African Masks

Our history lessons took us into the depths of Africa and being in a crafty mood we got out the glue, card, wooden sticks and tissue paper. A quick flick through google images as I introduced the boys to African masks and then to the table we went. My choice of craft items didn't scream Africa though so where to turn to but my kitchen cupboards of course and there I found dried beans...that's more like it. I was particularly impressed with Mr Social's mask, vibrant in colour and a good idea of the shapes and contours of the face.

Our history lessons come from Susan Wise Bauer's Story of the World.

Solar Mechanics

Whilst on holiday recently we took the opportunity of visiting a renewable energy museum called CAT (Centre for Alternative Technology) in the north of Wales. I wasn't sure what to expect or how my children would view it or even what their understanding of the topics would be like. I'm fairly certain there were a lot of issues that the boys couldn't connect with as my eldest is still only just turned 7 but they explored the outside museum with open eyes and ready brains. I think most of the suggestions about energy saving measures you can take within the home were ignored, taps still run, lights are still left on and cars are still preferred to their feet (well at least for Mr Cheeky anyway). But the children were drawn to the lovely gardens, a dark walk-through mole hole and the wind and water energy models. We had rather fortuitously just completed the lesson on the sun in our Apologia science course on Astronomy and so when I came across a Solar Mechanics kit in the gift shop it really was a must have.

The kit is advertised as being for ages 8 and upwards but with a little parental instruction my 5 and 7 year old have got along just fine with the instructions and models. The purpose of the kit is to show children how solar cells can convert energy from sunlight into mechanical energy through a variety of models. The kit also instructs on some experiments that can be undertaken, for example altering the angle of the solar panel and seeing it's effect, or using different sources of light to power the models. We are half way through the models now and although I haven't captured them all by picture I did get a good recording of a solar powered car. 

Waiting in line to be tested is a knight robot, but our gloomy English weather and rain is preventing us from testing the robot. Solar powered fun rocks!

RSS Discovery

Liverpool received a visitor this past week in the form of a sea vessel. The RSS Discovery, a research ship belonging to the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), was berthed by the cruise terminal for a few days and gave some members of the public the opportunity to get on board and look around her. The ship is reportedly said to have cost £75 million to build and equip and is packed with state of the art scientific equipment. It is said that 28 scientists and 24 crew members can comfortably take to the seas for up to 50 days at a time. The ship can carry out research relating to physical, biological and chemical oceanography, marine geology and geophysics, ocean engineering and atmospheric science.

So why am I telling you about a fancy boat? Because my 2 older boys got to go on it and have an exclusive look around. How cool is home education! Equipped with their exclusive passes they climbed aboard this research vessel and were shown around. They saw preserved marine life kept in jars from octopuses to angler fish. They got to see how thermal imaging cameras were used. They even got to sit in the captain's chair with the hat!

An excited duo returned, fresh faced and enthusiastic. They had just been on a human version of the Octopod. 

If you are interested in research and technology there is a second event happening in Manchester at the end of October and you can win a chance at viewing a research aircraft. Simply follow the link to the Into the Blue event page and follow instructions to be in with a chance.