Saturday 9 October 2021

Zoo Visits for Science

 Better late than never!  I'm so sorry this post is late.  Today we are on the final letter for this years Blogging Through The Alphabet!  Wow the letter Z.  My co-host Desiree is sharing the Z is for Zone!  

The topic today is Zoo Visits for Science!  A visit to the zoo is so good no matter what age you are.  I'm so grateful for zoo's around the world.  They contribute to so much of the knowledge that we have and allow us to experience different biomes and animals from across the globe.  They are places that protect and preserve life and contribute to the wellness of so many people through having access to being able to see and experience the beauty that is out there in our world. 

One of the mistakes we make is thinking we need to spend ALL day at the zoo.  Our local government zoo has a membership program making it much cheaper to be able to go to the zoo multiple times throughout the year.   By planning our day and choosing which animals we wanted to see that day made a HUGE difference to us enjoying the zoo together.  We would pack morning tea.  Take ourselves to the zoo and look at those sections we had chosen and come home.  Everyone enjoyed this approach so much more than long protracted days at the zoo.  

Wild Nights Zoo After Dark 2015


Keep an eye on your local zoo what's on page.  We discovered that our Zoo ran a week long night program in winter allowing us to see the zoo after dark.  We have such wonderful memories of toasting marshmallows, seeing possums up trees and meeting the serval. 

We attended this event for a few years,  you can see some of our adventures along with video's in these posts:

Taking our children both young and old to the zoo is a great way to incorporate hands on science with your children.  The interpretive signs at the zoo are full of scientific and geographic information.  You will cover subjects like history, geography, science, biology, maths and literacy. 
Members of the MSO tuning up and preparing for the conductor and performance.

We also covered music at Melbourne Zoo!  A few years ago they ran a program with white Melbourne Symphony Orchestra - Carnival of the Animals.  It was so much fun to see the animals, meet members of the orchestra and enjoy this particular event and meet Noni Hazelhurst.  It was a day full of culture at the Zoo!


Over the years as a family we have some of the most amazing adventures and builds some wonderful memories at the zoo. 


Different States in Australia have different rules about meeting Australian animals.  When we went to Queensland in 2012 we were blessed with being able to hold and meet koala.  It was a super special time for us all. 

Paul and Sir N released number four of the Bandicoots.

This is one of the most special memories I have of Paul and Nathaniel!  They released bandicoots into the new breeding area at Werribee Open Range Zoo.  This breeding program has become one of the success stories for Zoo's Victoria as Bandicoots are no longer endangered.


This post has come at the perfect time because this week Zoo's around the world celebrated International Zoo Keeper Day!  I'm so proud of all the wonderful work that Paul does at Werribee Open Range Zoo alongside his colleagues.  You can follow some of his adventures on Instagram @servalpaul or on Facebook at Serval Paul Photography

What is your favourite thing to do at the zoo?

Blessings

Chareen

Featured from last week the letter Y...

This Week over at Our Homeschool Notebook the topic is Z is for Zone!

 

Please link up your posts starting with the letter Z for this weeks ABC Blogging






Thursday 30 September 2021

YouTube Homeschooling

Wow we're on the second last week of of Blogging Through the Alphabet 2021. This week we are talking all things Y. Today I want to share a few thoughts on teaching our children using YouTube. My co-host Deidre is sharing Y is for Yellow in her her Lego Alphabet Series.

When Nathaniel was younger we really loved learning online via YouTube.  There are some really AMAZING channels on there.  Today I want to share a few we've enjoyed.

The Engineer Guy is one of my favourite channels.  Bill Hammack explores the world of engineering.  You can find his website here: The Engineer Guy.

Here are a few of his YouTube video's that are my favourites:
I've enjoyed these:
If you're looking for a channel to challenge your thinking and expand your horizons I highly recommend Martyn Iles The Truth of It on YouTube.

