Cool Things in the Sky!

So, I know the last thing you all want right now is homework!  But this is not homework, it's an inspirement, haha.  And it's not really even that.  It's just REALLY COOL information, that I wanted to pass on to my fellow Vanguardians.  These are some great opportunities to look at the skies for the next couple weeks.

#1.  The Geminids Meteor Shower -- This happens every year, and it's biggest one of the year.  If you have a chance this weekend, check it out!

#2  Have you heard about the Christmas Star this year?  Check out this article.  We'll be watching outside on the 21st for sure!

#3  Orion is rising much earlier. He was well over the east mountains by 9 last night.  See if you can find him!.

Happy Star Gazing!

November Eureka Journeyman

November Eureka Journeyman

Study/Learn:

 Read this Document about starting a fire:

Know/Understand:

1. Review this list of fire-making supplies. Talk to your parents about what you have available to you in your home.  Make sure you have more than 1 method of starting a primitive fire.  Make sure 1 of the ways would work in a rainstorm. If you don't, put some supplies together in a bag or box and label it "Fire-Making Supplies."

Fixed blade knife

 Used hack saw blade ~ 3 inch length

 Cattails – the hot dog

 Juniper, Sage or Birch outer bark

Cottonwood or Aspen inner bark

 100% cotton balls & Vaseline

 Charred Barks / Punk wood / Cotton Cloth

 Jute or Sisal cord / rope

 35mm film canister with lid, to keep matches dry

 Fat wood (Lowes Starter Stikks)

 Ferrocerium rods

 Monk’s cloth - Joanne’s Fabrics

 4-inch tin with lid - Michael’s - to make charred cloth

 Pitch / Sap

 Mountain man striker - Flint or Agate

 Phragmites flags - Rabbit bush flowers –

Cottonwood or dandelion fluff

 Fire bow method: Bow / Cord / Hearth board

/ Coal catcher / Bearing / Nest

 Parabolic lens from a large flashlight

2. In class, we are going to make our own char-cloth.  You will all get to take some home to add to your fire-making supplies.  We are also going to practice starting our char-cloth on fire, and other things.  Everyone will be working on their own fire out front on the driveway, each with their own tin.  As such, we need everyone to have a flint striker.  If you have 1, please bring it.  If you have more, please bring what you have to share.  If you do not have one, I would suggest purchasing one.  I got some from stokes for $5 each.  They are vital to starting fires. :) 

3. In addition to bringing your flint striker,  Sign up to bring a supply for fire starting: You may need a little time to find or prepare your supply.

Become/Serve

Watch the Refiner's Fire

Research Fire on LDS.org.  Find a scripture or conference quote having to do with fire.  Anything about fire, or a metaphor for fire.  Write it in your CPB.  We will share and discuss them in class.

November Eureka Apprentice

November Eureka Apprentice

Store Day!  Bring all your earned VG Bucks!

Please Bring to Class: Your Rubix Cube

Link to Class Challenge

Study/Learn

I.  Pull out your 3X3 Rubix cube

Go to this video, cube in hand, and learn to solve the 3rd and FINAL layer of the cube.  Watch and practice the whole video. The 3rd layer starts at about 5:45.  Practice until you understand. You can rewatch the video as many times as needed until you get it down. If you are still struggling with any part, practice that as well.  If you have the whole thing down, good for you!  Come to class ready to mentor someone else with the cube.  Bring your 3X3 cube to class!  We will practice in class and have a few challenges.

II.Choose 1 of the following options:

Option 1:

   3 of your new notecards for the month are: 

                                Mean

                     Median

                     Mode

Watch this video to teach you what they mean.

Then find the mean, median and mode of these numbers:

36, 77, 92, 48, 48, 113, 84, 106, 55

If it were me, I'd use a calculator.  You can decide for yourself.

Option 2:

        Watch this video about the ancient calculating tool called the abacus.  If you have an abacus, either kind, you can pull it out and have a reminder on how to use it.  Practice making numbers on it for a couple minutes.  If you don't have one at home, you can still watch this video and learn how it works.

Come to class knowing how to do at least 1 of the skills in these options.

III. Read chapters 5 and 6 (pages 67-82) in The Glory of the Stars.  Fill in your constellation packet for Capricornus and Aquarius, and their supporting constellations.

Add caption

Find the 8 constellations you read about on pages 24-25 of the book, or any other star chart. Here is a good one online.

Know/Understand

I. Choose 1 of the Following: 

Option 1.  Solve this Krypto (Rules below)

 Here are 5 numbers:

                                                    3, 5, 2, 8, 9

Your Target number is....184

New Rule:  You may use an exponent (any # you choose in addition to the 5 given #'s) on 1 of the 5 provided Numbers. This is not required.

Rules: Using each of the 5 numbers ONLY ONCE, you may use any combination of addition, subtraction, multiplication or division to manipulate the 5 numbers in any order to reach the target number.

Example: if you had the 5 numbers: "8,4,1,6,3", you could reach the target number of 11 by doing: 3 x 4 + 1 - (8 - 6) 

There is always a way, usually more than 1, to reach the target number.

Use your commonplace book to record your trial and error. Record your equation and bring it to class!

Option 2.  Solve at least 8 of these Rebus Puzzles.:)  Feel free to text me if you need some clues.

II.  Find Orion in the night sky.  He is one of the great winter constellations that are easy to spot. We won't study him until spring, but I'd like you to see him when he's so bright in the sky!  He looks like this:  

The bright star on his right shoulder is called Betalguez (sounds like "beetle juice") and means: "the coming of the branch."  The 3 close stars, evenly spaced are his belt.  Then the 4 close stars hanging down, are part of his sword.  Choose a night to stay up late enough to see him, or wake up before sunrise.  If you go to early morning seminary, this will be easy.  Just look up and to the south.  He is very big and bright.  At night, wait til after 10, then look to the east over the mountain.  He will just be rising.  He's a fun constellation to see.

Also: notice Saturn and Jupiter in the south sky after sunset!  And see if you can see the "red planet" Mars, which is higher in the sky.  Just enjoy the beauty of the stars and planets!

III.  If you signed up to give a report this week (either from Glory of the Stars, or Ancient History), please come prepared to present a 5 (or so) minute presentation on your chapter.  Get together with your partner and talk about how you'd like to present together.  You can split it up, or work together however you want.

Ancient History report:

November - India/China
Math of Ancient China	Anneka
Astronomy of Ancient China	Caleb
Math of Ancient India	Isa
Astronomy of Ancient India	Kylee

Astronomy Report

November Eureka
Chapter 5 (pages 67-72) Capricornus       Sagitta       Aquila       Delphinus	Kylee	Isa
Chapter 6 ( pages 73-82) Aquarius       Picus Australis       Pegasus       Cygnus	Jefferson	Jayson

Become/Serve

Read Psalms 8: 1-6 for more inspiration regarding your own growing psalm.

Now continue writing your Psalm. Add 2 more lines of your own psalm about:

1. The Heavens (Astronomy) or

2. Your quest to gain knowledge and why.

Depending on which become and serve you've chosen, your Psalm could be up to 6 lines now!  We will keep adding to it!

Write your addition into THIS Google Doc.  You can sign your name to it or keep it anonymous....either way is fine.  I'm looking forward to seeing all your psalms!

October Eureka Journeyman

October Eureka Journeyman

How to Survive!

Study/Learn

I. Read this document about food survival.  Read the beginning thoroughly, then skim the part where he goes over all the different ideas.  Skimming is also a good skill.  You just get a general idea of what is possible.

Know/Understand

I. Forage for some type of "food" from outside.  Living Off the Land type of food.  You can use ideas from the document, or find your own. Bring it raw, or prepare it cooked in some way.  Bring enough for everyone in class to try some.

Become/Serve

Using food from your pantry, NOT your foraged food, as good as it may be, haha, make a donation to Tabitha's Way.  They are a food pantry and in constant need of food this time of year. Especially with our current economic circumstances.  You can take the food to them directly, or bring your items to class, and I will drop them off.  There is not a required amount....any amount will help!

Their biggest needs right now are:

Cans of Yams

Canned Soup

Ramen

Boxed Cereal

Peanut Butter

Honey/Jam (not homemade)

Tomato Products

Diapers

Baking Items

Sugar

Flour

Toilet Paper

October Eureka Apprentice

 October Eureka Apprentice

Remember, your items for the Vanguard store are due today.  Please bring the item, or write your service on a piece of paper!

Please Bring to Class: Your Rubix Cube and your Glory of the Stars Book!

Study/Learn

I.  Pull out your 3X3 Rubix cube

Go to this video, cube in hand, and learn to solve the 2nd layer of the cube.  Watch and practice until minute 5:44. Practice until you understand. You can rewatch the video as many times as needed until you get it down. If you are still struggling with the white face, practice that as well.  If you have the whole thing down, good for you!  Come to class ready to mentor someone else with the cube.  Bring your 3X3 cube to class!  We will practice in class and have a few challenges.

