Introduction to January's Eureka

As you know, each month we take a day of the creation and that is the basis for our study. We are now on day four where God created grass, seeds, plants, trees, etc. It is hard to do a botany study in the winter. I would rather wait to study that (March) when we can actually go outside and see evidence of seeds sprouting as the earth wakes up from its winter sleep.

So, even though it is out of order, we are going to be studying anatomy this month and next. Furthermore, there is an exhibit in Salt Lake at the Leonardo that ends this month. So, let's go!! The exhibit is called BodyWorlds. It shows people who have passed away, donated their bodies to science, are plastinated and are on display. You should know that the exhibit is somewhat controversial.  I have posted info on the Vanguard blog that is helpful in preparing to go. Please have your parents read them! I believe both sides of the issue are very well represented and that you will, with the help of your parents decide whether or not this field trip is for you.  Please know that if you choose not to go, there will be no judgment, and I won't even dock your grade ;) We all have different opinions, and how great that as homeschoolers we get to follow the spirit and choose for ourselves.

There will be inspirements in which we will learn and discover all sorts of amazing, awesome things about the human body. So be prepared whether you go to BodyWorlds or not!  I love to study human anatomy as it manifests the wonder and awe of our Creator like nothing else! 

Some info you need to know:
We will go to BodyWorlds on Thursday, Jan. 22, at our regularly scheduled Eureka time. We will meet at Halley's at 9 a.m. We will have opening and leave after that, about 9:30. (If you opt out of the field trip you can take the whole day off instead of just coming for opening.) 

Your Vanguard dues will pay for you to go.  Any other parents who want to go?  We have a discounted price for adults at $15.00.  We would love to have you.  You are also welcome to bring any siblings that you think it would be appropriate for at $6.50 per person.

What to bring:
Bring a lunch!  (As usual.)
Bring a pen and paper as we will have a bit of time to journal about the experience afterwards.

Drivers?  Would you please let me know if you are planning to go, and if your parents would like to come and if they are willing to drive? 

What time will we return?  I am guessing about  3:00, but we can always call on our way home to give you the heads up.

Apprentice November

 Geology:  A study of the earth's physical structure (land) and the forces that act upon it (erosion and such) and it's history.

 

Genesis 1:10 And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good.

 

Study/Learn
Begin memorizing the Eureka Scripture (found on the Eureka calendar page).
 

Watch Video on Elements, understanding that everything on earth is made up of elements.

(I painstakingly watched a lot of videos on the subject, and chose the most entertaining.  You're welcome.)  Take three of the most common minerals, write down their uses, and Google which elements they are made up of.

 

Watch: Video on Erosion

As you watch the video, pay attention to the three main forces that affect the landscape.  Go outside and see if you can see this at work.  Look at mountains, side of the road, your yard.  It's everywhere really.  Write it down so you can share with us.

 

Watch: How Glaciers are Formed

Read: How Glaciers Affect Land

Make a few drawings as you read and then go outside and look at the mountains around you.  Do any of the shapes on the mountains look like what you read and drew?  Did you see any fjords, moraines, glacial erratic's, cirques, horns, etc.?
 

Read: The Glacier on Mt. Timpanogos Jon and I hiked on the glacier when it had the crevasses.  Scary stuff, and OH SO COOL!!!

Go to: Rock Cycle
Across the top are  different headings.  Go to each page.  I don't love that there is a virtual rock collection, instead of a real one.  But, the time of year that it is doesn't allow much rock hounding.
There is so much information on these pages; all I want you to know about rocks!  Take notes.  Make sure you understand it through and through!

Define "rock" and "mineral."  How are they different? 

 

 Know/Understand

Take one part of geology that you have learned about and show us how it relates to the principle, "The Buck Stops Here."  You can make a poster, write a poem, write a story, or any other CREATIVE method of demonstrating your learning.  Be prepared to show us in class. There are a zillion things you could do, but here is an example: (Don't do the one I came up with.  It is just an example. Create your own!)

 

Make a poster:
Print a few pictures of regular old  rocks.
Print pictures of rocks after they have been metamorphosed (undergone extreme heat and pressure).

Compare the heat and pressure to trials in our lives.  I might show on my poster how, when we take responsibility, the rocks changed, and compare to the change that takes place in our character.  I might even use personal examples of how the heat and pressure, or trials, in my life have shaped me.  I could take it further and demonstrate my knowledge of glaciers and how they affect the landscape.  I might take pictures of mountain ranges around me, print them out, label what each type of glacial form is called.  I might compare this to people in my life and how important they have been in shaping who I am.
Bottom line:  We want quality!  Just scribbling a few things on a piece of paper isn't what we are going for.  I want you to show me that you understand. 

