Grand Canyon (start of our rocks/minerals/crystals study)

I've decided to do something a little different with blogging about our current unit study.   Instead of posting all at once when we are done, I will post as we go, so that I don't get overwhelmed or forget anything!  

This unit study is on Rocks, minerals, and crystals.   I'm trying to focus just on those elements so that we can do a "land formations" type study after this one, but there will be some overlap! 

To start, here is my pintrest board of inspiration, resources, books, lapbook stuff, unit study stuff, etc

We are reading the Magic School Bus chapter book, Rocky Road Trip, and using the lapbook from Ye Shall Know that goes with it.  

First, Levi read a book about the Grand Canyon from the series "Adventures with the Parkers" .   This sparked his interest in rocks in the first place.  I  had never heard of this series before, but already we have 2 more checked out from the library and another ordered off ebay.    This series is about 10yr old twins who go to different National Parks.    They are stories, of the kids adventure through the park, but throughout there are "boxes" that include real facts.   The stories themselves are all about actual locations, plants, animals, history, land formations, etc.    The pictures in the book are both real photographs and drawings of the characters and what they are doing.   Its a wonderful mix of fact and realistic fiction with lots of educational value while still being high interest.  

This is the one Levi read


Levi did some artwork, Grand Canyon style.   I found the inspiration picture on pintrest, and didn't realize until we were done that there was a lesson plan for it!   I used to teach art classes in a "step by step" style that teaches different techniques, so I used that method to make my own lesson plan for it.   It came out wonderful! 

 


Because the Grand Canyon is in both the books Levi read, we have been talking a lot about it, the rocks, how it was formed etc.     Levi did this fact sheet, and we used this idea about erosion/sedimentary rock formation, and the formation of the canyon to do an experiment. 

First, he filled a tray with sandy soil (any dirt/sand should work)

Then draw a line down the center with your finger and add the hose:

 



You can see the deepening/widening of the canyon/riverbed in the center, watch erosion happen as the sides gradually break away, and see the "sediment" that ends up at the bottom of the river.  

We also did this experiment to learn more about sedimentary rocks with layers of dirt, sand, rocks, and whatever was in the compost.  And we have these geodes starting to form, Levi was anxious to start that experiment!

That's what we have done so far!    We have plans to make our own rocks, and do some other experiments so I will share those as we go.  

Orlando Science Center

I took Levi to the Orlando Science Center for the first time.   We really enjoyed ourselves! 

There were several of these giant amethyst geodes - Levi loves purple so he tried to sit in all of them

Sea turtle nest, not quite as cool as the one we saw for real on our sea turtle walk.

Gators and turtles.   When I asked Levi what his favorite things were, he said he liked watching the alligators get fed, and seeing all the snakes. 

After watching the feeding, they had a tiny baby to pet. 

I heard this orange grove was a big hit, I thought it looked like something more for younger kids, but this was a favorite for Levi too. 

Pick some oranges....

Load them up...

Pedal...

Watch them go up and over... 

Gather them again

And ship them off...

Levi was so excited because I let him see 2 movies, the first was a giant dome movie of the Galapagos Islands, where our neighbors just went on vacation (while we dog sat for them).    They brought Levi a book about it, so he already had some ideas.  And we are learning about volcanoes, which they showed in the movie as well including how they formed and information on hot spots.     If it weren't for the 200 kids in the theater who could not stop talking (camps or something) it would have been really good.  

Levi and I both tried the flexibility test.   He got 22, and I got 20.  For his age/gender, he was supposed to get 6 and I was supposed to get 6.5.   So apparently were are pretty flexible (yay gymnastics and P90X)

These things are always fun, and of course impossible to photograph properly. 

 We saw a science demo all about air pressure.   She had an air cannon that fascinated Levi.  After the show he asked to examine it so he can try and make one.   I suppose we could try this but I'm guessing he'd rather do this.  Or I could just buy one here.     She also did the "card on a glass of water" trick, and several other experiments.    She even filled the air cannon with fog.  It blows rings!

Levi helps out

TP shooting

Snake type thing I guess?  With a seat on it.    No point at all to this thing, other than for taking pictures on.

There was a room full of various vehicles.  Levi spent a good deal of time on this plane, talking to his hand - I'm guessing he was being a pilot making announcements about how to buckle a seatbelt or something.

The other movies we saw were 3D, there were 2 short ones in a row - Penguins and "Unseen World" which was full of time lapse photography.   Both were very good.    (And only one part of the Penguin one scared him, when a bird was going to eat the baby)

I tried to get a picture of us in the triangle mirror. 

We went up to see the dinosaurs last.   I don't think Levi has ever seen full size bones like this.   He found a museum guy who was just putting things away in the box under T-rex, and started chatting.  Levi ended up talking to him for a good 45min, asking questions, leading him over to displays to ask more questions.    He kept saying "whoa thats a good question" and telling me how smart Levi is.  Finally I was able to drag him away, but not before he was given two real fossils to take home.  

On our way home, we stopped at the brand new Trader Joe's!    6min from the science center, but a whole 1.5hours from our house.   Too far to go regularly, but we will stop by whenever we are out that way.   We got a cartload of stuff, and Levi found the Peacock (I think?) and earned an organic lollypop (All Trader Joe's hide some sort of animal in their stores that they move around often, if kids find it, they get a lolly).   Levi also made friends with the "sample guys" and kept running off to chat with them about the science center and who knows what else.   They said he was more entertaining than Key Lime Pie.     

Book Carnival - Levi's 7th Birthday Party

First up is the outfit I made for Levi.   I changed the wording on the "ticket" on the front of the shirt from circus to carnival, put a 7 on the back and a tent on the shorts.  I love the colors in this one, even though the white shirt stayed white for all of 5min.   

The set up...

Food:

There were vegan meat balls, they got eaten quick!

Ice and water in the cooler

The room:

Cake table

Tattoo parlor

Reading area:

Ice cream decorating station:   I assigned 2 boys to set this up, I expected to get 1 topping in each bucket, (reused from last year's party), but they mixed them in each.   Some ended up with mandarin oranges AND jelly beans in the same cup (gross).   The kids didn't seem to mind.    All of the toppings were brought all the way from Trader Joe's in Nevada!   (dye/junk free)

Bathrooms:

Library bag decorating station:

Bookmark decorating station (stickers, crayons, glitter glue, ribbon)

Outside set up:

Bubble Blower

Banner and games

Turtle toss  (made from cardboard box, shot glasses from the dollar store and ping pong balls)

Putt Putt:

Relay races (kids put books on their head to race)

Frog toss (cornhole game)

Spray away:  This was the most popular game.  Its simply "flame" decorated ping pong balls set up on empty spools, and a spray bottle to squirt them off.  

Fishing game:   The fish were made by the boys, and they tested it many times. 

Balancing station:

Penguin ring toss:

Pick a Duck (pick a duck, roll the dice, and see if they match)

 

 The party!  

Decorating library bags:

Tattoos:

Bookmark decorating:

Ring toss and horse shoes: 

Pick a duck

Horseshoes

Tree climbing:

And fishing:

Ice cream decorating

...and eating! 

And cake!   I decided to get the cake stand last second, and I'm glad I did, it was very cute.   The toppers are little print outs of his favorite books taped to toothpicks.   Cake is a gluten free, vegan vanilla cake with lemon glaze. 

After the main party, several people stayed to swim:

Love my little Levi!   He had a great "last day of being 6"

It was a great party, and I'm grateful to the friends who helped with the set up and clean up, it is so much work, but so worth it to see all the fun the kids have! 






Last goodnight to my 6yr old.