It's All Relative

The kids were pretending to be scientists today and calling themselves Dr. Einstein, Professor Einstein, and Baby Einstein.  I asked them if they knew who Einstein was and they knew that he was a scientist.  This started us on a quest to find out some more information.  We discovered a         nice article for kids about Einstein and the theory of relativity.  Joshua really seemed to latch onto the example of an infinitely tall building in which you are in the elevator  falling.  It doesn't feel like you are falling at all, but if people saw you from the outside, they would see you falling.  If you saw them, they would look like they are flying up.

Caterpillar Investigation

We found a caterpillar and observed (played with) it. :)

Journal

Joshua made a journal at art camp this summer and has started using it for everything under the sun.  He has wrote stories and also narrated short stories that other people have written down for him.  There is some poetry and charting of snacks.  A new notebook has resulted in Joshua WANTING to write, which is great practice for his handwriting without all of the repetitive worksheets that he doesn't like!

This Little Piggy Went to Market...This Little Piggy Stayed Home

Joshua helped with unloading hogs from the truck with Grandpa K yesterday.  Joshua and Brian were in charge of counting pigs as they passed the empty pen they were in.  (Quite challenging for a 6 and 4 year old!)  *Pigs do not cooperate:) 

Fire Station Field Trip

Joshua got to go the Fire Station for a tour today.  We were able to see where the fire fighters work, relax, and sleep.  The captain slid down the pole for everyone and put on all his gear.  We actually got to see some fire fighters go out on an ambulance call.  Really cool! Joshua got to ask questions and learn what to do in case of a fire.  He checked our smoke detectors when we returned home. 

Cicadas...Cicadas...Everywhere!

Joshua and Brian found an abandoned shell of a molted cicada.  This started us on a quest to find out more information on the cicada.  The boys made observations and measurements.  We made a page for Joshua's Science Journal.  We even folded an origami cicada!

  This is what Joshua wrote for the journal page. "The male cicada is the only one that can sing, because it has tymbals.  The males also have a square shape to their abdomen.  If they lay their eggs in trees, they can damage them.  All bugs (insects) have three parts of their body: head, thorax, and abdomen.  Periodical cicadas dig tunnels in the ground and come out every 13 or 17 years when it gets warmer (usually in May)." 

Trains

It was about what trains are like.  Like electricity trains and steam engines, battery trains, locomotives, train stations, and the  conductor driving at night.  Not all trains do that, but some do. 

Dumpy's Extra-Busy Day

This book is about working together.  Just like hen brought the rooster back to the chicken barn.  And that the puppies rounded the pigs up into Dumpy's trailer.  And the pigs closed the gate whenever it was open.  And the horse plowed the fields.  And the goats mowed the grass for him and the weeds.  And Dumpy helped out by letting the children ride him after school. 

BIG JOB!

Charts

Joshua watched the premier of Sid the Science Kid today.  He learned about charts and then decided to make some on his own..  He decided to make a chart using library books.  He chose to see if the books contained four things: animals, people, plants, or anything else.  He made some interesting observations from looking at the data.  All of the books have some other things in them.  Most of the library books have people and animals.