Theme “Earth and Sky” and “Weather”
In picture- Cheryl and Jennifer with kids (The big kids are not in this picture- photo shy : )
We opened with the Pledge of Allegiance
and Prayer
also an Overview of Rules, Warnings, and Signals
Rules- I ask that all families please go over these with your children, so TEACHS can be fun for scouts and teachers : )
Listen to Teacher
Hands to Self
Ask a teacher permission to leave room
Never leave the building without your parent
Warnings
*We are all here to have a good time but to have a good time and also learn we need to follow the rules.
Warnings
You will each get 3 warnings- if you get to the 3rd warning you will no longer be allowed to participate in the class for the day.
Signals to be quiet and direct attention to teacher
Clapping of hands
Flash room light or room light off
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Popcorn Trick
For a meeting starter I poured kernels into a brown paper bag and with magic and a little shaking popped popcorn came out of the bottom (with no heat : )
To see how this trick was done- go to
http://boyslife.org/home/video/10453/pop-o-magic-magic-trick/
Referred to Laminated Cloud Chart for Display throughout discussion
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– Introduced Weather and Meteorology/ Meteorologist while holding up a weather sign.
Meteorology is the study science that deals with the phenomena of the atmosphere- it is the study of weather or weather condition.
I referred back to our “Career” month to build upon careers knowledge and we learned that a Meteorologist is a person who studies weather.
– Introduced How Clouds are Formed
I related the study to an occurrence that the child has experienced and can recall. When it is hot outside have you ever noticed a can of soda gets wet on the outside? This is condensation and occurs when the weather is hot but the can is cold and these are tiny water droplets that will evaporate and go up into the atmosphere and eventually become a cloud and even rain (discussed the water cycle briefly).
A cloud is a large collection of very tiny droplets of water or ice crystals. When warm air rises it takes the water vapor (or droplets of water) with it. As you go up in the atmosphere it gets colder, so the water droplets cool. The cold air cannot hold as many water droplets, so they attach to dust particles in the atmosphere. When billons of these come together they become visible as a cloud.
– Cumulus Clouds card
I showed the class a picture of a cumulus cloud and compared them to cotton balls I gave to the class to look at while discussing. Cumulus clouds are puffy clouds found in the middle of the sky. These clouds look like floating cotton balls. They are referred to as “fair-weather” clouds. I also showed the class pictures of cumulus clouds from a book. I then had a volunteer take the card I was holding and match it (find) the cumulus cloud on the cloud chart.
– Cirrus Clouds
We learned that cirrus clouds usually means there is a change of weather coming within 24 hours. They are nicknamed “mare’s tails” because of their resemblance to a horse’s tail. These clouds are found high in the sky. Because they are so high in the sky- these clouds are made of ice crystals rather than water drop. Strong winds blow the ice crystals into long strands, which resemble a “mare’s tail”. I then showed the class pictures of cirrus clouds and had a volunteer match the cloud card to the cloud chart.
– Contrails p. 12 DK book
I introduced these clouds by talking about an occurrence that the child has experienced and can recall. Have you ever went outside on a cold day and saw your breath? This is called a contrail or condensation trail. When the warm air from your lungs is breathed into the cold air it becomes your own cloud : ) I then said the same thing happens way up in the atmosphere where jets fly. The heat from their engines combine with the cold air (because the higher you go up in the atmosphere the colder it gets) and it produces a contrail cloud or a condensation trail. I then showed the class picture examples out of a book and had a volunteer find and match my cloud card to the cloud chart.
– Cloud in a Bottle Experiment
I introduced this experiment by asking the kids if they had ever caught a cloud in a bottle. They said no, so I said I bet I can. They were like no way!
So, we did a cloud in the bottle experiment. In order to have a cloud we have learned that you have to have water droplets that evaporate as water vapor. It goes up and attaches itself to a dust particle in the atmosphere. The air being pumped into the bottle creates and area of high pressure (no cloud). The high pressure causes the molecules to heat up. I then removed the pump and poof there was a cloud in a bottle. The moisture condensed, so the high pressure became an area of low pressure. We then pumped high pressure back into the bottle and the cloud disappeared.
High pressure = no cloud
Low pressure = cloud
I then poofed clouds from the bottle for the kids to see and touch.
In picture- Jennifer making a cloud in a bottle (Science Experiment)
In picture- Jennifer- blowing a cloud onto Cantrell : )
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We then talked about clouds that look like fish scales, called “Cirrocumulus Clouds”- they are a mixture between a cirrus and cumulus cloud. I then showed the kids pictures of cirrocumulus clouds. I told them meteorologist sometimes call the sky a “mackerel sky” when these clouds are present because of their resemblance to a fish’s scale : )
I then continued the lesson by talking about Stratus Clouds. They are gray clouds found in the lower sky. Stratus clouds usually cover the entire sky. They resemble fog but do not touch the ground. They can produce a mist or drizzle.
