No Internet and A Red Shouldered Hawk

This morning I woke up to no internet service. The whole area was out. So, I was going to go to the library, but they were out too. Grr. McDonald's has free Wifi, but it stinks, and I would feel obligated to buy something. Since I didn't want to do that, and almost all of our school is online in one way or another, I decided to do some different educating. We went for a 2 mile walk, usually we do a mile. Then we cleaned the garage, cleared out a bunch of junk, and did some yard work. But, I love it when a Science topic drops right in my lap. While doing yard work a Hawk appeared, in a yard where no one is living. It sat there for a while, and then we saw it swoop into another yard and grab something to eat. While we couldn't see what it was, I am assuming it was a lizard because of where it picked it up. Anyway, it let us get close enough to get a pretty good picture, before it flew away. After we did some research and found out it is a Red Shouldered Hawk. This will be a research and writing topic for the near future.

What Science can you find right in your own neighborhood?

Virtual Dissection Of A Clam and Sea Star High School Marine Biology Science Lab

This week, DJ and I, will be dissecting a Clam, and a Sea Star. He is using the Apologia Marine Biology books this year. I bought the dissection kit shown below. It was a little more affordable than the one on Apologia's website. I do wish I had bought the slides, but hindsight is 20/20, as they say. We have been able to do fine without them, just think they would have been cool. In Florida, all High School Science classes, have to have a lab. Even if you homeschool. Well, not really, but I am trying to be as traditional about the High School years, as I can. Labs are the fun part of Science! I am including links to two free virtual dissecting websites, for the clam and sea star. You can purchase the dissection kit shown below, and then just follow along on the websites. Voila, there is your lab. We will be taking our own images, as we go along, so they will be shared later this week.  Oh you will want some gloves, and a mask if you are sensitive to smell, maybe even goggles.  I am not sure if those come in the kit.  I have not actually opened ours yet. 


http://www.biologyjunction.com/clam_dissection.htm

http://faculty.orangecoastcollege.edu/mperkins/zoo-review/sea-star/index.html

Magic School Bus Series Being Cancelled From Netflix End of October 2014

That is right, you read it correct. It is all over Facebook homeschool groups, that the series is being cancelled at the end of this month. My daughter watched it last year, and was basically her Science curriculum. It is a wonderful show, and you can find free worksheets for each show online for free. I hate to see it go. DJ used to love it when he was younger too. Of course he is a teen, and much too old for it now.

Fossil Digging Field Trip #2 and What We Do With Them

Today we went digging for fossils, for the second time. Last time was in November, and the water was cold then, but let me tell you that was nothing compared to today. It was 40 degrees when we left the house this morning, and that water was bone chilling cold. However, it is a fairly shallow creek and we found a nice sunny spot, where the water was at least bearable.  Plus it has been such a wet winter, I was hoping it would have stirred up lots of good stuff.  Boy did it, and we only kept some of it.  I always find tons of shells, but since they are all the same I only took a couple.  Last time I only found one shark tooth, that was not very big at all.  I found some nice size ones this time, but my son and our friend found two huge shark teeth.  I mean huge.  Also of interest was manta ray jaw bones, some white rocks with blue spots I found some of those last time too, petrified wood, and a rock that actually had a shark tooth fossil embedded in it with other fossils too. 

So, now what do we do with these?  I use them for various crafts, three of which you can see below.  My kids have not attempted the resin craft yet, but they will be doing it in April.  Resin does have some safety issues that you have to follow, so I know some people use Modge Podge.  I have never tried the Modge Podge method.  I myself, am fairly new to resin, but I love it.  You can go to my other blog, http://www.melissasjewelryandgems.blogspot.com to see all my resin, art, and crochet craftiness. 

The kids can also read about fossils, why are there so many fossils in Florida, and the laws on collecting fossils.  There are very strict laws on fossil digging, not really the digging, but the keeping of the fossils.  Also what makes Petrified Wood.    This is a fun way to learn some cool Science, and enjoy nature.  We will definitely probably go back again.  The little area where we dig is so beautiful and peaceful.  The blue piece below is actually resin with blue food coloring and a shark tooth in it.  It is really cool.  It will be in my Etsy store soon, as my son found a bigger one today and will be making a piece of his own with resin.  The clear piece has a shell, that stone I told you about, and part of a shark tooth I think.  The top piece I used one of the shells I found, put a little hot glue in there and a coral flower then poured the resin in.  It will be a pendant eventually.  All of these were made from our first time digging.

Ron's Pond Scum Very Cool Science

Today for Science class we will be exploring different protozoa , at Ron's Pond Scum This website is so cool. He has taken algae, and other slimy stuff, from his garden pond, and put them under a microscope. He shares the microscope pictures, and details of what each little critter is. This is a great Science project for all kids learning about Protozoa, and such. This is part of our animals, and habitats lesson studies.



Lesson plans for 3/25/09:

Social Studies: History and development of communication
Writing: What is the best form of communication, and why
Math: Multiplication, division, problem solving by adding or subtracting
Language Arts: Compound words, singular and plural nouns
Spanish: review
Spelling: Lesson 25- Write each spelling word two times each, and circle the vowels
Vocabulary: Lesson 25- Use each vocabulary word in a sentence