on Facebook if anyone would like to friend me on there - http://www.facebook.com/keztol

I also post more regularly on my writing blog - http://kerriepaterson.com/

But a quick round up of my life for those who may be interested.

At the start of the year I began training as an Assistant Scout Leader with Billy's Scout Troop, which is fun. You can read about the hike we went on over the weekend at my writing blog.

I've also been having fun learning to be a better photographer by taking part in a 365 Photo Club challenge - the rules of which state you must upload a photo for each day and it has to be a selfie in some way. Either all of you, or a part of you (eg hand, foot, reflection, shadow etc) must be in the photo, and you have to take the photo yourself (can be by timer or remote). For someone who hates getting their photo taken, it's been way out of my comfort zone - which is great! I need that! I'm up to day 73 so far - you can see my photos at http://365.mavenforums.com/365-calendar/?user_id=234

My writing is still a work in progress. I have finished 2 novels, and am part way through the 3rd. I've done the rounds of publishers with my 1st with no luck - now that I've learnt a lot more I think I'll do an overhaul on it and try again later. I'm waiting on a couple of beta readers to get back to me with feedback about novel no 2 before I try the round of agents and publishers with it. I'm still heavily involved in the Romance Writers of Australia and my local writing group, the Hunter Romance Writers.

Billy is doing well - his main passion continues to be drama and film-making. We have found a weekly Scout specialist group that meets every week under the leadership of a former award-winning TV producer (and Scout Leader) and he teaches the kids how to film, record sound and edit. They make videos for their YouTube channel - http://youtube.com/jnntv. It's an hour's drive away for us but Billy absolutely loves it so I don't mind.

He continues to learn singing and trumpet, Italian and archery, as well as JNN, drama and Scouts, so life is very busy.

I find myself doing a lot of this...

I'll try to post more regularly - but I'm not making any promises!

Canberra trip

2014-01-20T21:51:00.003+11:00

Yes, I am still alive. I'm a bad blogger... Blame Facebook!

We had a quick trip to Canberra over Xmas to meet up with family. While we were there, we took the opportunity to visit a few places.

The Royal Australian Mint

The 'Holey Dollar'

From blanks to currency

Questacon Science Museum

Steal the jewel without the sensor going off

Balance platform

Simple machines

Tides

Tectonic plates

Making a tsunami

A periodic table wall.

Smoke signals

Museum of Australian Democracy (old Parliament House)

House of Representatives Chamber

Prime Ministers Office until this Parliament House closed in 1988.

Learning about current and former Prime Ministers

In the Speaker's Chair

This was a 'spy hole' from the Prime Minister's secretary's office into the PM's office :)

National Film and Sound Archive

It's housed in the most gorgeous art-deco building!

Being a projectionist

Fractured Heart - Interactive sound and light sculpture based on Goyte's song

Creating sound effects

History of Australian film and music