Party Girl

All dressed up for her friends birthday party on Saturday.

Photo Shoot

On Friday Hannah did a photo shoot for a friend of ours who is a photographer. He needed action shots so they went to the playground and Hannah had a fun time playing on the swings and slide, and was very patient when she had to do the same thing over and over again. She really enjoys having her picture taken. 
  
 

Book Group Thursday

This months book group was based on The Magic Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton. 

The group started with a discussion about the book, and the children retold their favourite parts of the story and talked about what kind of world they would like to visit. Then they moved on to crafts based around a Faraway Tree theme. They made puppets or masks with paper plates, picture books of their favourite lands and a giant picture of the faraway tree.

On the boat on the way to Gosport.

Making a Moonface puppet
Moonface, Hannah and Silky
Hannah creating her giant tree picture
Making her story book.
The finished book.
Yes it's upside down - it's Topsy Turvy World!!
On the way home with Spinnaker Tower  across the water.

Portsmouth Home Education Group Nature Walk

Today we have had a lovely long nature walk with our home education group. We walked along Hilsea Lines, which is a series of defenses first built in 1544 to protect the naval interests from an inland attack and further established in 1757 south of Ports Creek. They remained largely unaltered for over 100 years before the existing Lines replaced them in 1871 when the renewed threat of a French invasion prompted the need for stronger defenses. The area is a wildlife haven that separates Portsea Island from the mainland. Covering an area of over 80 Hectares, it is one of the most varied wildlife havens in Portsmouth, containing woodland, hedgerows, meadows, both fresh and brackish water areas, marshland and coastal habitats. 

The children brought along binoculars, nature books and flower and tree identification swatches, and were able to see wildlife including Swans, ducks and coots with their young, trees including willow, hawthorn, sycamore and elderflower, and many wild flowers which they identified using their resources.

Ducks on a fallen branch.
Dog Rose
Mallow with Cuckoo spit containing the larvae of the Froghopper.
Looking for birds on the water.
The two Hannah's.


Swan and Cygnets
The view across the water.
Long, long grass.
Our Identification books.

Not to grown up for..............

...........riding in her sling. Even when you're 5 you still need a carry sometimes :-) 

Building a clock

For Hannah's birthday Auntie Jayne bought her a "build a clock" kit which she and Dean did this afternoon. Hannah learnt such a lot about how clocks are made, how gear wheels work and how clocks operate on the principle of the single pendulum in order to function accurately, she really enjoyed building it and has been practising telling the time now it is built. 

Book Sharing Monday

Today Hannah has chosen Just Like Floss by Kim Lewis to share with everyone. 

"The children watched the puppies grow and gave each one a name. "Dad, we love them all" they said. "Which one would be the best?" "Wait and see," their father said"

She has several books by Kim Lewis and is a big fan of hers. This is a follow up book to the story "Floss", and is a lovely gentle story of a sheepdog puppy.