II. CHOOSE 1 of the following: 

    Option A:  In Mathematicians are People, Too, Volume 2 (the blue one) read about Euclid (pages 1-8).  Write a few facts about him in your CPB.  

    Option B:  Look up Eratosthenes, and write a few interesting  facts about him in your CPB.

The more facts you bring about the mathemetician you study, the more you'll be able to help your team in class.

III. Read chapters 3 and 4 (pages 51-66) in The Glory of the Stars.  Fill in the constellation packet that you printed out last month... Scorpio, Sagittarius, and their supporting constellations.

Add caption

Find the 8 constellations you read about on pages 24-25 of the book, or any other star chart. Here is a good one online.

Know/Understand

I. Choose 1 of the Following: 

Option 1.  Solve this Krypto (Rules below)

 Here are 5 numbers:

                                                    3, 5, 2, 8, 9

Your Target number is....48

Rules: Using each of the 5 numbers ONLY ONCE, you may use any combination of addition, subtraction, multiplication or division to manipulate the 5 numbers in any order to reach the target number.

Example: if you had the 5 numbers: "8,4,1,6,3", you could reach the target number of 11 by doing: 3 x 4 + 1 - (8 - 6) 

There is always a way, usually more than 1, to reach the target number.

Use your commonplace book to record your trial and error. Record your equation and bring it to class!

Option 2. 

The Broken Eggs

Introduction

Along time ago, a farmer from the village is bringing her eggs to market in her

small wooden cart. Out of nowhere a horse-drawn carriage flies down the dirt road

and grazes the farmer, knocking over the cart and spilling the eggs across the road.

Though she herself isn’t hurt, every single egg is shattered across the dirt road.

The driver of the carriage halts suddenly and out of the carriage steps Prince Adam

of Northumbria. He helps the young farmer girl to her feet apologizing profusely

for the accident and offers to pay her double for every egg that was broken.

There was only one problem, all the eggs were in pieces all over the road and the

girl could not remember exactly how many there were. However, she does

remember some things from the various ways she tried to pack the eggs into her

cart.

She knows that when she put the eggs into groups of two, there was one egg left

over that didn’t fit into the container. When she put the eggs into groups of three,

there was also one egg left over. The same thing occurred when she attempted to

put them into containers in groups of four, five and six – they all had one left over.

However, when she put them in groups of seven, she ended up with complete groups

of seven with no leftover eggs.

1. What can the farmer girl figure out from what she remembers? In other

words, how many eggs did she start with?

2. Is there more than one possibility?

II.  We have 2 full moons in October! Read this short article that talks about it.  And for *optional* interesting reading about blue moons, you can check out this article.

III.  Check out this google doc.Important People in Ancient History Report  Make sure you are signed up for 1 presentation sometime this year.  I've added those of you who signed up on vision day, but I think some of you missed it.

IV.  If you signed up to give a report this week (either from Glory of the Stars, or Ancient History), please come prepared to present a 5 (or so) minute presentation on your chapter.  Get together with your partner and talk about how you'd like to present together.  You can split it up, or work together however you want.

Ancient History report:

Math of ancient Egypt	Sam
Astronomy of Ancient Egypt	Eryn

Astronomy Report

October Eureka
Chapter 3 (pages 50-57) Scorpio       Serpens       Ophiuchus       Hercules	Eryn	Alex
Chapter 4 (pages 58-66) Sagittarius       Lyra       Ara       Draco	Cael	Truman

Become/Serve

Read Isaiah 40:26...  It's beautifully written, much like a psalm.  Isaiah was also a master poet.

Now continue writing your Psalm. Add 2 more lines of your own psalm about:

1. The Heavens (Astronomy) or

2. Your quest to gain knowledge and why.

Write your addition into THIS Google Doc.  You can sign your name to it or keep it anonymous....either way is fine.  I'm looking forward to seeing all your psalms!

September Eureka Journeyman

 September Eureka Journeyman

How to Survive!

Please do not save this until Wednesday night.  Otherwise, you will NOT have time for the project involved.

Study/Learn

I. Read this document about water survival. 

Know/Understand

I. Choose one of the ways the document outlines, and obtain your own water!  You will share your water-gathering adventure in class.  Bring your water if you can!  Also in class, we will go outside and obtain some water together....in survival fashion.

Become/Serve

We are learning about physical water.  We would literally die after 3 days of no water.  How does physical water relate to spiritual living water?

Look up a scripture about living water.  Who/what does water represent?  How can you nourish others around you?  Choose someone to serve, and in doing so, share the "living water" with them.

