October 29, 2010 Day Thirty-Seven

Sophie's skating: Thought I'd take a bit of time and space today to keep everyone up to date on Sophie's skating. She practices quite a bit these days! Here's her schedule:
Monday--skate in afternoon, 2 hours, mostly freestyle with Coach Linda
Wednesday--skate in morning, about an hour and a half, with the Skating Club of Brusnwick and her best friend Sadie
Thursday--skating in afternoon, 3 long sessions almost 3 hours total, freestyle and ice dance with Ron
Saturday--Club skating, 4 hours of ice, freestlye--junior coaching and working on Christmas show
Sunday--early morning skate in Portland with ice dancing and Rob, then SCOB at Bowdoin for club ice in the afternoon with Sadie and her pals
She also has tap and ballet on Tuesday afternoons and now rehearses on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday evenings (though not every rehearsal she's required to be there!)
She is preparing for a big testing date for both her freestyle and ice dancing on November 11th.
One of the major reasons we have for homeschooling is to allow her the time and energy to focus on her skating. She's traveling more and further and spending hours on the ice per week and we really saw her so physically exhausted after school--although she's working really hard at home and learning a lot, she's not nearly as physically tired as she was last year!

5 x 5 for 5th Grade
5 Vocabulary
1. Server (computer): A computer dedicated to a task
2. Network (computer): Allows other computers to talk to each other
3. Systems engineer: My Dad's title at Fairchild Semiconducter, which means he manages the servers on the network.
4. Wafer (computer): computer designs etched on silicon
5. Cube: Cubical, a private space where people work

5. Details/Facts
1. Approximately 9,000 people work at Fairchild.
2. Vasco De Gama was the first European to sail to India, he was from Portugal.
3. Vikings used the North Star to navigate.
4. A brigantine ship had 2 masts.
5. Francisco Pizzaro crushed the Inca Empire.

5 Sentences
1. Dad is always getting calls from the help desk, telling him the servers are down.
2. Our network at home is much smaller than the one at Dad's work place.
3. I found out yesterday that Dad is a systems Engineer.
4. The wafers at Dad's workplace are not the ones that I like to eat.
5. Cube is the shorter word for cubical.

5 Questions & Answers
1. Why is Henry Hudson both an English and a Dutch explorer? A: Because he sailed for both
2. What happens to Henry Hudson and his son and 8 other crew members in Hudson Bay? A: They got left there
3. What does "Polynesian" mean? A: Hawaiian and other pacific island people
4. What were Hudson's relations with the Native Americans like? A: Hudson trusted the Native Americans

5. What really cold place was Henry Hudson the first European to explore? A: The North Pole

ActivitiesGame: Professor Noggin's Explorers Card Game
Sophie won—9 to 7

Scrapbook—Cabot & Hudson Pages.

John Cabot

1. When John was 10 he moved to Venice, Italy

2. John thought that Columbus went the wrong way he was too far south. John planned to go straight across on a northern route.

3. King Henry the 7^th was eager to sponsor Cabot's trip, the king called him his "well beloved".

4. Cabot landed on St. John, Newfoundland.

5. John Cabot took two voyages to the New World.

6. John Cabot planned his northern route on 60 % parallel.

7. John Cabot's Italian name was Giovanni Cabotto.

Henry Hudson

1. Hudson's first two journeys was for the Muscovy Company in England.

2. Hudson's three ships were the Hopewell, Half Moon and the Discovery.

3. Hudson's 3^rd voyage was for Holland and dutch East India Company .

4. Hudson discovered hundreds of gray whales along Spitzbergen.

5. The crew on Hudson's ship saw a walrus, and thought it was a mermaid.
6. Hudson met the Penobscot Tribe in Maine.
7. Hudson was looking for the Northwest Passage to China he discovered Hudson Bay!!

Encyclopedia Entry: Night Sky

The Night Sky Page 56-63

1.       How many times larger could Galileo’s telescope makes objects appear?

8 times larger

2.       What is the name of the large buildings that house the big telescopes?

observatories

3.       When did astronomers launch the Hubble Telescope? How many times bigger does it makes objects appear?

1990, 6000 times

4.       What was the name of the first satellite? Which country sent it and when?

Sputnik 1, Russia 1957

5.       What is a probe and what does it do? How often does the Voyager check in?

A probe is a space-craft launched from Earth and sent to collect information from distant places.

6.       Who were Laika and Ham? What did they do for astronauts?

Laika was a Russian dog and Ham was a chimpanzee. They proved that life could survive in space.

7.       What is the Russian word for astronaut? What was the Space Race?

Cosmonaut. A unofficial contest between Russia and the United States

8.       What are the steps for a space shuttle launch? Hint: Look at the cartoon.

Launch. Discard rocket fuel. Discard fuel tank. Low Earth orbit. Research and work in position. Return through atmosphere. Landing

9.       What are space stations like and why?

Tiny towns in space, they homes for astronauts.

10.   What is our “best bet” for discovering extraterrestrial life?

That there might be a plant or animal!

Math practice: Word problems with Halloween theme on figuring time and money –16 problems total.

Play act 2, sc. 2
Scene 2 act 2
Location: Captains quarters
Cast: Captain and Ben
Name of scene: Astronomy Lesson
Ben: Hello sir, it's been a month, can I have my astronomy lesson today please!!!???
Captain: Yes, actually right now would be a perfect time for an astronomy lesson. You know, we'll be landing on the east coast of Virginia in a half month, according to my ship log here. I've taught to you about parts of the ship, and latitude and longitude, oh but what I didn't tell you is that longitude is measuring from the North Pole to South, or northern hemisphere to southern hemisphere. Did you know that? Well today we're having are astronomy lesson.
Ben: Wow, cool, what are you going to teach me about? Oh, what is astronomy?
Captain: It's the study of the planets and stars the Romans were one of the first astronomers, that's why the planets are named after the roman gods. Do you know what planets are Ben?
Ben: Planets are big balls of gas that revolve around the sun, according to Galileo. I do believe that the planets revolve around the sun. I also know about constellations, but I didn't know this was the study of astronomy. Why does it come in handy when on a ship?
Captain: If you know astronomy, you know where you are in the world if you study constellations, at night look up and you see one, if you know which one it is you know where you are. Also if you can find the north star, that way is North. Now, tell my some names of the constellations.
Ben: My father taught me this, Little dipper, Ursa Major, Virgo, and Taurus. Oh and ares.
Captain: Outstanding my Ben, you know, next journey how would you like to be my apprentice?
Ben: Oh captain Berin That would be an honor!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Captain: Your doing well on your astronomy , there's not much more I can tech you, you actually know more than me!! I'll see you at dinner tonight, that has to be our last lesson for this trip but when you =r my apprentice, I'll teach you much more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

