Herberton Historic Village

Wild River fun

The boys' favourite display

Homeschoolers at school

Odd looking teacher

Blacksmithing - awesome!

The new bridge

Apothecary

We Love Camp ...

Kauri Creek games

Kauri Creek swing

Kauri Creek women & girls

Wonga Beach farewells

Looking to the sea ...

Looking Back

This term we are looking forward to looking back in time...

We have planned -
camp at Kauri Creek
exploring Herberton Historic Village
a visit to the Mareeba Heritage Centre
Halloween Dress Up and Drama day
a trip to the Eacham Historical Museum
a tour of Atherton Chinatown
an historic walk in Yungaburra
visiting the new Malanda Info Centre
a craft day in Malanda
fun in the sun at Lake Tinaroo

And of course lots of picnics, swimming and play.

The home ed mums will meet at that retro cafe in Yungaburra for some us-time.

Bat Hospital Visit

from Miranda ... 

On 18th July we braved the rain and cold to share a picnic lunch at Platypus Park in Atherton, follow by a visit to the Tolga Bat Hospital. At the bat hospital we learned about micro bats and flying foxes and saw the bats up close. On our tour we saw where the the bats lived, saw them feeding, watched a video and learnt about hand raising the orphaned red flying foxes.

We also learned about the amazing work that Jenny and her team do, including rescue work, looking after the sick/injured/orphaned bats and all the other daily care that they do for the bats.  It was a most worthwhile visit and enjoyed by all.  Thank you Tolga Bat Hospital!

 

Animals, Animals, Animals

Last term we tried different sports.  Horse riding was cancelled due to weather, but we'll book that again soon.  Beach Camp with the Townsville group was so very much fun!

This term we are looking at animals...

Bat Hospital visit
Wildlife spotting in various locations
Animal Art Workshop
Beach Camp #2
Eagle's Nest Wildlife Refuge
Tableland Veterinary Service
Australian Buffalo Dairy
Wildlife Education Sessions
Pet Show

as well as some athletics, picnics and walks.

The Home Ed Mums will be getting together At The Art Garage in Yungaburra in August for some time-out.

ATHENSzine

This week we received our first ATHENSzine magazines from Miranda.  Lots of effort has gone into compiling these pages of art, interviews, book reviews, jokes, history, stories, photos, puzzles, resources and so much more.

The magazine is a compilation of works created by homeschoolers from the ATHENS group or around the Tablelands.

There will be a second issue of ATHENSzine available in December 2013.  Any artwork not included in Issue 1 will go into future editions.  And please send more content of all types via email.

Davies Creek

from Miranda ...

Our first outing for this term was a swim at Davies Creek.  It was a beautiful sunny day after all the rain we have had recently, just perfect for swimming.  Davies Creek is another one of the wonderful natural resources in our area, a great place for families to visit and explore.

Today the kids enjoyed jumping off the rocks into the water, exploring the bush along the creek, catching (and releasing!) small lizards and of course just spending time with their friends.  But the highlight was definitely the natural water rock slide in the rapids.  By the end of the afternoon most of the kids and some of the adults had journeyed down the slide many times and tamed the rapids. 

An active but relaxing day to begin our sporty term.  

Getting Sporty!

We had a great, busy first term...  For our final week before the holidays we went to Crystal Caves and then spent a lovely lunch and afternoon in the park walking, chatting, sharing food, playing and laughing!

In Term 2 we're getting sporty! 

Swimming at Davies Creek
Walking at Hallorans Hill
Cairns Day Out - Theatre, Art Gallery and a Swim!
Horseriding
Juggling Workshop
Ball Games, hoops and other outdoor fun
Beach Camp
Bush Dance
Yoga
Dance Day
Lake Tinaroo Sports Day

We hope to see you soon!

The Wonder of Science

 

In 2013, we have decided to continue with a theme for each term to inspire ideas for activities and outings.  Term 1 is Science.  From an organisational perspective, the themes have really helped with planning and having some continuity with the activities planned.  Some themes we explored last year were food, and art (LOTS of fun, and a challenge for some of us)...

The science activites we have planned include:

Ten Pin Bowling (physics, right?)
Wonderous Water
Science in the Kitchen
Botany Day
Science with Music
Adventures in Anatomy
Further Adventures in Anatomy
Your Amazing Senses
Crystal Caves

Most of the days will include several 'stations' with demonstrations, experiments, activities, presentations by visiting professionals and shared resources.  This co-operative learning will be aimed at all ages from toddlers through to teenagers - so a lot of planning and preparation has gone into this term!

And as usual, we will take the opportunity to be together, share some food and fun and laughs.  ATHENS is as much about support and friendship as education.