Simple Machines Unit

We did a fun 2 week long simple machines unit that I put together using books from our library and simple machine projects I found from around the web. The first day we did an overview of all the different simple machines. Then each day we chose a different machine to learn about. Then we had a review day, followed by a compound machine day. And we finished it up by creating our own compound machines.

Here are some highlights.

Here we are making a lever to lift heavy objects.

We made an Archimedes’ screw.

We learned why a wedge is so helpful by trying to hammer a bolt vs. a nail.

We had a pulley tug of war.  Two people vs. one.  It was neat to see Katey overpower both the older kids. 

We had a build your own compound machine day.

I saved up supplies for two weeks to be able to have a good variety of items.

Emily made a cereal shooter. 

She used our catapult and made a pulley system to move the bowl as well as a wheel and axle.

Tommy made a quite complex bird feeder.

Katey made a really simple bird feeder.

This was such a fun unit for us.

Most, if not all, resources that we used can be found on my Prairie Primer Pinterest Board.

Prairie Primer - Week One–Little House in the Big Woods

 

This was a big week for us.  Our first week of school!   Emily is using the Prairie Primer this year, a literature study guide based around the Little House on the Prairie series.

She began reading Little House in the Big Woods and doing activities surrounding that each day. 

She got to try “cracklings”.  No one in the family was a fan of these. 

She made some delicious homemade butter. We used whipping cream, salt and cinnamon to make cinnamon butter.  It is really good spread on toast and waffles.

She learned about the density of liquids in a neat science experiment, which is one we have done before.  She loved it so much, she wanted to do it again.

A really fun time consuming project she has had this week is learning about Owls and dissecting an owl pellet.  My husband said he could believe that I paid money for puke.  LOL. 

I made this portable dissection station for her to use, knowing that this would take some time.  I just took an old cookie sheet and covered it with tinfoil.  This way she has been able to work on it in sections.  She is quite a way through it but still not done. 

There is a VERY NEAT VIRTUAL OWL DISSECTION which I had her complete as well.

She learned about the history of guns as well as gun safety.  I had her take the gun safety course online (about 20 minutes) from IHEA.   We are also a gun owning family, we go over gun safety often with our children.  We took this as another opportunity to go over it. 

 

Emily made her corn cob doll.  She doesn’t really play with dolls, but she is mighty proud of this one.

 

She learned quite a bit about the lungs we used the book Look at Your Body: Lungs.  We did a really neat lung experiment.  She showed a bunch of her friends this and explained how our lungs worked to them. That was a neat moment for me. 

When it came time for her to do her bear report she asked if she could do it on a Panda Bear since she had already learned so much about Brown Bears and Grizzly Bears in our recent trip to Yellowstone.  Of course, I let her.

We are now in week two and it is less hands on than week one.  She was so excited to start Prairie Primer all summer and I am glad it is living up to her expectations.

The start of our school year has began.

 

We began school this week!!  Whoop Whoop!  It has gone much better than I could have hoped for.   Moods were great, work got done and I am afraid of falling into thinking that this is how it could be all the time.  Ahhh, one can hope….

 

1- Katey had to wear a digital clock around her neck each day and randomly asked her to tell me the time.  I also told her at what time certain things would be happening, such as lunch, her friends getting home from school, etc.  She has done so great, and her time telling and time management skills have greatly improved because of this.  

2-Tommy has totally been loving his physics lessons.  So far the measuring one has been his favorite.  He had to measure a can of soda and see if what they said on the can was true.  Then I let him have to soda after.  (A real treat in our house.) 

3- Emily did a density experiment which worked out perfectly.  She is using Prairie Primer.  This experiment was taken from How Science Works .

4- Tyler and I made his very first Tot Book.  We did the Cars one.  He was extremely excited about this and often asked me to get it out for him. 

5- We made a huge timeline of the history of salt.  Yes, salt.  This has had an important role throughout our history.  It was a fun and engaging lesson for all of us.  Watch for the review of this coming soon. 

These next pictures are all from Prairie Primer .

1- Emily learned about the history and mechanics of guns.  IHEA has a really good Gun Safety Course. 

2- Owl Pellet dissection.  My husband couldn’t believe I paid for puke.  haha.  Our favorite resource this week.

3- Corn Cob Doll.

4- A working diagram of a lung. 

We have had such a fun week.  The little kids and I finished up Blueberries for Sal.  Watch for that post coming soon as well as a more in depth look at our first week with Prairie Primer. 

This post is linked up to:

 Weekly Wrap Up 

Collage Friday

Homeschool Mothers Journal

Our Favorite Resource

 

 

Prairie Primer- Planning stages.

I have been planning and gearing up to begin Prairie Primer with my 11 year old daughter. 
Since we are officially beginning the Tuesday after Labor Day, I will share with you some things I have done to help me in planning it. I joined two Yahoo groups for Prairie Primer.  They are full of resources in the files section.
Prairie Primer Pluses Yahoo Group
Prairie Primer Today Yahoo Group
I went through the Prairie Primer book and made a weekly schedule of what she is to do each day as well as at the bottom of the schedule it shows me what supplies and library books I will need to have ready for her.  My goal is to work 1 week ahead of her in gathering the things.  The page I use to plan is from the Schoolhouse Planner, which is available from Schoolhouse Teachers.

Another thing I have done is preprinted a bunch of notebooking pages from Notebooking Pages. I have also preprinted the lap book pieces from Homeschool Share. I get my meat from a local butcher, so I put in a request for him to get me a hogs bladder.  I am hoping it gets here soon.   I have also ordered owl pellets for dissection. Emily and I are both very excited for her to begin.   Here are the resources that she will be using for her first week.

Follow me for our updates of how Prairie Primer is going for us. Also see my other planning post.  (Which does include PP)


This is linked up to Little House Link Up.

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