October 27, 2010 Day Thirty-Six

Sophie's doing well with her busy schedule now that the play is back on! When she's not skating and working on school, she's busy studying her lines and already has most of them memorized and ready to rehearse. I want to take this time to mention a few things about Sophie and Lily's health and well-being as we're rounding off the month of October. The girls are rested, healthy, well fed, and happy. They eat three good meals a day with healthy, readily available snacks and water whenever interspersed. They spend quality time together playing and learning and crafting. Sophie still spends a lot of time with some friends, particularly Sadie. It's hard because of her busy afternoon schedule with skating and dancing and now rehearsal to connect her with any school-friends. She did meet a new girl at rehearsal, however, who is also homeschooled. She hasn't had one bit of cold or anything and I hear there is a nasty flu going around. She tended to always be able to ward off school-sickies but Lily usually brought quite a bit home from daycare. This extra advantage of homeschooling has recently presented itself and I am grateful for it!
I appreciate the good breakfasts and easy-going approach to the mornings of homeschooling. This is particularly nice as the mornings are darker and colder by the day and the urgency of having to get up and moving is relieved. She still starts school at approximately the same time as public school, sometimes earlier, but our life is minus the rush of the public school mornings. For that benefit too, I am thankful.
The time we spend together at the farm as been really wonderful as well. The girls are both spending good time with my Mom and Bill learning at the farm twice a week. This lets us get out of the house without having to go to a public, busy, uncomfortable space and continue to homeschool. I truly believe the village raises the child. I truly believe that one of the best gifts we can give our children is other people to love them and teach them. Mom, "Gamma" is a talented artist but I think an even more gifted art teacher. I am truly amazed at the progress Sophie has made already and how much she has learned and created during her art lessons. I look forward to her future projects and lessons and masterpieces! And the good, hard work Sophie's doing with Bill is significant and important and Bill has a way of always making it fun and interesting. No sitting at a desk staring at a black-board diagramming sentences for this fifth-grader! Bill challenges her brain and her capability of critical thinking and she's thriving on the lessons. And Lily LOVES the farm. It's probably where she is most happy and comfortable with her self. She plays and explores and works on her workbooks or play games with Bo (Bill) and Gamma. The time we spend at the farm also allows me to work outside, doing my stall chores and lately getting the gardens ready for the winter/spring, which relieves Mom and Bill from some of the hard labor that rewards us all with veggies and peace and good food. For the time at the farm every week, I am also grateful and blessed.
Sophie and I are getting close to finishing our first major unit: The Age of Discovery. We have a good amount of work to complete in the next couple of weeks—finish Astronomy and complete Constellation "Lab;" Web Quest on French Explorers in Canada & the Iroquois Nation; Astronomy Web Quest; Scrapbook Pages on Cartier, de Champlain, Iroquois, and Astronomy; Act 2 Scenes 3 & 4 (possible 5); Rehearsal and Performance of Play; Review of Explorers You Should Know; Review of Astronomy; Long division Review; Portfolio Presentation of Age of Discovery Scrapbook—and all this before Thanksgiving!

lily at the farm

Lily coloring while Sophie works on school

Sophie hard at work

Sophie's script

Running lines before skating

Activities:
Language Arts with Bill
Grammar Lesson: their, there, they're
        Its, it's, it is
        Whose, who's, whom
Silent reading
The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster, Chapter 1 & 2
Workplace visit: Fairchild Semiconductor
    Visit Workplace: Fairchild Semiconductor

1. What does Fairchild Semiconductor do/make?
   
   
   Computer chips—all different kinds!
   
    
2. What is a "wafer"?

Computer designs etched on silicon

 

1. What is Dad's "title"? What does he do?
   
   
   Systems Engineer—makes servers work on the networks
   
   
   
    
2. How many people (approximately) work for Fairchild?
   
   
   9,000
   
    
3. What does" 24/7" mean? How/Why does Fairchild work 24/7?
   
   
   24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The factories run 24/7
   
    
4. What is a server?
   
   
   A computer that's dedicated to a task
   
    
5. What is a network?
   
   
   It allows other computers to talk to each other
   
    
6. What is a "cube"?
   Where people work
7. What is Dad's "team"?
   
   
   The Windows Novell Team
   
    
8. How much money does Fairchild Semiconductor make annually? How much does a chip sell for?

1.5 billion, $300-400 million dollars a year chip--$.01 - $15.00


Explorers: Henry Hudson
Explorers Who Got Lost, Dreher
Play: Act 1, sc. 1
Act 2
Scene 1
Location: main deck
Cast: Ariel, Ben, and Samuel
Name of scene: Feeling better
Dialogue
Samuel: ( bailing out water) Ben, come over here lad( Ben goes over ) Now lad, you made through your first storm, you should feel brave, courageous, more mature, tell me.
Ben: Yes Samuel, I do feel more mature and more courageous and not so frightened. I do miss Ariel though, she was my very best friend.
Samuel: Well, I don't know what to tell you lad, but I'm glad you feel alright, now how about we cheer you up with a little art lesson eh?
Ben: Yes, I'd like that, thanks Samuel.
Ariel: Ruff, Ruff, Aoooh! Ruff, ruff!
Samuel: Now, who could that be?!
Ben: Oh Ariel, I've missed you so much!!! I thought you went overboard! Oh I love you Ariel!!!!!
Ariel: Ruff, ruff, ruff, ruff!
End of scene 1


Sophie's Blog Today I had my lesson with Bo, he told me some stories about his childhood ( they were funny ) And then we picked a new novel to read. I picked Phantom Tollbooth because I like fantasy stories. We did some grammar work, with it's and its. And there, their, and they're, as well as whose, who's ,and whom. I learned that now, mostly only butler's use whom. " Whom do you wish to see!" Ha ha ha!

October 26, 2010 Day Thirty-Five

5 x 5 for 5th Grade
5 Vocabulary
1. Theory: An idea proposed by education and study, usually by an expert in a particular subject
2. Incorporate: To form into a corporation, or to include.
3. Phenomenon: Something remarkable and extraordinary
4. Emulate: To imitate and be better
5. Absence: To not be there

5 Details/Facts
1. There=place and their=own
2. L x W x D
3. Geese migrate in the winter because if they stay up north, they can't find food.
4. The difference of a pirate and a privateer is any seafarer who commits to acts of robbery on the high seas, and a privateer is a man who sails with a commission known as a letter of marquee. These letters are issued by governments and permit the privateer to take and make prize of enemy ships, Francis Drake was a privateer to Queen Elizabeth, but a pirate to the Spanish.
5. Larboard is left, and starboard is right.

5 Sentences
1. A black hole is a theoretical object in Space.
2. I'm going to incorporate my double salchow, my axel and a layback in my Christmas program.
3. It's a phenomenon to watch 15 butterflies crawl out of a cocoon all at once.
4. I want to emulate Sasha Cohen or Evan Lysachek when I grow up.
5. Mom thought the word absence was hard to spell.

5 Questions & Answers
1. What is an example of a theory? A: astronomers on a black hole
2. What does it mean that something is theoretical? A: it is possible based on the theories presented
3. What drawing exercise did you practice with Gamma with a "grid"? A: I duplicated the drawings in the boxes
4. What are two theories about what happened to John Cabot on his second voyage? A: He either stayed there for the rest of his life or died on his way back--either way no one ever heard of him again
5. What novel did you pick and why did you pick it? What are some ways Bill taught you to help choose a new book at the store or the library? A: The Phantom Tollbooth. I like fantascies. Reading the summary, reading the reviews, and reading the chapter titles or first pages, or if it's a nonfiction book then the captions on the pictures.

Activities

Script Study

Art with Gamma

Sophie and Gamma continued their study on drawing with pencils with the goal to complete a "self-portrait" for Sophie's character Ben. Their practice has been to draw Sophie's own self-portrait using a few different techniques. This week Sophie learned on to work with a grid, which allowed her to "quiet her critical mind" and focus on smaller areas of detail (the squares in the grid) instead of worrying about the whole picture of her own face. By using herself to study first, it will help her to "create" the self-portrait of Ben that is an important prop in her play and to the character of Ben.

Encyclopedia Entries (2)

Night Sky pages 34-45

1. What are two similarities between Earth and Mars? Two differences?
   They both hold machines on it. The days are 24 hours. The diameter is shorter than on Earth, and Mars has 2 moons.
2. Why is Mars called the Red Planet?
   Because it has iron dust on it, made up of the things that make rust, and it's red.
   
   
   
3. Describe Jupiter's Great Red Spot. What do astronomers think it is?
   Jupiter's red spot is an ongoing hurricane, No one knows if it will be there but it has been there ( as we know of ) for 150 years
4. How many moons does Jupiter have? Who discovered the first four?
   61. Galileo
5. What, besides its rings, is different about the planet Saturn? It's colorful
6. What is Uranus' steady temperature?
   -350 degrees F
7. What's odd about Uranus' rotation on its axis?
   It rotates on its axis sideways
8. How long in Earth years is Neptune's year?
   164
9. Poor Pluto. Why is this book "wrong" about Pluto? Why do you think that's so? Hint: Look at the front of the book for its publication date. Now look on-line, when did astronomers "discover" what we now learn/teach about Pluto?
   You told me to skip this one!!!
10. How many times smaller than the Moon is Pluto?
    About 2 times

Night Sky Pages 46-54

1. How many asteroids have been spotted in space?
   Almost 5,000
2. What do some scientists think made the dinosaurs extinct?
   An asteroid
   
   
   
3. What makes an asteroid a meteor? What is its name if it hits the Earth?
   If the asteroid gets through the Earth's atmosphere, it becomes a meteor. If it hits the ground, it becomes a metetorite.
4. Name the parts of a comet.
   Nucleus, Coma, Hydrogen Cloud, iontail, and dust tail
5. What do comets and planets have in common?
   They both revolve around the sun
   
   
   
6. Who is Edmond Halley and what did he discover?
   An astronomer, Halleys (hay- lee-s ) Comet
7. What are the three main types of galaxies and 1 fact each?
   Spiral: The Milky Way is a spiral galaxy
   
   Elliptical: Named after eclipse
   Irregular: Has no clear shape or size
8. What us the name of our galaxy? How many light-years is it at its widest point?
   Milky Way, 15,000 light years
9. What is the name of a popular theory of how the universe began? What does it mean?
   
   
   
   Big Bang theory. Scientists idea that the universe began in a big explosion some 15 billion years ago, and that everything in the universe is still spreading outward as a result

Why do astronomers need to work backwards to study black holes? Because they can't find where a black hole actually is.

October 25, 2010 Day Thirty-Four

5 x 5 for 5th Grade
Sophie's Blog: Share your good news about the play! What math did you do with Dad this weekend? What happened twice to you this week (in your mouth)? What did we work on in the afternoon? Whose birthday was it on Friday?
The play is still on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am very excited and super happy. I measured the stage in the basement( with dads help ) It will be awesome! I lost 2 teeth this week. My Canine and the one before my canine! : ) We worked on my scrapbook this afternoon. It's almost done except for Henry Hudson, John Cabot, and 2 or 3 more other things!!! The triplets birthday was on Friday!!! Happy Birthday to them, they turned 8!!!!!!!!!!!



5 Vocabulary
1. Circumference: The measurement around a sphere
2. Altitude: The height of anything above a given planetary reference, like a plane
3. Dimension: Measurement of length, width, and depth
4. Percussion: Striking one body against another making a sound or beat
5. Magnificent: splendid or impressive in appearance

5 Details/Facts
1. Jupiter's diameter is 88,844 miles long, almost 10 times bigger than the Earth!
2. Saturn's average temperature is -218 degrees F
3. Saturn is mostly made of gas-hydrogen
4. In art you need to fool your critical mind
5. I have a dentist appointment tomorrow

5 Sentences
1. The equator is the circumference of the Earth.
2. The average altitude of a plane is 30 to 40,000 feet.
3. The average dimension of a sugar cube is about a centimeter and a half.
4. A lot of people wanted to play percussion instruments.
5. I had a magnificent time doing school today.

5 Questions & Answers
1. Who was called his "most-beloved" by English King Henry VII? A: John Cabot
2. You want to ship a book to Hannah, Olivia, and Danielle. How do you calculate the available space you have in a box using its dimensions? A: Length x width times depth
3. What is the answer to this math problem using the 1 x 2 x 4 x 8 method: 124,892 ÷ 48? 2,601 remainder 44
4. What are the two possibilities of John Cabot's "lost" second voyage? A: That he died, or he stayed there for the rest of his life.
5. What three things do Columbus and Cabot have in common? A: They were born in Genoa, They were jealous of each other, and they were sailing at the exact same time.

Activities
Play—Act 1, sc 5
Scene 5
Location: The main deck/bow
Cast: Captain Berin, Ben, Samuel, Sailor James
Sound Effects: Thunder storm, waves crashing, Lightning
Dialogue
Ben's voice over: () Look, how much rigging there is, It's like a spiders web! And that there hull must be 65,000 feet long, or more. Oh, wouldn't it be cool to be on a ship like the Calderwood! I remember when Dad said he was a cabin boy on a vessel called The Voyager 3. I remember when Kyle and James used to tease me about being an artist. They said that art was just for girls. I miss James and Kyle though. I miss Mary and little Emily. I miss Chris, and even Tim. I miss ma and Da. But I have my own family right here. The Captain, Samuel, Sailor James, and Ariel. And this ship is my own. My home away from home.
Samuel: Ben , Ben Wake up, There's a storm, we need your help come outside, and wake Sailor James.
Ben: Oh no, a storm, I'm so scared of storms, But I should help and not be a nuisance, because that would make things worse. Sailor James wake up there's a storm.
Sailor James: Okay Ben, let's go!
Captain: ( while the sound effects are on ) Secure the lines! Get out of the Crows nest! People up fore, Bring up the sails! ( lightning ) Ben steer the ship, starboard!!!! Ben, now!
Ben: Okay sir!
Samuel: Ben, don't be scared just steer!
Ben: Your right Samuel, if I'm scared, I won't be able to help the ship!! ( Ben steers the boat )
Ariel: Ruff, ruff( The barks getting softer and softer ) ruff, ruff, ruff!
Ben: Ariel, Ariel, where are you? Ariel!!!! Did you go over board? ( Ben goes back and hides in the corner of his cabin, starts crying) Ariel.
Narrator: The Storm is still going. Ben is sad because he thinks Ariel is gone. Will the ship sink, or will they land to safety in a month and a half? Let's find out in Act 2!
End of Act 1!


Explorers You Should Know "wrap up"
John Cabot chapters & fact-gathering
Around the World in a Hundred Years: From Henry the Navigator to Magellan,
Jean Fritz
Explorers Who Got Lost,
Diane Sansevere Dreher

Math lesson: dimension, area squared & cubed, 1 x 2 x 4 x 8 Division Method PracticeProject—"Age of Discovery" Scrapbook Assembly

October 22, 2010 Day Thirty-three

Sophie's Blog: This week I lost 2 teeth, my first one was on Monday and my second one was on Wednesday. I got 5 dollars each!!! We got a really cool wii game called," Dance On Broadway." Mom played with me last night, she beat me twice, I beat her twice. I also had fun skating this week, except for the major head crash on Sunday!!!! Oh, I didn't have a chance to thank all of you read my blog. Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
5 x 5 for 5th Grade
5 Pictures/Illustrations

Math Practice

Explorers You Should Know Review in Classroom (she did very well)

Novel we were reading and ultimately abandoned because it was a chore for Sophie to read but she put in a good effort

5 Vocabulary
1. Propel: To drive, or cause to move
2. Diameter: The width of a round object, measured in a straight line
3. Revolve: To travel around something else, as the Earth and other planets revolve around the Sun
4. Prominence: An arc of gas blasting out of a sunspot
5. Ptolemy: An astronomer and cartographer who lived in the second century, who's Greek.
5 Details/Facts
1. The Earth's diameter is 7,926 miles long.
2. The Earth is 4 times larger than the moon.
3. Venus's days are actually longer than the years.
4. Jupiter was named after the roman god Jupiter, the king of the gods.
5. Uranus has 21 moons.
5 Sentences
1. Scientists propel the spaceships when they're in Space.
2. The diameter of the moon is 2,160 miles.
3. The planets revolve around the sun.
4. We learned about Ptolemy at the Osher Map Gallery.
5. Comets are very prominent.
5 Questions & Answers
1. Describe the math worksheets today—what did you have to do? A: I had to order the numbers from smallest to biggest, I also had to fill in the missing digits.
2. Why are Venus' days longer than its years? A: Because it revolves around the Sun so slowly.
3. What "tools" do you need when you're dead reckoning? A: Your brain and good eyesight
4. Who is the Roman god of the sea? A: Neptune
5. Why are comets prominent? A: Because when one passes by, you can't help but notice it.
Activities
Math Worksheets—Find the missing digit & Ordering Numbers
Play—Act 1, Scene 4
Scene 4
Cast: Captain and Ben
Location: Captains quarters
Props: The navigating tools
Dialogue
Captain: Ben, Ben, where are you Ben?
Ben: ( Ben's rushing in) I'm here sir, I just had my art lesson with Samuel
Captain: Ah, good, now would you like to learn about navigating?
Ben: Yes sir, I sure would. My father taught me a little bit about in back in Bristol.
Captain: Ya don't say,………well than whats this here instrument?
Ben: ( pauses with a look of confusion ) do you use in cookin?
Captain: Ha ha ha ha, no, it's a compass. It's used for telling you where north is. This is one of the most important navigating tools. It helps you find your way when you get lost. ( hands it to Ben )
Ben: Well why are the letters N, E, W, S on here?
Captain: News? It doesn't say that….oh, You mean North, South, East and West.
Ben: Hey, what's that instrument there? Do you use it for making clothes?
Captain: No, son ha ha ha ha ! This is a sextant, it's used for measuring the angle between two visible objects, as well as determining a celestial object and the horizon.
Ben: Oh cool!! What's this thing here? It kind of looks like the compass.
Captain: Yes you are right son, but that is an astrolabe. It's used for finding the latitude and longitude of the Earth. This is one of my favorite tools. Now I have one more thing to teach you about navigating, and that is dead reckoning. Dead reckoning doesn't have a tool to help out, other than a brain and good eyesight. The first thing you need to know, is how many knots you are traveling.
Ben: ( holding up a rope with a knot in it ) But sir how do you measure knots?
Captain: Oh Ben, that's not the knot I'm talking about. This knot is referring to speed. Or how many nautical miles per hour were going. Now, Ben The other thing you need to know about dead reckoning is the wind, it involves the wind a lot, and speaking of wind, I smell a storm coming on from Euthos. Better get into your cabin, I'm going aft.
Ben: Thank you so much for my lesson sir!
Captain:
I have a lot on my hands for the next couple of weeks, how about our astronomy lesson in a month?
Ben: Of course sir, goodbye!!
End of scene 4


Night Sky Encyclopedia Report Part 2

October 22, 2010 Night Sky pages 21-33

 

1. How hot in degrees is the sun on its surface? How about its core?
   Surface: 10,000 degrees Fahrenheit, 30 million degrees at the core
2. Define "Solar System."

The system of planets and other objects orbiting around the sun.

1. Where else this year did we learn about the Greek scientist Ptolemy?
   At the Osher Map Gallery
2. How do you measure diameter?

In a straight line from one side to the other passing through the center of the object

 

1. Why is the planet Mercury named so?

Because it orbits around the sun so quickly it was considered a speed demon by the Romans. It reminded them of the messenger god Mercury.

1. What is strange about Venus' rotation?

It rotates so slowly that its days are longer are longer than its years.

 

1. Name Venus' volcano. Hint: Look at the pictures and read their captions.
   Maat Mons
2. Why does planet Earth sustain life?

Because it has plenty of water and it doesn't get too hot or cold.

1. What is the Moon's diameter? How many times larger is the Earth than the Moon?
   2, 160 miles. 4 times bigger
2. What does the Moon do to the Earth's tides?

Lowers and rises them


Current Events—Astronomy Article "Astronomers say they've found the oldest galaxy so far" By Seth Borenstein
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101020/ap_on_sc/us_sci_oldest_galaxy

1. What is the "oldest" thing in the universe according to the article? A: a galaxy they discovered
2. What is the name of the telescope astronomers used to make the discovery? A: The Hubble Telescope
3. What do astronomers call their new discovery? A: The "high red-shift" blob

Library

October 20 & 21, 2010 Day Thirty-Two

Two half-days = 1 full day

Activities

Language Arts with Bill

Similes

Similar / Alike / like / in common / share

Comparing two American Girl dolls: Mia & Julie

Same            Different

eye color        Hair color

nose            names

freckles        clothes

company        sleeping arrangements

store            age

size            hair length    

Similes Sentences

1. Her blonde hair was as beautiful as the daffodils in the spring.
   
2. The water was like being curled up inside the freezer for a week.
   
3. The lumberjack's hands were as rough as the storms at sea.
   
4. We were out of milk and we had to eat our cereal dry; it tasted like being in the desert for year, trying to find water.
   

Simile Equation

____X_____ = _____Y_____.

As _____X_________ as _______Y______

Her smile was as appealing as your first bite of ice cream in the summer.

John Prine's voice is as deep and sweet as hot fudge. (Bill)

The ice-skater's outfit was as outstanding as seeing the world from the top of Mt. Everest. (Sophie)

The ice was as smooth as the cloth on my dress, but smoother.

