Super science Friday
14 Nov 2008 Leave a Comment
in School Stuff, science
Wow, this could become a habit. Here are some really simple experiments to do with a soda pop bottle (small or large.)
Into thin air:
Fit a balloon over the bottle’s mouth
Fill a saucepan with hot tap water (works best if the water is almost boiling)
Fill another saucepan with cold water
Place the bottle in the hot water pan and watch what happens
Remove the bottle from the hot water and put in the cold water pan.
What’s going on? Heat gives air molecules energy and as they sped up and moved faster they took up more room and filled up the balloon. Cold makes air molecules slow down. As the molecules lost energy and became more densely packed in the bottle the balloon sagged.
Color show:
Measure 1 Tbsp of oil into a jar with a lid
Drop different food colorings into the jar (2 or 3 drops for each color)
Put the cover on the jar and shake it up
Fill your pop bottle almost full of tap water
Pour your oil color mixture on top and watch the color show
What’s going on?
Water is denser than oil. If the two are mixed together, the will always separate. Food coloring is mostly water so the drops sink through the oil and down into the water level. When the bubbles sink, their oil coating rises back to the surface. The tiny color drops seem to disappear because each drop of coloring isn’t strong enough to change the color of the water. Over time all the drops will sink and the water color will change.
Ride the water:
Fill your pop bottle with water
Sprinkle black pepper on the surface of the water. What does the pepper do?
What’s going on? If you look at the water just right you’ll see dimples around each pepper grain. This is because the pepper isn’t actually floating; it’s riding the water’s surface tension. Water’s clinging power is strongest on the surface because nothing is pulling the water molecules upwards. In fact, the surface is pressed downward by air pressure.
Magic finger:
Using the pepper water from above -
Touch the middle of the water with your finger, what happened? Nothing!
Now rub a little soap on your fingertip and touch the middle of the water on the surface with your finger. What happens to the pepper now?
What’s going on? It may seem that the pepper was changed by the soap, but actually the soap changed the waters surface tension. Soap molecules have the power to mix with water molecules and make water molecules less clingy with one another (soap does the same with dirt and stains.) As the water molecules relaxed their grip on one another the surface relaxed and pushed outwards. In the experiment the pepper rode to the sides of the bottle away from your finger.
Quicksand:
Measure ½ c of water
Add food coloring to the water
Pour ½ lb of cornstarch into your pop bottle. Slowly add the dyed water and stir the mixture carefully. Once all the starch has been mixed conduct some tests. Stir the quicksand. The faster you stir the harder the quicksand becomes. The slower your stir the runnier it becomes.
Is it a solid or a liquid?
What’s going on? Quicksand may sometimes act like a solid, but it doesn’t keep a regular shape, so it’s a liquid. Your quicksand is a special kind of liquid that becomes thicker rather than thinner when stirred. (Like the cornstarch suspension experiment, which is much neater! 2 C cornstarch, 1 C water. Mix and play.)
Well, whaddya know….
14 Nov 2008 1 Comment
in information
The weatherman
was
right!
Looks like our night at the museums outing is going to be chilly and wet tonight, cool!
Nature walk
13 Nov 2008 Leave a Comment
in co-ops
This morning I had my Platte river hike co-op. It was such a nice day for a walk, a little too warm to be almost winter, but oh well. We walked by the mud swallows nests and turned off the path into the woods. We walked by gum weed and thistles and plants with empty seed packets. We stopped by the fallen tree over the river and checked it out for bug trails.
We walked back through the trees and found several nests and a bit of fur from some animal on the trail. Walking across the bridge someone found a millipede and we passed it around, we searched under the crab apple tree but there were no more to be found.
We went over to the rocks by the spillway and then headed over to the park for lunch. I really like this side of the park (except for the really fast bikers who buzz by you.) Once you get off of the beaten path all you can hear is the creek and the crunching of leaves underfoot.
Ceremony
12 Nov 2008 Leave a Comment
in family outing, holiday
That was a very nice ceremony.
