Summer Fun: Inkodye Canvas Bags

The latest issue of Parent's magazine highlighted Inkodye, a solar dye.  I thought canvas bags might make good Christmas presents for our favorite six year old, Paul, to make.  I ordered the kit from Amazon and inexpensive canvas bags.  I printed images onto transparencies to use.  I've worked with solar paper before and transparencies usually deliver crisper results.  I read the directions in the Inkodye package and diluted the dye.  We invited over the neighbors to try it.  We tried light coats, dark coats, transparencies, and objects.  Fail.  Finally, while my husband, Rob, took the troops on a nature hike, I reviewed the instructions in Parents magazine.  They made no mention of diluting the dye.  I slapped on the dye right on the bags.  Success! Be sure to bring the prints inside after 10 minutes in bright sun.  Now I need to order more bags!

Michael's Craft Class

It's summertime and we're looking for fun activities for our favorite six year old, Paul, who divides his summer between his mommy and daddy, making camps difficult to schedule.  (He's signed up for Vacation Bible School, though!). We take trips to the library and pool, but wanted to try something different.  Michael's has summer crafts classes for kids three and up.  At six, Paul was one of the older children.  There were twelve children present, all with parents or camp counsel era attending.  The craft leader was a young woman, who was very positive and gave clear instructions.  Paul completed two crafts: a paper rocket and alien headband.  There were ample supplies and a friendly atmosphere.  The cost was $4 with the online registration.  Is it worth it?  I think the class would be more fun with a friend in tow.  The crafts are a bit simplistic, intended for children four or five.  But, overall it was a pretty successful outing.  I think we'll try another session in July.

Summer Fun!

My husband, Rob, and I watch our favorite six year old, Paul, frequently.  This summer he works on reading and writing one hour everyday Paul is with us.  That leaves loads of time for games, Legos, pool, library, and adventures!  I found this Curious George writing book for Paul to use to practice handwriting.  The book is all about the child; he traces his hand, writes the names of his pets, etc.  It's a low stress way to write a little everyday.  Paul and Rob read to each other for about 30 minutes, which I log on-line for the local library's reading program.  The past two days, we've planted seeds: cactus seeds I found at Walmart and seeds his daddy saved from a kindergarten field trip.  Here are a few photos.

NSTA Review: Follow That Paper

NSTA sends me books to review which I like to publish on my blog.  This series is a bit of a dud.

Follow That Paper

Follow That Paper, A Paper Recycling Journey is part of Keeping Cities Clean Series, and has three companion books.  Each title in the series is intended for early elementary aged children.  The book has clean colorful graphics.  Pages five and six explain and demonstrate how a recycling truck lifts a dumpster and empties the contents into the truck.  We just moved to a new neighborhood with roll-out bins for both garbage and multi-stream recycled items.  The truck has an arm which lifts the bin in the same manner.  My husband, Rob, read Follow That Paper to our favorite six year old, Paul, and took time to explain how the truck loads and empties the bin.  Rob even reviewed the vocabulary in the glossary (p.23) with Paul. Paul just wasn't interested.  The book felt too much like school.  This same book might enjoy a better response in the context of a classroom.  The book accurately traces the journey of a sheet of notebook paper to its logical end: recycled paper towel for a school.  My concern is that many elementary teachers invest an inordinate amount of time teaching recycling to kids.  This book certainly supports a lesson on recycling paper.  The activity making paper beads (p. 22) would be fun in a classroom as a follow-up to the story.  My only caveat is the price, a whopping $19.99, making the book out of reach for most classroom teachers.

Summer Science: Cactus

My husband, Rob, and I were scouting cheap shrubs at Walmart's clearance section and I came across cactus seeds.  I've been wanting a few low maintenance plants for my kitchen.  What a perfect project for my favorite six year old, Paul.  Rob and I scrounged a few planters and filled them with topsoil.  This morning, Paul planted the seeds, watered them, and covered them with glass bowls.  Yes, gardens are terrific summer science projects.  The library nearby even has a master gardener program.  We planted a pizza garden in the small square in the back yard.  Let your child plan and plant the garden.  It's not too late; the plants will just need more attention.

Summer Science: Solar Energy

This month's issue of Parent's Magazine has some solar crafts, using  Inkodye to create solar activated images.  When I host a camp, I pick a theme for the morning and have used solar energy as a theme.  I've used UV sensitive paper and construction paper sun prints using everyday objects, such as bottle caps, scissors, and trinkets.  We love to thread UV or sun activated beads on to chenille stems to wear outside.  Have you heard of Liter of Light?  I learned about this project when our summer science camp had solar fun.  We tried it by inserting bottles of water into a giant cardboard box and dragging it outside.  My friend, Marissa, dragged the box inside, put solar lights into colorful plastic cups, and inserted them into the holes left from the liter bottles.  The little kids at camp sat in the box for hours.  Try making a pizza box solar oven to make s'mores.  Last cool idea: a solar bag.  Just remember to tether it.  If you inflate this on a hot day in July, the solar bag will take off and rise out of sight.  Really.