American Sayings & Figures of Speech

Crazy as a loon

Hungry as a bear

Fast as a horse

Graceful as a swan

Silly as a goose

Older than dirt

Tight as a boa

Fancy as broadway

Swift as wind

Sweet as candy

"Lazy as a bump on a log"

She was as dull as an old knife

Happy as a lark

As sharp as a tack

Quiet as a mouse

Pretty as a picture

Ugly as a toad

Handsome as a prince

Eats like a pig

Dumb as a rock

Sour as a lemon

 

Play—Act 1, Scene 3

Scene 3

Cast: Ben, Captain, Samuel, Sailor James, and Ariel the dog.

Location: The dining room

Dialogue

Curtain up

Captain: Now, Ben how do you like that Salted Cod?

Ben: Well actually sir, this happens to be one of my favorite foods. I'm enjoying it a lot.

Sailor James: Hello, I'm sailor James!

Ben: Nice to meet you James, I'm Ben your new cabin boy.

Captain: Ben, you and James will be sharing the same room. You'll have 1 hammock for each of ya, and ya own head!

Samuel: ha ha ha ha ha, That's a good one, sir!

Captain: Now, who wants to start a little conversation? Ben………how about you?

Ben: Well, could we talk about Christopher Columbus, and John Cabot, and Samuel De Champlain and other explorers, that will make a good conversation?!

Captain: Bloody good idea son!

Samuel: Yes, sir ya right, but in me hometown in Scotland, we say Great idea lad, and sure is!!

Captain: I'll start, Now where we are supposed to be headed, John Cabot explored back in 1498. The east coast of Virginia. John Cabot took 4 journeys to the New World. He died on his 4^th visit to Virginia. But his son Sebastian Cabot, made journeys, to Virginia for him, and kept the Cabot name in history. And we hope it will still be in history 1,000 years into the future.

Samuel: Yes, but Christopher Columbus was sailing from Spain and the exact same time, except in the lower half of Virginia. He was the first man to set foot on Virginia, but he believed he was stepping on The Indies. Rumors say he died believing, he found the Indies, but we know that he didn't.

Ben: Wow, Thank you so much for this lesson about explorers, you can teach me more about explorers tomorrow. Good-nigh……….

Samuel: Wait, you need to know about the Vikings, young lad.

Ben: ( with a look of confusion ) The Vikings?!

Captain: Oh yes, back in the year 1,000 Erik the red, and his crew sailed to the New Found Land. They went up to Iceland, and then to Greenland, Then to The New Found Land. Erik the red's son was right behind him, his name was Leif Erikson. So when Samuel here said that Columbus was the first man to set foot on Virginia, he was incorrect.

Samuel: Ok lad, you can go to your room now, I think sailor James has all ready fallen to sleep.

Ben: Come on Ariel, let's go to our room.

Ariel: Ruff ,Ruff , Aooooooh!!!

End of Scene 3

 

Project—Type in and format "facts"

Vikings

1. The Vikings found Iceland and Greenland first.
   
2. Snowii, was the first child to be born in America.
   
3. Sagas, are the most important stories, about the Vikings.
   
4. L'Anse aux meadows, is where the Vikings landed in Newfoundland.
   
5. Leif Erikson is Erik The Red's son.
   

Native Americans

1. Explorers called the Native Americans "Indians" because they thought they were in India
   
2. Native Americans traded wampum for brass, kettles, and more.
   
3. Squanto is the most famous Native American, for teaching the Pilgrims.
   
4. Squanto's real name was Tisquantam.
   
5. Native Americans live in Wigwams and Longhouses, especially near the east coast.
   
6. The fortune teller in a Native American tribe is called a medicine man.
   
7. A chief of a Native American tribe, is called a Sachem.
   

   Ships and Navigation
   

   1. A Carrack is a large ship with 3 or 4 masts.
      
   2. A caravel is a smaller ship with lateen sails.
      
   3. A compass is used for finding North, while an astrolabe is used for finding latitude and longitude.
      

   Field Trips
   

   1. Osher Map Gallery: The first maps of the world were called T and O maps.
      
   2. Mystic Seaport: The oldest remaining Whaling ship ever, is the Charles W. Morgan.
      
   3. Pequot Museum: There were lookalike statues of the Native Americans!
      

   Columbus
   

   1. It took Columbus 12 years to get money and ships to go on his voyage.
      
   2. Columbus took 4 voyages, on the last voyage Columbus reached the mainland.
      
   3. Columbus had 3 ships, The Nina, The Pinta, and The Santa-Maria.
      
   4. Columbus was born in Genoa, Italy.
      
   5. Between 1494and 1496 1-3^rd of the Native Americans were killed.
      

 

Math Practice—Find the missing digit worksheet (practice) & estimating and measuring angles (new skill)

http://www.math-drills.com/halloween.shtml

 

Mad Lib—Explorers You Should Know

October 21, 2010

Explorers You Should Know Mad Lib

There are many __________ of ______________ I learned about in my web-quest. The fist explorer was

        (Number)    (noun pl.)                

Marco __________. He was famous because he went all around the ____________ looking for

    (Noun )                                (noun)

____________ ____________. We play the game ____________ because Marco Polo literally went

(adjective)    (noun)                    (noun)

everywhere in the ____________. Another explorer was Prince ____________ the __________.

            (country)                    (noun)        (noun)

Prince ___________ opened the first _____________ ___________ ever! He was also responsible for

    (noun)                (adjective)    (noun)

sending the first ___________ beyond ___________! Now, another explorer was Ferdinand _________.

        (noun)            (noun)                            (noun)

The story of Ferdinand is ______________. He never found what he was _____________ for. He went

            (adjective)                    (verb-ing)

to several ________________, but never found his ________________. One more explorer was a

    (noun pl.)                    (noun)

______________ Conquistador. His name is Ponce de Leon. Conquistadors are __________ who

(noun)                                        (noun)

_________________ in South _______________. Francis Drake is one of the most ____________

(verb)                (noun)                            (adjective)

explorers. He is famous for being the first Englishman to see the ___________ ______________.

                                (adjective)        (noun)

Those are some of the _____________ of _________________ you should know.

            (number)        (noun pl.)                 

 

October 20, 2010 Day Thirty-One

5 x 5 for 5th Grade
5 Vocabulary
1. Black hole: A theoretical object in space, perhaps a collapsed star, whose gravitational field is so intense that it sucks in whatever comes near it.
2. Supernova: A star whose life ends in a fast spectacular explosion.
3. Dwarf star: A star that hasn't gathered enough energy and gas. There are lots of different kinds of dwarf stars.
4. Light year: The distance light travels in a year, 5.8 trillion miles.
5. Universe: The scientific word for great vast area, where everything we know of exists.

5 Details/Facts
1. The black hole is smaller than a germ.
2. To make an object look three dimensional, you shade, where the light is not hitting.
3. Reduce means to lower, while increase means to make things higher.
4. My Christmas music will be either, Santa Claus is coming to town, or Rock around the Christmas Tree.
5. Seeing drawing is very hard,= because you have to look at the thing your drawing, not at your paper.

5 Sentences
1. If you get sucked into a black hole, you could get spit out somewhere else in space.
2. This is my sentence for supernova.
3. It took me a long time to figure out what dwarf star meant.
4. Lily's second favorite toy story character is Buzz Lightyear.
5. This is a Buzz Lightyear quote, " I will protect the universe from the evil emperor Zurg.

