How We Homeschooled Today #63

Homeschooling in a heatwave

Well, here’s what we didn’t do today:

• Maths

• Reading

• Handwriting

• Spelling

• French

• Ancient Greek

• Anything else remotely academic

There’s a heatwave in the UK. This morning I decided our priority was to get out first thing to get some fresh air before the heat set in. But it seems that when I prioritise one thing, everything else slips completely off the list and out of sight.

We went to the park with a friend. The friend described it as ‘a wonderful morning of nature’. We…

• Found acorns and conkers

• Found a fox who wasn’t expecting any visitors at the playground this morning

• Watched two butterflies whirling around each other. I explained they were fighting over territory just like a tiger defends its territory, and we tried to identify them but ended up laughing with delight at how they moved so fast that we didn’t stand a chance.

• Listened to the loud hum of bees on an ivy plant, what Seamus Heaney calls ‘a strong gauze of sound’, except he was talking about bluebottles. I explained that ivy flowers are an important source of nectar once the summer flowers are over.

• Noticed tiny caterpillars hanging from the trees by invisible threads. One child caught one, and we tried to take it home to observe but he spun some more silk and slipped away.

• Spotted all the spiders in their webs

  

  Via Unsplash

Back at home, the children and their friend played all day long, with occasional breaks to check on our own spider. We observed that he repaired his web overnight, and this afternoon, to much excitement, he caught a fly and bundled it up to eat later. Seldom has a spider been so heartily cheered on by children balancing on a windowsill and watching its every move.

Last night I wrote the main differences between spiders and insects on the blackboard, and how many species there are in the UK and worldwide (660 and 50,000+ respectively!), and the children have studied this today and asked questions about it.

We made extremely easy and insanely tasty strawberry ice cream (you’re welcome), and I licked the food processor bowl while the children weren’t looking.

Late in the afternoon another friend appeared, home from holiday club, and everyone ran out into the garden to play. Both these friends return to school tomorrow so today had a very last-day-of-the-holidays feel, even for us homeschoolers. I can only hope my two were paying attention when the school kids commiserated that in Year 3 they have to sit at desks for six hours a day!

Signing off early today but if we manage to read anything at bedtime I’ll share it in Notes.

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How We Homeschool Pen Pal Exchange

If I’ve already matched you up, I’d love to see any letters that arrive and share them on the blog. My own children have refused to let me share their letters, so I’m counting on yours!

And if your child would like a pen pal, leave a comment or e-mail me with their age and home country, and I’ll get to work.

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