What Causes Seasons?

To focus on the fourth day of Creation a little longer, the girls discovered why we have the four different seasons.  Very simply put, the four seasons exist because of the tilt of the earth on its axis and because of the earth's orbit around the sun.

Mac with the flashlight represented the sun and Izzie was the earth.

 

Demonstrating the earth orbiting the sun.

 To learn a little bit more about the seasons, we read The Reasons For Seasons.

 

Izzie wrote and drew about her favorite two seasons!

Spring

   

In the spring it rains.  There are flowers, insects, and big rainbows.  I like spring.

Summer

I love her picture of the beach! 

In the summer it is sunny.  I like to go surfing and build sand castles.  

Service Stars: Birthday Cards

Izzie and Mac completed more Cards for Soldiers this week for their weekly community service.  This time they created colorful birthday cards!

Here's a blurb from Cards for Soldiers' blog:

"Cards for Soldiers was started in January 2006 by the a group of friends and scrapbookers on a scrapbooking message board to support our troops deployed to the Middle East. Now a one woman owned Non-Profit Corporation the mission is to send handmade, blank cards to deployed units for the soldiers to use to write to family and friends. It's been a big hit with the soldiers! Please join me in my program to support the troops! Check out the details, schedule and address below. Thank you for encouraging those who put their lives on the line on a daily basis."

   

 

     

If you're interested in creating cards for the soldiers, Cards for Soldiers will be accepting Christmas, Hanukkah, and New Years cards until November 10. 

What Causes Day and Night?

Since we have been talking about the fourth day of Creation (sun, moon, and stars), the girls learned about what causes day and night on Earth.  

First, they located where we live on planet Earth. 

 

 

 The girls discovered that the Earth rotates or spins on an axis, making a full rotation every 24 hours. 

In addition, they learned that different sides of the Earth are exposed to the sun during the course of these 24 hours, with half the planet being exposed to sun (day), while the other half is deprived of light (night).  This rotation of the Earth is what causes day and night.

Mac using the flashlight to demonstrate the sun, while observing the Earth's rotation.  They were super excited to find out that when it's day here at our home, it's night time in China.  

Here are a few books that we read to help explain and clarify the Earth's rotation. 

What Makes Day and Night?

 

Where Does The Sun Go At Night? 

 

Day and Night 

Creation: Day 4 and Planetarium Fieldtrip

The girls completed Day 4 for their Bible Timeline Notebook. 

 Creation of sun, moon, and stars.

   

Day 4 template found HERE. 

To learn more about stars, we headed to the Planetarium at a local university. 

 

In front of the Planetarium

Planetarium Dome

   

The girls enjoyed leaning back in the seats, while gazing at the stars above us!  We learned a lot from the presentation about the stars and planets in our universe.

While there, we watched "One World, One Sky", a short planetarium show about Sesame Street's Big Bird and Elmo as they explore the night sky with Hu Hu Zhu, a Muppet from Zhima Jie, the Chinese co-production of Sesame Street. Together, they take an imaginary trip from Sesame Street to the moon, where they discover how different it is from Earth.

Creation: Days 1, 2, and 3

The girls are continuing to work hard on their Bible Timeline Notebook.  

Before learning about the Days of Creation, we spent some time discussing the meaning of "time".  It was a difficult concept for the girls to understand that long ago there was no such thing as time, no night and no day.

It was even more difficult for them to comprehend that there was "nothing'...no sun, no moon, no mountains, no animals, no people....only God. 

They were completely impressed that God created everything through his spoken word!    

It didn't take long for them to ponder the question,"Who made God?"  

Day 1: Creation of Light

They were given strips of black and yellow construction paper to divide darkness and light. 

  

  

Day 1 template found HERE. 

Day 2: Creation of Sky 

The girls used paint to separate the water from the sky. 

  

 

Day 2 template found HERE.

  

Creation 3: Creation of land with flowers and trees.

 The girls enjoyed creating a scene with many flower and tree stickers.

   

Day 3 template found HERE.