Unit Study: The Earth
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Discovery Museum, Sacramento
Today, Aidyn, his dad, and I went to the Discovery Museum in Sacramento. All in all, the experience was enlightening and entertaining, but we were expecting more exhibits dealing directly with space and space voyage and were disappointed to find a minimal collection. On the other hand, my husband and I had a great conversation with a volunteer who showed us telescopic pictures of our galaxy and demonstrated the power of UV rays and such. So it wasn't a total lost cause.
Afterwards, we had a ball at Fairy Tale Land just for amusement.
Afterwards, we had a ball at Fairy Tale Land just for amusement.
Week Two Synopsis
Aidyn and I really learned so much this week. Aside from the academics, I learned about different ways that I could teach Aidyn effectively, according to his style. Although he's familiar with the sun, Aidyn soaked in some more information about the sun. Now he knows that it is right in the middle of our solar system and that it is filled with gases.
In week two, I learned what fun it is to direct Aidyn towards a subject but then give him the reins and lead me around. I also discovered that while he enjoys the subject-themes, he's not crazy about focusing on only one letter, number, or color. So we may drop that for now in favor of unit studies.
In week two, I learned what fun it is to direct Aidyn towards a subject but then give him the reins and lead me around. I also discovered that while he enjoys the subject-themes, he's not crazy about focusing on only one letter, number, or color. So we may drop that for now in favor of unit studies.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Week Two, Day Two
Agenda:
Introduce vocabulary word: heat
Do circle work pages; go on a circle tour
Watch "Solar System: The Sun"
This morning while I was boiling some eggs, I introduced Aidyn to the word heat by carefully showing him how the eggs were being cooked. He could feel the warmth on his little hand, and he observed the flames with intrigue. After he seemed to get a good hold on the word "heat," he said to me, "it's heat like in the sunshine." Later he repeated the same thing to his grandmother. I'm proud that he caught on so quickly to a new word.
Afterwards, we played with an airplane while the solar system video was on in the background. So we played to the songs "Age of Aquarius" and "Ain't No Sunshine," but didn't actually sit down and watch it. Later, Aidyn initiated a reading of his Brain Quest cards and talked about and looked at pictures of car trips, the supermarket, the zoo and its animals, the farm and its animals, and the aquarium and its animals. I was amazed at how many objects, animals, colors, and position words he could use. The cards had two very similar looking pictures of a horse and a donkey and another of a hippo and a rhino, and he was able to discern which was which.
Then he initiated an arts and crafts session by declaring, "I want to make hearts!" So I sat him at the kitchen table and supplied him with his construction paper, cut-out hearts, glue, markers and crayons, and child-safety scissors. He had a ball for a solid 45 minutes just making whatever his heart desired.
Today was mostly played out on his lead. And I enjoyed that. I am now thinking about removing daily agendas, and instead just see how the day pans out.
Introduce vocabulary word: heat
Do circle work pages; go on a circle tour
Watch "Solar System: The Sun"
This morning while I was boiling some eggs, I introduced Aidyn to the word heat by carefully showing him how the eggs were being cooked. He could feel the warmth on his little hand, and he observed the flames with intrigue. After he seemed to get a good hold on the word "heat," he said to me, "it's heat like in the sunshine." Later he repeated the same thing to his grandmother. I'm proud that he caught on so quickly to a new word.
Afterwards, we played with an airplane while the solar system video was on in the background. So we played to the songs "Age of Aquarius" and "Ain't No Sunshine," but didn't actually sit down and watch it. Later, Aidyn initiated a reading of his Brain Quest cards and talked about and looked at pictures of car trips, the supermarket, the zoo and its animals, the farm and its animals, and the aquarium and its animals. I was amazed at how many objects, animals, colors, and position words he could use. The cards had two very similar looking pictures of a horse and a donkey and another of a hippo and a rhino, and he was able to discern which was which.
Then he initiated an arts and crafts session by declaring, "I want to make hearts!" So I sat him at the kitchen table and supplied him with his construction paper, cut-out hearts, glue, markers and crayons, and child-safety scissors. He had a ball for a solid 45 minutes just making whatever his heart desired.
Today was mostly played out on his lead. And I enjoyed that. I am now thinking about removing daily agendas, and instead just see how the day pans out.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Week Two, Day One
Agenda:
-Watch "Mr. Sun" music video
-Talk about the sun being in the middle of the solar system
Today Aidyn and I watched the "Mr. Sun" music video and I sang it to him a few times. Not an instant hit, but it'll grow on us.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYVmekXH17M
Also, we read I Love You Sun, I Love You Moon by Karen Pandell and Tomie dePaola, The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Suess, The Poky Little Puppy by Janette Sebring Lowrey, The Aliens are Coming by Colin McNaughton, and Childcraft: A Look into Space. In A Look into Space, we read about solar eclipses and how different cultures examine this sky spectacle. Additionally, we read about sunspots, sun flares, and solar wind. Aidyn and I observed a picture of the solar system and we talked about the sun being right in the middle acting like a traffic cop towards the planets.
For fun, Aidyn had some "sun yogurt." I scooped him a bowlful of vanilla yogurt and added yellow food coloring. The imperfect coloring mixed in the yogurt created a perfect "sun effect" complete with sunspots and gaseous swirls!
Through reading and talking, Aidyn added some new words to his vocabulary:
sun spot
sun flare
orbit
solar eclipse
crater
black hole
Copernicus (although he doesn't know who that is yet)
After reading a section on the constellations, Aidyn is dying to try out a homemade constellation creator that is detailed in our book. That may be a new project this week or next.
Week Two
Weekly Theme: The sun
Vocabulary word: heat
Shape: circle
Letter: B
Number: 2
Song/Nursery Rhyme: "Mr. Sun"
Text: I Love You Sun, I Love You Moon by Karen Pandell and Tomie dePaola
Goal Destination: Sun Appreciation Nature Walk
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