We had a bagpiper, placed a wreath on the memorial, had a 21 gun salute, sang songs and had a fly over (that Joel said was braking all FAA rules, but I bet they allow them to fly that close to us on Veteran’s day.) The mayor of Littleton gave a speech and the roll call from 2 posts was called. Then people could come up and remember a vet in their family that died or that was still living to honor them. One vet came up and told us about how he was dropped near the woods in WWII and he came upon a group of Germans. They were surrendering so he took the officers’ luger and still has it today. He asked the Germans why they were still fighting when they knew they were losing, the officer replied, ‘We fight for the comrades.’ The veteran said that’s what we do too; we fight for our friends, our country and our freedom. Joel thought it was very cool that this man got to keep a German luger (yes, Joel, it’s called ‘spoils of war’.)
Here are some flags for the vets in my family; sorry didn’t get one of the Army flag.
But, here is the Navy flag.
The Marine flag.
Joel with the Air force flag (which as far as I know if he goes into that branch he will be the first person in my family and James’ family to be Air force.)
Veteran’s day
11 Nov 2008 Leave a Comment
in Poems
Sometimes we must fight
In order for our freedom to be true -
Sometimes we must fight for the red, white and blue.
It is never easy to carry the weight of the world -
To be the first on the field,
To be in harms way,
To be far from family,
To make war every day.
It is never easy to bear the horror of war -
To see families suffer,
To see a nation under fire,
To see soldiers not come home,
To make vengeance our desire.
For those who have fought to keep freedom free,
And those who are fighting still for you and for me,
Remember, in order for freedom to be true -
Sometimes we must fight for the red, white and blue.
-L
Thank a Veteran today. For a few go out and protect our country so that we as a whole can remain safe in our liberty, country, freedom, home.
We’ll be at a ceremony in Littleton at 1100, on 11/11. Take a moment wherever you are to join us in prayer, and then go find a veteran!
New wall
09 Nov 2008 1 Comment
in information
Thanks to friends who encouraged me to put up my Live well, laugh often, love much stickers on my wall (I thought they were all one sticker, but each letter is an individual sticker, yikes!) I did that this morning.
The dollar store has these cool wall stickers, I put up a plumb line and got to work, it’s pretty good. The frames will have up close pics of the kids once I get my new camera back. I love the leaves too, the other wall (this one used to be full of kid’s art) will have new cork squares across it and the kids’ art hung up again. I got my backdrop for Christmas pics and some snowflakes to hang, the girls are wearing blue or black dresses this year. Again as soon as I have my new camera in my hot little hands I’ll be snapping away!
Hannah
08 Nov 2008 Leave a Comment
in kids
Here is Hannah eating her favorite thing, sour cream.
She can’t eat too much of it (since it’s milk), but I gave her the last of the container and she sat there licking her fingers and smacking her lips.
When she was done she had white fingers and a white nose (apparently some of that sour cream was too hard to get with her fingers, but just right for getting with her nose.) I had to hide the new cream from her or she’d eat the whole thing.
GS-theater
07 Nov 2008 Leave a Comment
in girl scouts
We had a great GS meeting Friday. We were working on our theater badge. Another mom led the meeting and had the girls make a circle to play a few games. One was ‘whatcha’ doin?’ One person does something (like pretend to brush their teeth) and we ask ‘whatcha doin?’ They tell us and then we repeat the movement. We played pass the face, which was pretty funny. We played a game where you say the same words but say them in a happy voice, sad voice, and mad voice. The girls really got into that one too. Karen said ‘Pretend you’re best friend just got a new webkinz’ and they said ‘I’m so happy for you!’ Then they had to pretend their friend got a new webkinz, but they already had 1 million of them. ‘Oh, I’m soo happy for you (sarcastic)!’ Then we broke into groups and had a bag of props to do a skit with. I had to replace one girl in Bethany and B’s group. We were explorers trying to find a pyramid, then we did find it but we got lost inside of it and heard a mummy. This is where B came out (wrapped in toilet paper) and said, ‘Get out of my pyramid!’ Bethany and I took a pic of the mummy and ran out. There was also a skit about a princess who gets turned into a frog (Grace was in that group) and another skit about pirates.
After a quick snack break we made masks and played with a puppet show. That was really neat. No pics because I was sending in my camera to be repaired again and 4 must be my lucky number. Kodak said that since it’s not been fixed correctly and it was my 4th time sending it in, they are giving me a new camera. Maybe that one I got was just the bad apple, it’s never worked right since we bought it. (However the first camera James bought me worked great the entire 5 days I had it before it was stolen.) So, the camera is off and I should have my new one by next week, until then crappy camera rules.
