Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Tuesday

More chemistry today. Here is some zinc reacting with a solution and producing hydrogen bubbles. We did the same thing with magnesium and were able to collect the hydrogen and then do the test for it with a match, and got the POP! We did that a few times actually!
The boys have finished off the Oliver Twist topic now. In total they wrote three mini essays and one longer one. Having tried this approach out I now have a much clearer idea of how to go forward and improve on beginning essay skills, inshAllah. The best approach seems to be to just get on and have a go, and learn from the experience. I want to look for a very different type of text to work with next. Until then, back to the textbook for English.
I've been reading a book on desert environments to the girls in preperation for our next topic. From one extreme to the other, from oceans to deserts. I'm also reading "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" to them in the evenings. I don't usually like to read Roald Dahl books aloud to my children, as I don't enjoy the books myself. As far as I'm concerned they can just read them to themselves if they are interested! I can make an exception for "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" though, as it seems less gross, if you see what I mean! U is loving it anyway, it seems to have really captured her imagination and she is reading the book to her self for long periods every day, maashAllah. (As usual, when I say read here, I don't mean reading in the grown up sense.)

4 comments:

Umm Tafari said...

As salaam alaikum,

Have you seen the movie? It is very strange especially when they are in the boat. I could see pictures flashing up quickly (sublimal messages). I remember seeing an image of a chicken being slaughtered. Authobillahi mina shaytanir rajeem.

ummrashid said...

Walaykumsalaam,
i have seen bits of the movie, well bits of both of them. I think the movies make much more of an issue about the Wonka character. The book seems to put more emphasis on the actual sweets, and on the bad character traits of the kids. I don't think the book contains anything disturbingly wierd.

Umm Tafari said...

As salaam alaikum,

I meant to ask where from where did you get the chemistry kit? Online?

ummrashid said...

Assalamualaykum,
Yes I got it online. It is called
Chemistry Lab. I got it from a UK site called Curious Minds.
I've noticed it featured on other home ed blogs, so it seems like a popular set.