 

Become:
Hopefully you have thought a lot about the forces that have shaped the world in which you live.... everything right around you!  So much has happened over however long the earth has been in existence.  The question is, what are you going to do now?  This is your time.  Your life.  The buck truly stops here!  Journal  your thoughts regarding what you are to do with this gift. 

 



Journeyman November

Study/Learn
Watch the video Map Distortions
Watch the video Why Every World Map is Wrong
Watch the video World Map Without Distortion
The total time for these three videos is about 7 minutes.  Notice the two viewpoints as to why there is distortion on maps.

Read and understand the info on Earthquakes 

Much of this will be review, but some info might be new to you.  When you finish reading the article, go back and ask yourself ALL of the questions that are contained as the headings to make sure you understand.
What is an earthquake? What causes an earthquake and where do they happen? Etc, Etc.

There are different waves that occur during an earthquake.  Study these by reading and taking notes, or drawing pictures of the four types of waves shown at Earthquake Waves.

Watch the vid Volcano 

Know/Understand (Do BOTH of these things)
1. Ask your mom and dad what you can do to help prepare in case of a natural disaster and then do it.  Ask them specifically if they have emergency  kits in their cars.  Pack food, water, source of heat, light source, etc. You may want to Google for ideas on how and what container to pack it in.  Our family's problem is that we eat/drink what we store in the car within days every dang time.  Put a lock on it? :)

Does your dad have an emergency kit at work?  Ask him if he would like you to put one together for him.

What else does your family need for preparedness?  72 hour kits? 

2. Teach a FHE lesson on earthquakes (what physically occurs), how to prepare for one, and what to do if/when there is one.  If you have little kids in your house be very sensitive to how scary it can be.  The idea is to inform not traumatize :)  You can use the Utah Geologic Society booklet that Summer and Adrianna brought to Vanguard History.

Become
Each and every one of us sees the world through our own pair of "glasses" that have been colored or shaded by our experiences. Because of this we will all have "distortions", which means that the way we perceive life may not be 100% accurate. Add Satan, the Master of Distortion in the mix, and it is no wonder we all struggle! What distortions are you experiencing in your life?  In your relationships? This week, pay attention to the times you feel negative emotion, because negative emotion is a signal that there is a lie/distortion that we believe.  Journal what you are feeling.   See if you can find truth to replace the lie/distortion.

Master November

Study/Learn

Read the Longitude Prize

I hope you enjoy this book. I did!  Fascinating! 

Know/Understand
-As you read, look for ways in which the principle "The Buck Stops Here" was applied.
-What was Harrison's motivation for creating a machine to measure longitude?
-How did he react when others did not agree with his design?
-What was interesting about the personalities of the characters?
-At one point the author said that Harrison did not learn from a master, and had he done so he would not have been able to imagine a clock such as the one he made.  He would have done as he was taught.  Does formal learning stifle ingenuity?  What do you think? Can we think outside the box after learning others' discoveries.
-Certain parts of the book may need to be read and re-read to gain understanding of how they attempted to measure longitude and latitude.  Make sure you put in the time to really understand.
-I will have a Vanguard student lead the book discussion.  Be prepared to do that in case it is you!

Become and Serve
What are your life goals?  What did you learn from Harrison in the book Longitude Prize that you would like to emulate as you strive to achieve your goals?  Are there any roadblocks or challenges that you anticipate?  How will you handle those while applying the principle, "The Buck Stops Here?"

Eureka Calendar

Creation: Our focus for this years Eureka study

Doctrine and Covenants 128:23

23 Let the mountains shout for joy, and all ye valleys cry aloud; and all ye seas and dry lands tell the wonders of your Eternal King! And ye rivers, and brooks, and rills, flow down with gladness. Let the woods and all the trees of the field praise the Lord; and ye solid rocks weep for joy! And let the sun, moon, and the morning stars sing together, and let all the sons of God shout for joy! And let the eternal creations declare his name forever and ever! And again I say, how glorious is the voice we hear from heaven, proclaiming in our ears, glory, and salvation, and honor, and immortality, and eternal life; kingdoms, principalities, and powers.

 

Hello to you all. The above scripture is our theme for Eureka this year. I would love for you to memorize it!  I will bring candy bars for those that do.  (Most of us are motivated by that highly addictive substance.  Dang.)

 

 In Eureka this year, we are going to study creation. It will allow us to hit different fields of science.  In the beginning I worried that it would not be in depth enough, but the fact is, you are all capable of so much, and so we will do much each month.  Our goal is to see God's hand; God's majesty in his creations.  I pray this year will be enlightening and joyful to us all.

 

October: Astronomy

God divided the light from the darkness.

 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night.

 

November: Geology

God separated the water and land.   And I, God, called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters, called I the Sea; and I, God, saw that all things which I had made were good.

December: Merry Christmas!  Rejoice!  Christ is King.

January: Botany
And I, God, said: Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, the fruit tree yielding fruit


 

February: Anatomy
And I, God, said: Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl which may fly...


 

March: Human Anatomy
And I, God, created man in mine own image, in the image of mine Only Begotten created I him; male and female created I them.
 

April: Psychology/Human Behavior
God rested for a season. 
We will rest.... on Sundays :)

Apprentice October

Apprentice October

Genesis 1:4

4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.

Study/Learn
Read my little page called "Eureka Calendar" so you can get the vision of where we are going with Eureka :)


Learn about the life cycle of a star.  You can use any resource you wish, but here are a couple:  My first suggestion would be the  Jr. Non Fiction section at the library.  If I start there and get a foundation, understand vocabulary and basic concepts then I can easily move on to a deeper explanation and understanding. Also, watch this video: Life cycle of a star  Take notes or make a chart, or draw pictures. 

Memorize  6-10 constellations in the Autumn Northern Hemisphere. Read the story behind them. Go outside with your family and locate them.   Our family knows a few, and we have fun finding them when we're camping. 

Watch: Black Holes on Brain Pop
(This is a site where you need a subscription, but if you click "try Brain Pop", you can see the video for free.)

Study Fusion.  Read the following: What is Fusion?
Read the Time article about how close the world is to controlling fusion and using it as a limitless energy source: Fusion experiment

And just when you thought you had enough of Bill Nye, voila!  I have found yet another awesome vid of the guy.  Sorry people.  The guy is funny and I long to entertain you.  Yet another Bill Nye video

Know/Understand:
Do Both of These Things!
1.)Solidify your understanding of the life cycle of a star by creating a poster, drawing pictures, or any other method you choose.  Enjoy!  Be prepared to share it in class.

2.) I am sending a list of experiments to Vanguard with Summer and Adrianna.  Sign up for one as sibling groups that interests you. If you have no siblings in Vanguard, you are on your own.  There will be instructions.  You are to come to Vanguard ready to perform your experiment, so bring all of the supplies you will need.    Make sure you know your topic inside and out (you will need to research other sources.)  We want you to teach us.  Conduct your experiment a couple times before class so that yours doesn't have unexpected results, ie: your experiment didn't work!!

Here are the topics of experiments so you can be thinking which one you would like to do:
Why the Milky Way looks hazy, How size affects apparent brightness, How distance and size affects a star's apparent brightness, How to determine which star is closest to the earth, How a black hole might form, What causes shooting stars, Why stars twinkle, Demonstrate the movement of a spiral galaxy, How Earth is protected from solar winds, How a star's composition is determined, How to measure brightness of light, Why it looks like there is a "man in the moon", Determine how distance of stars can be compared.

Become/Serve

Think about the parallels we can draw from learning about the life cycle of a star.  What similarities do we see in our own lives?  Be creative here.  You can create your own "Mormon Ad" or "Mormon Message" or journal your thoughts.

OR

Watch the Mormon Message Patterns of Light.  How does listening to the Holy Ghost relate to having a decided heart?  Journal what you learned. 

Journeyman October

Do you remember the first time you knew there was a God and could feel His love? As a boy, I used to gaze into the starry sky and ponder and feel His presence. I thrilled to explore the magnificent beauties of God’s creations—from tiny insects to towering trees. As I recognized the beauty of this earth, I knew that Heavenly Father loved me. I knew that I was a literal spiritual offspring, that we are all sons and daughters of God. -Elder Robert D. Hales, from this past conference 2014



Study/Learn
Visit Hubble Telescope Site.  Browse around and find something that is interesting to you.  This will not be hard.  There is so much to this site, that you just need to go yourself :) There are tons of pictures, videos, etc.  Enjoy!


Read the life of Galileo info that Summer and Adrianna brought to Vanguard.


Study how telescopes work. Here is an introduction: How Telescopes Work.  Read pages 2, 3, 4, 5. (You will build  SIMPLE reflective and refractive telescope in class.)

Know/Understand
Did Galileo have a decided heart?  What about those around him?  What were their motives? Write a letter to Galileo as if you lived during his day. What would you encourage him to do? Say? What could have saved him?  Anything?


When you visit the Hubble site, prepare to share what you learned with us.  What were your discoveries?  What amazed you? 


Become:
Read the Ensign article Things Not Seen, by Don Lind.  As you read pay attention to scriptural examples of how the Lord invites us to apply the "scientific method" to Gospel topics. Then, choose an aspect of your life, (maybe a Gospel principle that your testimony isn't as strong in, or maybe a question you have been seeking an answer to) and apply the scientific method.  Record your results in your journal. How does this relate to having a decided heart?