Summer Science: Drops of Water on a Penny

It's raining out which inspired me to think about another activity with water.  Something about summer inspires watery experiments.  Get either a pipet or medicine dropper and a penny.  Older pennies minted before 1982 are copper and more defined.  Count how many drops of water the surface of the penny will hold before smashing over.  Sometimes, you'll be able to hit 100.  Why?  Water has unique properties owing to hydrogen bonds.  Water molecules are sticky and create a bubble of water on the penny.  Try it!

Summer Science : Super Bubbles

Another favorite activity and experiment I've used countless times is Super Bubbles.  At a camp, I usually make this an inquiry activity, unless there are many young children; I'll have teen helpers make up a batch and let the kids play.  But, super bubbles makes an excellent inquiry lesson.  Have three different brands of detergents.  (Include Dawn.  I've found it to perform exceptionally well.) Have both glycerin, Karo, and a generic brand of corn syrup.  The kids should use the same quantities of detergents, water, and either syrup or glycerin.  Ask the kids how they'll determine which combination makes the best bubbles.  Biggest?  Longest lasting?  Advise them to change one variable at a time.  If they test two variables simultaneously, they won't know which factor makes a difference.   By this I mean, if they're comparing Dawn and Joy, they should add Karo to both solutions.  The kids love the bubbles and this is a great way to introduce experimental design.

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Summer Science: Cartesian Divers

One favorite idea I've used at countless science camps and outreach events is Cartesian Divers. (This link is a good source for pipets and nuts for ballast.). A packet of ketchup from a fast food restaurant works, too!  Use cold water and fill a 2-liter bottle to the top.  If you are using pipets and a nut, have a basin of cold water available.  Test the diver in the basin or pail.  If your diver bobs under water as you submerge it, it should work in the bottle.  A 20 oz. soda bottle will work, too and is easier for little hands to squeeze the bottle.

Summer Science Fun: Bowling for Density

For a number of years, I hosted summer science camps, both at our church and at private schools where I taught.  One terrific theme is water, perfect for home-school.  Let's start with density, specifically, The Bowling Ball Experiment.  Will a bowling ball float?  It depends.  Take a large pail or plastic trash can and fill it half-full with water.  Add a big bowl of ice.  The density of ice water is close to 1 g/mL.  A ten pound bowling ball will float and a sixteen pound ball will sink.  A twelve pound bowling ball has a density of approximately 1g/ml and will bob in the ice water bath.  I do this as more of a demonstration with younger kids and walk older kids through the calculations before we test the bowling balls.  Incidently, I bought mine at yard sales.

Summer Science Projects

In our house, Paul, who is six, is reading everyday and logging his time online for the summer reading program through the library.  Today, he went outside to explore around the lake out back.  My husband, Rob, and Paul selected plants for our garden.  We play board games, like Monopoly or Trouble, too.  We have Paul do at least 30 minutes a day of school work (reading, writing, counting change, painting, etc.) to stay sharp.  There are other project ideas to try.  If you have a stream nearby, all you need are ice cube trays to assess the water quality with benthic macroinvertebrates.  Cacapon Institute has instructions and a virtual stream assessment.  Cornell University has loads of ideas for young ornithologists or birders.  Start with a bird life list.  Home Science Tools has summer project ideas to last all year!  Steve Spangler's site has cool science gear.  Last up is PBS with ideas like silly putty and lava lamps.  As home-schoolers know, education comes in many forms.  Let's have fun this summer with some projects!

Portfolio Evaluation

I'm in the throes of reviewing several portfolios for a number of home-school families.  What comprises a portfolio?  Each one is as different as each family.  One family may compile loose-leaf notebooks for each child containing work samples, photos from field trips, book logs, and notes from lessons.  I teach at a Co-op and take photos of the children and their projects.  These are chronicled in my blog (mrsstevenschemistryclasses.blogspot.com).  I encourage families to save electronic records, screenshots, and photos online as part of the portfolio.  You can take a photo or scan work samples to save digitally.  My advise is to have your child get in the habit of photographing or scanning meaningful work.  Your child can also video himself giving a book report.  Save it on YouTube and link it to your blog.  Start your own blog to document as a portfolio.  I typically interview families, look at their work samples, and evaluate the curriculum or syllabi.  Once I have an idea about the family and their curriculum, I write an endorsement letter for the school board to submit with their portfolio.  Here are some portfolios samples.


Dolly Madison
Art example
Book List
McGuffy work

These examples were submitted as part of two families' portfolios.  In one case, the daughter selected and sent her submission.  Your child could, too!