Moon Phases Oreo Activity

 Moon phases and Oreos, a summer science activity. Today we explored the subject of moon phases and learned fun facts about the moon throughout history. We started with a read aloud and shared the reading by taking turns. This hands on activity really helped us understand more thoroughly about the moon’s quarters and 8 shapes. The Oreos were a hit! 

The 4 A's of learning

This year we're going the extra mile to connect our book learning with practical models. I wanted to see us put more effort in real world application. I've learned that learning goes beyond literature, knowing how to read well and understanding math. The disconnect I believe many students have is how learning actually matters to them in the real world. So I've added a fourth R to the well known RRR foundation to learning reading, writing, arithmetic, and real world application.

This focus has been refreshing for me as well. I'm a left brain thinker, a heavy book and calculator learner. So grabbing scissors and coffee filters, measuring cups and craft sticks takes intentional processing and implementation. But what I've found is that learning actually is fun. I have to admit, as much as I would have no problem studying a book for hours, forcing myself to sacrifice a day or two as a "pause" in formal learning to make room for our activities has opened up a world of interest for my kids. 

Here's a glimpse in what we've been up to lately:

Heart model

Grocery Store weight (lbs and kg) and banana pudding measurements (fractions, percentages)

Circuits (visual of how messages are sent from our nerves to our brain)

Some of the hands on learning we do is completely random as well. I've made a list of math in action activities to help with our spinal math curriculum, Math U See. I use the language of the curriculum as we build recipes, crafts, and experiments. 

I'm excited to look back at these memories. I don't know where it will all end, but even if it's just providing them an experience they won't forget it will be completely worth it!

The Blood System

Science is actually fun! The two subjects in school that I thought I didn't like, World History and Science have actually become my favorites! I believe that children actually are little scientists. They are always asking questions and if you leave them alone they find things to experiment on, lol! With my oldest daughter I placed a heavy emphasis on literature and reading books with extensive vocabulary exposure, and that was great. But I'm learning that reading is more than just about big words, but it's about big ideas too.

Science has become another important aspect of our exploration of ideas. The subject we are currently learning is the human body. I'm being nice right now because I really want to use exclamation points, lol! It all started with a reading book on germs. One of our field trips at the library led to my collection of a book on germs which then led to the topic of cells. When you realize that all human life starts off as a single cell the topic of nucleus and mitochondria just mean so much more! So here we are entering into the world of biology first through reading and then through hands on inquiry.

We played a circulation game that showed the kids how blood travels throughout the body and how our cells are fed. The competition got real! The boys interacted with red blood cells, oxygen, carbon dioxide, along with sugars and proteins. We followed up our game with cups of tea and envisioned the impact of our drink with the circulation system at work within us.

This printout is a free resource by Ellen Chenry and can be found here.