STEAM - Noise Makers

Dog Pile

Pokemon Pillowcases

I picked up a couple pillowcase sewing kits for the kids the other day. I want to keep teaching them how to use the sewing machine so they feel comfortable using it on their own one day. The kits I got didn't come with very good instructions, so we found a youtube video that we followed along with and the kids sewed together their very own pillowcases! They were so proud of their sewing skills - and I am so proud of them!

Ash Is Falling From The Sky

Ash is falling from the sky. Layers of ash cover the cars, the ground, the plants. Sound outside are a bit different, almost like when it's snowing, yet this is eerie. The forest fire up the gorge along the Columbia River has spread so much and become so dangerous, it is tragic and it's damage will become everlasting. The sky is hazy, the air quality unbearable and yet we are many miles away. It is the biggest wildfire that has been this close to us. We have even had a brief moment of considering what we would do should the fire reach Vancouver. Chances are minimal, but still worth considering. 

Eggsperiment

We soaked raw eggs in jars of vinegar to see how the acid dissolves the eggshells. The kids added blue food coloring for fun. After 2 days, the eggshells were completely dissolved yet the eggs were still there in their normal form, held together by the membrane! The eggs were blue, slippery and slimy yet contained and seemed a little bloated. When Ezra broke the membrane, the raw egg splattered. The blue food coloring and the vinegar had seeped inside. It stunk! The membrane looked and felt similar to that of a balloon. Ezra wants to try this same experiment using coca-cola next.

A Balloon, A Penny and Centrepetal Force

Another simple yet fun science experiment!

Walks, Talks and Sidewalk Chalk

Brownies and Beading

We crafted and baked with Jonna again this week. She and Esperanza made Mexican brownies and then she got started on teaching us how to do some bead work!

Bloody Science Lesson

Today's science lesson was inspired by a 'don't-try'this-at-home' accidental science experiment that happened yesterday. Ezra cut his finger pretty badly - no urgent care or stitches involved thanks to the very clever butterfly bandage some genius invented. There was, however, a lot of blood, tears and a broken piggy bank. Today, we used that experience to discuss The Circulatory System! The kids were pretty bummed when I told them that we would be sitting down reading some books for science today, but they quickly became interested once they realized it related to the blood that was everywhere yesterday. Learning that the blood came as a result of a blood vessel being cut, then how with the combined help from the platelets and red blood cells a clot was formed to stop the bleeding was pretty fascinating. And then there was more reading about the heart, veins, arteries, capillaries and other bloody stuff. Then we drew some art on the chalk wall! This is how we do school in our house. We learn by living. This is also why I have 150+ checked out library books at any given time...ya never know what we might want to look u and learn about.