Applied Science: Technology

PRE LAB: Simple Machines

OBJECTIVES: Exploring different tools. Discovering technology.

VOCABULARY: 

• machine
• physics
• society
• technology

 MATERIALS: 

• tools (hammer, screw driver, pliers, wrench, nails, wood, something with a lid to unscrew)
• worksheet  

BACKGROUND:

Technology is using knowledge to improve society. Many tools and machines are created to help humans work easier. Without tools and machines our society would progress very slowly. Children today cannot think about living without television, much less the many machines we depend upon.
A simple machine is a term used in mechanics ( a branch of physics) to describe fundamental devices that help do work more effectively. The basic simple machines are wheel and axle ( to make things move); a lever (to help make work easier); and a wedge (to help direct energy to be more efficiently). Tools use the principles of simple machines. Simple machines could very well be the first technology ever invented by humans.

PROCEDURE:

1. This exercise introduces students to simple machines. Show your students any tools you might have. If there is a janitor at your school, have the janitor illustrate all the tools they use to help make their job easier.
      
2. Use the worksheet to illustrate examples of tools that help make work easier. Simple machines were invented to make life easier. Students do not have to understand how or what simple machines are. The focus is to exposure them to new words and the association of words with an object.

OPTIONAL: Set up three stations your students can work through trying out each tool and learning how to use them.

Station 1: working with a hammer using both ends as a simple machine.

Station 2: Match the tools to their use. First I had him try to use his fingers then the tools to decide which was easier. He decided to get them started the tool, to really tighten them down-the tool.

Station 3: Using a wrench to open and close a screw. Again I let him choose which one he thought would work best, first he chose the pliers then tried the wrench.

WHEELBARROW - makes moving heavy objects easier, move faster
WRENCH - lever, can direct energy to tighten or loosen screws or nuts
SHOVEL - a lever and wedge that directs your body to pick up soil
PULLEY - helps to lift objects
RAMP - helps lift large objects
PLIER - helps open and close objects easily
HAMMER - the portion that helps remove nails is a lever
SCREW - helps to secure objects

WORKSHEET:
 
 I was surprised to find that Junior already knew the name of almost all these items and what they are used for. This is probably due to the fact that he's always hanging out with papa and his cool inventions. Overall this is a great way to kick-off learning about Simple Machines in our Technology unit of Science and how we use them on a daily basis to make our lives easier. 

Grace to You,
Jenna

Juggling Life with Homeschooling

I spent my entire first year of homeschooling working nights and teaching during the day.
People ask me what is your method for homeschooling and how did you balance the two? Well as of yet I haven't pinned down a specific method like other homeschool families I know. But I do have a general schedule and when we follow it our days go pretty smoothly. *This are just the way my family does it with a few simple recommendations ;)

The three main things I recommend are:

1. Have a curriculum lined out with a general pre-planned schedule to use on a daily basis.  Tweak, run with it, re-tweak, and repeat.

What I mean by this is know what you want to teach and the pace you want to teach it at that's appropriate for your kids. Is your schedule so advanced that if you miss a "school-day" the whole thing falls apart? Or conversely are you scrambling to get things together while your kids 'patiently' wait at the table while you run around looking for the art supplies you need? Find balance by planning for your school day but be ready for life's unexpected-because hey it is going to happen. I almost always try to prep everything the day before or in the afternoon when the kids are done for the day.

Here's our schedule:

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
LifePAC/ Reading	Saxon Math	LifePac/ All About Spell	Saxon Math	LifePAC/Writing
Saxon Math Snack Time	All About  Spelling/ Writing Snack Time	Saxon Math Snack Time	All About Spelling/Read Snack Time	Math Review or a Math game Snack Time
LifePAC Bible/ Awanas	Awanas	LifePAC Bible/ Awanas	Awanas	Bible Story Reading
Geography/History LifePAC	Science	Science	Science	Geography/History LifePAC
Unit Study	Unit Study	Unit Study	Unit Study
Music-Famous Composers	Art Activity	Music-Famous Composers	Art-Meet the Masters	Music-Piano free play Computer composers
Health	P.E.	Library	Health	P.E.
Nighttime homework (opt.)	Nighttime Homework	Nighttime Homework	Nighttime Homework	Nighttime Homework

As you can see there is no time attached to this schedule because we don't always start at 8:30am. Sometimes its 9am or if we have morning plans then its noon. I don't follow the clock I follow my kids. The first two subjects are always Language Arts and Math because at this young age those are the most important and I find its better to get them done and out of the way otherwise if we wait until the end of the day it doesn't happen. With a special needs child some things take longer then others. Sometimes we zip right through activities while other times we slow down and really focus on mastery of a topic. This is a general schedule to keep things interesting.

2.  Take time out for your toddler and blanket time.

I do not expect my toddler to entertain herself for an entire day minus snack time, lunch time, and naps. My ultimate goal is to keep my older boys doing something while my youngest is also doing something safe, close to me-still in eye shot or ear shot distance (her room is right next to our homeschool room). Again, its a balancing act. Not every subject requires me sitting next to my oldest walking him through each subject-this is when I get my tummy-time in with Sweet Pea. We read, sit and do puzzles, whatever. Sometimes she even sits right on my lap while I oversee what the boys are doing.

3. Offer incentives for a job well done.
My kids love watching TV and using the computer. For every subject they complete and/or every work-box they complete I give them a token which they put into a mini-mason jar and tally up for the end of the day. Each token is worth 5 minutes of TV or computer time. On a daily basis they can go through seven work-boxes at the most totaling 35min. This is free-time however I DO oversee what they will watch and use the microwave timer to keep track of the time. Also this does not include their use of the computer or tv as part of their curriculum. For example we might watch a film or video on the computer about the topic we're learning for the week such a Little Einstein video about a famous artist and/or composer.  

Using this general schedule and being organized always make homeschooling easier. On the days when workboxes are pre-set we can save so much time and honestly my kids prefer things to be ready rather than a flustered mom ;) Happy Homeschooling!

Grace to You,
Jenna