Science Post #1

What we have going on this year in science: 

My 12 year old is taking Apologia Swimming Creatures at our home school co-op. This is a terrific choice for Tornado (like Flying Creatures last year) because of the notebook journal style. He loves filling in the sections and cutting and pasting pictures from the Internet and magazines - and all of the lapbook type mini-books, etc.

Science is included in My Father's World curriculum, as well. It mainly takes you through this book, which has a little bit of many scientific subjects, ranging from the solar system to animals. The MFW curriculum set also came with other books and experiments, including Science in the Kitchen and Science with Air. And we'll be adding in other things we're interested in, of course. My 7 year old responds very well to science topics, so I have to put that to use.

It's funny because just as I was typing that above - I gasped; I had totally forgotten about this magnet set that came with the curriculum. I had just seen magnet sensory tubs around and wanted to do one. I guess we will be doing many more magnet experiments in the future, as well.

This is our magnet sensory box. 

The base is dry black beans and split peas.

They made predictions to whether each object listed on their assignment sheet (from a Mailbox Science magazine) would be magnetic or non-magnetic.

Then they tested their predictions. Even though I said he loves science, it's funny (or sad) how much Dash dislikes hypothesizing. He hates to be wrong. I can't get him to understand that's just what scientists do; they're sometimes wrong! He feels like a loser when his prediction doesn't match the result. Sigh.

Later, they each had to find every object in the box (which was more than what was included on their prediction sheet) and put it on the appropriate page.

On their own they discovered the magnets worked through a glass or plastic cup.

Um, I think I see a couple of items in the wrong pile.

I printed off this magnet race game from another book, but it was a fail for us. They couldn't get the hang of keeping the magnet far enough away from the paperclip to move it without it jumping to the magnet. 

We watched this DVD, which included a lot of what we were talking about the past two weeks. There is so much packed into 55 minutes. They're going to have to watch it more to help absorb it all, but I have to say I learned (or relearned) so much, too. I want to order the rest of the series.

 Will a egg float better in salt water? We talked about density and molecules.

 Will it float?
They chose 8-10 objects to test.

predictions then results

This experiment was a little precarious. Oranges should float with the peel but sink without the peel. They, of course, guessed that it would be the opposite and were surprised of the results. We used clementines because when I tried the orange ahead of time it wasn't floating very well. There are tiny air pockets in an orange peel causing it to have a lower density. To create a better distinction I should have used a deeper pool of water, which I think was the problem.

Ryan used Legos as a good example to explain molecules/atoms. On another day we talked more about density. They poured water, syrup, then oil in a glass and watched the layers of syrup, water, then oil form.

They took it further by adding food coloring to another cup of water and watching the oil rise.

After we read the solar system lesson in First Encyclopedia of Science, they worked on their own solar system (kit from Wal-Mart).

We still need to paint the base. I was happy for Pluto still representin'! I taught them "My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nine Pickles" but told them now it's really "My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Noodles."  

Vikings: Adventures in MFW #2

Adventures in My Father's World: Our next study was on the Vikings. I enjoyed this myself because this is not a theme I had ever explored during our many years of homeschooling. The kids learned that Christopher Columbus was not actually the first to "discover" America. I learned a lot, too! The word "viking" can be a verb like exploring, such as "Let's go viking!" or "Let's go a-viking!" I also didn't realize that Leif the Lucky and his mother became Christians, but his father Eric the Red did not. The kids were particularly interested by the fact that Eric the Red used an advertisement technique in naming "Greenland." He thought if it had "green" in the name, it would attract more people, even though it was icy like Iceland.

It was the perfect time to start reading the chapter book, Adventures in Odyssey Imagination Station #1: Voyage with the Vikings. This series is a Christian focused version of the Magic Tree House series. The kids really liked it. It is only 96 pages, so it was perfect for a weeklong-only theme.

Yo, Vikings!, written and illustrated by Judy Schachner, is one of the fiction books we read during our study on Vikings. (Schachner is also the writer of Skippyjon Jones.) The illustrations in this book are whimsical and creative in the way that I love! What I also like about this book is that it is based on a real experience of the author's daughters. In the book, Emma goes full board into her studies on Eric the Red. She's so into Vikings that she asks for a Viking ship that was listed in the newspaper for her birthday. She ends up getting her wish, which is what the author's daughters experienced with their own, real Viking ship in their backyard.

