After Gratitude Circle and a game of Eagle Eye they started the first part of a Pendulum Art project. They painted their background. Then while drying, we continued our discussion of gravity theories by exploring Newton and Einstein’s theories. I did a quick demo of Einstein’s theory of relativity with a piece of stretchy fabric and a heavy ball to represent the Sun so they could see the concept of space/time bending and how the theory explains the planets orbiting the Sun. T

This week’s theme is Gravity so we began with a discussion about how gravity behaves but we don’t know exactly why it occurs and theories throughout history have existed to try and explain it. We started with Aristotle’s observations and theories and how/why Galileo’s theories superseded them. We also explored the role air resistance plays in gravity with a couple demonstrations. Then using their knowledge of air resistance they completed a STEAM Egg Drop challenge (using lim

After Gratitude Circle, we played a game of”A Warm Wind Blows for Anyone Who…”. Then we discussed why Polar Days and Polar Nights occur (6 months of darkness and 6 months of constant daytime on Earth’s poles). Next we explored what might happen to wildlife in Georgia if this were to occur here and played a Polar Nights and Days relay. There were 6 parts of a food chain on the field that they had to find and put in order from the sun to producers to consumers. Then we practice

We started with Gratitude Circle and played Eagle Eye in the forest. Then we did the first step in an art project to create their own constellation. As the paint dried, we discussed what a star and constellation is and acted out four constellation myths (Ursa Major and Minor, Bootes, Scorpius and Cassiopeia) as they found and marked the constellation on their “July 2026 Sky Chart”. They will take the chart home with them so they can try and find the constellations we learned

After Gratitude Circle, we discussed moon phases and played Simon Says Moon Phases since today focuses on the Moon. Then we talked about why the Moon glows. To emphasize that it is a reflection of light from the Sun, they completed laser puzzle challenges. They had three mirrors and a goal and as a team they had to figure out how to reflect the laser to hit the goal. Next we discussed the Giant Impact Hypothesis for how the Moon formed and played Among Us on the Moon (var

After starting with Gratitude Circle, we played a game of “Daytime/ Nighttime” (similar to red light green light but with a strategic twist involving a nocturnal predator owl and diurnal squirrels). Then we explored different ways of tracking time throughout history (such as obelisks, sundials, water clocks, mechanical and quartz clocks as well as modern atomic clocks). And they made their own sundials and tested them out. After snack break and practicing their original pla

We began the morning with a Name game to learn each others’ names. Then we discussed bioluminescence, how it occurs and looked at some bioluminescent algae, jellyfish, worms and fungi local to Georgia (for example the Hawkinsville Glow Worm, Jack O’ Lantern mushrooms and Appalachian glow worms). Then they made their own scratch art over a glow in the dark page. After etching a design of their choosing they added some acrylic paint to it. Then we discussed a few local nocturna

We started with Gratitude Circle and a game of Cosmic relay (had to find Earth, Sun, Sagittarius A, The Great Attractor, The Shapley Supercluster and The Unknown and put them in order of increasing cosmic scale within the universe). Then we discussed how solar and lunar tides are caused by the gravitational pull of the Sun and Moon and they made models with the Sun, Moon and Earth to show how high and low tides occur due to gravitational pull. Next we played “High tide, Low t

After Gratitude Circle, they did a Tower Challenge (building the tallest free-standing tower they could with limited resources). Next we looked at how gravity affects our body and tried some center of gravity challenges like “with feet against the wall, don’t move your feet or bend your knees. Can you pick up an object off the floor right in front of you?” or can you balance two forks on the tip of a toothpick? Then at snack time they practiced their play. After obstacle cou

After Gratitude Circle and a game of Eagle Eye they started the first part of a Pendulum Art project. They painted their background. Then while drying, we continued our discussion of gravity theories by exploring Newton and Einstein’s theories. I did a quick demo of Einstein’s theory of relativity with a piece of stretchy fabric and a heavy ball to represent the Sun so they could see the concept of space/time bending and how the theory explains the planets orbiting the Sun. T