Tag Archives: play

The catapult

Posted on August 28, 2014 by Blokeschool

After a week of heavy rains, he had cabin fever. The day lurched along in a not very productive fashion, and then stopped. Lessons were clearly over. I acquiesced, and we settled in to play with Lego. Inspired by a … Continue reading →

Posted in Math, Science | Tagged , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Teddy bears picnic

Posted on August 16, 2014 by Blokeschool

I had never considered that a teddy bears picnic would be something I would be involved in with the boys. The other day, however, it surfaced that the two teddies, Hottie and Licorice Bone, were having a birthday. It was unclear … Continue reading →

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It’s not part of the syllabus

Posted on June 7, 2014 by Blokeschool

I found myself having a barely restrained argument earlier in the year. A retired school teacher was standing in my kitchen, and we had just gotten onto the subject of cuisinaire rods. I had just been showing off the new … Continue reading →

Posted in Math, Science, Teaching and learning | Tagged , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

Playing with bark

Posted on May 18, 2014 by Blokeschool

I have been looking at local history in a fairly half hearted fashion lately. These history lessons come about partly because I wanted to instill the idea in the boys that the world they look at is both very new … Continue reading →

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Teaching themselves algebra

Posted on May 1, 2014 by Blokeschool

In purely practical terms, I have never actually had to know the adjusted speed of a 40 tonne submarine previously travelling at 50 km/hr through a friction-less ocean, having just discharged a 100 kg torpedo with a velocity of 80 … Continue reading →

Posted in Math, Teaching and learning | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Easy complexity

Posted on April 6, 2014 by Blokeschool

Although our maths lessons contain basics like counting, adding, subtracting, and grouping things, I find it much more interesting to explore mathematical concepts. I have seen quite a lot of people discussing moebius noodles, and have just recently managed to … Continue reading →

Posted in Experimentation, Math | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

I’ve made paint

Posted on March 8, 2014 by Blokeschool

Walking outside to investigate a suspicious silence, I stepped into the verandah to be met with a eureka-like ‘Dad.  I’ve made paint!’  There he stood with a bucket and paintbrush.  One of the trees, a fair few of the verandah … Continue reading →

Posted in Experimentation | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

How to steal stuff from Bunnings.

Posted on March 2, 2014 by Blokeschool

In this part of the world, hardware stores are dominated by the chain store Bunnings.  Like many big chain stores, they are large, soulless places.  I dislike them for a number of reasons.  They sell stuff cheaply, however, and because … Continue reading →

Posted in Experimentation, Life experiences | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments