This blog is a way to examine my many adventures as I try to make the most of this life, and teach my boys how truly magical every moment can be. We may have ups and downs, but either way we are learning through exploration. My job is to try to make learning enjoyable so they always have a thirst for it.
"A" has been asking me for months what different colors mixed together make. Which is funny because we have worked on primary colors in the past, but its good to relearn things to help aid recall and build schema. This week I drew some circles on a piece of paper and wrote the names of some colors under them. Then "A" would paint the two colors and then after mixing the two tell me what the new color they made was. I got the idea for this from kirarts blog. Here is "A" working on it:
I wanted to include more than the first three traditional color mixes.
If your child likes computer games there is a Curious George game that is great for color mixing and exploring color. There are only four colors to choose from and you have to pick when colors and the amount. George mixes it up and you can paint a coloring sheet. It took me some time to figure out how to make the color for Curious George himself but I did it. To play Mix and Paint go to PBSkids.org.
"A's" finished picture (all painted using only white, blue, red, and yellow)
Then because "A" loves water play so much I broke down and let him play with water glasses & food dye. I totally let it be kid-directed and let him have at it. This is so hard for me to do (especially because he used almost ALL of the dye). When he was done with the mixology I gave him some syringes so he could work on filling them with liquid and then squirting tit into one of our silicone ice trays. This was great fine-motor skill work for him and encouraged him to remain focused.
We got the tray from Ikea for about $2.50
After the ice cubes were made we did a little ice painting. The "paint" is very subdued and similar to watercolors. Since this was such a sensory activity I could have "B" participate. He wasn't in a mood so he only played with the ice a short while, but I popped them back in the freezer for another day. I am looking forward to more "messy play" with "B" as I learn more about his diagnosis of Sensory Processing Disorder. I was happy it was an activity that the whole family could participate, instead of leaving poor "B' out to watch big brother.
Aren't they pretty!
One of the ice painting masterpieces
Lastly, I wanted to show you a cute book we found by Melani Watt (one of our most favorite children's writers) called Leon the Chameleon. It has a great color theme-along with other important themes like feelings and friendship. This book in particular encourages critical thinking. Why would a chameleon be afraid if they turned into the opposite color of what they were standing on? To hear my 5 year-old read the first few pages watch the video. So proud of my reader!!!!
My mom gave "A" a bee hive that had fallen. He was chomping at the bits to dig in and explore. After covering the table with paper I pulled out the hive, but told him we needed to think like true scientist. First he had to guess what bee it belonged to. He thought the nest belonged to a yellow jacket. Then I told him he needed to record his observations with drawings and I would take notes. It was a relatively small nest. We looked at the paper surrounding and found striations (lines of different colors). It had three layers, soft, and easy to break. Inside was a honeycomb with a darker middle hanging down. This was hard to break. We noticed some white balls on some of the combs. "A" tried to break through by stabbing it but found it extremely difficult although it looked fragile. However, we could easily pull it outward. Inside was a bee exoskeleton. We also observed some black pointing things in some of the uncovered combs. We pulled it out and couldn't make out what it was. We could tell that it was extremely smelly (decomposing smell) and then I saw a part move. At this point I felt we had enough observations (and was getting grossed out) so we discarded of the hive.
Observations:
Our found hive. After investigation we found out it was a wasp nest.
Magnifying Glass-an important tool for observations
Recording data
This is out of focus but the little thing on paper is a bee exoskeleton (later we found out an unhatched bee)
The small black thing we found out was decomposing and dying larvae.
After the observation we did some research to make sense of what we discovered. After scouring the internet these are Our Findings:
The nest belonged to a honeycomb wasp
The paper surrounding is actually scrapings of wood that the queen bee attains from fences, sheds, carports, etc-not trees! She then mixes it with her saliva to make a paste. There is a type of wax component because it is waterproof.
Although it is called a honeycomb wasp that is for the shape of the hive. They do not make honey. Each comb holds one egg, that hatches to be a worker bee larvae
The wasp in North America is called a Yellow Jacket.
Over at The Fantastic Five I saw a spooktacular science experiment I couldn't pass up: making ghost out of coffee filters dance and float by static electricity. All you need is a balloon and a good rub of the old hair trick. We couldn't stop playing!
