Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Chemistry: Atoms & Molecules (Block 1)

Och! Chemistry for a seven-year-old? Not an easy find. After spending a ridiculous amount of time searching and thinking, I finally settled on coordinating Louise and Richard Spilsbury's Building Blocks of Matter series with Carson-Dellosa's Hands-On Chemistry Experiments resource books, Bill Nye the Science Guy videos and an assortment of related titles available from our local library for our first two six-week blocks of chemistry. For our third and final block, we studied the period table of elements, which I'll detail in a later post.

Building Blocks of Matter: Atoms and Molecules by Louise and Richard Spilsbury Hands-On Chemistry Experiments, Grades K-2 by Carson-Dellosa Publishing Hands-On Chemistry Experiments, Grades 3-5 by Carson-Dellosa Publishing Bill Nye the Science Guy: Atoms DVD by Disney

Carson-Dellosa's Hands-On Chemistry Experiments includes student lab sheets, which Tessa completed in addition to the experiments themselves. Both the experiments and labs sheet may be previewed in full on Carson-Dellosa's Web site.

Completed August - October 2014.


Day 1

Day 2

Using Janice VanCleave's "83. Building Blocks" experiment as a guide, Tessa created a model of a lithium atom with a plastic milk jug cap, pipe cleaners and colored pony beads.
Using Janice VanCleave's "83. Building Blocks" experiment as a guide, Tessa created a model of a lithium atom with a plastic milk jug cap, pipe cleaners and colored pony beads.

Day 3

Day 4

Using Janice VanCleave's "84. Bonded" experiment as a guide, Tessa constructed a model of the physical structure of a methane molecule with toothpicks and gumdrops.
Using Janice VanCleave's "84. Bonded" experiment as a guide, Tessa constructed a model of the physical structure of a methane molecule with toothpicks and gumdrops.

Day 5

Day 6

Day 7

Day 8

Day 9

Tessa observed that oil, water and corn syrup have different densities. Before dropping small objects of various weights into the cup, she guessed where each would stay and then recorded the actual results. This was quite entertaining.
Tessa observed that oil, water and corn syrup have different densities. Before dropping small objects of various weights into the cup, she guessed where each would stay and then recorded the actual results. This was quite entertaining.

Day 10

Is it magic? No, it's density!
Is it magic? No, it's density!

Day 11
Day 12

Day 13

Day 14

Day 15

Day 16

Tessa created a model with marbles and rice to demonstrate how salt can be poured into a seemingly full glass of water without flowing over. The grains of rice fill in the spaces between the marbles just as the grains of salt move around in water and take up the empty pockets of space that are between the water molecules, which is what initially keeps the glass from overflowing.
Tessa created a model with marbles and rice to demonstrate how salt can be poured into a seemingly full glass of water without flowing over. The grains of rice fill in the spaces between the marbles just as the grains of salt move around in water and take up the empty pockets of space that are between the water molecules, which is what initially keeps the glass from overflowing.

Day 17
Hands-On Chemistry Experiments, Grades K-2 "Let It Flow" (page 18) by Carson-Dellosa Publishing fits well here, but we did not conduct it due to its simplicity. Tessa had completed similar activities in the past.


Day 18

Day 19

Day 20

Day 21

Day 22
Hands-On Chemistry Experiments, Grades K-2 "Popsicle Puddles" (page 52) by Carson-Dellosa Publishing fits well here, but we did not conduct it due to its simplicity. Tessa had completed similar activities in the past.


Day 23

Day 24

Day 25

Friday, June 19, 2015

Tessa Makes "Big" Hair Donation to Wigs for Kids

It was high time for a hair cut! After mentioning to Tessa about a month ago that I thought her hair might be long enough for her to donate to a child in need, she decided this was something she definitely wanted to do. Committed to providing long enough pieces of her hair to help make a "girl wig," she donated five ponytails 13-14 inches in length each to Wigs for Kids. Wigs for Kids is partnered with Girl Scouts to help bring awareness to the great need for hair donations. Participants have the opportunity to "learn more about illnesses that cause hair loss" and can help "make a difference in the lives of other children." Any Girl Scout may also receive a custom patch to commemorate her hair donation.

Tessa donated five ponytails 13-14 inches in length each to Wigs for Kids. It can take 20-30 ponytails to make one wig.

Tessa wanted to donate enough of her hair to help make a girl-length wig.

Wigs for Kids custom Girl Scout patch