Skip to main content

Venus, Volcanoes and making lava ~ Apologia Astronomy

Written by Joy
7 Comments
Venus, Volcanoes and making lava ~ Apologia Astronomy

You may be wondering what lava has to do with Astronomy. Well, we are studying Venus and we have learned that there are a lot of volcanoes on Venus and lava flows around a lot.  Venus stays hot all day and night because it has clouds that cover it, holding the heat in its atmosphere.  Can you imagine being on a planet that is 870 degrees all the time?

sammybuttermelterlava

We started off melting butter (lava) on low heat in a small pot.  While Samuel was melting the lava, Claire was busy making a little volcano by using a glass cup, a plate and some flour.

Claire forming the land (flour).

Claire forming the land (flour).

Once Claire was finished with the volcano, Samuel then had the job of pouring the lava over the volcano.  The point of this little project was to see how the lava can flow down the volcano.

Samuel pouring the "lava" over the volcano.

Samuel pouring the “lava” over the volcano.

Once we observed the lava flowing over the volcano, we then had to wait for it to harden.  We had read in the book that lava will harden into rock and form land once it cools off and dry.

watching the "lava" harden into rock.

watching the “lava” harden into rock.

After a few hours, the lava had harden the land that it had flowed on.  I loved how this lesson was able to show the different elements of lava from when it starts to flow,  to when it is finished flowing and hardens.

What have you been learning in science?  Any fun projects this week?

Linking up with:

Science Sunday
2012, homeschooling, , , , , ,

craters on Mercury and a model of Mercury ~ Apologia Astronomy

Written by Joy
1 Comment
craters on Mercury and a model of Mercury ~ Apologia Astronomy

The kids and I are finishing up Lesson 3 in the Exploring Creation with Astronomy book.  This lesson is on Mercury.  The kids learned that it is the first planet in the solar system and is the closet planet to the sun.  Mercury is a terrestrial planet, meaning it earth-like.  While the planet can get extremely hot during the day, it can reach a temperature of -300 at night.

From pictures that have been taken of the surface of Mercury, you can tell it has been hit with a lot of asteroids.  There are craters all over the place.  This is what brings us to our first activity.  We made craters in a bowl of flour!  My kids love to collect rocks, so we used those as our craters.  I dumped some flour in a bowl and then the kids stood over the bowl and dropped the rocks in the flour.  By the different size of the rocks and how high they held the rocks above the flour would depend on how big of a crater they made.  The kids had fun doing this.

cratersonmercury

Samuel dropping an asteroid

Samuel dropping an asteroid

Craters made by the asteroids

Craters made by the asteroids

The final project in the chapter on Mercury, we were to make a model of Mercury.  We made a simple dough of flour, salt, oil and water.  Samuel mixed it up to form a ball, while Claire went to find a marble/bead and a pencil.  They were to use those items to make craters on the surface of Mercury, like asteroids.  I then let Claire paint the planet red!

Samuel and Claire mixing up the dough.

Samuel and Claire mixing up the dough.

Samuel and Claire making craters

Samuel and Claire making craters

Claire painting while Samuel is still making craters

Claire painting while Samuel is still making craters

Mercury is now drying.  I am thinking we might do this with each planet as we finish their chapter.  It would make for a great solar system display!

The kids and I really had a great time learning about Mercury.  Now that we have finished this chapter, we will be moving on to Venus, the next planet.

What fun project have you done in science lately?

                                                                                                                          Linking up with:

Science Sunday
2012, homeschooling, , , , , , ,

Apologia Astronomy project #1 – Balloon Solar System

Written by Joy
6 Comments
Apologia Astronomy project #1 – Balloon Solar System

I am excited about our science this year.  My younger kids decided they wanted to learn about Astronomy.  What better curriculum to use than Apologia’s Exploring Creation through Astronomy! This past week, the kids and I have been reading lesson one in the Astronomy book.

Project #1, Balloon Solar System from Apologia’s Exploring Creation Through Astronomy.

 

The kids have learned what Astronomy is and why God created the Universe.  We talked about God making the planets and what scientists have named them.  We also talked about why scientists don’t consider Pluto a planet anymore.

We have learned words such as; gravity, constellations, instinct and gravitational pull.

The kids and I read about the scientists Nicolas Copernicus and Galileo Galilei, who believed the sun was the center of the solar system and the planets revolved around the sun.

However, I think the best part of the lesson was at the end and getting to make our own Solar System.  The kids and I had a great time trying to blow up the balloons to the dimensions that they gave us.  While we didn’t hang the balloons like they suggested, still had a fun time with the project.

The kids are really enjoying the Apologia Astronomy and can’t wait to read the second lesson and work on the project.   I am just happy that we are having fun and learning about science!

What are you using for science? Are you and the kids having fun?

 

 

2012, homeschooling, , , ,