All Things Beautiful: September 2017

Snapshot Summary: September 2017

I try to write two posts a month which summarize all that we have done that month. One focuses on the school activities we do and the other covers the other things we have done throughout the month. I, however, sometimes find it hard to decide which category things that we do fit in, as so many things can be considered learning experiences.

Our annual Young Eagles flight is one of them. The boys get a little lesson in flight from the pilot before take-off.

They get in the plane.

Notice the yellow plane, which takes off at about the same time as the boys' plane.

photo by James

They have about a 15-minute flight.

See the yellow plane below?

Of course there has been lots of time at the beach. Can you see the smoke coming from the far shore?

Someone made a bonfire on the beach.

One evening you could see at the same time the sun setting and...

the moon rising.

We have played lots of The Fury of Dracula.

Katie celebrated her 26th birthday. I made her a pair of beach themed cakes.

If you would like to paint one, too, go to the Art Sherpa's video tutorial series.

I am working on a new painting, a still life this time. It is quite a challenge and, with being so busy, it will take some time for me to complete it.

For those of you who have been following us for some time, Hope is still in a lot of pain from her broken collarbone and is now seeking a second opinion.

How was your September?

September 2017, Our 22nd Year of Homeschooling Begins

The Homeschooled Kids

James

James, because of his severe learning disabilities, needs a predictable curriculum, and so I have drifted away from creating my own studies and from hands-on activities. My other students all needed variety in their studies so enjoyed all the rabbit holes we traveled down and all the hands-on type of learning we engaged in. This was stressful for James because he spent so much time and energy in figuring out what was expected of him, all the joy went out of the experience. His favorite subject was Paradigm Accelerated Curriculum's Integrated Physics and Chemistry, which is written by one of my favorite authors, Hudson Tiner. He liked it because it was in a predictable format of reading a section and answering questions in a workbook. At the end of the section was a quiz and at the end of the chapter, there was a test. I liked it because it always focused on reading comprehension, which is one of his weaknesses. So, we decided to just go with it and I bought Paradigm Accelerated Curriculum across the board for all his subjects. So, he is taking:

English 9 using English 1: Language Skills

American History using People, Places and Principles of America

Physical Science using Integrated Physics and Chemistry

General Math using Basic Math Skills

Soon after we had ordered the material, I got a call from the president of the company, thanking me for ordering and asking me about why I picked the curriculum and any suggestions I might have. I was so impressed by how much this company cares.

So far James is enjoying using the curriculum and so I plan to write a review of it, giving more details about it, in the future.

In American history we went over Spanish explorers, astrolabes, Spanish missions, Mayflower Compact, foundation for America’s economic system, Pilgrims and Indians, William Bradford, the Puritans, homemade medicine, seeds of independence, early lighting, soap-making, Anne Bradstreet, early colleges and universities, and military conflicts between French and British.

In English 9, we went over verbs—tenses, active and passive voice, transitive and intransitive; shall and will, may and can, other confusing twins, contractions, adverbs and prepositions, negatives, antonyms, synonyms, simple and compound sentences, complex sentences, and writing better sentences.

Quentin

Quentin wanted to take more control over his education this year and is working towards the goal of taking some college classes at the local community college when he turns sixteen. To that end, he has written up his own schedule and decided on his own subjects this year. Happily for me, it follows a Charlotte Mason style format.

Hours	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
9:30-9:50	Bible	Shakespeare	Bible	Shakespeare	Bible
9:50-10:20	Biology	Physics	Biology	Physics	Biology
1:30-2:00	Math	English	Math	English	Math
2:30-2:50	Latin	Greek and Voice	Latin	Greek	Latin
3:20-3:50	Reading	History	Reading	History	Reading
7:00-7:20	Sheet Music	Fencing	Sheet Music	Fencing	Sheet Music

He got my assistance with curriculum choices, so we are using the following curriculum (As some of the material is high school level, he'll be getting high school credit for this once he has completed it.) :

Bible: Picture Smart Bible Curriculum and The Good News Bible

Biology: Exploring Creation with Biology

Math: Basic Math Skills, Paradigm Accelerated Curriculum supplemented with hands-on activities such as the ones at Mathematics, a Way of Thinking.