Each kid made this viking craft.

From left to right: Tornado's, Sissy's, and Dash's. Sissy left off the hat so that she could have a girl. We made a purse for her girl Viking, but in true Sissy fashion, her weapons are also readily available in case they are needed!

They also each made a Viking ship, combining ideas from here and here. Two of them used empty soy or almond milk containers, and we cut off the bottom of the 2 carton almond milk box for the third. (Cutting the bottom of the box was much easier than the cartons. However, the cartons are more waterproof.) And while we're at it, how about a plug for how delicious almond milk is, containing more calcium than dairy milk and only 60 calories.

I was very happy and proud of the final creations. They painted the boxes and formed a little Model Magic around the cut edge of the boat. I poked holes for the wooden skewers, and they formed little oars with Model Magic. I taped a broken skewer to the front of each boat for them to form their dragon heads and tails. The sails were cut from brown paper bags, outlined with masking tape, and tied on with kite string.

Dash's boat

Tornado's boat

Sissy's boat

We also watched Lyle the Kindly Viking!

Chrysanthemum: Adventures in MFW #1

We recently began our Adventures in My Father's World curriculum. It opens up with discussions on names - name meanings, etc. It suggests writing a letter to your kids about the meaning and significance of their names. I didn't do that since they have it written in their baby books already, and we tell them these stories all of the time. However, they never tire of hearing about themselves, so I told them all again.

We also made cookies in the shapes of their first names.

Going along with the Bible lesson, the kids made these suncatchers by shaving bits of crayon and sprinkling the bits in between two pieces of wax paper, along with cut-out letters of Jesus. They were thrilled to iron the sheets and watch the crayon melt.

I also decided to use the book, Chrysanthemum, to go along with this week. It had been such a long time that we'd read this book that the middle two didn't remember it. And while I thought only my daughter would appreciate it, the boys love it, too, and requested it many times that week. I love this about my 7 year old son who is all boy. Never would I think, "Here's a book about a girl mouse, Son; you'll love it!" But he is so sweet, and he does love sweet books. Only the large version of the book was available at the library, but that was fun. We love the repetition, and we also like it because their names are long and uncommon, as well.

I printed off the name tile cards from the generator linked on Teaching Heart. They used Legos to represent each letter in their names.

Then they stacked the Legos, one for each member of our family, to see whose tower was the highest. My daughter won, and we were interested to find out that my sons and I had the same number. Poor Ryan was far behind with only 4 Legos.

Then, they took turns graphing the letters in their respective names. "N" was the winner this time.

I also used the name generator to print off "Chrysanthemum," and someone cut it out for me. I asked them to use the letters of her name to make new words. I thought they would enjoy this since they like to look over my shoulder and help me with Scramble with Friends. I was right and very impressed with how many words they came up with, many more than I figured. Tornado found 28!

They also had to use the letters in their own names to create words. We were not surprised that my middle son created one particular word seen above and that his name was the only one suited for it.

The older boys (hiding my head in shame) were a little sketchy on the spelling of their full names. (They always just write the shortened version.) So I included them on the activity I had intended for only Sissy. They each have a small baking sheet (from the dollar store), and they matched up letter magnets under their name tile cards. Then, they practiced handwriting by writing out their names.

For another fine motor skills activity, they each picked a picture from the book to outline with tracing paper, then color.

We cut these out and glued them on craft sticks. They filled these little planter trays (a pack of 5 at the dollar store) with green gems, also from the dollar store, to start their "Book Gardens." Every time we "explore" a book (further it with activities, not just read it) this year, they will add a new stick to their garden. (I got this idea from Teaching Heart.) I'm sure we'll have to find bigger pots by the end of the year.

Next, I had letter beads, stretchy cord, and safety pins for them to make pins or bracelets, etc. Sis made an anklet with her name.

Dash made a pin, and Sissy also made something for all of her cousins. I told Tornado to make something with his name. Not interested. He only wanted to make a pin with Googie's name. But it wouldn't fit on a pin, so he had to use her nickname (Googie even has a nickname; imagine that. Googie is my mom/Tornado's favorite person in the world, if you aren't familiar.).

"But do you want to make a pin or something for your shoe with your name?" I asked. He said he wanted to make something for his shoe that said "I LOVE GOOGIE." So that is what he did.