Sunday, April 26, 2015

mini fairy mushrooms

We collected these champagne corks from the local tennis club, the RSL and from the leagues club. Well just a few could have come from our after hours programming meetings ;)
We knew that there were 101 crafts to do with them. But our favourite one here so far has been making mushrooms to edge our fairy garden.

The children helped out by painting them red and then using the blunt end of a pencil dipped in white paint to make the dots. I love the look of concentration.
They were so proud of their achievements and look after them in the garden even more, because the children proudly made the mushrooms themselves.
Here are some multi coloured mini mushrooms we made for another garden area.

They are so cute!

Saturday, April 25, 2015

Anzac Day 2015 ~ Centenary since Galipolli

 
Norfolk Island.
An amazing place with a unique heritage.
As you can see from this post below on N.I  museums website, Norfolk Island has the highest number of participants per capita in the whole British Empire during world war one.
Adrian Evans's photo.
We are all for teaching about our own community, our own &world history plus respect, so rather than just make some crafts to symbolise this event, Minischoolers and the teachers headed to the Norfolk Island R.S.L sub branch to look at the displays there and to perform some old time songs for the seniors at the White Oaks club on Thursday 23rd April. Just 2 days before ANZAC DAY.







The 2 Bonni's


Seeing his Grandparents who run the RSL bistro was a treat.


Outside the Norfolk Island RSL sub branch's upgraded memorial
The songs chosen were upbeat songs such as 'my bonnie lies over the ocean' and a 'sailor went to sea sea sea' and 'my body makes music'. During a friendship song called Golden ships and silver ships, the children handed out gifts of packaged Anzac biscuits we had made earlier in the week plus a threaded poppy the children helped to make themselves.
*See recipe for Minischool's Anzac Biscuits below


We are pleased that this relationship with the White Oaks and RSL club will be an ongoing one as the children have been requested to return each month to enjoy a morning tea with the 'oldies'.
There is no better way to foster respect within our community than to actually get out within the community and meet the diverse range of people within it.

MINISCHOOL ANZAC BISCUITS
1 cup of uncooked rolled oats
1 cup of plain flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4-1/2 cup of desiccated coconut
125g butter
2 tablespoons golden syrup
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons boiling water
METHOD:
Blend oats, flour, sugar and coconut. Melt butter and syrup over low heat. Dissolve baking soda in boiling water and add to butter mixture. Stir this into dry ingredients. Mix
Drop full tablespoons of mixture onto greased tray, allow room for spreading.
Bake at 150 degrees Celsius for approx. 15 minutes or until golden brown (or until the children start drooling & telling you how hungry they are because it smells so good!).
Makes approx. 30 biscuits. 



Of course there were still plenty of Anzac inspired crafts that the children made all by themselves.
There was songs and some very special stories.... Our favourites from the school library were 'Lone Pine' and 'Don't forget Australia'.



 
And on Anzac day this was the amazing view after the dawn service.
 
And at the 10:30 ANZAC day service, Jasper placed the wreath the children made on behalf of the Minischoolers.
 

 

Bless those who fought for us on the battlefields and for those who kept the home front fires burning.
Lest we forget.
We nawa gwen forget dem.