What a week that was....

We have had a busy week this week alhamdulillah but haven't opened a text book (not that we use text books) all week..... boys are still attending early morning madressah and although they still aren't keen on waking up early I am loving the new routine (especially the early bedtimes; it's good to have time for myself alhamdulillah). MashaAllah, they are doing so well alhamdulillah - good move!

We spent two days this week at our local Country Park where they have been running lots of half day courses for Science & Engineering Week. We had a Dr of Physics, who was also Head of Space School UK, from the local uni that did a two hour session on 'light & colour'; we were imagining a much grander topic considering the status of the teacher, but apart from a few flash lights and a pair of refraction specs there wasn't nothing else the kids did that they couldn't do at home which included 'catching' a rainbow in milk, mixing primary colours on filter paper and sorting pictures of different light sources into groups. The second session was an acid and alkali session - seemed to be totally unprepared and the kids spent some time testing different liquids (and later sauces i.e. tartar sauce) and seeing where they came on the pH spectrum. The kids were then given a large piece of filter paper each that had been soaked in boiled red cabbage juice and dried (a giant home made piece of litmus paper basically); they then drew a big fish on the paper and 'painted' it with one acid and one alkali liquid which gave them two different colours (all of a sudden it occured to me that, that must be what they make those 'magic painting books' from). We also went outside and did the minto in a bottle of diet cola experiment (which failed miserably I have to say)! The kids also got to play with goo (as it was called by the education officer a.k.a. cornflour, water & green food colouring) but as we had done it before the kids were able to tell her that it was a 'non-newtonian fluid' and explain how it works. I know we should not revel in these moments...... but I will, her face was a picture. These two sessions cost us a total of £72 and were no way worth the money, all of the experiments could have been done at home but I suppose they did get to learn from someone else in new surroundings - but I don't think we will be going again.

Swimming and sports as usual and not much else I'm afraid. Oh hum, onwards and upwards inshaAllah.