Solar Oven Fun

A few weeks ago we had a heat wave. If you follow my instagram you may have seen this pic of the thermometer that is on my back porch. It gets full sun for a few hours in the afternoon. I think the official temp for that Saturday ended up being 111.

Whatever the case, it was ludicrous hot in our back yard. So in order make the best of a scorching day, we decided to bake cookies...

in solar ovens.

I decided each of the kids could make their own solar oven and each one could be designed differently. Then we would see which one worked the best. Each of the kids set to work making their solar ovens with my assistance only in the cutting of things like the foil pans. We loaded up the pans with the cookie dough and set them outside to see what would happen. Outside actually smelled like cookie near where we put the ovens. If outside smelled like cookies every time it was ludicrous hot, the heat might actually be worth it. Wouldn't you agree? The surprising result of our experiment was that all the solar ovens basically worked the same.

I didn’t go out and buy anything. I actually had everything already so it was such an easy project. I had explored the internet looking at a bunch of ideas and some were very detailed and exact in how a solar oven is to be put together but then I found some that were less exact. What I noticed while watching the kids make their ovens, is that as long as the basic principles are kept, it really doesn’t matter. So the basic principles of a solar oven are that black absorbs heat and metal reflects light to help increase the heat.

Solar Oven made by Mr V

Solar Oven made by Miss K

Solar Oven made by Little G

Solar Oven made by Miss H

There are a few things I have decided we will do a bit differently next time.

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We will remember to use parchment paper under the cookies so they don't stick to our pans.

I will be making new “pans” for the next time we make cookies or anything like cookies. I used aluminum foil covered poster board squares. Next time I will use black poster board with parchment paper taped to the top. This will help absorb more heat so the cookies will hopefully cook better.

I will also try to get them out a little earlier. We ended up with shade a bit sooner than planned.

Little G with her Solar Cookies

We used this cookie recipe to make little cookies. Cookies will take about 2-3 hours to cook and you need to make sure you flatten the balls of dough a bit to ensure they cook in the center. There are several websites devoted to solar cooking, look up what you want to try. We will be using our ovens a lot this summer. The kids asked to make cookies again and I decided we could totally make lunch in them. And each time I am going to let the kids improve on their designs. I love that we are doing science while on summer break. In our house the learning never stops.

Resurrection Garden

Last year we made a Resurrection Garden during Holy Week for Easter. This was such a fun activity that everyone of us enjoyed. This year the kids asked if we could do it again. Without hesitation I said yes.

Here is what you need so that you can make your own Resurrection Garden with your kids.

1 wide, flat, clay pot or other suitable dish
1 small pot (or a cup will work if you don't have a pot)
1 roundish rock to fit over the opening of the small pot
little pebbles
6 twigs or short sticks (3 long and 3 short)
hay or straw (optional)
glue gun
dirt or potting soil
grass seed
water (in a spray bottle works best)

We glued the twigs to make 3 crosses and wrapped small pieces of hay around the middles.

We placed some dirt in the bottom of the pot and placed the small pot sideways off to one side for the tomb.

Then we built up the dirt around the pot to make a hill and we sprinkled grass seed all over the hill of dirt.

We put the crosses on top of the hill and then made a path around the base of the hill and into the tomb pot.

Then we placed the rock in front of our tomb.

Our little garden had a prominent place on our dining table. A few times every day we would spray water on the seeded hill. It was so fun to watch as the grass started to grow. Mowing this little patch of grass required using some little scissors.

On the Saturday night before Easter when I was putting out all the Easter goodies, I moved the rock over to the side. When they woke up they saw that the stone was "rolled away" and that made them very excited.

After Easter our garden had a special place on our porch and Little G watered it every day.

This activity was so much fun to do last year. I love this hands on activity that is becoming a tradition in our family. The kids are excited to do this again this year and I am excited to see how God is going to use it to reveal yet more of Himself to the kids and even me.

And he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. ~ Mark 16:6 ESV

Homeschool Chromatography Lesson

With autumn in full force, the leaves are turning colors. I love it when God paints the tress. Have you ever wondered how he does it? Last year we did an experiment that was so fun we did it twice and the kids want to do it again this year.

We used chromatography to extract the different colors that are in leaves. Chlorophyll is what causes the leaves to look green but when the chlorophyll breaks down in the fall, the leaves' true colors shine through. Extracting the chlorophyll – greens, carotenoid – yellow & orange-red, and anthocyanin - reds from the leaves is a really fun, easy, and inexpensive science activity.

First, talk to your kids about why leaves are green and photosynthesis and the wonderful changes that happen during autumn. Check out books from the library about leaves and the changing seasons. Go for a nature walk and check out all the different leaves. While you are out and about (or even in your own backyard) gather leaves from different types of trees outside. If you can identify the trees that the leaves come from, that is great. If you can’t figure out what the trees are, that’s okay. Try to collect leaves that haven't turned yet. We collected from all around our area. We had so many leaves it was kind of crazy. As you gather the leaves, remember to keep them sorted so they can be identified later on.

I asked the kids what colors they thought each leaf would turn when it was time and we discussed our hypotheses and why we came up with the answers that we did.

