Naked Eggs and Flying Potatoes

While searching Youtube for science activities, I came across an Ellen show clip with science guy, Steve Spangler. The clip showed the two shooting potatoes across the studio. After searching for more of Steve Spangler, the kids and I found some awesome Halloween experiments. You can check out his site here http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/. My kids love his videos from his site. He is very energetic and entertaining. Optimus is very interested in a few of the kits offered on the site.

For Optimus' birthday, his Oma (grandmother) and Grandpa Mike bought him Steve Spangler's book.

It didn't take him long to open it up and start the density project inside.

Tink also wanted to make a similar project. The book is filled with great science facts and experiments. Both of the kids are looking forward to diving in deeper to the book. I highly recommend it! At about $15 you can't go wrong.

-Michele

Week in Review

NTH Geography Fair

Optimus showcased his Brazil project.

Tink's South America project.

Tink singing about water.

Optimus' flight with the Tucson 99's Club.

Life in Early Crete

We usually only need Story of the World and various library extras for history, but since we are heading into Ancient Greece, I have decided to beef things up  a bit. This is our absolute favorite time in history (so far). We will be spending about two months in Ancient Greece.

Here is what we are using:
Story of the World, vol 1
Story of the World Activity Guide, vol 1
Usborne Internet Linked World History
Magic Tree House Research Guide, Ancient Greece and the Olympics (Optimus' reader)
various library books
D'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths
http://www.homeschoolshare.com/ Ancient Greece lapbook
Percy Jackson The Lightning Thief (our nightly read aloud)

Concepts of Energy: Part 1

We have taken a two week break from our science curriculum. I had strep throat, we went on a small vacation, and completed a few small experiments. Now we have jumped back in!


This week we are tackling the C-1, Concepts of Energy: Part 1, from Building Foundations of Scientific Understanding.


Part 1: Forms of Energy and What They Do. I made some "energy" cards and we used them to figure out what kind of energy was need for different things. Download Energy Cards

Part 2: Storage and Release of Energy.


Part 3: Energy Changes from One Form to Another.
Here we used the energy cards again to fill in the blanks like, "A motor converts (what kind of energy) to (what kind of energy)?"


Ending Activity:
We made a book depicting four forms of energy incorporating everything we had learned about energy.

take care everyone,
Michele