11-20 Update and Space Party Requests

Today we had a great day in class discussing Mars - the red planet. We spent time outside exploring polar ice caps with dry ice. The children learned about the process of sublimation and should be able to explain it to you. We ended our class time with a fun game to review terms and concepts studied this semester!

On Dec. 11th, we will have our last day of Astronomy class for the semester. We will have a SPACED OUT PARTY! Please let this be a surprise - I am ordering something for the kids, but wanted to ask if any parents/students would like to contribute some SPACE snacks for our day.
I know many of you are creative. However, this could be a great project for your children to do as well. Thank you for anything you would like to do to make this a FUN occasion. Here's a few fun ideas I found online, but you are welcome to create your own.

http://jas.familyfun.go.com/recipefinder/display?id=50070 - Crater Cake http://jas.familyfun.go.com/recipefinder/display?id=50204 - Space Cake http://www.gamescraftscoloring.com/recipes/rocket_cake_space_party.htm - rocket cake

Of course, you can create your own - Crater Cookies, Mercury Mix, Jupiter Jam, Asteroid Apples, etc... (I'm just making up names!) Kids can create fun ideas in their imaginations!

I would be grateful to anyone who can create something for our party. Have fun with it! We will be playing some fun games to review what we have learned, and parents are welcome to attend.
Finally, all students who have not presented thus far will be presenting on Dec. 4th - in two weeks. Please e-mail me with any questions. Have a wonderful break! Enjoy your time off!

Have a blessed Thanksgiving! We have so much to be grateful for, don't we?

Class Update 11-5

The Astronomy class is going great! Last week, we learned about the levels of the atmosphere, the biosphere, and did an activity relying on the Earth's magnetophere! There were lots of words ending in -sphere! (Ha-ha) (Troposphere, Stratosphere, Mesosphere, Exosphere, etc...)
The class completed two pages about the atmosphere of the Earth and it's interior layers.

We then went outside for our magnetsphere activity, trusting a compass to lead us to the "treasure." I introduced the term - assumptive language - to them. This is when a scientific theory is stated as fact. Assumptive language assumes that the reader will accept it as truth. The Big Bang theory and evolution are often described with assumptive language.

This week, we are having "Presentations and Popcorn!" Yeah! Parents - as always - are welcome to come and enjoy the class with us!

Here is the order I will follow for the presentations:

Our Solar System Date to Present: Nov. 6 Assigned to: CJM
Mercury Date to Present: Nov. 6 Assigned to: KH
Mariner 2 and Mariner 10 Date to Present: Nov. 6 Assigned to: MB
Venus Date to Present: Nov. 6 Assigned to: TB
Earth Date to Present: Nov. 6 Assigned to: FB

Finally, by next week, be sure your students have read p.66-74 in the book and have them write one paragraph (at least) comparing the Big Bang theory to what the Bible says about how the Earth was created. These assignments are listed in detail on the syllabus from 10/30 & 11/6.