Jumble House Children, Creativity, Keep Safe, Seasons, Weather

What a Storm! 


Last night we had a thunderstorm. In fact it’s still happening! ! That’s 14 hours of thunder and lightening !  

The lightening was so bright that it lit up the whole sky. 

We were all kept awake at Jumble House but it was fun to watch! 

So, what IS a thunderstorm and why do we have them? 

Well, thunderstorms usually occur in hot, humid weather and for the past week it has been very hot and humid! 

We say it is humid when we feel warm and sticky. This is because the air is heavy with moisture (water vapour). 

Hot air rises and when this hot air is also full of water it builds up into great big peaks of cloud. These clouds have a very big name too!  CUMULONIMBUS.  They are very angry clouds with storms raging inside ! 

The cloud becomes fuller and fuller with water and when it can hold no more it lets it all go and we have very heavy rain. 

Lightening happens because the air rising inside the cloud carries a negative charge of electricity. 

But the raindrops falling to the bottom of the cloud carry a positive charge. 

When these charges meet inside the cloud there is a violent  battle and sparks of electricity are made. This is the lightening.  The lightening is very very hot. This heat makes the air around get bigger (expand) and then suddenly get smaller agsin (contract). This expansion and contraction makes the b a n g . The thunder. 

A storm is fun to watch but please keep safe! 

  • Don’t shelter under trees…keep low on the ground. 
  • Keep away from anything made of metal like poles and fences.
  • Keep out of  water and that includes puddles! 
  • If you are indoors unplug all computers and electronic equipment and the TV.
  • It’s fun to watch but don’t get too close to the window.

Just look at this video we took during the night! 
A very long storm

Jumble House Children, Creativity, Education, Holidays, Italy, Jumbles, Seasons, Travel

Georgie’s Holiday. Day one.

Georgie Jumble is on holiday in Umbria, Italy.

She is staying with her Italian cousins and her Nonna

(which is Italian for 'Gran') in a charming hill top, medieval

village called Castel Rigone above Lake Trasimeno.

It is Georgie's first morning in 'Jumble House'.

She sits up and rubs her eyes.

The bedroom is bathed in a golden light and there,

peeping round the door are …………

……….. all of her cousins !

'Ciao !' 'Buon giorno !' they squeak excitedly.

'We have been waiting for you to wake up !' says Bianca

'Si! ' says Rosa, 'We want to show you our village!'


Georgie jumps out of bed and runs to the window .

The sun is rising behind the hills.

'It's so beautiful,' exclaims Georgie.

For breakfast Georgie has a cornetto and cappuccino.

The cornetto is like a

croissant filled with a creamy custard.

Then it's time to explore the village.

Just down the road is a huge church.

Madonna dei Miracoli


Georgie turns the latch on the door and they quietly walk

inside.

Georgie feels very small.

The church is so big and the ceiling so high!

Even the paintings are bigger than her!

Her cousins tell her that this is a very special church. It is a sanctuary because a

miracle happened here many years ago.

'What's a miracle?' asked Georgie.

'We will tell you the story later,' says Fabio

Then they explore more of the village.

There are so many steps !
Her Italian cousins are used to all this climbing but
Georgie is still tired after her journey. 'Sono stanco ! ' She
says.'I'm tired.'
'Come on !' Mario shouts, 'Avanti!'

'There's the football stadium' says Mario. 'Our team is
very good.'
Georgie likes playing football.
'I hope I can watch a match,' she says.
All the Jumbles love walking, and climbing and jumping and sport and all kinds of
exercise.
They are very fit!
They go for a walk down one of the many lanes and have great fun chasing about
and climbing the trees.
Georgie is so happy she turns cartwheels down the path.

Then, all of a sudden, 'WHACK' !
Something hits Georgie on the head.
Then she is hit again and again! Georgie looks up and sees little seeds falling
from the trees.

She knows they are seeds but doesn't know their name.
She looks round for the other Jumbles but they have
raced ahead.
'I must ask Nonna to help me to identify them,' she thinks.
Then Georgie sees a big pile of logs .
'I wonder what these are for? Is someone having a bonfire?'
'No,' says Lorenzo, 'We use them to keep the house warm in the winter.'
How strange thinks Georgie. I haven't seen a fire in the house.,
When they arrive home Nonna is waiting on the steps.
Georgie asks her about the logs and Nonna explains that they are ready for
the winter.
Most houses have a stove called a 'stufa' .
The logs are burnt on the stufa to keep the house warm.

