R.E.O. - Random Educational Opportunity

I just made that term up.

You could tell?

Thanks.

It is, however, a brilliant term to describe what I am about to share.

 If you are not a home educator, well it is still something you can do with your children - or, indeed, just for your own educational satisfaction!!!

If you are a home educator, they are brilliant.  They are likely to instil a positive and gleeful reaction from your children. 

Why?

Because they ARE random.

Unexpected.

Unplanned.

BUT, if you share them with other people, then I suppose they could become a P.I.E.O.

A what?

A Planned Interesting Educational Opportunity.

Riiiiiight.  Moving on.

So, I hear you ask, "what on EARTH are you wittering on about NOW, Caroline?"

I actually have my lovely friend Anne to blame credit.

She was sharing with me a website that shows where the ferry is, travelling to her beautiful island of Lewis.  Two of the children of our mutual friend are travelling there today.

However, as my nature is, I got sidetracked and started looking at the other sea-borne vessels that were identified.  I became fascinated by the different ones that were shown, and the details provided.

Then, I looked at a map, on the same site, for a more local area to myself - around the South-East coast of England, where I knew there would be a high shipping volume.  And, BAM! The amount of different vessels, and what they do, is pretty amazing!

Well, I found it amazing.

So, what does one do, when one finds something pretty amazing?

She decides she needs to share it with her children, so they can learn something from it, too.

Let me share the map, first.

Here. 

By the time you have looked at it, it will have undoubtedly changed from what I am looking at.    But, I can see numerous different vessels.  I plan on getting the children to do the following things.

1. Identify as many different TYPES of vessel as you can.
2. Choose 1 vessel. List a) where it is coming from, b) where is it going to, c) what do you think it is doing?, d) what weight is it (if it says), e) how fast is it travelling?, f) when was it built?, g) what are its dimensions?
3. Compare it to the vessel the others chose. - whose is biggest, going farthest, heaviest, fastest?
4. Find out online what the ship may look like - draw a picture of it.
5. Describe something interesting about your vessel.


There are SO many different aspects of education covered in just ONE simple find! Maths, physics, geography, investigative skills, science, computer skills, art, writing.


So, what have YOU found online, that you can use as an REO? Have you done something interesting, or discovered something whilst out and about, that has spiralled into the perfect REO?  Please share with us, if you have found something and used it for school, or share with us something you THINK could be used as a learning tool!  If you have blogged about it, share it in the comments section below.  If you don't blog, describe it for us in the comments, or share on The Joyful Keeper page on FB!

AND, my R.E.O. just became your P.I.E.O.!!! *grin*

Voila.