Monday, March 22, 2010

Happy Water Day!

As today is National Water Day we focused on the water cycle and water conservations!

http://www.filefolderfun.com/SubjectWeather.html
http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/watercycle.html
http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/mearth.html
http://lapbooklessons.ning.com/notes/Water_Cycle_Lapbook_Links
http://www.epa.gov/safewater/kids/kids_k-3.html
http://www.kidzone.ws/water/bactivity1.htm

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Crazy Science Bday

Awwww my baby boy is now 6 years old! Xman turned 6 this past Thursday and yesturday we had his party. He requested a Mad Science party - he had seen a flyer of a company that has an employee dress as a character and conduct funny experiments...I thought, sure, but why pay them to do it? So we researched some fun, easy experiments and made our own crazy science party.

Each child got a Science Kit goody bag:

  • Safety Goggles
  • Plastic Gloves
  • Ruller
  • Compass
  • Lifesaver Wintergreen Mints
  • Mentos
  • Rock Candy wooden stick & clothes pin
  • Lab Notebook (with each of our experiments explained in each one)
  • 2 unblownup balloons
The Experiments:

  • Sparking Candy (and other electricity experiments like with balloons)
  • Planting Fun (learning about plants and soil)
  • Rock Candy (learning about sedimentary rocks)
  • Fantastic Foamy Fountain (we compared 6% & 3% solution hydrogen peroxide, and leared about exothermic reactions)
  • Color Explosion (we compared the grease breakdown strengths between Joy & Palmolive dish detergent).
  • Exploding Soda (we learned about gas pressure)
To see the printout for the Lab Notebooks and the descriptions/explinations of the experiments view Birthday Experiments {username: kickbutttidbits password: kickbuttmama }

{Bday Scientist!}


Lil' Scientists!




Planting Fun



Soda Explosion (it was pouring rain...so I got toally soaked! The kids stood on our awning covered porch screaming a countdown to me then cheering wildly as the soda exploded!)


Fantastic Foamy Fountain


Color Explosion

Friday, March 5, 2010

March Madness

Whew, February was definately an...er....experience. I haven't really posted much - my grandfather passed away, we ended a 4 years friendship with a toxic person, I started a new job, etc....but now we're totally on track and kickin' it! We're so excited for this November. Last year we went to OH (to visit said toxic friend) but this year I'm driving the kids to Washington DC - what a learning experience it will be!!!

We led a learning team (our Earth Scouts team) a few weeks ago on - RESPECT - I thought it was appropriate. THe kids had fun writing on a big posterboard all the things that equal respect - honesty, integrity, being polite, being nice, etc.

MARCH -
This month we're learning a lot as well (with last month focusing on the Olympics).
Right now we're learning about the Iditirod and Alaska (as the race is tomorrow). Then we're moving on to a Pirate Lapbook - I've been reading Treasure Island to the boys every afternoon. The kids LOVE IT! And the love to laugh about the parallels between the old book and one of their favorite flic's - Treasure Planet. My youngest will be 6 next week (I'm totally depressed!)

Week 1 -- (ending 3/6)
Iditerod
Global Warming/Green House Gases
Alaska
Dogs

Week 2 -- (ending 3/13)
Xman's Bday - we're designing a Mad Science party, I'll post all our experiments later.
We'll be finishing our Polar Animals lapbook (from Alaska)
We'll be doing A Fish Out of Water lapbook for Xman

Week 3 -- (ending 3/21)
Spring, wonderful Spring! This week ends with the Spring Equinox - so we'll be doing some more work in our solar system
Honey Bees & Lady Bugs Lapbooks
The life of a Plant (lapbook I'm almost finished designing I'll post it when I'm done. Here's a great list of Plant Resources) And we'll be doing our Spring Lapbook


Week 4 -- (ending 3/29)