My mom and I packed up the boys for a weekend at the Oregon Coast. We couldn't have asked for better weather (sunny, blue skies, 60 degrees, with a light wind) or a funner time. We started by heading to Newport. In Newport we have a very nice aquarium (made for Kieko-aka Free Willy) and we have gone quite a few times. However, most people don't realize just down the street is the Hatfield Marine Science Center of Oregon State University. Here they also have aquarium tanks, tide pools you can touch, and other interactive exhibits but it is FREE! They have a slot for donations to support the program but my donation was the same price of one persons admission to the Oregon Coast Aquarium.
We were so lucky the Octopus was out and on the glass (rare) and right next to a Sunburst Sea Star
"B" loved the Anemones gripping his finger. Luckily a man told me that the stinger cells sometimes stick to babies fingers and they get hurt when the fingers go in the mouth. Good to know!
There was lots of sensory items there
Killer Whale Skull
Next up was beach time. Where my lovely children decided to lay in the sand and make "sand" angels and eat the sand. I was trying not to have anxiety attacks, but when the baby rubbed his eyes with handfuls of sand it was time to go. A mommy can only take so much. Plus we had to get to Lincoln City to check into the hotel, have dinner, indoor pool time, and watch Gnomio and Juliet. Before movie time my mom made marshmallow shooters for a hotel battle. So many giggles!
"B" waiting for mini marshmallows to fall so he can get a treat
Its war!
Make your own shooters by cutting bottom of disposable cup and putting a tied balloon also cut in half over bottom.
The next morning it was time to hit the Lincoln City beaches. We had seen tide pools in a museum, but it was time to see them in their natural habitat. Then my favorite memory growing up-agate hunting. On the way home I had a surprise in store. In Lincoln City artist hide their hand blown glass balls (reminiscent of the old glass balls that would wash up on shore from ships). For five years I have been dying to find one of these special treasures. On the way back to the car I found one in the sand and "A" found one next to a lamppost. I did a happy dance right then and there.
Found Hermit Crab
Doesn't he look excited to get a pic with his Dear ole Ma?
When my math/science host teacher said that she was doing a unit on matter I begged her for the chance to do a project with our 5th graders. I have been obsessed with Pinterest lately (who hasn't) and I have been dying to try a cross between something at Beakers and Bumblebees and bk2400's Photostream that taught how molecules act in the different states of matter using fruit loops as molecules. I read some books to the class to teach them specifically how molecules act in solids, liquids, and gas. The first was a Max Axiom Graphic Novel (I love this science series-the graphics are so engaging) and a book from a Foss Kit. Then we went over some key vocabulary: matter, molecules, mass, volume, boiling point, melting point, condense, and evaporate. I typed these out to place on the bulletin board so they can be reminded of the terminology, along with a cycle of how the states of matter change. Then came project time (Yay!): students made a tri-fold and labeled each column one of the three states of matter. Then under that they needed to write the definition of that state of matter. Under that they needed to draw a representation of that type of matter, in which they would glue fruit loops (molecules) in that drawing the proper way they would act. For example in the solid they may draw a box and the fruit loops would be tight together looking they are locked in place. For gas they may draw a balloon and inside fruit loops would be dispersed everywhere and spread out. Under the drawing they had to list a minimum of three examples of each type of matter. When they were done I put their finished product on a bulletin board. The students seemed to have learned something and they had fun, which as a teacher I couldn't ask for anything more.
Picture Time:
This student commented that stars are made of gas.
Over at PreKinders Blog I found another great science idea, using ramps. I set up ramp with some materials from my backyard. Then I chose 10 items to have "A" roll down the ramps. I made two boxes to sort the ones who would roll and the ones who would not. The rule was that the item needed to roll down the entire ramp and not fall off halfway, if it did then it went in the No box. Of course, he was able to test the item more than once to make sure it wasn't user error. Now like all good scientist it is important for the child to first make predictions and then test them out, which is exactly what we did. I have to say "A" loved this and keeps pulling the ramp back in the house to try new items.
Our original 10 items were: tambourine, water sensory bottle, baby grip ball, sorting ring, triangle, wooden circle, wheel, wood dowel, Mr. Potato Head (without accessories), and a heart cookie cutter.
