7 Thanksgiving Science Experiments Kids love science experiments. Me, not so much. Just for FUN: Download Your Thanksgiving Jokes- Cootie Catcher {Printable} I do not know what my problem with science activities is, but I tend to leave them for the end and then run out of time. Thanksgiving week is a perfect time to have a science experiment bonanza! Why not? Why only 7? That’s all I can even think about tackling during a holiday week. I am hoping to get to at least two. Drum roll once again… My Top 7 List of “Kid Friendly and Mother Approved” Science Experiments…. Read More »
Lessons from a Paper Roller Coaster Lessons from a Paper Roller Coaster My favorite part of homeschooling is having the ability to provide the opportunity for kids to dig deeper when they are sucked in to a learning experience. When we moved to Washington State, our boys caught the last session of a class on building a paper roller coaster. Our youngest son was so bummed that he missed the chance to build one that the teacher quickly pulled together a kit for him. Two months later, he was still working on the coaster. It has been an amazing learning tool. What can you learn by building a Paper Roller Coaster? Patience- This is not a “build it quick project. He spent days prepping and building the framework. We talked a lot about the need for a sturdy foundation and he took it to heart. This past week he decided to go taller. Currently, this nine-year old’s roller coaster frame is about 7 feet tall! Planning- Once he had his framework set, he began planning the actual fun stuff. “where are my scissors?” That’s right. He has had them for weeks now. Testing- Quickly, he learned that what he saw in his mind often did not work in reality. He would plan, cut and test, tweak the design and test again before he secured the feature into the coaster. Support features- In order to go bigger, he learned that you must reinforce your design. Coaching isn’t easy- By the time the coaster was 7 foot tall, the other boys in the house began to take notice. In the picture above, the older son was showing his idea to the younger son. He explained how to make it and was getting frustrated that the younger one “wouldn’t listen”. Very Important Lesson: Just because you KNOW the best way, doesn’t guarantee the student will listen or accept your advice. Sometimes the hardest thing about being a parent, teaching, or coaching is giving advice and then stepping back to watch… the 13-year-old in the picture was very offended that the nine-year-old wanted to try his way first… I could not have created a lesson that would have demonstrated the value of being a patient coach! Do you think your kids would enjoy this project? Grab your paper roller coaster kit here. Have an amazing day! Be willing to lay “school” aside to allow for learning! More from Bekki
A Woodpecker has Tongue 1.5 TImes its Body Length! Sign up here to receive freebies, deals, and resources!! Did you know that a woodpeckers tongue is 1 to 1.5 times the length of its body? Did you Know that the impact of its pecking is so intense that if it turned its head just slightly it would snap its own neck? Or did you know that every time the woodpecker hit the wood with its beak it closes its eyes, but then immediately needs to reopen them to aim? Listen to the woodpeckers in your neighborhood as they open, close, open, close, open close their eyes! My husband blessed us with a set of lecture materials from the Creation Education Center this week. The boys and I are hooked after the first DVD! I love science! I especially love how looking at creation through a very scientific lens clearly shows that this universe did not happen by accident! Here is a picture of the DVD’s and book my husband got for us. Today at lunch we broke into the “Creation vs. Evolution: The Case for Science” disc. Set up as a professional lecture, I was surprised that even our 8 year old was fully engaged. The information is laid out simply and in a beautifully visual presentation. We are hungry for more! My plan is to go through one DVD at a time. We will watch it through, get excited, and discuss our first impressions. Then we will go back and dissect it bit by bit. Taking notes, drawing pictures, and doing further research where we are inspired. The speaker Jay Seegrert is engaging and has a quirky sense of humor. The boys loved the way he taught. As a devoted Christian he shares about why his ministry is focused on creation rather than just Jesus here. I feel like we are finally on track with where our family needs to be scientifically. Looking at the actual scientific evidence and then determining if it lines up with our belief that the Bible is true. I am thrilled! How about you? How do you handle the evolution vs. creation study? What do you use to support your belief? Before you leave: Sign up here to receive freebies, deals, and resources!!
Seed Strips: Gardening Craft I am really excited about this craft/gardening task.I have to thank Amy at Raising Arrows for sharing about this tip last week. One of our kids is completely inspired by all things farming. We really try to find projects that nurture his love for growing things when planning our homeschool day. I was thrilled to stumble upon a tutorial for teaching him how to make his own seed ribbons. If you want to learn more about planting with seed strips, Gardeners.com is a great resource. If you and your kids want to make your own seed strips, you can follow along. Materials needed:Seed packetstoilet paper (We used Costco brand)FlourWaterbowlpaint brush (We used chop sticks) Instructions Place Flour into a bowl and mix with water until it forms a paste. Measure a piece of toilet paper so it is the length of your table.Fold the paper in half. Read Seed packets to determine how far apart to “sow seeds”. Using a ruler, mark the paper with a pen at the proper spacing. (This makes it much easier for younger helpers!)Place a dollop of glue on each mark.Place 1-3 seeds per dollop of glue. Use your table or workspace to create a production line.Cover your table with seed strips. Let the strips dry. If you have enthusiastic helpers, you will need them to rest over night. If you have enthusiastic helpers, you will need them to rest over night. (Kids love using too much glue) Simply (and gently) roll the strips and label. Wrap with rubber band until planting day! When you are ready to plant: Dig trench to the proper planting depth.Unroll strip.Lay strip into trench.Cover with soil.Water. Voila! Planting made easy! My boys LOVED this project. We are ready for our early plantings, how about you? [leadpages_leadbox leadbox_id=142a79846639c5] [/leadpages_leadbox] [leadpages_leadbox leadbox_id=143dc6846639c5] [/leadpages_leadbox]