Building Foundations of Scientific Understanding-Lesson A-3 Air is a Substance

We are using a new science curriculum this year, Building Foundation of Scientific Understanding by Bernard Nobel.
There is a warning on the first page, "Do not treat this volume as a smorgasbord of random selections. As in math, lessons are arranged and designed to impart knowledge, understanding and skills in a logical, systemic order."

I like systemic order in lessons. Which is why I appreciate Saxon Math and Teach Your Child To Read in 100 Easy Lessons.

So far we have learned about organization and categories. How is a grocery store organized, your pantry, etc.
Then we learned the three states of matter: gas, liquid and solid. And also identifying the differences between them and how they may change from one to another.

And today we are learning about air as a substance. We had an introductory discussion the other day about how air takes up space and has weight (mass is reserved for discussion in future discussions after understanding has increased).

This morning we did 3 experiments.

1)Blowing up a balloon, air pushes out the sides of a balloon. Balloons are probably my children's most favorite toys after sticks and scooters.

2)Then we blew bubbles into a glass. Air(gas) pushes the water out of the way. Messy but again, right up their alley.

3)Take a clear plastic water bottle upside down and put it into a tray or flat bottomed bowl. I added food coloring to water so we could see more distinctly that when you put a bottle straight into the bowl (not tipped sideways) the water does not go into the bottle. The air in the bottle takes up space and pushes the water out of the way. After everyone recognizes this, then you can prick the bottle with a pin, it allows the air to escape the top (or rather the bottom since its upside down). The gas can escape and the water enter the bottom.

Why Do Dogs Have 4 Legs?

my response, "Because if they had 3 they would go a lot slower".

My Thoughts Flit, So Why Shouldn't My Children's.

Charlotte recognized that fact: "Here is the secret of the weariness of the home schoolroom—the children are thinking all the time about something else than their lessons; or rather, they are at the mercy of the thousand fancies that flit through their brains, each in the train of the last" (Vol. 1, p. 139).

Here is a great post about how children's minds wander. I can tell you I laughed out loud at the play by play of this mom reading a story to her children.

Here is how reading a story in my house goes.

"I am sitting there."
"No I am sitting there."
"Mommy her legs are in my way."
"I can't see."
"Now I can't see the pictures."
"Mommy he is in my spot."
(I finally start to read)
"I can't see the picture."
"Ouch, he stepped on my hand."
(Vroom, vroom, one child has walked over to the toys)
"That's my car stop playing with it"
Me "Do you want me to READ THIS STORY OR NOT?"

F is Frog

F is for Frog.

What We Have Been Studying

Here is a brief synopsis.

We started 1st Grade this April.
This year we are basically following the Well Trained Mind Curriculum.

My 6 year old is......
Saxon Math 1
Building Foundations of Scientific Understanding
Story of The World-Ancient History
Song School Latin
Abeka Readers
A Reason For Handwriting 1 (seriously considering)
Handwriting Without Tears K (still continuing)

My 4 year old is.......
Saxon Math K
Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons
and following older brother in History and Science when possible.

And my Dennis the Menace in a dress who knows only two volumes, loud and louder, is continuing with My Father's World.

I haven't bought a timeline yet for my basement walls, I hope to find it at one of the curriculum sales this summer.

Homeschool TV?

Yes it is called the Homeschool Channel. I am not sure if its on any cable or satellite packages at this time, but they do live stream. They have some interesting shows about history, biology and more.

How to Build a Catapult: Fun Science Experiments | eHow.com

We had built a Castle last week out of the empty oven box. A coat of white paint (far messier to clean up when you let a 5, 4 and 2 year old apply it) and some flags made out of wooden barbeque skewers. The boys made England flags in honor of Daddy and I drew a "Don't Tread On Me" Naval flag because my oldest son thought it was cool but too difficult to attempt himself.

How to Build a Catapult: Fun Science Experiments | eHow.com Then we built a catapult today. We didn't have any wood, so I grabbed an heavy duty frozen chicken box. It was empty, so I needed some weight so that it wouldn't flip over when the energy was released. Three full bottles of useless vitamins, bought with a coupon of course.

We also didn't have any push pins, but I did find some medium screws. So I screwed them into the box. It is hard to see in the video, but you should screw the pins or screws closer to the corners and not the dead center of the sides.

And my final tip is to twist the rubber band many times to get it to grasp the spoon well.

The inspiration for the catapult was from the DK Eyewitness Castle book I grabbed from the library yesterday.