Homeschooling Kiwi Style

To those who have had copious instruction,

I am sure Dr Suess needs no introduction!

Last week we were privileged to view for our pleasure,

Many of Suess’s prints, at our leisure.

We travelled by car, a short expedition,

To Woodville to see this great exhibition:

We thought that an opportunity like this,

We would be very sorry and silly to miss.

Enough of that!  The exhibition was fun to visit, rather like looking at giant pages out of Dr. Suess’s books hanging on the wall.  There were also what he calls “unconventional taxidermy” – sculptures of some of the strange creatures he invented.

Along with the exhibition the local library is running a poetry competition.  here are the girls’ entries:

Skandagupta Clovis

by Emily

Skandagupta Clovis is a funny sort of man,

He went with Marco Polo, to see a far-off land.

He travelled with Mansa Musa, to Mecca and back again,

For he was indeed in charge of all the great king’s men.

He helped William Caxton write his book of chess,

In the Wars of theRoses, he fought with the rest.

Oh Magellan’s ship he sailed, to discover India at last!

He was one of the lookouts, high up on the mast.

Then he settled down in Brazil, where he works at a mill,

And he lives there happily still.

The End.

Dixie Cook

by Bethany

Dixie Cook was a cook.

Dixie Cook was a rook.

Dixie Cook was a rook who could cook.

Dixie Cook cooked for the King.

Thrice every day the King would ring

A bell for his favourite snack.

Herb-sprinkled, sun-dried, smoked lamb rack.

He ate it for breakfast, for dinner and tea.

In the morning, at night, whenever, really.

At last Dixie Cook made a decision.

“Lamb rack, O King, is bad for your vision.

Why not eat something different instead?”

The King was having breakfast in bed.

He threw back the bed-clothes.

“Certainly, Cook!  You are a very intelligent rook.

Make a new dish in time for my dinner!”

Dixie set to work.  It had to be a winner.

She mixed up a pie made of beef and cheese.

Lettuce and breadcrumbs and lemon and peas.

The King ate the pie.  He let out a sneeze.

“Dixie Cook!  This won’t do!  Disgusting!  Please

Cook something different without any cheese.”

Dixie Cook mixed a soup, with vegetables and meat.

She tasted it.  It was tangy and sweet.

The King sipped the soup.  His face went green.

“Horrible!  Awful!  Disgusting!  How mean!

You meant to poison your King and your Queen!

Guards, take Dixie away!  You’ll stay in prison

For a year and a day!”

Poor Dixie.  In prison, she thought very hard,

Then sent the King an apology card.

The King sent one back to Dixie Cook,

It read, “To Criminal Rook Dixie Cook,

You’ll be freed if you can do as I say.

You have a whole year and one day.

Think of a dish that I would like.

Call it Super Extreme Delight.

Cook it and send it to me,

And I will eat it for afternoon tea.

Dixie Cook was a brilliant rook,

So she thought for a year, very hard,

Then sent the King the dish and a card.

The King ate the dish, “Fantastic!”  he cried.

“It’s super!  It’s brilliant! It can’t be denied!

Guards, release Dixie cook.  She’s a very clever rook!”

He rewarded her with a golden crown.

She became the Head Cook in the town.

Many years later, the King still likes

Eating the Super Extreme Delight.

But once when he rang for his favourite snack –

“If you don’t mind, can I have some lamb rack?”

Where are we getting the ideas for our poet studies?  Keri at Sunny Keri put together this wonderful poster of many of the great poets.  We have it hanging on the whiteboard in our dining room/school room and have been working our way through each poet.  It’s great to be able to put a face to the name, and we are beginning to recongise the poets on other books and publications.

Thanks Keri!

Here is Ainsley’s narration on Phillis Wheatley:

Phillis Wheatley

by Ainsley (8 years)

Phillis was born in Africa and captured when she was 8 years old.  She was sold to an American tailor in Boston (his name was John Wheatley).Phillis became attached to the tailor’s wife immediately after she became her servant.  Mr & Mrs Wheatley had two children called Mary and Nathaniel (they were twins).  Phillis got her name from the ship she went in from Africa to America, she got her last name from the Wheatleys.  Her first book was “Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral,” and was printed in London.  When Phillis returned from her trip to London the Wheatleys freed her and she stayed living with them.  Mrs Wheatley died in March of 1774. In 1778, Phillis’s tutor, Mary Wheatley and her father John Wheatley died and Mary’s twin Nathaniel was living overseas in England.  That same year Phillis married a free black Bostonian named John Peters.  Phillis dies on December 5, 1784 at about the age of 30 and her baby passed away a short time later.  And that is the story of Phillis Wheatley.