Imax, homonyms, and mastering the ball

On the train to the city we noticed the crossing changes at the next station. It’s quite interesting as they are building an underpass for the train. Alex asked if the new station platform would be underground, or on a slope. This had not occurred to me! Where will they build the new station? More train rides to the city and we’ll find out eventually! We had some lunch (Lord of the fries, yum!) and headed to a park near the museum for a play before our session at Imax. We were there with other homeschoolers to watch “Flight of the Butterflies” – a story about the discovery of the migration of Monarch Butterflies. It was our first time there and I think Alex’s first time with 3D. The kids were all trying to catch the butterflies! Alex knew a lot of the detail of the story because of a Wild Kratts episode. But it was an interesting story about how it was discovered. Daniel was not so keen, and was a little restless in last 15 minutes. We headed outside for more play and got the train home. Followed by swimming lessons. In the evening Alex wanted to draw and laminate, so he produced a picture of himself with a pet snake. Unfortunately he put the laminate in the wrong way and it ruined his picture! He was disappointed, but not as upset as I’d have expected and happily recreated the picture and tried again, asking me to help this time.

The next day the kids didn’t want to go anywhere, so we watched iPads, played car races down a large cardboard box ramp. Alex wanted to keep score and so started a tally. After each round we checked the scores and I tried to encourage him to count by 5s as that’s the great use of a tally. I didn’t force him, I modelled and suggested. Sometimes he did it, others he didn’t. We made some popcorn too. Alex wanted to be salty, so added salt but then discovered it didn’t stick so we melted some butter over them too. Delicious! Alex has been commenting on homonyms, though he doesn’t know what they are! He tries to explain it by saying that words rhyme, but not really. He can’t explain it but he has noticed that there are words that have multiple meanings. I also set up a little science demo with a balloon on top of a bottle and placing it into very warm water. Alex knew that the bottle contained air rather than ‘nothing’ and both kids were fascinated to see the balloon start to swell. One of my better demos – I didn’t try so hard with the teaching.

Friday morning we headed to the park on bikes. We played transformers, climbed ramps, spotted honeyeaters in the playground before having hard time getting Daniel home! He wouldn’t ride his bike but it was hard to carry him and his bike so it took us a long time to get home! Then the usual Friday afternoon – gymnastics, play at playground, karate. Alex came home to play games on his iPad – Star Wars, Wild Kratts, Paw Patrol and Minecraft.

The usual Saturday morning football. Alex worked very hard! We came home and played by setting up trains, playing outside and watching cartoons. Vio came home and Alex asked to go train with him at mastering the ball. He said he wanted to do it as he wants to improve and join a team next year and also for $10! Vio said he was amazing -he worked really hard and had a mature understanding. For example he explained to Vio that if he passed the ball to him at a certain angle, he’d be able to receive it on his right or left foot in front of him or behind him etc. We paid him for his time, and he asked Vio to take him to KMart to buy his lego, an Avengers set. He spent the evening putting it together, with my help and company but mostly doing it himself, self correcting along the way. He was really pleased with himself and declared that he no longer needs help with lego, but he still likes to have it.

 

The kids spent a few hours with their grandparents next morning, then we visited some old friends at the skate park. Alex still calls them his best friends, I’m a bit hesitant to continue the relationship except that Alex has asked about seeing them so many times. It wasn’t a roaring success.