• Solar System

    Thursday, November 14, 2013

     
     
    ~
    I teach in a gabled room built with wide windows at tree-top level, a river rock fire place warms the room, walls lined with books, this is our lovely learning place. I think this is my favorite room of the house. This year in science we are covering astronomy. I decided last year we were going to approach science as an immersion subject, taking the full school year to cover just one topic of scince. I wanted to be able to have the time to immerse ourselves  into a subject and come out of the year impressed and enriched by the subject. The girls were given a few options for science subjects and they agreed on astronomy.
     We are loving the depth and understanding of space and a God so majestic in his creation.
    We cover  the book learning portions Monday until Wednesday, Thursday the girls read about an astronomer, Friday we do a project. Making a model of our solar system was the first project. During the babies nap time we painted various size Styrofoam balls (purchased at Michelle's and Wal-Mart) we mixed watercolour paints to get the desired affects of colour for each planet. We were all pleased with the outcome and have enjoyed having a solar system model hanging from the ceiling of our gabled school room.
    ~
     

    ~
    
    Styrofoam balls we used.
    ~
     

    ~
    My three little scientist/crafters.
    ~
     
    


    ~
    The Paint
    ~
     
    

    ~
    Planets drying
    ~
     
    

    ~
    No one said home-schooling was a tidy business!
    ~
     
    

     ~
    Hanging from our gabled ceiling.
    ~
     



     
    ~
    If you would like to see the beautiful felt hands-on solar system my sister Katelynn made and gave my kids take a look at her blog Captivated. These planets have been such a delightful tool to use when teaching my young children.
    ~