Joke from Grace
06 Nov 2008 2 Comments
in kids
What is blue, goes up and down and is dangerous?
A blue whale in an elevator with a gun.
Newton’s laws
06 Nov 2008 1 Comment
in School Stuff, science
I knew that science book I picked up at the library would come in handy (Gizmos and Gadgets by Jill Hauser.) We made this today to study Newton’s 1st law of motion. To make inertia zoom ball you get 2 bottles (soda, water, quart, liter, etc.) and cut them in half. Attach the 2 ends together and tape. Pull two 12 ft. lengths of string through the neck of one bottle and out the other neck of the other bottle. We didn’t have 6 pack plastic holders so I taped together 4 rings from the bottle ends and then tied the string onto them.
Now stand with the string tight and pull your hands apart to send the bottle flying to your partner, like this (click on the pic to see the video.)
 |
| From newton |
This is Newton’s 1st law of motion; without force like a push or a pull an object won’t budge. Once it’s going it won’t stop moving in a straight line unless it’s forced to change its movement by another push or pull.
For the 2nd law of motion (the greater the force of an object, the greater the change in motion) we made a paper airplane and threw it across the room. Then we used a rubber band and chopstick piece to launch the airplane across the room. It went further with the force of the rubber band because the rubber band gave greater force to the thrust of the plane. The 2nd part of the 2nd law of motion says that the greater the mass of an object, the greater the force needed to change its motion. We placed a rock and a bracelet on the table and pushed each one. The necklace was lighter and so with the same force of push, it went further. We had to push harder to get the rock to go the same distance as the necklace. I didn’t have a straw for the next experiment so we taped pony beads to a popsicle stick and then threaded the string through the beads. We taped the string in two spots and blew up a balloon (we used to do this out side all the time.) As the balloon let out its air it traveled down the string to the other end. This proves Newton’s 3rd law of motion which states that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. When we place our rubber band racer near the cat, the action of the can traveling towards the cat makes him provide the reaction of leaving the area!
(No animals were harmed in this picture, just slightly annoyed.)
Our last experiment had nothing to do with laws of motion (although they are still present), energy buildup and release was the object. Poke a hole in the bottom and top of a coffee can, if you have 2 unused cd’s attach them to the ends of the can (although it will work without the cd’s.) Thread a rubber band through and attach a paper clip to it on the bottom of the can. Thread it through the top lid (and cd if you have that) and a washer and attach it to a pencil or chopstick.
Wind the pencil and then let it go on the floor (ours is going kind of slow, we need a thicker rubber band.)
 |
| From newton |
The energy from the rubber band comes out through the pencil and rolls the can. Improve the design; try a plastic bottle, toilet paper tube, oatmeal box. Use plastic wheel, cd’s, or no wheels at all. Try a pencil, chopstick or knitting needle. Use a thicker rubber band, a double rubber band or a few rubber bands looped tighter to maximize the power of the spin. Use a washer or rub soap on the place where the arm rubs to reduce friction. This experiment show potential energy that is stored and ready to use and kinetic energy which is moving energy (like Maisy right after this picture.)
Here are 2 sculptures that the girls made with our foam board pieces we cut up. Note to self, start the cutting by using an exact-o knife; it’s much easier that way.
The neat thing about these pieces is that they can be reused, moved around and as you build with them you can get a sense of balance as you put pieces in different areas.
It might be nice to paint the back of the boards so they aren’t just white too.
Our new President
05 Nov 2008 Leave a Comment
in information
Well, history was made last night and the people spoke. Now, if it wasn’t you that spoke (like me) for Obama, take heart. Democrats have had to live with Bush for 8 years; it’s only fair that Republicans live under a Democrat. But, we as Republicans have an awesome opportunity here and that is….we can be nicer to Obama than the Dem’s have been to Bush.
Yes, we can. We can pray for him and as long as he doesn’t do anything against our beliefs (insert your beliefs here), we can support him, we can put God first, country second and ourselves last. Hopefully he will surround himself with smart, knowledgeable people who can help us get out of a war and a bad economy without imposing more government on us.
