Friday, January 23, 2015

Exploring the Elements! + O'Keeffe Pizzas!

Today our exploration dressed as Theodore Roosevelt, was a further understanding of the Periodic Table of Elements!  We also made some O'Keeffe inspired pizza flower designs that were...delicious!  So join us in today's Wonderful Wednesday journey!

Review


To start off the morning, we reviewed our weeks' memory work and hand motioned our way through the timeline together.

Dress-Up

The kids enjoyed their dress up as famous Rough Rider, Theodore Roosevelt.  Sarah dressed up representing his famous Safari experiences, with the backdrop of the African plains as a fitting accompaniment to her costume!  We had some silly fun with it all.

Georgia O'Keeffe Pizzas!

We then dove into a creative and delicious activity one of our clever Moms came up with - making Georgia O'Keeffe flowers; using a pizza crust, tomato sauce and lots of different veggies for creative flair!  Then we stuck them in the refrigerator to bake later, after we finished working on our big project!

Understanding Chemistry

We started out reviewing what we had learned so far concerning the atom, molecules and elements.  You can refer to my previous two posts for more information and see what we've covered so far; Introducing Chemistry and Introducing the Periodic Table of Elements.  I started out using an analogy of an ice cream store (I love to use analogies) to review the differences between an atom, element, molecule and compound.  I also used some information that I truly appreciated from http://www.homeschoolcollection.com/chemistry/ that helped me explain how God tied into the subject of the Periodic Table of Elements and science overall.  She has a neat perspective and I would recommend checking her freebie out.  We also discussed the electron shells of an atom and then I explained the project we were about to start, that we will be working on the next couple weeks - a GIANT PERIODIC TABLE OF ELEMENTS!!

Periodic Table of Elements Project!

To start with my husband had cut cardboard boxes (very large ones from things like big screen tv's and refrigerators) into 32"x 42" boards for us to use as our base.  Next, we took the Periodic Table of Elements poster I had gotten from the back of my PTE Basher book (see last weeks post for info to buy) and then using it as a template, we laid out empty egg cartons into the same arrangement.  (Yes, I have been saving egg cartons for about a year now to do this project!)  Once they were laid out how Sarah and I wanted and we removed the parts that didn't allow it to lie flat (you know those pointing centers that stick up -we cut them out), I hot glued them in place and then Kilz painted them white (well, my husband painted them actually -what a good guy...right?)  This became my "sample" for the group to follow as they worked on their projects together and Sarah was a helper this week for a visitor.

Quick Six Elements Game!

A great game to help kids learn the Periodic Table is Quick Six!  You can download it free from www.ellenjmchenry.com.  

Eating O'Keeffe Flowers!

Our day wouldn't have been complete until the kids got to see their baked flowers and best of all...eat them!  They were delicious, I hear!  

Review Game 

The kids all played a review game together to end their day.  It was a Wonderful Wednesday! 


6 comments:

  1. What wonderful ideas. I love the O'Keeffe Pizza!
    Blessings, Dawn

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    1. Dawn - Thank you! I love doing this with the kids! The O'Keeffe pizza's was an idea one of my clever Momma's came up with, so the credit is all hers for that idea. I loved it too! Thank you for stopping by and sharing Solagratiamom with others. Blessings - Colleen

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  2. Love all you do. Kids always look so engaged. Thanks for sharin

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    1. Thank you for stopping by Melissa! We have a big time! :) Blessings - Colleen

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  3. I enjoy reading about your wonderful Wednesdays using Classical Conversations! The pizza and dress-up look like a marvelous way to keep the kids engaged. Thanks for sharing. :-)

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    1. Sara - Thank you for stopping by. Blessings - Colleen

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