Peer into the Past 2014

For the last five/six-ish years Mrs. Rakete has organised Peer into the Past, the Manukau Homeschool Group's history fair. Usually we've had around four to six projects entered, but this year we weren't even sure if we'd have any! Monique and Danielle did enter though (at the last minute . . . ) with projects on Ida Skudder and the Titanic, respectively. 

Also for the first time, I wasn't at the fair the whole time; it was on a Wednesday (my birthday, incidentally) which is the day I work with Dad, and we just popped over for a little while. Yeah, I feel old not really being part of it {haha}. I got to catch up with some other "old" people {lol} I hadn't seen for ages so that was nice.

Irene spoke about Greece's impact on modern western society, and then we had prize giving. Danielle won a prize, as did our pastor's kids.

Peer into the Past 2013

Monique with her project 

And Danielle with hers

 Diana and Bryce really wanted to do a project each this year, and since Mum thought she'd be too busy (she helped Monique and Danielle with theirs, and all projects were somewhat last-minute), I ended up doing their projects with them. I think most people know I love America, and I always wanted to study Beethoven, so their topics worked out quite well. :)

Diana

Bryce being judged . . . I think he's talking about Beethoven's deafness/hearing aids lol

Peer into the Past 2012

Preparation

Organised by Mrs. Rakete, Peer into the Past is the annual history fair for the Manukau Homeschool Group.Our family has enjoyed preparing projects to enter since Peer into the Past began (perhaps four years ago?), and although I didn't submit my own project this year, I did help my sister Diana (then 6 years) do one.

Her project was about Princess Diana (hmm wonder  how/why we picked her! haha). I've had (too) much previous experience with putting projects together in the last two weeks before the fair, so this year I decided we definitely would not do the same! Weeks before the fair we checked some books out from the library and started reading them and writing the rough draft of the biography, which would be the centre of the project, around which everything else would come together.

We were doing quite well until about two weeks before the fair, when the rough (and only) draft, along with the main book we had been using, went missing. . . . 

For a few days we just left it, in case it turned up like things often do with little ones around to put things in the last place anyone would ever think to look! It was somewhat painful, but in the end we did start over. Despite the setback, we still managed to be finished the project before Monique and Danielle finished their ones!! haha :P

On The Day

I had a bit of a mental list of things I wanted to do before went to the fair, but most of the things on it seemed to slip my head that morning (typical, huh?), the clock seemed to tick a bit fast (oh come on, there was a really long post on someone else's blog!!!), finally though Diana was up and had eaten breakfast. She changed into her costume and I curled her hair.

Once Jarrod had changed the tyre on the van we left for the fair. 

Displays were set up and 'hellos' said before judging began. Oops I didn't realise I needed to tell the 6-year-old not to say "I don't know much"! Otherwise I think they were all okay with being judged. lol

Spectators arrived to view the many projects not long after, and 'Spot the Solution' (a quiz with a question from each project. You have to find the answer by reading the displays) started. {Diana and I won together this year - yay!! lol the prize was chocolate...}

Later on Mr. Rakete spoke on Maori history (with some more lively participation from the children at times), and then cam prize giving. All entrants receive a certificate, judges marking sheet (so they know what areas they did well on or need to improve), and a chocolate bar. Don't think any of my siblings won a prize this year but that's all good, we've won some before.

I think there were significantly fewer spectators this year, which was a shame. The day itself was good though and a lot of work had been put into the entries, mostly likely an indication that the entrants learnt a lot through the whole experience! :)

Anyhow this concludes my review of Peer into the Past 2012. Thanks for reading!

: : Prize giving | ok maybe not the best photo, but I can't see any of my siblings an any of the other ones : :

Peer into the Past 2011

Peer into the Past, the Manukau HomeSchool Support Group's annual history fair, was held on the last Thursday of term 2, 2011.
This year (er, last year!) I didn't feel particularly inspired about any topic for a project, so I just kept putting it off. About two weeks before the fair I realised there was no way I could do a project and keep up with all my 'normal' school work; I would have to take the time until the fair off my other work, so I could concentrate solely on my project. I decided I couldn't really afford to do that, so I didn't do a project. Consequently,  I must have had plenty of free time, you say? Well, no, actually. On top of my school work (yeah that takes a bit of time!) I helped the others a bit with their projects (Jarrod, Monique and Danielle entered this last year), and cooked the dinners for five nights or so before the fair, so Mum could concentrate on helping with the projects.

Jarrod did a project on Charles Upham, a kiwi soldier.

Jarrod with his project

Monique's was entitled 'The Kauri Tree in History.' Her interest in the topic was sparked while we were on holiday in Dargaville in April, where we learned about the Kauri tree and gum diggers. She actually bought some Kauri gum somewhere there too! Monique's project received special interest because it was slightly unusual!

Danielle was very committed in her study of  Harriet Tubman, and she titled her project "Harriet Tubman: Slave and Railway Conductor" (or, ah, something along those lines!)

Because I didn't have my own project that needed to be judged, someone volunteered me to spend half an hour in the kitchen, serving tea and coffee.

Why do I always look terrible in photos?!?

I'm afraid I don't remember the exact times that things happened throughout the morning, but first of all after everyone had arrived and set up was the judging. There were separate judges for each age group, and the entrants were judged on their presentation (board plus any extras like dressing up or props), content(?), and orally.

A bit later on the venue was opened to spectators, and 'Spot the Solution' sheets were given out. For this, each entrant had previously submitted a question from their project, and its answer, to Mrs Rakete. The questions are compiled together, and spectators go from project to project answering the questions. At the end of the day all the sheets are put in a box, and the person with the most correct answer wins a prize.

 Before prizegiving, someone gives a speech on something historical. This year Mr. Johnstone spoke. I found his topic, a particular battle in the Crimean War, quite interesting, because it built on what I had recently learnt in Geography when I studied the Crimean Peninsula. He did well keeping the younger ones interested by getting many of the homeschool students to help re-enact a battle scene.

After Mr. Johnstone's talk came prizegiving. Every entrant from a particular age group gets called up, one at a time, and presented with his certificate. Once the whole age group is standing on the stage everyone claps for them and they are allowed to move off, and collect a chocolate bar.
The helpers (myself included, yippee!! haha) each received a note thanking them for their help, and a toblerone. We teenagers shared the toblerones among us. =)

Then we all cleaned up and went home!

All in all, it was a good day! Thanks Mrs. Rakete, for organising it again!

Adios!
Bianca =)