Unit Two: Early Explorers

These picture are of the Rutherford Observatory at Pupin Hall at Columbia Univeristy. We can use the telescopes on the roof of the building to look at the stars.

Books:

Exploring the solar system by Mary Kay Carson

The story of maps and navigation by Anita Ganeri

The Story of Us books one and two by Joy Hakim

Columbus Day by Vicki Liestman

Cultures Collide by Ann Rossi

A Kid's Guide to Latino American History by Valerie Petrillo

Vocabulary Words: barter, culture, loot, mutiny, compass, sextant,

Social Studies: We learned about the tools used by early explorers. It is interesting that clocks didn't work on boats because back then they all had a pendulum. Ships used an hourglass to keep time. However if someone got busy or forgot to turn the hourglass over each hour their time was not accurate. We learned how a setant measures latitude and a compass points north. We compared maps as more discoveries were made and each sailer made notes about their journeys. We learned that the New Land was named after Amerigo Vespucci because he took such detailed notes. A newpaper published his stories so all could read about his adventures.

We learned about the different Indian tribes at the locations where explorers landed and compared the cultures of the Native Americans and the Euoropeans. We also learned how each group of people affected the other. I found it especailly neat to learn that horses originated in America but crossed the Bering Straitinto Asia where they flourished. The remaining horses in America died off. Horses were reintroduced to American when the Europeans brought them over. The Europeans brought weeds, rats, and disease, but they also brought horses and other animals that changed the lives of the Indians for the better.

We marked the route on a mpa that each explorer took from Leif Erikson the Viking to Christopher Columbus to Ferdiand Magellan's trip around the world. We also studies Cortes and learned how he built Mexico City.

Science: We learned about early astonomers including Ptolemy, Copernicus, Kepler, Galileo, and Isaac Newton. We studied how each used the knowledge and observations of previous scientists to develop their theory.

We began using MAth U See in addition to the Family Math book. This series included a set of blocks so children can see how the problems are solved and also a DVD where the lesson is taught. I liked the way the lessons were explained. Some of the program is similiar to the way I was taught to teach math whiel at SIU in early childhood education. The teacher said rather than counting 1-10, count 0-9, then each row you just add the number before, so..

0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19

20,

30, etc.

He also said the "t" sound at the end of each word is to indicate the tens place.

So forty is 4 in the tens place. Also talked about twenty, thirty, fifty which don't say the number name but as close two-ty, three-ty, five-ty.

We are trying to quickly review the basics and hopefully catch up to grade level with more fluency and accuracy. The Family Math daily problem provdied a nice balance. Some examples are:

1. Would you rather get $1,000 a day for 30 days or a penny the first day, 2 penneis the second, 4 the third, etc. Double the amount each day.

2. You are filing a tank with water at a rate that doubles each second. If the tank is full of water in 10 seconds when will it be half full?

3. A store is selling posters buy one get the second of equal or lessor value free. You are given the list of posters and prices. If you want the best deal how should you purchase the posters?

We visited the Rutherford Observatory at Pupin Hall on Columbia University's Campus. On the night we went Jupitor and 2 of its moons, an owl shaped star cluster, and the Andromada Galaxy were visable. We also heard a lecture about NASA's exploration of Mars. See photos above.