Roblox: Understanding Profit & Loss

Owen and Anya love to play Roblox.  The game allows them to develop their own games.  In addition, they are able to buy virtual items such as hats and hair using a virtual currency called Roblux.  Some items that are sold become rare and limited items and if bought at the right price can be resold at high profits.  The kids regularly buy and trade limited items to earn Roblux which they can then use to buy other items or develop and market their own games.

Stage Coach Summer School

HESFES Home Education Festival

Lambeth Country Show 2013

Anya Singing at Poets Corner Street Party

Making Ginger Beer

For this, you will need screw-top, 2-litre plastic bottles, which you have cleaned thoroughly with boiling water."

Makes 2 litres

Ingredients

• ¼ tsp brewer's yeast
• 225g raw cane sugar
• 1½-2 tbsp finely grated fresh root ginger
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 good tbsp honey

METHOD

1. Add the yeast to the bottle* (see warning below). With a funnel, pour in the sugar.
2. Mix the grated ginger with the lemon juice and honey.
3. Pour the ginger mixture through the funnel into the bottle. Now fill the bottle about ¾ full with water, put the cap on and shake the bottle until all the sugar is dissolved.
4. Top up the bottle with water, leaving a 2.5cm gap at the top, to allow for production of gas. Cap the bottle tightly, then place it somewhere warm. Leave it for about 48 hours. Once the bottle feels very hard and has no give in it, your beer should be ready.
5. Place the bottle in the fridge for several hours to stop the yeast working. Once the beer is thoroughly chilled, pass it through a fine sieve and serve.

Warning

We advise you use plastic bottles rather than glass to avoid explosions. A really active mixture can produce lots of gas if left for longer than 48 hours, so do remember to let it off reguarly!

 

 

Thorpe Park 2013

Anya's 10th Birthday

The Big Bang Science Fair

Imperial War Museum

Growing & Juicing Wheat Grass

Medieval Workshop Orpington Roman Villa

Owen attended a Medieval history workshop were he learnt to make brass rubbings.

Making a Mallet in Forest School

Roman Villa Workshop

Owen attended a Roman Villa workshop at Orpington Roman Villa.  The workshop was run in a very schooley manner and Owen found it quite boring.  For example they created Roman mosaics but the kids had to copy a set pattern which did not inspire Owen to be creative or understand the creativity of the Romans.

London Recumbents - Bicycle Hire in Dulwich

Train Times & Planning Our Trip in Japan

We recently spent 3 weeks travelling around Japan.  The kids were very involved in helping us work out train times and planning transport connections.  Planning our journey presented particular problems due to the train and bus time tables being in the Japanese characters.

Travelling To Japan & Time Zones

 

I have noticed how travelling sparks a real interest in topics relating to Maths including time zones, travel time tables and currency and exchange rates.  The kids took a real interest in time and were fascinated about how we flew towards the night and arrived in the morning in Japan when it would have been the previous evening in London.

 

Family Trip To Japan 2013

Anjin at Saddlers Wells

Owen's Review

A rough thundery sea swirled and hit the bow of the ship. Suddenly, the ship crashed against the rocks of a far of land called “Japan”.

Based on a true story, the samurai on patrol found William Adams and his crew ship wrecked on their land. At the time, Japan was part controlled by Christian Jesuits who were worried that Adams would affect their influence so they tried to get the entire crew crucified as pirates. The shogun, Layasu asked to see Adams because he was curious to hear about the other side of the world he was particularly interested in the Spanish and English weapons.

The first lord of Japan had died and his son who is only seven years old is now in charge. His mother, Yododono hates leyasu and supported by the Jesuit Christians, declares war on him. Whilst at war Adam’s skills with cannons and his special technique at firing two cannons at once wins Leyasu the battle and he is rewarded the title of Anjin, samurai.  Anjin marries a Japanese lady and abandons this wife in England.  

After fourteen years of peace a final battle is declared and lady yododano is defeated for the last time the new shogun becomes the new leader and sets a strict policy that no Christians are allowed in Japan.

When I watched the play I didn’t expect it to be a comedy. I expected it to be heroic plots and characters. However Anjin played by Steven Boxer was like a pantomime actor. I quite liked the priest played by Yuki Furukawa because he was very expressive. The mother played by Yoki Sadadana was a powerful actor because she was good at expressing emotion. The scenery was poor because it was a cliché representation of Japan. They even had cherry blossom trees inside the palace. The tickets were over priced at £60 for my mum and me (which included a discount).  This means the theatre is only accessible to the wealthy.   Over all, I was disappointed and would not recommend the play.