Saturday

Summary Saturday: Summer and Science Fun

Summer has hit our area full force the past couple of weeks. Temperatures in the high 90's and heat index in the 100's. Luckily, we have been getting rain off and on so we aren't in the severe drought conditions that some parts of the country are experiencing. Of course when the weather heats up and playing outside just isn't possible, this mom brings out the school work. But we always find time for play too!

Last weekend Monkey helped me do some cleaning in the laundry room. We found a stash of plastic eggs from Easter that still had some chocolate in them. He sat on the washing machine and dumped the chocolate into a bowl and put the empty plastic eggs into a plastic bin. Such a good helper!



Mapgie studied the children of Israel in the wilderness this week. She learned all about God's house, the tabernacle, that the Israelites built. We talked about how as Christians, we are God's house and He dwells in us. We actually had some really good discussions about what it means to have God living inside us. Just like the Israelites brought the best cloth, gold, and perfume to build the tabernacle, we need to make sure we are giving our best to God as well with what we read, listen to, watch on TV, wear, and do. Here is a picture of Magpie's tabernacle:



We even sprayed some perfume in the air for incense. Thank you Aunt Fluffy and your Tommy Girl perfume!

Chipette finished up her study of the brain and nervous system this week. She made a brain hat and a nerve necklace:


She was amazed at how quickly the nervous system worked and how much the brain had to do yet was a small size in comparision. I told her that her brain is the best computer in the world. God knows what He's doing!

The thing Chipette is most excited about is that she is conducting her own science experiment this next week. We have finished up our study of birds in Apologia's Flying Creatures of the Fifth Day, and before we start bats, the book challenged us to design an experiment that would tell us if an egg could absorb water. An egg shell is actually porus to allow air in and out, but can those pores let water inside?

So I asked Chipette how we could figure out an answer to the question. She suggested putting an egg in a bowl of water and measuring the water every day to see if it gets less and less, then we would know that the egg was absorbing the water. I asked her if we knew of any other way that water in a bowl might get less even without an egg or anything in the water. She thought for a minute and then said, "Evaporation!". I told her if she thought her experiment would work since we would have to deal with evaporation. She decided that her original experiment wouldn't work because even if the water decreased we couldn't know if that was because of evaporation or the egg.

Next, I asked her if she could think of something that would change in an object when it absorbed water. She thought and thought, but couldn't come up with anything. I asked her to come to the kitchen sink. I picked up two sponges. I got one really wet, but didn't wring it out so it was full of water. Then I put the dry sponge in her hand and the wet sponge in her other hand. I asked if she noticed any difference. Chipette said, "The wet one is heavier!" I asked her to come up with an experiment using what she knows now. It didn't take her long to come up with the following experiment:


Her hypothesis is that an egg will absorb water. She is going to weigh the egg before she begins. Then she will place the egg in water for 24 hours. Take it out and weigh it again. She is going to do this for one week and see if there is any change in the egg's weight. Next week I will share Chipette's findings.

And, of course, when the weather gets hot, the sprinkler comes out!

Chipette jumping over the sprinkler:



Magpie is not too sure about this sprinkler jumping:


But Monkey has discovered an even more enjoyable game:


Pick up the sprinkler and spray Mom!!!

I hope all of you are keeping cool and learning something new every day, even if you aren't doing school at your house!


Monkey gets a special gleam in his eye when he makes Mommy scream and run in the treehouse,

Chelli






2 comments:

  1. What a great little brother. I have a 3 year old who tortures his sisters with the hose! We are in northern OK so it is back to school and inside hiding from the heat for us. Have a great weekend.

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    1. In his defense, his sisters give it to him waayyy worse than he ever gives it back! But yes, he's a pretty good little brother. You guys have a great week as well and stay cool!

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