Thursday, September 3, 2009

Fibonacci, Knitting, Watercolor, Catapults....



Homelearning snippets from this week at Syrendell...

Phyllotaxis: Fibonacci numbers, Golden ratio, measuring/counting petals leaves seeds, spirals


Finding a Molted Praying Mantis Skin


The Letter "B": Watercoloring a Butterfly with Daddy


Making a Catapult


Making a Fairy & Gnome Home


Spinning Yarn & Knitting

17 comments:

Tammy said...

So many wonderful things going on in your corner of the world. :) What a treat it is to visit your blog...

Jen said...

What a lovely butterfly Wilson painted! Thanks for the inspiration :) So nice to come visit your blog and see how fulfilled the kids are and what wonderful teachers you & Rick are. You are truly a blessing in this community!

Linda said...

Lovely week Jennifer, the Praying Mantis skin is amazing and the fairy home is beautiful. And by the way, I love that yarn :)

Mona said...

Lovely doings! Love the yarn on the last pic!!

Jenn said...

You've been so busy, I am trying to read here sometimes to see what you all have been up to...but I have to ask...what *is* that big green round thing on the table?

(feeling like a dork...)

Tan Family said...

Jenn...you are not a dork! We haven't figured out what it is yet, either. Our neighbor found one whole and one partially eaten while on a walk down our street this week. She brought us some branches today to help us identify it. It looks like a pinecone, but it's softer like a pineapple! Can't wait to figure out what it is....

sarah said...

Oh, I was just going to ask what that thing was too... then I read the comments. It looks so interesting. Let us know when you figure it out, and thanks for being inspiring. We haven't really 'started' our year yet, and I have 3 kids too, and so it's nice to see what you're up to.
s

Stephanie said...

Looks like a fabulous week to me!
We want to build a catapult, too. :)
The yarn is gorgeous, of course, and I love the butterfly!

Tan Family said...

We figured out what the cone is from! The tree is called Araucaria bidwillii, or "Bunya-Bunya". It is mostly found in Australia. The cones are huge, and the seeds are eaten by squirrels and large birds. The Bunya name is an Aboriginal word, and the Aboriginies eat the seeds raw or cooked...and also made into bread (Hmmm...sounds like another homelearning project!). It looks a lot like the Monkey Puzzle Tree and is sometimes called False Monkey Puzzle. The cones are very heavy!

Anonymous said...

Yes! a bunya pine fruit - we had one in our school yard when I was growing up! Glad to see the gnomes arrived :-)

Tammie Lee said...

I so enjoy the things you do as a family! When i get to peak in I feel a warmth that is reflective of life in balance. Wishing you all the best. Tammie.
Spirithelpers

Michelle said...

What a wonderfully full week of home learning!! I've never seen a Praying Mantis skin before--how cool!!

Lisa said...

Such beautiful yarn. The praying mantis skin is really cool, I have never seen one. Lucky find!

Lisa :)

Kathleen Scott said...

I sent a link to your last post to my sister and her daughter. What we all wonder is--how you fit everything you do into a day?

Lovely pictures and I'm enjoying learning how your children learn. Gives me ideas to use with my grand-niece.

Tan Family said...

Kathleen, thank you for sending a link to your sister! Time management is a constant challenge. I make a weekly schedule with blocks of time for homeschooling, lessons, field trips, eating and play. Even so, sometimes we just "go with the flow" if something really neat turns up, like the bunya bunya cones!

Anonymous said...

Looks like a wonderful week!

Tahara said...

Looks like another great week :-)