Fun with Science

So, now here we are, having loads of fun doing a couple of experiments in our physical science lab co-op this afternoon. The first one involved the differences in how sound travels through air and water. We tried it several different ways. First, just listening to the spoons clinking together in the air, then we tried listening to it through the strings...

Then we suspended the spoons in a sink full of water and tried listening to them both from the air and through the strings. The most fun part, though, was when we put our ears underwater and listened to them then. Tim was the first to try putting both ears underwater, which, of course, involved submersing his entire face as well. As he was listening to the spoons clinking together in the water, I put a spoonful of cold water on the back of his neck. He wasn't expecting that so the result was very entertaining! I wish I'd gotten pictures of that!

The difference in the sound was even more amazing when we did it again using warm water. They said it sounded clearer and more resonant in the warm water than it did in the cold.

The second experiment was to make a model of plastic rock, using just the right proportions of water and corn starch. It's pink because we decided to liven it up a bit with a little red food coloring. The substance behaves like a thick liquid, until pressure is applied (squeezing with the hand). Then under pressure, it solidifies! I think we had more fun with that than dunking their faces!

Yep, great way to spend an afternoon!

Phonics 101

A brief reverse lesson in phonics at dinner tonight...

Mandy: What does "Amen" start with?

Me: "A"!

Mandy: "Name!" You know, like, "In Jesus' Name, Amen!"

Guess I should have known!

Seeing PURPLE

We started school this week! Every year, I say we're going to start school in the middle of July simply because the kids are bored and have too much time on their hands. Well, it's never happened.

This year, I said we'd start school around the first of August. And, it wasn't because the kids were bored, but because I thought it would give us:
...activities to engage the children's minds while they're stuck indoors out of the heat;
...a few extra weeks of school under our belts so we (meaning, "I") don't feel quite so guilty when we have to take whole weeks off for Christmas preparations in December, and the flu in January, February, March, April...well, you get the picture;
...the ability to quit for the summer in April, when there's still a few weeks of nice weather before South Texas heats up and drives us indoors.

Well, once again, it didn't happen! And Granny, this time it really wasn't because I was slacking!!! :) We had a very full summer with the return of Psalty the Singing Songbook, and also the immense blessing of my parents moving here. Suddenly it was August and I found myself gasping for air as I realized that I hadn't even done my April homework - deciding on curriculum for the year; searching the Internet and local book sales for used materials before I have to buy it new; searching the Internet and local book stores for all the stuff I couldn't buy used; ordering everything, and then spending the next week and a half watching the tracking numbers online. All these things usually happen, as I mentioned, in April and May, so I can spend the latter part of my summer actually looking at those books and materials and preparing for the school year! I had no idea just how much time all that actually takes until I had to do it in this last three or four weeks. Next year, I'll be better prepared...

Anyway, we started school this week, in spite of the fact that I wasn't completely finished getting things ready. It went really well, too. I think it worked out better this way, kind of like the difference between reading an instruction manual and actual hands-on training. I think this next couple of weeks will be an adjustment period as we work out the kinks in our schedule and get to know the new curriculum. The boys plunged themselves into their work and really did a good job - even though they had made a lot of negative remarks about schoolwork beforehand.

Tim is doing a lot more work now that he can read. He loves writing and was actually asking for writing assignments. We've added spelling, grammar and composition to his list. Now, if only Collin had that kind of attitude!

We all had a good laugh this week as Collin noticed something unusual: his school books are almost all purple. His Biology book is purple. His grammar books are purple. And his math books are purple. So, we carried it a little further - when he asked me for a bookmark for his Biology book, I gave him a purple post-it note. He made an extra effort to find a purple eraser for his pencil. And, he likes to say, his favorite Jedi has a purple light-saber.

I really didn't plan it this way - every subject is from a different publisher, so it's an amazing coincidence that all his books are purple! I asked him today if purple is his new favorite color. He said, "No, blue is still my favorite color."

Maybe next year all his books will be blue!

Another reason we're homeschooling

The State of California has now banned "Mom and Dad" from the public schools - yet another reason why I'm glad we're homeschooling. It's becoming more and more evident that government schools are, indeed, dangerous places for our children in more ways than one.

How much farther will this country fall before our patient Father says, "enough"? Arnold, God will hold you accountable for this!