Gerbilarium and chalk problems

Do you like our latest addition? I love making toys for the children. I made this little fellow yesterday at Miles' request but he's already got some stuffing coming out. I think he's been involved in some very lively play today!

 

This afternoon we made a gerbilarium. Craig helped to make a hole in the cage and attach it to a tank which we drilled ventilation holes in. They love it and I have to say I'm becoming really quite smitten with them. Their fingers and toes are seriously cute.

 

We have read the Butterfly Lion in the past but are re reading as it's our Book Club title this month. We all take an activity to Book Club and I was hoping to do some science experiments with chalk. I wanted to show how absorbent it is as I think this ties in nicely with the story - the butterflies come to the chalk lion to drink. Ah well, it was all very good in theory but the experiment didn't work. I then realised that most chalk you buy for black boards isn't actually chalk at all. It's a kind of plaster and colourings mixture. So, where to buy some 'real' chalk? I have found plenty on the Internet but don't really want to be paying £10 plus or so for some chalk. Any ideas?

Also, can anyone recommend where to get cheap rock samples for science? I want lots of different rock samples for experiments, but again they all seem very pricey, particularly considering I want to use them in a way which will essentially break them down - experiments about erosion etc.

Jumping back to talk of our Book Club, our local library has agreed to give us a group ticket so that we can order multiple copies of a set book in advance. Hopefully this will mean that all families will be able to take that months title away with them at the end of Book Club and return it the following month. This will be great as sometimes much of the month is spent tracking down the book and then having to rush to read it in the last week.

I feel really lucky that I live in an area where there are lots of active, go getting and community spirited folks within our home ed community. When I think of all the things we do (more of that another day - there's lots in the pipeline round here right now), the visits we go on, the wealth of knowledge and experience people have and are willing to share, loans of books, games etc, wow, I know I say it a lot, but I am truly blessed.