Kayleigh started the year in Level 3 science (the bottom level) because she did poorly in Year 6. However with a change of school and the resounding change of attitude, Kayleigh excelled at Science. Her first teacher was impressed by Kayleighs knowledge of the elements and the periodic table and her behaviour in class. Kayleigh had to do group work and a speech and she managed to persuade some of the disruptive students to assist in the task (I think one had a crush on her - so that helped).
The second semester Kayleigh was put up into Level 2 with Ms Thompson. Again, she shined in this class, achieving a B at the end of the year. Kayleigh got 98% in a home assignment to write out the procedure for measuring temperature when melting ice-cubes - she only lost marked for missing a leg on the tripod in the scientific diagram.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
School:Year 7 Band
Kayleigh only did band for the first semester of Year 7 - she had Mr Cusack and she didn't seem to get on with him much. It must have been a personality thing as everyone else seemed to think he was great.
Kayleigh played the flute in band - and I was very proud of her for doing as well as she did. Kayleigh was in the intermediate band even though she had been playing the flute for only 6 months - she was as good as girls that had been playing for 2 or 3 years as part of the schools band program in primary school (she may have had a advantage because I also play the flute and I taught her).
She did have trouble reading music so we spent a lot of time writing the names of the notes on her music sheets. Kayleigh favourite song to play in band was the Pirate of the Caribbean melody. Unfortunately, when Kayleigh had to play individually for assessment at the end of the semester she had a cold and it was playing her asthma up badly. Trying to play the flute while trying to breathe is difficult and after the assessment Mr Cusack mentioned that he though she was better than that. This really got the Kayleigh and she asked me to allow her to change out of Band - which I did. Kayleigh got a C for band - not bad for a girl, with asthma, who had only been playing for 1 year.
Kayleigh played the flute in band - and I was very proud of her for doing as well as she did. Kayleigh was in the intermediate band even though she had been playing the flute for only 6 months - she was as good as girls that had been playing for 2 or 3 years as part of the schools band program in primary school (she may have had a advantage because I also play the flute and I taught her).
She did have trouble reading music so we spent a lot of time writing the names of the notes on her music sheets. Kayleigh favourite song to play in band was the Pirate of the Caribbean melody. Unfortunately, when Kayleigh had to play individually for assessment at the end of the semester she had a cold and it was playing her asthma up badly. Trying to play the flute while trying to breathe is difficult and after the assessment Mr Cusack mentioned that he though she was better than that. This really got the Kayleigh and she asked me to allow her to change out of Band - which I did. Kayleigh got a C for band - not bad for a girl, with asthma, who had only been playing for 1 year.
School: Year 7 SOSE
Kayleigh also had Mr Haidon for year 7 SOSE (Studies of Society and the Environment). Kayleigh was good at SOSE and I believe she got the concepts well. At the parent teacher interviews I was told that Kayleigh was well behaved in class even though there was some other 'disruptive' students in the class. She always applied herself and got her woprk done.
SOSE is the class that Kayleigh liked to tell Mr Haidon he was wrong. The LED TV she showed him was during a SOSE excursion to the Hyperdome to learn about advertising. The assignment on Blu-ray was for a technological compenent of SOSE. Kayleigh did so well at SOSE she won an acedemic acheivement award for it that year - meaning she came in the top 2 in her class. And she got her first 'A' ever.
SOSE is the class that Kayleigh liked to tell Mr Haidon he was wrong. The LED TV she showed him was during a SOSE excursion to the Hyperdome to learn about advertising. The assignment on Blu-ray was for a technological compenent of SOSE. Kayleigh did so well at SOSE she won an acedemic acheivement award for it that year - meaning she came in the top 2 in her class. And she got her first 'A' ever.
Monday, December 6, 2010
School: Year 7 English
Kayleigh had Mr Haidon for english n Year 7. Some of things she did she found easy and others she really struggled with. Kayleigh had to write a story that included three different elements - and she wrote a great little story about a dragon, a dragon killer and the politician. She had a do a assignment/poster on letter sounds and she created a really 'out there' poster that is still hanging in Mr Haidons room.
Kayleigh struggled with assignments and work that required analysis on subjective things, or tasks that did not have definative outcomes. Her Shakespeare assignement on the theatre she found very difficult to complete as she did not have a set of questions to answer - but research and making up her own project based on the knowledge she gained. Her best assignment was anything that required a speech - these she was good at.
Kayleigh struggled with assignments and work that required analysis on subjective things, or tasks that did not have definative outcomes. Her Shakespeare assignement on the theatre she found very difficult to complete as she did not have a set of questions to answer - but research and making up her own project based on the knowledge she gained. Her best assignment was anything that required a speech - these she was good at.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Otto
As a family, we didn't play computer games much and we didn't have a Wii or anything until last Christmas - however their was a game on my desktop computer that Kayleigh that she played for almost 12 months until she finished it. The game was called Otto's Magic Blocks
The purpose of the games was to bounce Otto on each of the squares, turning them the correct colour while avoiding the other creatures. One of the 'creatures' she called Oi Oi Boy because everytime Otto got close to him he when 'Oi' and chased after Otto. Extra points were given if you strung together a series of blocks without bouncing on a already changed block.
I tried to beat Kayleigh score on many occasions but I was never successful - Kayleigh had a knack at playing this game even though she would have been only 8 or so when we had it. Kayleigh was excellent at figuring out the best way around each level to maximise her points and was just better at navigating her way around the creatures.
The purpose of the games was to bounce Otto on each of the squares, turning them the correct colour while avoiding the other creatures. One of the 'creatures' she called Oi Oi Boy because everytime Otto got close to him he when 'Oi' and chased after Otto. Extra points were given if you strung together a series of blocks without bouncing on a already changed block.
I tried to beat Kayleigh score on many occasions but I was never successful - Kayleigh had a knack at playing this game even though she would have been only 8 or so when we had it. Kayleigh was excellent at figuring out the best way around each level to maximise her points and was just better at navigating her way around the creatures.
Friday, December 3, 2010
Roast Lamb
We had roast lamb for dinner last night and it reminded me of all the roast lamb dinners we had as a family over the last few years.
Kayleigh loved roast lamb and every time we cooked it Kayleigh and I would argue over who got the lower leg bit. As a child, my mother always got it, so I as a 'grown up' I felt entitles to it as the meat was always tender and I like chewing on the bone. Kayleigh felt the same way. Each time I got the roast out of the oven I would be fending off Kayleigh and her knife and fork trying to get to the piece before I put it on my plate.
Eventually, we started buying a side of lamb that came with not only the roast leg of lamb, but an extra lower leg piece - which solved our problem - I got my piece and Kayleigh got hers. No more scuffles in the kitchen . . .
Kayleigh loved roast lamb and every time we cooked it Kayleigh and I would argue over who got the lower leg bit. As a child, my mother always got it, so I as a 'grown up' I felt entitles to it as the meat was always tender and I like chewing on the bone. Kayleigh felt the same way. Each time I got the roast out of the oven I would be fending off Kayleigh and her knife and fork trying to get to the piece before I put it on my plate.
Eventually, we started buying a side of lamb that came with not only the roast leg of lamb, but an extra lower leg piece - which solved our problem - I got my piece and Kayleigh got hers. No more scuffles in the kitchen . . .
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
School: Year 7 Camp
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| Everyone at camp |
Kayleigh phoned us each night as she took my mobile with her and hid it in her pillow. She told us that she shared the dirt buggy with Ethan and they almost tipped over. Kayleigh told us she won the limbo contest - which she found easy (pics to come) and she had a great time.
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| Winning the Limbo contest |
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| Raft Building |
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