September Eureka Apprentice

 Apprentice:

Welcome to Eureka 2020.

But not anymore.......

Please Bring to Class: Your Rubix Cube and your Scriptures! ( No, it's not seminary....but we may have an Astronomy Scripture Chase)

Study/Learn

What does Eureka even mean, and where did it come from?

 I have a couple short videos that will help:

 If you like legos, watch this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEvtahSn_ms


If you don't care about legos, watch this one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijj58xD5fDI

I.  Pull out your 3X3 Rubix cube.  We've chosen this for part of our logic training this year, but there are lots of benefits to learning to solve this cube.  Here are a few:

Benefits of solving the Rubik's cube:

1. It helps with improving memory.
2. Learning the ways of solving the cube improves patience.
3. It helps become a problem solver.
4. It helps with mapping of the things.
5. It keeps the mind active.
6. Speedcubing makes your reflexes faster.
7. It will improve your fingers dexterity and agility.
8. It is an awesome conversation starter.

Go to this video, cube in hand, and learn to solve the white face.  Watch and practice until minute 4.  You can rewatch that section as many times as needed until you get it down.  Bring your 3X3 cube to class!!  We will practice in class and have a few challenges.

II. Watch this Cool video, just to be amazed.

III. Print this Astronomy Notetaking Packet (24 pages, but only 12 if you print on both sides), punch holes in it, and add it to your Common Place Binder.  You will fill it in throughout the year.

IV. Read pages 3-4, and page 31 in The Glory of the Stars as an introduction to what the book is all about.  You are welcome to read or skim the rest of the introduction, but it's not required.  

Add caption

IV. Read The Glory of the Stars pages 33-50. This is 2 chapters, which consist of 2 main constellations and 6 minor ones.  Using your notetaking packet, plot the points of each constellation, draw the lines that make the constellations (Add the "picture" if you wish, but it's not required), and takes notes in the provided boxes.  Use your book to help you.  Find the 8 constellations you read about on pages 24-25 of the book, or any other star chart. Here is a good one online.

Know/Understand

I. Choose 1 of the Following: 

Option 1.  Solve this Krypto (Rules below)

 Here are 5 numbers:

                                                     7       9       3        8        1

Your Target number is....15

Rules: Using each of the 5 numbers ONLY ONCE, you may use any combination of addition, subtraction, multiplication or division to manipulate the 5 numbers in any order to reach the target number.

Example: if you had the 5 numbers: "8,4,1,6,3", you could reach the target number of 11 by doing: 3 x 4 + 1 - (8 - 6) 

There is always a way, usually more than 1, to reach the target number.

Use your commonplace book to record your trial and error. Record your equation and bring it to class!

Option 2. Calculate how many days you will have been alive on your next birthday.  Write the number of days in your commonplace book and bring it to class.

II.  Go to This weeks' sky at a glance, Read what's happening in the sky this week.  Take the chance to go outside after dark at look into the sky.  See if you notice anything you learned from the article about this week's sky.

III. If you have a device that would support a constellation app, get one.  I have Star Walk 2 on my phone, it's free, and it helps me pick out the different constellations and planets in the sky.  It's super cool to use when you take your time to go look at the sky.  You'll have to add your location so it can orient the sky to where you are and calibrate.

III.  If you signed up to give a report this week, please come prepared to present a 5 (or so) minute presentation on your chapter.  Get together with your partner and talk about how you'd like to present together.  You can split it up, or work together however you want.

Check out this document to make sure you've signed up for a report sometime throughout the year. If not, please add your name.

Constellation Grouping From The Glory of the Stars	Student Name	Student Name
September Eureka
Chapter 1 (pages 33-41) Virgo       Coma       Centaurus       Bootes	Shaylie	Paige
Chapter 2 (pages 42-49) Libra       Crux       Lupus       Corona Borealis	Maddy	Anneka

Become/Serve

Read Psalm 19:1-4

This is a beautiful psalm (song or hymn...or poem) about the handiwork of God

Read Doctrine and Covenants 130: 18-19

This is a beautiful scripture about attaining knowledge and why it's important.

These 2 ideas are a major part of what Eureka is about this year, and I'd like you to reflect on the knowledge you'd like to gain this year, and why.

Now write 2 lines of your own psalm about:

1. The Heavens (Astronomy) or

2. Your quest to gain knowledge and why.

Now the hardest part........Put your 2-line psalm onto THIS Google Doc.  You can sign your name to it or keep it anonymous....either way is fine.  I'm looking forward to seeing all your psalms!