Mark Rober is a former NASA and Apple Engineer and creates interesting things on YouTube.
We're fans of Myth Busters around here so this new channel was very welcome indeed.  Adam Savage hosts the Tested content platform.



Brave Wilderness is by Coyote Person, Mark Vins and Mario Aldecoa. they lead you on a variety of expeditions featuring everything from Grizzly Bears and Crocodiles to Rattlesnakes and Tiger Sharks! Every single episode offers an opportunity to learn something new. 

Want to learn to paint with acrylics?  Follow the Art Sherapa where you can take online beginners tutorials.


If you are interested in renewable energy then this documentary is thought provoking: Planet of the Humans directed by Jeff Gibbs.

Our introduction to science in motion was by this fun channel: The SlowMo Guys.  

What are some of your favourite channels on YouTube to compliment your homeschooling?

Blessings 

Chareen

Featured from last week the letter W...


This Week over at Our Homeschool Notebook the topic is Y is for Yellow

 

Please link up your posts starting with the letter Y for this weeks ABC Blogging




Thursday 23 September 2021

X-Factor in Your Homeschool

You are the most important X-Factor in Your Homeschool! You are the Key Ingredient to Homeschool Success. Dear Homeschool Parent stop selling yourself short.  You are valuable and you are the reason your homeschool exists and YOU are the central ingredient!

Define X factor

  • a noteworthy special talent or quality
  • a variable in a given situation that could have the most significant impact on the outcome.
  • an unknown or unexplained element that makes something more interesting or valuable (Collins)
  • a quality that you cannot describe that makes someone very special (Cambridge)
  • a circumstance, quality, or person that has a strong but unpredictable influence (Merriam-Webster)
  • When people describe someone they like, they often mention their qualities. One of these qualities is something elusive they can't explain. (Thrive Global)

Looking back over the years that I have been homeschooling I've come to realise that playing the comparison game is one of the biggest detailers of my journey. Remain committed to being true to yourself. - Stop comparing what you are doing to what other homeschooling families are doing.  As the mom you are UNIQUELY qualified to homeschool YOUR family Well.

Remember social media and blogs are not a true reflection of what others are doing nor are they a a list of "I need to do this in order to succeed..." It is better to do a little with excellence than a multitude of things incompletely.

Knowledge is Power. That power is either in your hand or in someone elses. If you don't know what you think or what your goals are then there will be someone out there who is only too happy to lead you a merry dance and convince you to spend your money with them.

Knowing why you are doing something 
is the first step in being empowered 
to follow through with your choices.



For Further Reading and Tips on how to cope each day

  1. Become Equipped: Know What You Think and Why.
  2. Finding Your Rhythm and keeping to it.
  3. Buy some Ice Cream - Dealing with difficult days.
  4. Tip FOUR - One Step at a Time 
  5. Dear Mom Who is Feeling Overwhelmed
  6. IF you are a new home educator and have just brought your students home then I encourage you to read: From School to Homeschool 
  7. House Cleaning and Home School ? Just how do you balance the two?? 
  8. Homeschool Daily Schedules Sally Clarkson says: "There are many varieties of personalities and possibilities of home organization, Each of us simply has to find the combination of routines that suits our lifestyle and desires." - The Mission of Motherhood.
  9. Our Rhythm - Year Round Schooling
  10. How Important is Alone Time and Home Schooling ? 
  11. A little Word on Homeschool Record Keeping 
  12. Homeschool Burnout
  13. Take a Break when YOU need it ... Do not underestimate the power of rest. Rest at night, rest from school and mini rests throughout your day.
  14. The Busy Homeschool Mom's Guide to Daylight
Be TRUE to yourself and who He has made you. When He formed you He placed within you all you would need through Him to succeed at the task He has placed before you.

Blessings

Chareen

Featured from last week the letter W...

This Week over at Our Homeschool Notebook the topic is X is for Xylophone

 

Please link up your posts starting with the letter X for this weeks ABC Blogging