Latin and Greek: Level 3 at Greek and Stuff

Reading: Books of his choice

Sheet Music: Alfred's Essentials of Music Theory, Books 1-3

Shakespeare: How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare, Reading, memorizing and watching Shakespeare's plays.

Physics: Exploring Creation with Physical Science

English: Ambleside Online's Pre-7 program with writing assignments

Voice: Vocal Studio of Kevin Thomas

History: Ambleside Online's Pre-7 program

Physical Education: Modern Duelist Fencing Academy

"I would make them all learn English; and then I would let the clever ones learn Latin as an honour, and Greek as a treat."

--Sir Winston Churchill

He has started back to fencing, which counts as his Physical Education, but he really does it because he loves it. He is not interested in doing tournaments yet but stays to bout for two and a half hours twice a week.

The Kids Who Have Graduated

Sam

You can be read Sam's first article in whole at TheCampusCurrent.com

Sam is taking Political Theory, First Aid and Statistics this semester for his Political Science degree. He is also writing for the campus newspaper. His first article, Ideas don't go away if ignored; colleges should give all a voice, came out this month.

Katie

Katie is taking Drawing, Ceramics, First Aid and Statistics this semester for her Art degree. Some of her artwork is trickling home, like this sketch of an egg done in charcoals...

and these examples of the first projects she completed in her ceramics class, pinch pots.

Alex

Simple Floral Lilacs with Q-tips in Acrylic Paint on Canvas Step by step tutorial at The Art Sherpa.

Alex also enjoys art, and despite the fact that he has graduated, we do complete some art projects together, like this one of lilacs...

and this one of Baby's Breath, both done with Art Sherpa tutorials.

Middle School Physical Science: Roller Coaster Physics

In this series, your student will be commissioned to be a roller coaster designer and as part of his training, he will look at some roller coasters that do not work and his task will be to figure out why they do not work and design a solution to the coaster's problem, using what he has learned about physics. Each student will need a blank notebook to write in.

Middle School Physical Science: Roller Coaster Design Training: The Snake

Covers Potential and Kinetic Energy, Law of Conservation of Energy and reviews Newton's First Law of Motion.

Middle School Physical Science: Roller Coaster Design: The Racing Roller Coaster

Reviews Speed, Velocity and Acceleration, looks at how Mass Affects Velocity and Therefore Momentum.

Middle School Physical Science: Roller Coaster Design: The Wooden Wonder

Covers mechanical advantage and reviews drag.

Middle School Physical Science: Roller Coaster Design: Marble Coasters

Students take what they have learned and apply it to making their own model roller coasters. They must identify at what points in the roller coaster the following are demonstrated:

Inertia
Centripetal Force
Friction
Angular Momentum
Linear Momentum
Highest Kinetic Energy
Highest Potential Energy
Negative Acceleration (Deceleration)

Other hands-on activities are suggested.

Middle School Physical Science: Roller Coasters: Marble Coasters

Now, its time to use all you have learned to make a model roller coaster.

You will be graded on:

Accurate labeling of terms
Successful verbal explanations
Smoothness and reliability of operation
Problem solving
Stability of the structure
Creativity
Teamwork

Materials

You can use either foam pool noodles and tape or cardboard paper towel, gift wrap and toilet paper tubes and tape. You will also need scissors and marbles, of course. You must have at least one curve and one loop and an energy source, such as gravity, that will send the marble all the way through the coaster. The marble must also land softly at the end and not fly out.
After you have built the coaster, test your coaster by sending the marble through it. Problem solve how to fix any problems your coaster has and make any necessary adjustments.

Identify

Label, either with written labels or verbally, with the following terms:

Inertia
Centripetal Force
Friction
Angular Momentum
Linear Momentum
Highest Kinetic Energy
Highest Potential Energy
Negative Acceleration (Deceleration)

Other possible projects:

Try building a roller coaster out of easy to bend wire.
Write a detailed description of a roller coaster you imagined, creating your own virtual ride, by making the description as realistic as possible, obeying all the laws of physics you have learned.
Research and write a report about how either Galileo or Newton influenced the study of physics.
Research and write a report about how the moon's gravity brings about tidal changes using the physics concepts and terms you have learned.
Research and report about how Newton's Laws of Motion affects bicyclist safety.
Research and write a report about pendulums and Newton's Laws of Motion.