Do all the prep for the experiment. Cut a coffee filter or two into strips. Gather some small glasses, a deep dish or pan, and grab some rubbing alcohol. You will need something to cut the leaves into tiny pieces and something to smash them when they are in the cups. Boil some water for later.

While the water is boiling, have the kids cut up the leaves into tiny pieces - we used scissors.

Place each cut up leaf into a different cup. We used shot glasses because I just happen to have a bunch of them (they are great mini beakers) but you can use any small glass container, like baby food jars. I haven't tried small paper cups but they might work.

Smash the leaf a bit; this just helps break up the cellular structure so you can get a more vivid result in a shorter amount of time.

Put a coffee filter strip in each cup with the top labeled with what leaf is in the cup. Now is when you will be glad you kept them sorted.

Put all the cups into a deep dish or pan. We used a pie plate.

Chromatography Science Activity

Pour some rubbing alcohol into each cup. I didn’t really measure this but it was probably a couple tablespoons per glass. I made sure all the leaves were well covered; this is what will extract the color so you don't really want to skimp.

Remember, rubbing alcohol is not something you want your little ones to handle. Please be careful and keep it out of their reach. Supervise the older kids while doing this.

BE SAFE

Pour the boiling water into the dish or pan that the cups are in. The heat helps the rubbing alcohol do its job.
Again, BE SAFE

Let the cups sit for anywhere from 30 minutes to a couple hours. Until some of the alcohol has been absorbed by the coffee filters and you see some color spreading up the filters.

Pull out the filter strips and let dry. You will see all the colors separated out. Some will be more vibrant than others. If you use leaves that haven't changed yet, they will give the best results I found. You can also test to see the difference between the same type of leaf during the different stages of color changing.

Depending on the age of your kids and what you are studying, you can go into all sorts of scientific studies, from the basic what color will it turn to how much of each compound is in each leaf to even why the alcohol worked. It's all up to you. 

Like I said this was really fun to do and the kids asked if we could do it again this year.

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What happens when life gets in the way of blogging?
Posts that were supposed to go up in October being posted in November.

Updated 9/21/2014

31 Days Homeschool Folder Games

Folder games are a staple in our homeschool. Folder games are a great way to help reinforce the skills your are teaching. I love folder games so much that I have actually blogged about them here, here and even again here. As the kids get older, finding folder games that keep them engaged has been more challenging. Now, I find us playing our own version of Jeopardy using the material we are learning as a way of reinforcing skills. 

Little G still loves it when I pull out new folder games for her to play so I am always on the look out for new games I can make for her school time. We even play them when it isn't school time, they are great for passing the time when you need a quiet activity.

Here is what you need to do make your own folder games.

First gather your materials.

• File Folders - Using fun colored or patterned ones makes the games more appealing but plan manila folders work great too.
• Printer - The downfall is the ink usage. I actually change the settings so it uses the least amount of ink while still printing out decent pages.
• Paper (not just basic white) - I like to glue my game pieces to construction or scrapbook paper for sturdiness.
• Scissors - I usually cut out my games while watching TV.
• Glue Sticks - Glue sticks work really well for folder games.
• Colors/Markers - If you print the games in black and white you will want to add color to make them pop. I've also add stickers to games in the past to help decorate them.
• Clear Contact Paper - This is what I use to laminate them. If you have a laminator you can use that. Covering the folder game helps keep the game last longer.
• Plastic Baggies - I use snack-size baggies to keep the pieces in when they are not being used.

Next find the game you want to make and print out all the components.

Then start cutting. This is probably the most tedious part of making folder games. I often make them while watching a movie.

Assemble your game according to the instructions that come with the game. I glue the playing pieces onto another piece of paper and then cut them out. It helps keep them sturdy and keeps them from being see through. Decorate the game it as you like.

Apply the clear contact paper to the game board and to the pieces. I like to apply the contact paper one side at a time so that the fold is not covered, it makes it easier to close the folder. After applying the contact paper to the pieces, I cut around the outside leaving a small edge to keep the front and back parts together.

Then your game is finished and ready to be enjoyed.

Below is a list of the sites that offer free folder games. I love sites like these and am so thankful for those willing to share their hard work with others.

Preschool Printables - She has several free matching games for preschoolers. She also sells CD-Roms of even more games.

ABC Teach - This site has some free games for preschool and up. There are also more games available for members of the site.

File Folder Fun - This site has such a great selection of folder games. Search by age or subject.

Christian Preschool Printables - This site is also a treasure trove of folder games. These games are all Bible themed.

Bible Story Printables - This is another treasure trove of folder games that are Bible themed.

Mr Printables - There are a few really cute games on this site to print out.

File Folder Farm - This site has some absolutely adorable folder games.

These are just some of the free resources available. There are also tons of purchasable folder games out there and even books you can by with games already in them. If you want something new and fun to help reinforce skills without using worksheets, I highly recommended folder games.

I'm participating in 31 Days along with over 1,000 other bloggers hosted by the Nesting Place.
What happens when life gets in the way of blogging?
Posts that were supposed to go up in October being posted in November.