5 Questions & Answers
1. What kind of man was the scientist Galileo? A: A man who didn't take the easy way out
2. What happens to light in a black hole? A: It sucks all the light in
3. What does "reduce" a fraction mean? A: To make it smaller.
4. Explain how you're using tracing paper to draw your self-portrait. A: I was looking at my self portrait, with see threw paper and drawing over it.
5. Who is Fredrick Frank and what is the drawing technique/exercise you learned about today? A: seeing drawing

ActivitiesMusic—singing lesson with Kat—beginning work on Annie songs "It's a Hard Knock Life" and "Maybe" for audition
Art—good lesson and work with Gamma learning drawing techniques and improving Sophie's self-portrait

Self-Portrait

Self-Portrait with tracing paper & "mirror" work with Gamma

darwing without looking exercise

Book Report/Encyclopedia—The Night Sky
October 18. 2010
Book Report/ Encyclopedia Entry: The Night Sky pgs. 1-21

1. What language does the word "astronomy" come from? Why is it appropriate?
   Greek. It is appropriate because it means the study of the heavens.

2. What does the "Universe" mean? Why is it important and exciting to study it?
The great vast area where everything we know of exists.

3. What is a "star"?
A giant ball of fire and gas.

4.What are a star's stage of life?
A proto star, a brown dwarf, blue giant, red dwarf, super giant, white dwarf, black dwarf, super nova.

5. Who were some of the fist people to watch and learn about the night sky and the stars? What "tools" did they use? The Chinese.  6. What is a Native American story about how the stars were made? Hint: Read the purple box page 19. They think that, One who walks on the moon has a special mask that is set on fire, that is the sun. They think that when One who walks on the moon snores, sparks fly out of the sun and those are the stars. 7. Read through the Deep Space Dictionary. Some of these vocabulary words will show up in your 5x 5s. 8. What major advancement occurred in the year 1600? Who invented it? The telescope. Galileo. 9. What is a "light year"? The distance light travels in one year, 5.8 trillion miles. 10. If a star goes dark or "dies" five light years away, how long before we "see" it go dark on Earth? 5 years

Sophie's Blog: Name some of the ten other "Explorers You Should Know" and what you "discovered" on your web-quest. Explain what I mean when I say that the stars we see in our night sky are already dead. What are some theories from science fiction movies and literature about black holes in space—what do some science fiction writers think might happen in a black hole? What is one reason astronomers have not been able to send an astronaut to Mars or another planet yet?
The ten explorers I learned about on my web quest are, Marco Polo, Prince Henry the Navigator, Ferdinand Magellan, Vasco De Gama, and more! I also discovered in the Conquistadors part of the web quest that there were 10 million Incas!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The stars that we see in the sky are dead, they died light years away, but we see them dead on earth. Some people think that if you get sucked into a black hole, you will get spit out somewhere else in space. They haven't been able to send an astronaut to mars yet because lots of people won't risk their lives for that.

October 18, 2010 Day Thirty

Sophie's Blog: We're kinda taking it easy today—what happened last night? Write about your weekend: How was Elliot's Bar Mitzvah? What did you learn? Who came home this weekend? What did we do Sunday in preparation for Halloween?
Last night at skating, I hit my head in a spin. It hurts really bad, I have an egg all over the bottom of my head. My weekend was fun because Elliot had his bar mitzvah, Sadie invited me, and I slept over at her house. We also went bowling. I learned at the bar mitzvah that they sing a lot, and that Hebrew language sounds like gibberish. Yesterday we did the haunted trail. It looks a lot better than last year, no offense mom!!!!
Activities
Web Quest: Explorers You Should Know Part Two

1. http://www.pbs.org/opb/conquistadors/home.htm
   A: We will watch this video together.
   B: What did you learn?
   1. The lost city of gold is called El Dorado and it was important for the conquistadors because they were looking for gold.
   2. Amazons were female warriors.
   3. Conquistadors were Spanish explorers who conquered many Aztecs, Incas and Native people.
   4. There were 10 million Incas before the Spanish conquered them.
   5. Cabezo De Vaca was the first white man to be in the center of North America.
2. Hernando de Soto: Spanish explorer and conquistador who, while leading the first European expedition deep into the territory of the modern-day United States, was the first European documented to have crossed the Mississippi River.^[1]
   http://library.thinkquest.org/J002678F/de_soto.htm
   A: Read interview
   (c.1496/1497–1542) was a

A vast undertaking, de Soto's North American expedition ranged throughout the southeastern United States searching for gold and a passage to China. De Soto died in 1542 on the banks of the Mississippi River in Arkansas or Louisiana.

B: Copy & Paste de Soto's map here:

 

 

1. Coronado: http://library.thinkquest.org/J002678F/coronado.htm

A: Read website
B: What major landmark did Coronado "discover"?
Answer: The Grand Canyon

Bonus Question: Why did I put quotation marks around discover?

Answer: He didn't really discover it.

C: What was Coronado searching for?
Answer: The Seven Cities of Gold.

1. Ponce de Leon: http://fcit.usf.edu/florida/lessons/de_leon/de_leon1.htm

A: Read

B: How did Ponce de Leon get to the New World?

Answer: With Christopher Columbus

C: What mythical thing was he searching for?

    Answer: The fountain of youth
    D: What did he "discover" instead?
    Answer: He discovered Florida

1. Sir Francis Drake: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkGi4wgm9sc&feature=related
   A: Watch Video
   B: What did Sir Francis Drake (an Englishman) see for the first time?
   Answer: The Pacific Ocean
   C: What is Sir Francis Drake? Hint: read paragraph below
   Answer: A pirate
       Bonus Question: What's another word for privateer?
       Answer: pirate
   C: What did Sir Francis Drake do? Hint: It's one of your vocabulary words.
   Answer: Circumnavigate
   Sir Francis Drake: Vice Admiral (1540 – 27 January 1596) was an English
   sea captain, privateer, navigator, slaver, a renowned pirate, and a politician of the Elizabethan era. Elizabeth I of England awarded Drake a knighthood in 1581. He was second-in-command of the English fleet against the Spanish Armada in 1588, subordinate only to Charles Howard and the Queen herself. He died of dysentery in January 1596^[1] after unsuccessfully attacking San Juan, Puerto Rico.