We have a really nice document that starts out like this:
We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
And another that says this:
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. — Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government.
We can always change if we see our rights trampled on, we just haven’t done it in awhile.
Did you vote?
04 Nov 2008 3 Comments
in information
It took me all of 5 minutes to vote at our rec center. Half of Colorado mailed in or did early voting, so I thought the polls would be light, but my goodness! We waited longer in line to vote at the last election and that wasn’t a Presidential one. You could vote paper or electronically and everything was working smoothly when I went at 8:20am.
Subconsciously I dressed all in red today, I didn’t mean too, but I guess everyone can tell by looking at me who I voted for!
Just a reminder that no matter who wins the Bible tells us to pray for our leaders:
1 Timothy 2
1 I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— 2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all men to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time. 7 And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle—I am telling the truth, I am not lying—and a teacher of the true faith to the Gentiles. 8 I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing.
And not (if you’re candidate should not be elected) to pray for hail to come down from Heaven and whack them on the head. We should pray (regardless of who ends up being the next President) for those in authority that they may lead Godly, peaceful and holy lives.
Here is a website about praying for our leaders.
What a day!
03 Nov 2008 Leave a Comment
in dance, HS group, information, School Stuff
First, here are our finished pieces that we are going to cut up for our Calder-like sculpture.
Hannah finally got it when I said I wanted the pieces to be torn and then glued.
It’s almost a shame to cut them into pieces, they look so neat.
The $1 store had these foam boards (that were $5 at US toy.) We used the leftover scrapbook paper and 3 bottles of glue (they weren’t all full.) I got everybody ready for soccer (awards day) and then we had to pick up James. We were driving him to court to pay a ticket when they called and said be there at 8am tomorrow (it was already after 8am today.) So, we ate breakfast with him and drove him back to the office.
We went by the party store so I could buy a medal for Hannah, she was her own team, but she did play a few times (and since I knew Grace was getting an award I thought Hannah might get jealous.) At the park we watched as Heather handed out certificates and medals to everyone.
Then she said, ‘We have a special player, who was on her own team otter and she’s getting a medal too.’ As soon as Hannah heard team otter she was running up to Heather to claim her prize.
Wow! A real medal just like sissy’s! How awesome!
Hannah was very excited, she couldn’t wait to show Daddy (she even wore it to dance.) After playing for a bit we went home to grab lunch. Joel had not only finished his school work without my help (even math, which he had a question on but figured it out) he had also taken in the trash cans from the street, cool!
We ate and dashed out for dance. Hannah and I looked over some books on science things you can make and math stuff while waiting on Grace. We picked up Grace and dropped off Bethany, then picked up Bethany and dropped off Hannah. I went to my class were everyone was practicing before our teacher came in. We went out into the church foyer to practice this time (it’s bigger.) She gave us a compliment! She said it’s starting to look like a dance (before we all looked like individual dancers, I think she meant it’s looking cohesive.) We added on the last verse and now we’re almost done. Only 3 weeks left before recital, so even though we have the 17th off we’re still meeting to go over the dance.
We picked up Joel and James and went to eat at Texas roadhouse, our favorite place. They skipped CAP tonight, shame on them, but we had time at home to go over the ballot for tomorrow. I love the way they write up the amendments and referendums. You really have to read it over and over and ask ‘Am I voting no or yes to this?’ Which I guess is good, except that I think most people aren’t doing that.
Vote tomorrow – or don’t complain about America!
Are the poor my problem?
02 Nov 2008 Leave a Comment
That’s what we talked about at church this morning. We started in the Old Testament (Deuteronomy 15:7-11) learning that there will always be poor people. We are commanded to give generously to the poor (because God is generous to us.) We need to do it without a grudging heart, because God isn’t grudging. We need to be open hearted to our brothers and sisters, the poor and the needy. We are promised that God will bless us, but it may not be in ways we think we should be blessed.
In the New Testament we read that Jesus places a high value on the poor and needy, He expects us to act and react to the poor. My actions towards those in need reflect my allegiance to Jesus. Generosity to the needy reflects the hearts of God’s people. (I John 3:17, Matthew 25:31-46)
What does that mean? Next time you see a guy on the street give him a hamburger or some money, knit hats for the homeless, go to a shelter, collect stuffed animals for children in broken homes, fill an operation Christmas child box, give to angel tree. Why? Because God tells us that when we feed the hungry, give water to the thirsty and clothe the naked we are doing it unto Him.
