Kindergarten, Science, Week 19

We are on Day 4 now, learning about the Sun, Moon, and Stars.

Monday I read about Day 4  in the book The Creation.

Tuesday

• I read pages 8 - 11 in Moon, Sun, and Stars.
• Concept:
• Even though the moon looks bigger than the sun or stars it is really smaller. It looks bigger because it is closer.
• Exploration:
• I gave K. a penny and had her put it next to a globe. Which is bigger?
• Then I moved the globe across the room and had her put the penny close to her eye. Which looks bigger?
• Next, we went outdoors and compared the size of the penny to a tree. Which is bigger?
• Then we moved away from the tree until the penny, when close to the eye, appeared bigger than the tree.
• Last, I had her slowly move the penny out to arm's length and watch the penny "shrink" in size.

Wednesday

• I read pages 12 and 13 in Moon, Sun, and Stars.
• Concept:
• The moon orbits the earth.
• Exploration:
• We went outside and I pretended to be Earth and K. was the moon, orbiting Earth.
• Then we switched places.

Thursday

• I read pages 14 - 17 in Moon, Sun, and Stars.
• Concept:
• The moon is made of rock.
• Exploration:
• We looked at pictures of the moon on-line.

Friday

• I read pages 18 - 21 in Moon, Sun, and Stars.
• Concept #1:
• The moon reflects light from the sun.
• Exploration:
• You'll Need: a hand mirror.
• I had K. stand in a dark corner of the room.
• I told her that the ceiling light was like the sun and the mirror in my hand was like the moon.
• Then I moved the mirror until light was reflected to where K. was standing.
• Then I let her try.
• Concept #2:
• We see only the part of the moon lighted by the sun.
• Exploration:
• You'll Need: a ball (we used a basketball), a table lamp without the shade, a dark room
• Set the lamp on something so the light is on the same level as you will hold the ball. It needs to be enough above your child's head so their shadow isn't on the ball.
• Have your child stand about 3 feet from the lamp -- they are Earth.
• Hold the ball and orbit Earth -- you are the moon.
• Have Earth turn with you so he can see how the moon is lit differently as it orbits Earth.
• Here is a video. This wasn't the first time we had done it, so Earth wasn't real interested in cooperating and was spinning faster than the moon, which it does (Earth rotates 28 times to 1 rotation of the moon).