His exploits were legendary, making him a hero to the English but a pirate to the Spaniards to whom he was known as El Draque, 'Draque' being the Spanish pronunciation of 'Drake'. His name in Latin was Franciscus Draco ('Francis the Dragon').^[2] King Philip II was claimed to have offered a reward of 20,000 ducats,^[3] about £4,000,000 (US$6.5M) by modern standards, for his life.He is famous for (among other things) leading the first English circumnavigation of the world, from 1577 to 1580.
Music Practice—Sophie worked on her scales and warm-ups and some breathing exercises. She also sang along to "Colors of the Wind," which is the song she learned with Kat last week. We went downtown (and had a chilly but good hot dog and cheeseburger on the mall at Danny's) to the music store to see about getting the sheet music for "It's a Hard Knock Life" and "Maybe" from Annie for her up-coming audition for Maine State Music Theater.
Play *Here's a sneak peak of what she has so far! Production Opening scheduled for Nov. 15^th (ish)
Cast
Ben Smith, Age 12 from Bristol England, Cabin boy on ship The Calderwood.
Samuel Baker, Age 45, from Scotland, Sailor on ship, "The Calderwood.
Captain Thomas Berrin: Age 34, from London England.
Ariel the dog, Bens dog./ figure head/sailor James.
Adoette: Native American, tribe Abanaki, age 26.
Scenery
Ship with 2 masts, 2 sails, a bow, a sleeping quarters, a head, and main deck.
Land, tree with leaves, grass, flowers, and wigwam.
Scene 1
Cast: Ben, Samuel, Captain, and Sailor james.
Location: Main deck
Dialogue:
The Calderwood's flying among the great seas, To me way hey Blow the man down.
The folks that were leavin' are sayin' goodbyes, Gimme some time, to blow the man down.
The sorrow I feel will be washed by the sea, To me way hey Blow the man down.
But an adventure is growing inside of me, Gimme some time, to blow the man down.
The sailors and I workin hard as we can, To me way hey Blow the man down.
The waves are a crashin' so gimme a plan, Gimme some time, to blow the man down.
Oh Calderwood sailors the new world we attend, To me way hey Blow the man down.
Land ho me good boys our journeys to it's end, Gimme some time, to blow the man down. Curtain down
Scene 2
Cast: Ben and Captain.
Location: In the captains quarters
Dialogue
Captain: Now Ben, ya ready to take the big voyage of 1586?
Ben: Yes, sir I think I am.
Captain: You think you are huh, well tell me all the parts of this vessel.
Ben: Right now were in the Captains quarters, and above is the main deck, and the bow/ bowsprit, and the head is the bathroom.
Captain: Impressive, Impressive yes, but are the sails lateen sails? And whats the word for moppin'?
Ben: No the sails are not lateen, and the word for mopping is swab. Oh and left is larboard, and right is starboard.
Captain: Very impressive, I will be teaching you navigating skills next week ok?
Ben: Yes, thank you, but I have a question, What do you eat for lunch, or supper or something?
Captain: Well Ben, usually we have gruel in the mornin' and hard tack for lunch, and salted cod, or haddock occasionally for supper.
Ben: Could I try some please?!
Captain: Of course, but I don't want to waste any right now, were having cod tonight, see you then!
Ben: Goodbye Sir!
Captain: Oh wait, one more thing, ( calls Samuel in )
Samuel: Yes sir what's the matter
Captain: Samuel, this is Ben, are new Cabin boy, Ben this is Samuel, I'll bet you two will be spending lots of time together.
Ben: Hi nice to meet, you. What is that your holding Mr.? May I have a look?
Samuel: Of course, here you go lad.
Ben: Is this a sketch?
Samuel: Why yes it is, do you like it? It's a sketch of the sailors who were singing the sea shanty.
Ben: Yes I love it, could you teach me how to do this? I'm an artist as well, Here are some of my paintings. ( shows, sea chest, self portrait, and painting of the Calderwood ) waits anxiously for Samuels opinion.
Samuel: These are nice, very good for a young boy, I will help you though. You will someday be as good as me.
Captain: Come on my fellow sailors, our journey awaits us.
End of Scene 2.

October 14, 2010 Day Twenty-eight

5 x 5 for 5th Grade
5 Vocabulary
1. Atmosphere: The gaseous envelope surrounding the Earth ; the sky between Earth and Space
2. Galaxy: A large system of stars held together by mutual gravitation
3. Axis: An imaginary line between the North and South poles on which the Earth spins.
4. Asteroid: Small celestial bodies that move around the Sun and Saturn and Jupiter
5. Meteor: a meteoroid that entered the Earth's atmosphere

5 Details/Facts
1. I've finished my costume, except for the stitching, crown, and purse.
2. When I'm doing strokes ( in art ) such as wings, you want to point the strokes in the direction the wings are.
3. Metallic paint has real metal and gold, and copper in it.
4. Athena the Greek goddess is the goddess of wisdom.
5. I chose Athena because my name means wisdom.

5 Sentences
1. We are all in an atmosphere, all the time, no matter where you are.
2. There might be people exactly like us in another galaxy.
3. An asteroid is bigger than a meteor, but is smaller than a comet.
4. In Monsters vs Aliens, Susan gets hit with a special meteor, and becomes 50 feet tall.
5. When I am spinning in skating, I am spinning on an axis.

1. Questions & Answers

1. What is another name for the atmosphere? A: The sky
2. Why is projection important on stage? A: So everyone can hear you.
Bonus Question: What is the difference between projection and yelling? A: yelling is as loud as you can, while projection is loud enough so everyone can hear you.
3. What two parts of the Earth does its axis separate? Hint: it was one of your vocabulary words a few weeks ago. A: hemisphere
4. What did some sailors think about traveling around the sphere of the Earth in the Western Ocean? Hint: Why did they think it would be harder to travel back? A: because you'd have to go upwards to travel back.
5. Were Native Americans always fair and nice? Why would Native Americans be violent towards Europeans? A: No, the Native Americans weren't always fair and nice. They would be very violent to the Europeans because the Europeans stole their land, tricked them and brought the disease, and killed them, and that wasn't right. I don't blame the Native Americans for being so violent.

Sophie's Blog: Tell us about your Halloween costume. Describe it in two sentences. Why were you so excited after skating today? What did you and Rob work on? Why does Elliot celebrate his Bar Mitzvah?

My Halloween costume, is a plain dress with gold rope, as a belt. It has gold fabric draping over it, and a white train in the back. It also has a gold and white sparkly vale, with an owl trick or treat bag and gold leaf crown. Because I did free dance with Rob and he made up a routine that he said was good enough to test. Elliot celebrates his Bar Mitzvah because he is Jewish.

October 15, 2010 Day Twenty-Nine

5 x 5 for 5th Grade
5 Vocabulary
1. Eclipse: When the moon passes between the sun and the earth, also called a solar eclipse. But the lunar eclipse is when the Earth passes between the sun and the moon.
2. Ellipse: A closed symmetric curve shaped like an oval.
3. Lunar: Of or pertaining to the moon.
4. Gravity: The force of attraction that holds human beings to the ground and planets to their orbit.
5. Solar: Of or pertaining to the sun.

5 Details/Facts
1. Three things that Earth does: Orbits around the sun slowly, turns in axis, and holds the moon in place.
2. The Sun never moves; it always stays in the center of our solar system.
3. There are 10 different explorers that I don't know of yet.
4. Dad will be coming home in 2 days!
5. All planets were probably once asteroids.

5 Sentences
1. I've never seen an eclipse, but I can't wait to because I think it would be cool.
2. There is an ellipse at the top of a cylinder.
3. The word lunar comes from Latin, but in Bear in the Big Blue House, the moon is called Luna, which is Spanish for moon.
4. There is no gravity in space, so when you're an astronaut you float.
5. Some people have solar panels on the roofs of their houses so they get light power from the sun.

5 Questions & Answers
1. What is sad about Ferdinand Magellan? A: He never found what he was looking for, but he tried so many times.
2. What is the scientific word for weight? A: mass.
3. What is another way to remember the new way of long-division called "Double Division?" Hint: It's part of the first step. A: 1-2-4-8
4. Which "Spice Route" explorer you learned about today helped inspire the Age of Discovery and specifically Christopher Columbus? A: Marco Polo.
5. Why don't the planets run into each other? A: because they have a gravitational pull that keeps them in line.

Science Experiment--Orbit Dance

Activities:Science Experiment: Orbit Dance *We did do this today with our guest Courtney but we weren't as successful as I'd hoped due to rain and winds, therefore we attempted the experiment in the garage and just didn't have the room to accomplish the goal. But we got the point across and it was fun and we're going to try it again when it's dry outside.*
Materials Needed:
2 hula-hoops (small and large if possible)
2 jump ropes or equivalent
1 broom stick or equivalent
Chalk
1 "Sun" volunteer
1 "Moon" volunteer
1 "Earth" volunteer

Position the "Sun" in the center with the larger hula-hoop around Sun.
Tie one end of rope to hula-hoop.
Earth holds other end of Sun's rope, representing GRAVITY's pull.

Explain: "Because of the relationship of mass between the Sun and Earth that pull stays constant. The Earth is stuck to its orbit without change or falter because of that complicated but set relationship. Without the relationship of mass between the Sun and Earth, gravity would not hold Earth to its orbit and it would be free to fly through space without course."
Tie Earth's rope end to smaller hula-hoop and stand Earth in middle of hoop.
Tie one end of second rope to opposite side of Sun's rope on Earth's hoop so that Earth and Sun are connected and Moon and Earth are connected.

O -------- O ------- Moon

                SUN     rope    EARTH    rope

Moon takes other end of Earth's rope.
Earth takes broom stick and holds it standing end-to-end vertically as Earth's AXIS.

Explain: "The Earth and Sun and Moon are usually balanced. Who knows what the Earth's speed around its Axis is? 24 hours or a SOLAR DAY. Earth move around your Axis. Stop. The side facing the Sun is your Eastern Hemisphere. What time of day is it in Singapore? Daytime. How about in Maine, which faces the moon? Nighttime. Now what else do we know about the Earth on its Axis? That it's not really straight up and down, it's tilted. Earth tilt on your Axis. What do you notice about Maine now? It's titled away from the sun. What does that tell you about what season Maine is in? How about Australia? What season are they in? Summer. Because they are titled closer to the Sun now."

"What do we know about the Moon? How fast does it go around the Earth? About a month or specifically 27.3 lunar days and 29 solar days or calendar days. What happens to the Moon as it orbits the Earth? It has phases from New to Full depending on its relation to the Sun."
"What else is the Earth doing as it spins on its Axis and the Moon orbits it? The Earth orbits the Sun. How fast does the Earth orbit the Sun? 365 solar days or one year. And as it is spinning on its Axis and orbiting the Earth and having the Moon orbit it (and control the tides), the tilt of the Earth changes as it moves along its elliptical, counter-clockwise orbit! The Earth has a lot to do!"

Before beginning the "orbit dance," have Earth orbit Sun on its own and draw the orbit in chalk. Detach the rope connecting Sun and Earth. (we don't want to get all tangled up!)

Leave the rope connecting Moon and Earth as example and reminder of Gravity.

Count out a steady count of 8. It may help to clap. Help students find the rhythm.
Sun's job is to stand steady and keep the rhythm!
Have the Earth practice spinning on its Axis.
Have the Moon practice orbiting the Earth. Remind each of the speed they are moving in relation to each other.
Now comes the tricky part. Earth then needs to start its orbit around Sun.

Orbit "times" in counts of 8—careful choreography!
Earth + Axis = 24 hours or 1 "solar day"—in "time"—1 and 2 and 1 and 2 and 1 and 2 and 1 and 2
Moon + Earth = 27.3 days or 1 month—in "time"—1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and 1 and 2 and 3 and 4
Earth + Sun = 365 solar days or 1 year—in "time"—1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and 5 and 6 and 7 and 8

This takes some time, patience, practice and room. Even if you can't get the dance to work perfectly, it's a great lesson for students to learn and appreciate the careful choreography the planets and stars in our galaxy orchestrate!

Web Quest: Explorers You Should Know (Part One)

1. Marco Polo: http://www.silk-road.com/artl/marcopolo.shtml
   
   
2. A: Marco Polo (1254-1324), is probably the most famous Westerner traveled on the Silk Road. He excelled all the other travelers in his determination, his writing, and his influence. His journey through Asia lasted 24 years. He reached further than any of his predecessors, beyond Mongolia to China. He became a confidant of Kublai Khan (1214-1294). He traveled the whole of China and returned to tell the tale, which became the greatest travelogue.
   
   
   B: Read and find 3 facts/details about Marco Polo
   1. Marco Polo had 2 brothers named Matteo and Niccolo.
   2. The ruler of China was Kublai Khan.
   3. The polo brothers carried a golden tablet called paiza in Chinese, it kept them from being killed in the great khan's kingdom.
   
   
3. Henry the Navigator: http://www.enchantedlearning.com/explorers/page/h/henry.shtml
   A: Read
   B: List two reasons Henry the Navigator is important to the Age of Exploration
   1. He was t he first person to open, and run a navigating school.
   2. He was responsible for exploration down the coast of Western Africa that had never been done before.
   C: Find Image of Henry the Navigator, "Save As," and Copy & Paste here:
   
   
   1. Bartolomeau Dias: http://www.thepirateking.com/bios/dias_bartholomeu.htm
      
      A: What did Dias call the Cape of Good Hope and what does it mean?
      Answer: Cabo Tormentoso---stormy cape.
      B: Which explorer completed Dias' voyage around the Cape to India ten years later?
      Answer: Vasco de Gama
   2. Vasco de Gama: http://www.enchantedlearning.com/explorers/page/d/dagama.shtml
   A: Read
   B: Write one sentence about Vasco de Gama.
   
   1. Vasco De Gama made 3 trips to India, and was famous for making the Portugese more powerful in India.
   C: Copy & Paste the map of de Gama's voyage here:

1. Ferdinand Magellan: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pM-igYjn6E4 

A: Watch the video.

B: Watch it again. It's funny.

C: What is sad about Magellan?

Answer: He tried so many times but he never made it to the east indies.

New Math: Double Division or "1-2-4-8"

http://www.doubledivision.org/#below
I found this new way of teaching and working out long division problems. This is a 6^th grade teacher who posted this technique in 2005. Sophie and I worked out this new way together today and it was fun! I encourage you to try it! As Sophie pointed out in her blog today, there are more steps but they make sense and it's easier than the classical way of solving long division problems.

Sophie's Blog: Who came to visit today and help with school? What was neat about the science experiment today? What was your favorite part about the first half of Explorers You Should Know web-quest? Do you like the new way to work out long division problems?
Caca came to visit today and did the Explorers you don't know web quest with me. The neat part about the experiment that we did today I think, that is was like a dance. I liked watching the hilarious Ferdinand Magellan video on YouTube. I think the new way of long division is longer and many more steps than the regular division, but it's simpler, and more fun.