I will be Your hands and feet
To the people that I meet.
To the hungry, homeless and poor
I will show the open door.
To help the broken,
Find their hope in,
You.
To those who thirst
And reach for living waters,
Help me console
Your sons and daughters.
Work through me,
So all the world can see,
I can be Your hands and feet
To the people that I meet.
To know the fallen,
Will find their place in,
You.
Communion was also special today; I don’t know why, it’s the same cracker and same juice….
broken bread,
a cup of wine,
the mystery,
of the Divine.
a broken soul,
in need of repair.
a broken heart,
in need of care.
the Saviour’s touch,
is all that I need,
mercy and grace,
poured out for me.
a crust of bread,
a glass of wine,
to remind me,
of the Divine.
-Liese
Art and CPR
01 Nov 2008 Leave a Comment
in family outing, Poems
While Joel was learning CPR and other first aid stuff with CAP today, the girls and I were learning about art. Joel is a card carrying member now of emergency services, he can help you if you have a heart attack, need a defibrillator, cut your arm off, drown or just need basic first aid. Hopefully he will never have to use his new found skills, but it’s nice to know he can if he needs to. He also learned the important art of directing a crowd at an emergency scene, so if he tells you to do something…do it!
At the art museum we got a backpack for the Latin American floor.
It was the only one left….We did a puzzle and then went to find the vase that looked like our puzzle.
Grace found it after searching for a few minutes. Then we played a cube game where we rolled a cube and then had to find that piece of sculpture in the room, that was kind of hard. Last was the craft, a monkey mask to color.
I think we had another piece to put on it, but I couldn’t figure it out. We went up to the 6th floor after that to see the renaissance paintings and paintings grouped by theme. In the discovery lab Grace found something that she’s been studying in history.
Here is Pissaro’s impressionist painting that could be a picture of my backyard (hint: that would mean still no snow yet.)
Here is a violin, Grace was inspired by it, she says she’s doing one like it when we get home.
Antique furniture is up here too, Bethany and I really like this chair, she’s going to paint a picture of it at home.
In the old building there are lots of skinny rectangular windows that frame the outdoors just like a painting.
Looking down at the Greek theater across the street I’m not blocked by a frame though, I know what else is out there and can imagine it. Isn’t it frustrating to be a painter and run out of canvas? To get to the frame and just end?
We had a special treat today, a group of sculptures from the artist Jean-Antoine Houdon from France.
The exhibit is on loan from the Louvre, which aroused Bethany and Grace’s curiosity (they’re taking French.) Here is Morpheus the son of the god of dreams done in marble.
Here is George Washington done in terra cotta. Houdon was invited by Ben Franklin to come to Mt. Vernon to do the cast for Washington’s sculpture.
Here is the security guard telling me not to take any more pictures (well, imagine that part.) But, he didn’t ask me to delete the ones I already took! We bumped into a friend from our HS group and her sons at the clay table, a nice treat (but we were almost ready to leave.)
We tried our hand at doing some clay sculpture, man….eyes are really hard. I guess you need to like to work with clay and be good at it in order to make something like Houdon.
Back in the other building we returned the backpack, saw the Clyfford Still and Daniel Richter exhibits and popped bubbles in the reactix bubble lab.
Here is a mobile that we were trying to make at girl scouts (it’s hard!)
Then we went around the corner where you could write a poem from a template that asked you questions about the museum. Here is someone’s poem written in algebraic equations, pretty cool.
Here is Grace’s poem:
A rectangle
Shadows in space
An alien
The moon creaking
Like I’m jumping
Bethany’s:
A puzzle
Dark
Clay
Everyone
Scariness
Mine:
A garden of origami
Reflections of water droplets
In a dream
Echoes of laughter
Flying through space
It’s kind of neat to not know what the questions were and just see the answers. I’ll give you one though; the first question was ‘What does this museum (the building) look like to you?’ After a pass though the gift shop we left to go pick up Joel. I’m still at odds with our new museum, I think the space inside is very broken up and has lots of wasted space, but at the same time it’s growing on me. Here are some parting shots for reflection.