Christina then did a fog experiment for us. You take a canning jar and water and heat the water to really hot in a microwave. You let the water sit in the bottle for a minute then pour out all but an inch. You then rest a strainer on top with a cup full of ice. A little while later you get to see fog. The cold air from the ice cubes collides with the warm, moist air in the bottle, which causes the water to condense and form into an eerie fog. The kids all took turns coming up to see the fog
: ) I then showed the kids pictures of fog around the golden gate bridge and explained that fog is like stratus clouds but it touches the ground and you can actually walk through a cloud then.
– Cumulonimbus Clouds
We then turned our topic a little by leading into a cloud that can produce storms. We talked about cumulonimbus clouds. They are dark clouds that signal thunderstorms and heavy rain. The clouds are flat on top and resemble an anvil. The point indicates the direction the cloud is moving and hence the storm. These clouds are also associated with tornadoes (our next topic). I pointed out that there are 10 classifications of clouds in all. Then retold how a cloud is formed to recap. Clouds are made of drops of water (water vapor) or ice crystals. The amount of water in each cloud, its height, and the air temperature determine what kind of cloud is made.
We also covered Nimbostratus clouds, which are dark, rain clouds that produce strong rain or if its cold enough outside- snow : )
– Thunderstorms card
I showed the class a couple of pictures of tornadoes. We also learned that a tornado produces violent windstorms over land. A tornado forms when cold, dry air comes into contact with warm, moist air (usually associated with a cold front). We also learned that powerful thunderstorms can from along the front, which creates powerful updrafts. These updrafts can cause the wind to change direction and rotate. If conditions are favorable the rotation can extend downward and create a funnel-like shape (this is a tornado). We discussed that a tornado can also be called a cyclone or a twister and then talked about safety where tornadoes are concerned. We then talked about the tornadoes F scale (F1 to F5) and how the higher the rating the more destructive the storm is. I showed an example of what happens inside a tornado by sucking the air out of a 2 liter bottle- inside a tornado there is pressure that sucks the air away and can crush and destroy anything in its path.
We then read “Jesus walks on Water” from “What every child should know about the bible” by V. Gilbert Beers.
2Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24but the boat was already a considerable distance[a] from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.
25During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.
27But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
28“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
29“Come,” he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
31Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”
32And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
We discussed just like the storms we are talking about sometimes there are “storms” in our life/ challenges that we face (metaphor). That when the disciples were in the storm they were having a terrible time and sometimes Jesus uses storms in our life to show us our weaknesses and strengths. We are to learn from these challenges; storms allow us to become a stronger person. We are to remember that God always has a plan and purpose for us and sometimes there are “storms” that we must endure to be shaped into the person He needs us to be. I also stressed that just like Jesus was there for the disciples we must have faith (compare to Peter) and know that He is there with us during our “storms”.
I then quoted Hebrews 12:11 “You do not see the purpose of the storm while you are going through it, but nevertheless afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
– Tornado card/ Jesus walks on Water-read from Book/ Tornado Experiment
We then did a tornado in the bottle experiment. We learned that the action is the concentration of kinetic energy (motion of the fluid). In the atmosphere, thermals and wind shear are the source of the energy which produces the tornado vortex. In liquids, such as water, the potential energy (mass) is converted to kinetic energy as it descends, pulled by gravity through an opening. A small initial rotation about the opening becomes more violent (higher rotational velocity) as the molecules come closer to the center. The resulting outward force tends to keep the liquid out of the exact center, maintaining a “hole” in the remaining liquid.
In picture- Jennifer making a tornado in a bottle
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– Water Spouts
I then showed the kids a picture of a water spout, which is a tornado over water.
We then played a game of Lion and Like or Dislike game, where we learned it is okay to not follow the crowd/ peer pressure. I would call out something like “I like chocolate” and the kids would either go to the like or dislike wall or the middle if they were not sure. At some points only one person would be on the like or dislike wall , which showed them that they do not always have to go with the crowd.
The children enjoyed a Harriet Tubman Story book while snacking- read by Christina. They were also given crayons and paper to draw clouds/ tornadoes while listening.
Find it at – http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0786851759?ie=UTF8&tag=ourfamofflo-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=1789&creativeASIN=0786851759
We then cleaned up and got ready for enrichment time.
The Girls- made cookie posters for booth sales and finished their first key requirements : ).
In picture- Cheryl teaching girls with their stars
In picture- Emma surrounded by her friends- Hope and Trinity
The Boys- The boys learned more about weather and were able to discuss and tools used for weather.
In picture- Kelly showing the boys pinewood derby cars
In picture- Steven
In picture- Steven and Cantrell (Aaron on side)
In picture- Kelly talking about the Sun’s relationship to Earth
The boys played a cloud game where they used the air in their lungs to relay race each other. Compared to how the wind blows clouds (air in the sky).
In picture- Steven and Cantrell- racing with puffs of air to move their “clouds”
We reflected on what we learned and everyone named their favorite parts.
We had our closing prayer
***Reminder of Valentine exchanges and Treats for next meeting
TEACHS 