But Georgie still doesn't know what her seeds are called.
Nonna sees the leaf.
This will help them to identify the seeds.
They look on the Internet for a chart to help them.
Can you help Georgie to identify the leaf?
Which tree is it from?
What are the seeds called?
Look carefully at Georgie's seeds and the seeds on the
chart.
There is a part missing from Georgie's seeds.
Can you see?
What is it for?

This link will help:

http://www.twinkl.co.uk/resource/t-t-3619-tree-leaf-identification-display-posters


For more information and slideshows on Castel Rigone and Umbria visit:


Take a look at this video on YouTube:

http://youtu.be/GdfpXdSxZJ8

http://www.loveumbria.co.uk

http://www.loveumbria.co.uk/?p=558

Jumble House Children, Education, Jumbles, Kids, Seasons, Stories, wildlife

Maisie and the Hedgehog.

It was a lovely Autumn day.

Warm and sunny.

Maisie Jumble was playing in the garden. Maisie liked tumbling around.

She was just about go into a headstand when ………

‘Rustle rustle’

What was that? wondered Maisie.

‘Rustle rustle’

There it was again.

Where was the noise coming from?

Maisie looked up at the trees.

She looked down at the grass.

She looked right and then left.

Where was the noise coming from?

Then, from under the bushes came the

most perculiar little creature.

Can you guess what it was?

Here are some clues.

It was small and roundish.

It had four tiny legs.

It had two eyes and a little pointed face and snout.

It was covered in prickles!

You’ve guessed?

Yes! It was a hedgehog. A very young hedgehog.

Maisie thought it was SO cute!

She wanted to keep it as a pet but knew not to.

It is not kind to keep wild animals as pets.

So, instead, Maisie enjoyed watching it in the garden.

Maisie had read about hedgehogs in story-books but she had never seen a real

one before .

Now her head was full of so many questions.

Why are they called hedgehogs?

Why do they have prickles ?

Why are their legs so short?

What do they eat?

Why do they have such a pointed snout?

What kind of an animal are they?

Maisie picked up the little hedgehog very carefully and do you know what it did?

 

 

Yes! It rolled into a ball. A very prickly ball.

‘Ouch! said Maisie. ‘Now I know why they have prickles. It’s to stop other animals

from catching and eating them!’

Maisie watched the hedgehog for a long time.

She saw it nuzzling the grass with its snout.

‘I wonder what the hedgehog is doing,’ thought Maisie.

‘It looks like it’s searching for something. I wonder what it can be?’

 

Maisie needs some help to find the answers to her other questions.

Can you help her?

Where do you think you can look ?

Try the links below.


http://youtu.be/Llg0jMumwyI

http://www.hedgehogstreet.org/pages/all-about-hedgehogs.html

 

…. and here is a short video of Maisie with the hedgehog.

 

Today is BONFIRE NIGHT in the UK.

A very dangerous day for hedgehogs who like to sleep in piles of leaves and sticks.

 

 

 

Jumble House celebrations, Children, crafts, Creativity, Seasons, toys

Halloween


Look at the sky. What can you see?

Is it a witch?

Yes?

Why do you think it's a witch?

Think of three reasons.

 

It's coming closer!

Yes! It looks like a witch. But could it be something else ?

 

It's Lizzy Jumble! I wonder why she is dressed up as a witch?

Can you guess?

Here's a clue. It is the 31st October on Saturday.

It's a special day. Do you know what it is?

Yes! Halloween.

Why not make a Jumble for Halloween,

You can make a witch like Lizzy from black tights.

What else could you make ?

 

Maybe this?

 

 

Look at the Jumble Box.

I can see a white pillow slip and a ball.

Can you make anything spooky from them?


Have fun with your Jumbles and email me some photos.

I'll try to post them on our Pinterest board.


Why did you think it was a witch in the picture?

Did you think of 3 reasons ?

Yes?

You thought of more?

That's even better!