Liquid Density Experiment

 We started creating layers of liquids to show how the same volume of liquid can have very different densities.  Our first layer (from the bottom upwards) was honey, followed by corn syrup with blue food colouring in it.  Next came milk, dish soap, water (dyed red) , rubbing alcohol (dyed green) and finally vegetable oil.

 After discussing what liquids were more dense and why we added a few other items to the mix to see what they would do.  Some were challenging to observe because they got lost in the liquids.

 First we dropped in a nut and bolt, which were clearly the most dense and fell straight to the bottom.

 Next came the cherry tomato and we're not entirely sure where it is.  We suspect it's in the red water level.

 The bead sank slowly and eventually settled between the dish soap and the milk.

 The popcorn kernel went as far as the clue corn syrup.

 And the ping pong ball stayed afloat on the oil.

  After this experiment we also used 2 large marshmallows to who how objects that are essentially identical can have different densities, especially if we alter how tightly packed their atoms are.  We squished up one marshmallow and left the other in its original state, then we placed them both in water.  While they both floated, the squished one floated more than half way below the water surface unlike the other which stayed almost entirely above the water surface.

Density

Volume

I wasn't sure how our Chemistry Unit would go since chemistry is most definitely NOT my area of strength.  However, as we ease into it I'm finding that it's pretty basic.  Today we covered how to measure the volume of both rectangular solids as well as irregular solids.  Good thing we had borrowed some graduated cylinders from the learning center a week or two ago.  In the end Mckenzie switched the thumb tack for a set of keys because the tack didn't really 'register' as it was too small and we were using bigger units.  It was nice to cover both math and science at the same time.  Our days always seem shorter when he also has to do his paper route.

Bullseye!

Archery

For PE today Mckenzie did a little archery.  He really enjoys it but we don't do it enough.  I think I may need to look into classes again.  However I have a feeling it will be full again especially as the 3rd Hunger Games movies is still in theaters.  Mckenzie's interest in the bow and arrow pre-date his interest in The Hunger Games, which I like.  He's a pretty good shot too.  For no lessons and nearly zero practice I think he's got some really great potential here.

Back to it

After a long and much needed break over Christmas, we're back to it.  In just two weeks he's already read House of Hades by Rick Riordan, which is a 600 page book as well as 300 pages of Blood of Olympus by Rick Riordan.  I can't believe how fast this kid blasts through his books.  I think he's excited to start reading The Hunger Games.  

I had seen a sculpture on Pinterest and thought we'd try our own version.  It didn't turn out near as detailed as the one I saw, but it was a fun and very fast art project.  Basically just try to sculpt your face with foil.  

 We also began some drawing with grids.  I think he worked too fast with this.  So I plan to make him go back and work on more detail and eventually some coloring.

 And in math we're working on angles.  Right, acute, and obtuse, measuring and drawing angles.  We even took a closer look at my mom's quilt to find all kinds of angles.  This subject in math is going well.  He's sailing through it quickly which is really nice.

Soap Carving

 We thought it would be fun to try carving some soap.  We just used a regular bar of soap.  I think it was ivory.  There were no rules for it, just whatever he wanted to do.  He had to switch ideas though after the soap broke part way through.  He began attempting a turtle and in the end he made a little hammer from what else, and XBOX game.  I forgot to take a picture of the final project and also to hand it in for the end of term 1.  Oh well.