April 29, 2014 Blog Posting

Kindergarten and Level One

We have moved from animals to humans in our studies.  The five senses are our next line of study.  The sense of touch was our focus today.

We found out that our finger tips are the part of our body best equipped to touch and examine objects.  Blindfolded, we tried to discern certain objects with our sense of touch.  The elbow and leg did not give us enough sensory information.

We will continue with the other four senses in the weeks to come.

HOMEWORK:  No homework.

Level Two and Three

Moving from moon craters to earth craters!  We saw pictures of very old craters on our Earth’s surface.  We learned three reasons that the moon’s surface is full of impact craters and our Earth’s surface is not.  I hope your cherub can tell you these.

There is a completed worksheet from class.

Our next field of study is fossils.

HOMEWORK: No homework!

April 23, 2014 Blog Posting

Kindergarten and Level One

Today, we learned about arctic mammals.  We used vegetable shortening to demonstrate how blubber actually keeps the warm-blooded animals warm! 

After this, we practiced using an intersecting Venn diagram.  Some of the arctic mammals were also ocean mammals.  The students did this task very well.  We are going to practice with other Venn diagrams next class.

Here are a few fun videos of arctic mammals that we did not see in class:

Laziest Walrus Colony Ever

Listen to these animals snore and notice their blubber (fat).  Remember what that does for this large warm-blooded arctic mammal.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6a0Wkq9wZE

Wild Kratts Walrus Show (27 Minutes)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMQ_XwQzmIQ

Baby Arctic Foxes

60 grams equals about 23 pennies

-50 degrees Celsius = -58 degrees Fahrenheit

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VX-nH79PMqc

HOMEWORK:  No homework.

 

Level Two and Three

We discussed the moon’s surface.  We defined craters, meteoroids, and moon seas.  Our demonstration of moon craters involved flour and cocoa.

If you would like a moon map, here are some links:

Moon Maps:

http://www.canaryzoo.com/space%20map%20of%20the%20moon.htm

http://www.johnstonsarchive.net/astro/moonmapbig.jpg

HOMEWORK: No homework!

March 31, 2014 Blog Posting

Kindergarten and Level One

Today, we learned about pouch mammals.  I am working on having the students learn to identify groups of animals with sets.  For example, all rodents are mammals but all mammals are not rodents.  I am using a very basic set diagram.  I will be introducing the intersecting Venn Diagram in two weeks.

Level One practiced placing toy animals on a large diagram in the correct set.  They did wonderfully.

Here are a few fun videos of these pouch mammals (marsupials) that we did not see in class:

Pet Kangaroo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itS4LrdCtfE

Some other marsupials:

Playful Wombat at the Zoo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qE82eFD7AjI

The Snowboarding Opossum

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21XBFaG5zGY

Koala Hospital (Koala is not a bear!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyAwTuHYgDs

HOMEWORK:  No homework.

 

Level Two and Three

We reviewed and/or learned some moon facts.  We demonstrated the moon’s gravitational pull that causes Earth’s tides.  The Bay of Fundi has the most dramatic tides on Earth.  We watched a time-lapse video of a 12-hour period.

Here’s some review:

Moon and Earth’s Tides:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRPtNAA-9UE

HOMEWORK:

Review the moon phases and tides for another candy quiz on Tuesday!