Meeting Theme- Earth and Sky + Weather
Christina showed us “The Unbudgable Bag” science experiment. The kids tried to pull the bag out of the glass- did they get the bag out?
If they did it sure was hard!
The air exerts pressure on everything it touches; we’re not usually conscious of it because it pushes equally from all sides. When you try to pull the bag from the glass, you lessen the pressure of the air trapped between the glass and the plastic because the air molecules there spread out to fill the slight extra space created by tugging on the plastic. Now the pressure from the air filling the bag from outside of the glass is noticeably greater, enough to keep you from pulling the bag all the way out.
Jennifer read Noah’s Ark and the great flood. Jennifer also told us about the meaning of the rainbow. When you see a rainbow, remember that God promised never to flood the earth again. Jennifer then showed us an illustration of Noah’s Ark and shared some fun facts.
Jennifer then led in a lesson on learning the 10 commandments.
Christina taught us about rainbows- she put a mirror in a glass jar that was filled with water and shined a light on the mirror, which created the rainbow spectrum on the wall. The mirror reflects light that passes back through the water, traveling at an angle. The water bends, or refracts, the light. As the light bends, it separates into the colors of the rainbow…red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and sometimes purple.
Jennifer then taught us why the sky is blue.
Why is the Sky Blue?
Jennifer asked- Can anyone tell me why the sky is blue?
Answer- White light from the sun is a combination of the different colors of the spectrum.
We are able to see all the colors of this spectrum when we see a rainbow.
Jennifer then showed the kids a color spectrum spinner where all the colors of the rainbow turned white.
Explanation- The color on the wheel were the main colors in white light. When the wheel spins fast enough, the colors all appear to blend together, and the wheel looks white.
Jennifer asked- Has anyone ever seen a rainbow? What are the colors?
Jennifer showed us a rainbow drawing.
Answer- The colors of the rainbow are – Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, and sometimes Purple.
Jennifer told us that Isaac Newton was the first to show that when he held up a glass prism to the light, that sunlight is shot through with color sunlight contains all the colors of the rainbow.
Jennifer asked- Which color of the rainbow do you think has the longest wavelength and the shortest?
Answer- Each color has a slightly different wavelength. The red in the spectrum is the longest wavelength and the blue in the spectrum is the shortest we can see.
We can sometimes see the purple in the rainbow but not always- the sun (like our eyes) peaks at its intensity in the yellow/green region of the spectrum and falls off at the blue intensity.
The secret to why the sky is blue is how the light reacts to the gases in our atmosphere.
Jennifer asked- Does anyone know what gases primarily make up Earth’s Atmosphere?
Jennifer showed us two illustrations of the elements of oxygen and nitrogen.
Answer- Earth’s atmosphere consists mainly of nitrogen and oxygen.
Jennifer demonstrated with the element cards and rainbow drawing how the wavelengths of the spectrum pass through the gases in our atmosphere they are able to either go straight through the gases or are scattered.
Jennifer asked- What color do you think is scattered?
*Answer- The wavelength of blue is the shortest we can see, so when it collides with the gases of the atmosphere it scatters.
Jennifer asked- Now who has seen a sunset?
*Answer- The red is the longest wavelength, so when the sun is low in the sky it has more atmosphere, water vapor, and dust to cut through and the wavelength collides differently- it allows the blue light to be absorbed and the red passes through- allowing you to see the red and orange sunset.
Jennifer then concluded her lesson with a blue sky experiment- Jennifer filled a canning jar 2/3 full with water and 3 teaspoons of milk. Jennifer then showed with a flashlight, representing the sun. how when the sun shines it scatters the blue wavelength. When the sun is setting (moved flashlight to side of glass) the colors are yellow and orange. As the sun meets at the horizon and goes beyond the colors turn red and orange in color (Jennifer moved the flashlight to the bottom of the glass).
We then enjoyed a snack while Christina taught us about a Weather- Frontal System
Christina had a lamp without a shade and turned it on- she held a spiral cut paper over the light and waited. What happened? The spiral began to spin! When two air masses of different temperatures meet, the boundary between them is called a front. The colder air sinks and the warmer air rises. This is the type of front that comes in before a storm and maybe even a tornado (relates the last meeting).
| History/ Art and Literature | |
| Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War |
Christina read a wonderful book about Abraham Lincoln while the kids continued snacking. We then used the Abraham Lincoln Picturing America artwork to ask questions and review the key elements of the artwork.
We then Cleaned Up and Lined up for Enrichment Time
Girls- earning last key (Cheryl) + Badge Recognition + the girls made cards for the ship the Kiersarge to take underway with them.
“Earth and Sky” Badge and First Journey “Key”
Boys- Kelly and the boys learned about an ancient battle and tried to get an egg in the bottle by air pressure.
Valentine Exchange and Treat Exchange
Reflection
Closing Prayer (Kelly)