Middle School Physical Science: Roller Coaster Design: The Wooden Wonder

Which items reduce friction and which increase it?

For this demonstration, you will need a spring scale. Begin by putting a rubber-band around the length of a wooden block that is at least 3x5x1. Hook the spring scale onto the rubber-band at one end of the block.
Now, pull the wood block across a large Styrofoam tray.
Place marbles in a large jar lid and then put the lid in the Styrofoam tray. Pull the block across the marbles.
Tape a piece of coarse sandpaper, that is as wide as the block and as long as the Styrofoam tray, to the tray. Pull the block across the sandpaper.
Remove the sandpaper and spread oil in the tray. Pull the block through the oik, being careful not to get oil on the scale.

Which setup(s) required the least force to move the wood block? Which required the most?
Anything that reduced the force needed is described as a mechanical advantage.

Review Activity: Drag

Drag is a type of friction. Have your student either come up with examples of Higher Friction, Higher Drag, Lower Friction, Lower Drag or have him sort those examples you have typed up for him.

Invader, the wooden roller coaster at Busch Gardens, Williamsburg.

Fixing the Wooden Wonder

This time the roller coaster you need to fix is a wooden roller coaster called the Wooden Wonder. Many roller coaster fans love the wooden coasters even though they don't turn you upside-down and can't be as big as metal coasters. This is because every day the ride on a wooden roller coaster is different depending on the humidity or dryness and the heat or cold.
Last night some teens were caught in the amusement park after closing time. I am afraid that they did something to the Wooden Wonder, and you are shown the ride operate with empty cars. After climbing slowly to the top of the first hill, it plummets to the bottom of the hill, clocking in a speed of 85 mph on the computer sensor read-out. The approved maximum speed for this coaster is 68 mph. When the train returns, you notice that the wheels appear yo have melted a bit. You and the maintenance crew walk along the track and after climbing to the top of the first hill, you all spot something glistening on the downhill tracks. What do you think was found on the track, and why? How can you explain what is happening to the cars, using Newton's First Law of Motion? What can the teens do as their restitution to get the train working as it should?

Math Connections

Work equals force times distance. Have your student use this formula to make up and solve math problems.

Middle School Physical Science: Roller Coaster Design: The Racing Roller Coaster

Warm Up: Speed, Velocity and Acceleration

To review these concepts, students either need to come up with examples of speed, velocity and acceleration or sort some examples that you give them on slips of paper. Review any concepts as needed.

Math Problems: Speed

Speed is the distance travels divided by the time it took to travel. Have your students solve some speed problems, according to the level they are comfortable with.

Activity: How Does Mass Affect Velocity (and Therefore Momentum)?

You will need two balls of the same size up of different masses such as a solid rubber ball and a hollow plastic one, or two cars of the same size and different masses.

A board that is about 8 inches wide and four feet long

stopwatch or clock with second hand

smooth floor

Predict which ball will get to the end of the ramp faster, the one with more mass or the one with less.

Release one ball at the top of the track and have someone time how many seconds it takes for the ball to get to the end. Be sure to start timing upon release and stop timing when the ball hits a certain point at the end.

Repeat with the second ball, making sure that this ball is released at the exact same place as the first ball was released.

What force started each ball moving? What forces stopped each ball's inertia or tendency to keep moving once it started moving?

What is the action force when each ball hits the pillow? What is the reaction force? How does this relate to Newton's Laws of Physics?

Why did the fastest ball travel at a higher velocity (get to the end faster)?

How might the mass of a roller coaster car affect the ride?

source

Fixing The Racing Roller Coaster

This time you are shown another metal skeleton which sprawls across an even larger area than the Snake. This coaster has two tracks which are designed to race each other. One side has cars made from aluminum. They were expected to be the faster cars, but in fact they barely make it to the finish line. The cars on the other side are of the exact same design, but they are made of a mixture of heavier metals.

The first hill is 198 feet high and the second his is 140 feet high. Each of the rest of the hills is lower than the hill before it. The coaster starts at the first hill and goes to last him and then returns to the beginning.

Can you determine the reason that the cars on the one side move slower even though they are lighter? How might you redesign the slower cars to make them travel at a higher velocity?

Other related demonstrations: