Week 12: Grand Canyon and Caves
Psalm 119:162- "I am as happy over your promises as if I had found a great treasure."
Our devotion today taught us about what a cenote (sih noh tee) is and how it correlates to great treasure from the scripture above.
A cenote is a special kind a sinkhole where the ceiling of the cave collapses and fills with water from either rain or an underground stream.
Caves are beautiful but then you add in the water and it becomes a great treasure. Cenotes are prevalent in the Yucaton Peninsula and are used today for swimming and scuba diving. Archeologists have found a wealth of treasure in these cenotes from fossils of mammoths to gold.
God's Word has a wealth of treasure too. If we dive into God's Word, we are sure to receive direction, peace, love, conviction, all of which will lead us into closer relationship with God. This is the greatest treasure!
Our devotion today taught us about what a cenote (sih noh tee) is and how it correlates to great treasure from the scripture above.
A cenote is a special kind a sinkhole where the ceiling of the cave collapses and fills with water from either rain or an underground stream.
Caves are beautiful but then you add in the water and it becomes a great treasure. Cenotes are prevalent in the Yucaton Peninsula and are used today for swimming and scuba diving. Archeologists have found a wealth of treasure in these cenotes from fossils of mammoths to gold.
God's Word has a wealth of treasure too. If we dive into God's Word, we are sure to receive direction, peace, love, conviction, all of which will lead us into closer relationship with God. This is the greatest treasure!
The Grand Canyon-
How was the Grand Canyon formed?
Any ideas on this topic cannot be considered scientific fact because no one was there when the Grand Canyon was formed therefore the most these ideas can be are scientific ideas often based on a person's worldview.
To be a scientific fact, it must be
So the two theories we discussed in class were the Evolutionary Theory and the Creationist Theory.
Evolutionary Theory on the Formation of the Grand Canyon- The Colorado River, over millions of years, has eroded the rocks to form the Grand Canyon. Therefore the sedimentary rock displayed in the Grand Canyon had to have been slowly deposited over hundreds of millions of years BEFORE the erosion. This is a LONG time!!! Erosion is the movement of broken rock and sediment from one place to another. If you think about that definition, where is all the sediment from the Grand Canyon? It would be a significant amount. A large flood could displace the sediment further away from the Grand Canyon area.
This theory can be summed up in that they believe that the Grand Canyon formed using little water over a long period of time.
Creationist Theory on the Formation of the Grand Canyon- The many layers of the Grand Canyon containing many fossils happened as a result of the worldwide flood. In Genesis 7:19-20 it states that the ocean once covered this whole area. There is evidence for this in the folded rock structures that we see all over the Grand Canyon. The folded rock layers are layers of rock that are BENT not cracked. The material must have been wet, soft and easily manipulated otherwise it would not have the bend they have now. Therefore, this must have occurred in one event with lots of water.
The Creationist Theory can be summed up by saying that it was formed over a short amount of time using a lot of water.
The one thing that both theories agree to is that the Grand Canyon was formed by erosion.
How was the Grand Canyon formed?
Any ideas on this topic cannot be considered scientific fact because no one was there when the Grand Canyon was formed therefore the most these ideas can be are scientific ideas often based on a person's worldview.
To be a scientific fact, it must be
- Observable
- Repeatable and
- Measurable
So the two theories we discussed in class were the Evolutionary Theory and the Creationist Theory.
Evolutionary Theory on the Formation of the Grand Canyon- The Colorado River, over millions of years, has eroded the rocks to form the Grand Canyon. Therefore the sedimentary rock displayed in the Grand Canyon had to have been slowly deposited over hundreds of millions of years BEFORE the erosion. This is a LONG time!!! Erosion is the movement of broken rock and sediment from one place to another. If you think about that definition, where is all the sediment from the Grand Canyon? It would be a significant amount. A large flood could displace the sediment further away from the Grand Canyon area.
This theory can be summed up in that they believe that the Grand Canyon formed using little water over a long period of time.
Creationist Theory on the Formation of the Grand Canyon- The many layers of the Grand Canyon containing many fossils happened as a result of the worldwide flood. In Genesis 7:19-20 it states that the ocean once covered this whole area. There is evidence for this in the folded rock structures that we see all over the Grand Canyon. The folded rock layers are layers of rock that are BENT not cracked. The material must have been wet, soft and easily manipulated otherwise it would not have the bend they have now. Therefore, this must have occurred in one event with lots of water.
The Creationist Theory can be summed up by saying that it was formed over a short amount of time using a lot of water.
The one thing that both theories agree to is that the Grand Canyon was formed by erosion.
Caves- special land formations that can be found underground.
There are four types of caves-
Lava Tube Caves- formed during volcanic eruptions
Sea Caves- formed by seawater pounding against rocks on a shoreline
Sandstone Caves- formed by moving water at the base of a cliff
Solution Caves- most common type of cave formed in limestone. The formation of these caves is unknown however the weathering process using groundwater and carbonic acid has been observed.
Formations within Caves-
Water that seeps through limestone can dissolve calcium and carry it through rock layers into underground caves. This calcium-rich water is an important ingredient in the formation of stalactites, stalagmites, and columns within the caves.
Some of my students shared with me that they remember that stalactites grow from the ceiling because they 'hold tight' from the ceiling. Stalactite, Hold Tight. I like it!!
Stalagmites are formed by calcite deposits formed along the ground of the cave.
Columns are formed when stalagmites and stalactites join.
Amazing fact: Bats have been found encapsulated within stalactites! They have been preserved which means that these formations can happen rapidly.
These facts and more can be found in this note taking guide on Caves.
There are four types of caves-
Lava Tube Caves- formed during volcanic eruptions
Sea Caves- formed by seawater pounding against rocks on a shoreline
Sandstone Caves- formed by moving water at the base of a cliff
Solution Caves- most common type of cave formed in limestone. The formation of these caves is unknown however the weathering process using groundwater and carbonic acid has been observed.
Formations within Caves-
Water that seeps through limestone can dissolve calcium and carry it through rock layers into underground caves. This calcium-rich water is an important ingredient in the formation of stalactites, stalagmites, and columns within the caves.
Some of my students shared with me that they remember that stalactites grow from the ceiling because they 'hold tight' from the ceiling. Stalactite, Hold Tight. I like it!!
Stalagmites are formed by calcite deposits formed along the ground of the cave.
Columns are formed when stalagmites and stalactites join.
Amazing fact: Bats have been found encapsulated within stalactites! They have been preserved which means that these formations can happen rapidly.
These facts and more can be found in this note taking guide on Caves.
I wanted to show the students a model of what a stalactite/stalagmite might look by growing crystals. I used Epsom salt to make these crystals. These take about 3-4 days to form so I was not able to begin the experiment in class. I went ahead and did it at home and showed them the results.
I handed out the observation guide for them to do this experiment on their own at home. I challenged them to use different materials and see which one created the best stalactites and stalagmites.
I handed out the observation guide for them to do this experiment on their own at home. I challenged them to use different materials and see which one created the best stalactites and stalagmites.
Materials needed:
Epsom Salt
Cotton String
2 pint size mason jars
2 washers
hot water
**I used 3/4 cup hot water to 1 cup of Epsom salt. I wonder if I had placed 2 cups of Epsom salt if I might have made a column.
Epsom Salt
Cotton String
2 pint size mason jars
2 washers
hot water
**I used 3/4 cup hot water to 1 cup of Epsom salt. I wonder if I had placed 2 cups of Epsom salt if I might have made a column.
This is my beginning set up. I placed washers at the ends of the string so that they would sink to the floor of the jar.
Day 1 after I began the experiment.
There is definitely a lot of water pools at the bottom of the plate. There are drips coming off of the cotton string
There is definitely a lot of water pools at the bottom of the plate. There are drips coming off of the cotton string
Day 4
This was as far as my crystals would grow. They are about1/2 inch long.
This was as far as my crystals would grow. They are about1/2 inch long.
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BINGO BONANZA
If you have followed me these past 12 weeks through this Journey to the Center of the Earth, then you would have learned AT LEAST 54 vocabulary words!!! WOW! These are my Science Super Stars!!! We played BINGO today to review every single word in a fun way. It worked well! You can grab these BINGO sheets here. |
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If you are following along in Answers in Genesis Our Planet Earth, we covered Lessons 32 and 33 today.
Week 11: Stream Erosion and Soil
Is the ground you are walking on really solid ground? Well, after the natural changes the surface of the earth can go through, you could walk, drive or build on a place that could become a sinkhole. Let us be careful about where we build the foundations of our lives on. If we build our lives on the Solid Rock of Jesus, He won't fail EVER. However, if we build our lives on money, sports, our jobs, our family, we could very well sink any day.
Our devotion today was from Louie Giglio's How Great is Our God 'Not-So-Solid Ground.'
He explains that beneath our feet there is rock, dirt and minerals. There is water from rain or underwater streams that continually erode. Over a period of time, the bedrock that was thought to be so secure, weakens by the continual flow of water resulting in a sinkhole.
This happened at the National Corvette Museum in Kentucky in 2014. Eight corvettes sank into the ground that day from within the museum. They have repaired the sink hole but the cave is still there and there is a window there to peer inside the cave.
Our devotion today was from Louie Giglio's How Great is Our God 'Not-So-Solid Ground.'
He explains that beneath our feet there is rock, dirt and minerals. There is water from rain or underwater streams that continually erode. Over a period of time, the bedrock that was thought to be so secure, weakens by the continual flow of water resulting in a sinkhole.
This happened at the National Corvette Museum in Kentucky in 2014. Eight corvettes sank into the ground that day from within the museum. They have repaired the sink hole but the cave is still there and there is a window there to peer inside the cave.
Let's learn about this flowing water that could create a sinkhole.
Stream erosion is the process of flowing water used to carry sediment from one place to another.
Water does travel in a predictable path; it always flows in the path of least resistance and is moved by gravity.
Gradient- the difference between the height of the source of water, or headwaters, and the lowest level of water at the mouth of a river.
It's amazing that rivers, because of stream erosion, are constantly changing. Sediment is being pulled from one area and placed in another, therefore changing the flow of the river.
Erosion is a huge threat to topsoil. We need nutrient-rich topsoil to plant crops and grow food. Erosion takes the loosened rock and soil from one area and deposits it in another area further downstream and, consequently, the topsoil washes away with all the sediment.
Does that make you worry that one day we won't be able to grow food? Stand on the promise of God that is stated in Genesis 8:22 "As long as the Earth endures, seedtime, and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease."
He has made a way to replenish topsoil. Some weathering processes break large rock into sediments and these sediments can produce new soil over time. However, there is also a quicker way...volcanic eruptions and glacier movements can cover an area with nutrient-rich ash or uncover fertile soil.
Here are the notes that we covered in class today. It goes more into depth on these topics. There is a word bank making this handout interactive. I also have students read the paragraphs and share personal experiences of these instances happening in their own lives.
Stream erosion is the process of flowing water used to carry sediment from one place to another.
Water does travel in a predictable path; it always flows in the path of least resistance and is moved by gravity.
Gradient- the difference between the height of the source of water, or headwaters, and the lowest level of water at the mouth of a river.
It's amazing that rivers, because of stream erosion, are constantly changing. Sediment is being pulled from one area and placed in another, therefore changing the flow of the river.
Erosion is a huge threat to topsoil. We need nutrient-rich topsoil to plant crops and grow food. Erosion takes the loosened rock and soil from one area and deposits it in another area further downstream and, consequently, the topsoil washes away with all the sediment.
Does that make you worry that one day we won't be able to grow food? Stand on the promise of God that is stated in Genesis 8:22 "As long as the Earth endures, seedtime, and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease."
He has made a way to replenish topsoil. Some weathering processes break large rock into sediments and these sediments can produce new soil over time. However, there is also a quicker way...volcanic eruptions and glacier movements can cover an area with nutrient-rich ash or uncover fertile soil.
Here are the notes that we covered in class today. It goes more into depth on these topics. There is a word bank making this handout interactive. I also have students read the paragraphs and share personal experiences of these instances happening in their own lives.
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Three-River Table Model Observations
Our guiding question was:
Does the type of land form affect the process of erosion caused by flowing water?
The materials needs for this observation are:
**Note, my baking dishes were filled with potting soil because that is what I could easily obtain. We did not observe the same thing had we used sand or even dryer dirt. The potting soil was very moist.
Our guiding question was:
Does the type of land form affect the process of erosion caused by flowing water?
The materials needs for this observation are:
- 3 baking dishes
- Enough sand to fill each three dishes halfway
- Leaves and sticks
- Water at 1 cup increments
- 3 books of the same depth
**Note, my baking dishes were filled with potting soil because that is what I could easily obtain. We did not observe the same thing had we used sand or even dryer dirt. The potting soil was very moist.
This was my set up in class.
I have the flat dirt that I made flat with a piece of cardboard. Then I have the leaves and sticks soil and then lastly, I have the terraced or ridged soil.
Does the type of land form affect the process of erosion caused by flowing water?
I have the flat dirt that I made flat with a piece of cardboard. Then I have the leaves and sticks soil and then lastly, I have the terraced or ridged soil.
Does the type of land form affect the process of erosion caused by flowing water?
I poured the water very slowly as the directions called for.
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As I poured the water into the soil, the students realized that the water wasn't really flowing down like we had planned but was soaking in to the bottom.
When we were analyzing the data, a student suggested we use dryer soil rather than the wet. I love that he was problem solving in the midst of the demonstration! Yes! |
As we poured the water slowly into the terraced pan, one student was disappointed and said, "Nothing happened!"
I quickly corrected her replying that just because something didn't happen the way that she wanted or expected, doesn't mean 'nothing happened' Something did, indeed, happen. It just wasn't what she wanted.
This happens to us in many facets of our lives, not just science.
I related this to Jesus coming and dying on the cross to save us. The Jews wanted Him to overtake the Roman empire so when He was beaten and lead up the hill to be crucified, the very people He came to save were angry and insulted him as He went to the cross. Just because something doesn't happen the way we want or desire, does not mean failure, defeat or nothing. Look for what did happen and make your observations.
I quickly corrected her replying that just because something didn't happen the way that she wanted or expected, doesn't mean 'nothing happened' Something did, indeed, happen. It just wasn't what she wanted.
This happens to us in many facets of our lives, not just science.
I related this to Jesus coming and dying on the cross to save us. The Jews wanted Him to overtake the Roman empire so when He was beaten and lead up the hill to be crucified, the very people He came to save were angry and insulted him as He went to the cross. Just because something doesn't happen the way we want or desire, does not mean failure, defeat or nothing. Look for what did happen and make your observations.
One student suggested that we pour the water faster. So we did that to all three baking sheets. Remember when we are doing observations or experiments we want to be as consistent in all parts as possible. If I had decided to pour the water faster in the second bin before pouring it slowly, it would have created a variable that we were not testing and so skew our results
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After we did our experiment, we documented the results on our Observation sheet. These observation guides are very helpful in walking you through the process of looking at things in a scientific way.
After we finished drawing our observations, there are follow up questions asked in the data analysis section.
Following the data analysis section, there is a conclusion section with a sentence started that restates the hypothesis to help scaffold the students into an appropriate conclusion statement.
Make sure to grab the Three River Table Observation guide from our TPT store from the button above.
After we finished drawing our observations, there are follow up questions asked in the data analysis section.
Following the data analysis section, there is a conclusion section with a sentence started that restates the hypothesis to help scaffold the students into an appropriate conclusion statement.
Make sure to grab the Three River Table Observation guide from our TPT store from the button above.
We have one more week of class and so we are playing vocabulary review games to get ready for our BINGO Bonanza next week. Today we played Four Corners.
Here is the final set of vocabulary cards for this first 12 weeks of class. We will continue more in depth next semester.
If you are following along in the Our Planet Earth curriculum from Answers in Genesis. These notes covered Lessons 30 and 31.
If you are following along in the Our Planet Earth curriculum from Answers in Genesis. These notes covered Lessons 30 and 31.
Week 10: Weathering and Erosion
Matthew 17:20 - "If your faith is as big as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there.' And the mountain will move. All things will be possible for you."
The smallest of changes, over time, can have huge impacts. If we simply have faith as big as a mustard seed (1-2mm wide) we can move a mountain. How is this possible? I spoke with the students about how we know that there is magma under our solid ground, therefore our solid ground is really always shifting. We have made mountains with graham crackers and cool whip. It seems now it is not such an outlandish idea after all. However I do love this from Louie Giglio
That small faith makes it possible to move mountains "because the power isn't in the size of your faith. The power is in the One you put your faith in."
The smallest of changes, over time, can have huge impacts. If we simply have faith as big as a mustard seed (1-2mm wide) we can move a mountain. How is this possible? I spoke with the students about how we know that there is magma under our solid ground, therefore our solid ground is really always shifting. We have made mountains with graham crackers and cool whip. It seems now it is not such an outlandish idea after all. However I do love this from Louie Giglio
That small faith makes it possible to move mountains "because the power isn't in the size of your faith. The power is in the One you put your faith in."
During our note taking time today, we learned about weathering, the different types of weathering, erosion and the different types of erosion. You can follow along with this note taking guide.
Weathering is the wearing down or breaking down of sedimentary rock. The different types of weathering are mechanical weathering and chemical weathering.
Mechanical weathering involves agents of change like wind, water, ice and plant roots that use physical force to break down the sedimentary rock.
Chemical weathering involves natural acids reacting with the minerals in the rock to break them down or dissolve the rock. Two naturally occurring acids are carbonic acid and humic acid.
Erosion is the movement of broken down sediment from one location to another. This also changes the surface of our earth.
One type of erosion we learned about from our notes is mass wasting. This is the movement of large masses of soil caused by gravity. This can happen slowly or fast as in a landslide or an avalanche.
There are some who may believe that life is progressing towards more order and away from chaos but this is not consistent with the observations that we make about the world all around us. Weathering and erosion are two examples of how there is increasing disorder or entropy occurring creating destruction.
Psalm 102: 25-26- "Of old you laid the foundation of the Earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you will endure; yes, they will all grow old like a garment."
Weathering is the wearing down or breaking down of sedimentary rock. The different types of weathering are mechanical weathering and chemical weathering.
Mechanical weathering involves agents of change like wind, water, ice and plant roots that use physical force to break down the sedimentary rock.
Chemical weathering involves natural acids reacting with the minerals in the rock to break them down or dissolve the rock. Two naturally occurring acids are carbonic acid and humic acid.
Erosion is the movement of broken down sediment from one location to another. This also changes the surface of our earth.
One type of erosion we learned about from our notes is mass wasting. This is the movement of large masses of soil caused by gravity. This can happen slowly or fast as in a landslide or an avalanche.
There are some who may believe that life is progressing towards more order and away from chaos but this is not consistent with the observations that we make about the world all around us. Weathering and erosion are two examples of how there is increasing disorder or entropy occurring creating destruction.
Psalm 102: 25-26- "Of old you laid the foundation of the Earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you will endure; yes, they will all grow old like a garment."
Considering the world around us, we wanted to find out if there are observable evidences of the processes of chemical and mechanical weathering.
Here is the observation guide that we used. These are extremely helpful as they place all the steps in the scientific method and walk you through how to do the experiment.
The materials that you will need are:
While the chalk was soaking in vinegar, I cut 3 pieces of about an inch long of sidewalk chalk and placed them inside the jar. I had the student shake the jar for 30 seconds and then document their observations of the chalk. As soon as they finished documenting that data, the five minute timer went off and they were also able to document what the chalk in the vinegar looked like after 5 minutes. I began the timer for another 5 minutes. I had the students change partners and shake the jar for another 30 seconds. They again documented their data.
Here is the observation guide that we used. These are extremely helpful as they place all the steps in the scientific method and walk you through how to do the experiment.
The materials that you will need are:
- Sidewalk chalk
- Hand saw
- Vinegar
- 8oz cup
- 4 oz jar with lid
While the chalk was soaking in vinegar, I cut 3 pieces of about an inch long of sidewalk chalk and placed them inside the jar. I had the student shake the jar for 30 seconds and then document their observations of the chalk. As soon as they finished documenting that data, the five minute timer went off and they were also able to document what the chalk in the vinegar looked like after 5 minutes. I began the timer for another 5 minutes. I had the students change partners and shake the jar for another 30 seconds. They again documented their data.
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Included in the observation guide above is a place for guided Data Analysis and a Conclusion statement.
The first question in the Data Analysis section states:
How did the process of shaking the jar differ from submerging in vinegar?
One difference would be that the chalk in the jar had physical contact with each other as well as the sides of the jar whereas the chalk in the vinegar did not move and had no contact with another piece of chalk or the sides of the cup.
How did the chalk change in each type of weathering? How did their changes differ?
Chalk in vinegar seemed to stay the same with a constant bubbling
Chalk in the jar being shook had lots of smaller pieces break off of it.
These changes differed in how they changed size and shape. The chalk in the vinegar weathered much slower than the chalk in the jar that was shaken. The chalk in the vinegar took less energy whereas the chalk in the jar weathered faster but used more energy.
The first question in the Data Analysis section states:
How did the process of shaking the jar differ from submerging in vinegar?
One difference would be that the chalk in the jar had physical contact with each other as well as the sides of the jar whereas the chalk in the vinegar did not move and had no contact with another piece of chalk or the sides of the cup.
How did the chalk change in each type of weathering? How did their changes differ?
Chalk in vinegar seemed to stay the same with a constant bubbling
Chalk in the jar being shook had lots of smaller pieces break off of it.
These changes differed in how they changed size and shape. The chalk in the vinegar weathered much slower than the chalk in the jar that was shaken. The chalk in the vinegar took less energy whereas the chalk in the jar weathered faster but used more energy.
Here is the board of what we filled in for our observation sheet during class.
These are the vocabulary cards for this week that reinforce the key words from the note taking guide mentioned above.
If you are following along in Answers in Genesis Our Planet Earth curriculum, these guides and notes correlate to Lessons 28 and 29.
Week 9: Geysers and Hot Springs
To introduce the students to Geysers, I played a 2 minute video of Old Faithful at Yellowstone National Park. You can find the video here.
Our devotion today centered on Faithful.
Faithful is an adjective meaning loyal, steadfast, being true to your word or commitments.
1 Corinthians 1:9- "God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord."
There is no one as faithful as our God.
The geyser named Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park has been named this because of its somewhat predictable pattern. It is 'faithful' to erupt at the predicted time. This geyser is able to be faithful because it does not share its underwater chamber with any other vent, outlet, or geyser. It is able to be consistent and predictable.
As believers in Jesus Christ, our Savior, we are to be faithful and steadfast in our devotion to Him and therefore our commitments to others. If we are sharing our chamber of living water with sports, TV, Video games, etc, then we won't be faithful to pour out on others the living water that God fills us with.
Dear Lord, Help us to be faithful even in the small things that in time we might be faithful with bigger things. In Jesus Name Amen
Faithful is an adjective meaning loyal, steadfast, being true to your word or commitments.
1 Corinthians 1:9- "God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord."
There is no one as faithful as our God.
The geyser named Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park has been named this because of its somewhat predictable pattern. It is 'faithful' to erupt at the predicted time. This geyser is able to be faithful because it does not share its underwater chamber with any other vent, outlet, or geyser. It is able to be consistent and predictable.
As believers in Jesus Christ, our Savior, we are to be faithful and steadfast in our devotion to Him and therefore our commitments to others. If we are sharing our chamber of living water with sports, TV, Video games, etc, then we won't be faithful to pour out on others the living water that God fills us with.
Dear Lord, Help us to be faithful even in the small things that in time we might be faithful with bigger things. In Jesus Name Amen
Here is the note taking guide that we followed today. This guide answers the questions
Some of the vocabulary words that are introduced in this guide are:
Thermal Gradient of the Earth- an observed fact that the temperature of the earth rises about 87 degrees Fahrenheit for every mile beneath the surface.
Fumarole- a steam vent where water rising up has been super heated so much that it reaches the surface as steam.
Hot Spring- a calm spring where warm water rises and bubbles to the surface.
Geysers- an extraordinary display of heated underground water that erupts from the Earth's surface.
- Why is underground water sometimes hot?
- What are fumaroles and hot springs?
- What are geysers?
- Why are some geysers predictable?
Some of the vocabulary words that are introduced in this guide are:
Thermal Gradient of the Earth- an observed fact that the temperature of the earth rises about 87 degrees Fahrenheit for every mile beneath the surface.
Fumarole- a steam vent where water rising up has been super heated so much that it reaches the surface as steam.
Hot Spring- a calm spring where warm water rises and bubbles to the surface.
Geysers- an extraordinary display of heated underground water that erupts from the Earth's surface.
Here are the vocabulary cards that go with this lesson on geysers and the previous lesson on volcanoes.
In order to model a geyser, I used the chemical reaction between diet coke and mentos. The investigation guide is in the scientific process format so that students are able to change variables, one at a time, if they would like to test other materials later for a science fair project.
Here is the investigation guide that we used in class today.
Our guiding question was:
How does the size of an underground chamber affect the way a geyser explodes?
Here is the investigation guide that we used in class today.
Our guiding question was:
How does the size of an underground chamber affect the way a geyser explodes?
The materials that I used for this are:
2 liter bottle of diet coke
16 oz bottle of diet coke
2 packs of mentos mints
ruler
hot glue (optional) (I glued the mentos together so I could just drop them in at one time)
Before class, I had my children mark the wall with sidewalk chalk every foot so that we would be able to measure the height of the eruption during the experiment.
Also, before we went outside to perform the experiment, I had the students measure the height of each bottle.
The students were to hypothesize if the smaller or the larger bottle would create a taller geyser. Here are our results.
2 liter bottle of diet coke
16 oz bottle of diet coke
2 packs of mentos mints
ruler
hot glue (optional) (I glued the mentos together so I could just drop them in at one time)
Before class, I had my children mark the wall with sidewalk chalk every foot so that we would be able to measure the height of the eruption during the experiment.
Also, before we went outside to perform the experiment, I had the students measure the height of each bottle.
The students were to hypothesize if the smaller or the larger bottle would create a taller geyser. Here are our results.
We tried the 16 oz. bottle to see how high it would erupt. It went about 10 inches. The bottle itself is 9 inches.
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Then we tried the 2 liter bottle, and this reaction went up significantly to 2 feet. Its starting height was 13 inches.
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Some students wanted to see what would happen if we placed another set of mentos in the remaining amount of diet coke. In order to keep the variables the same, we did that to each of the bottles. There was very little reaction with the remaining coke in the bottles. Another set of students were disappointed that the 'geyser' didn't blast up very high and so I asked them what they would change about the experiment to make the 'geyser' be higher. It was a good discussion.
This is the completion of our investigation guide. Most students just want to do the experiment and not analyze the data and think about what it means. These were our results, data analysis, and conclusion based on the majority of answers in the class.
This lesson correlates to Lesson 27 in Answers in Genesis' Our Planet Earth curriculum
Week 8: Volcanoes
God can melt hearts just like God can make melted rock called magma. In Louie Giglio's Devotion called Melting Rocks and Hearts, we learned about the difference between magma and lava but how both of them are extremely hot. Our lesson today is focused on volcanoes. The proposed cause of volcanoes is friction against tectonic plates which creates heat. This heat is trapped and so will cause a volcanic eruption.
Sometimes, hard circumstances create friction in our lives. It makes us heat up and want to explode. We continually need to ask the Lord to keep our hearts soft and thankful even during our most difficult circumstances.
Sometimes, hard circumstances create friction in our lives. It makes us heat up and want to explode. We continually need to ask the Lord to keep our hearts soft and thankful even during our most difficult circumstances.
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Our devotion was our diving board into our teaching time about volcanoes. You can find these notes here. A volcano is a special land form where molten rock, ash, and gases erupt from the surface of the Earth. The difference between magma and lava is their location.
As the lava and ash cook and settle, the surface of the Earth changes shape and new land is formed. Volcanoes are classified by their activity level.
It is a little tricky to determine volcanoes as dormant or extinct. |
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Eruption of Mount St. Helen's in 1980
The volcanic eruption of Mount St. Helen's in 1980 has challenged at least four evolutionary ideas related to how the earth has been formed and how long it took to be formed.
Evolutionary Assumptions:
1. Sedimentary rock is formed over millions of years.
2. The Grand Canyon was formed over millions of years
3. No clear scientific explanation for petrified forest where fossilized trees are found upright, or vertical
4. Radiometric dating is reliable way to date fossils and rocks.
Mount St. Helen's Discoveries
1. The volcanic eruption formed 25ft. of sedimentary rock in a day
2. A "Little Grand Canyon" was formed within a single day from this eruption
3. Whole trees that were displaced by the eruption ended up in Spirit Lake and because of their root ball, they were standing vertically.
4. The new rock cap was dated as being 350,000 years old according to radiometric dating when it was only tens of years old instead.
You can find a great article published by the Institute of Creation Research on the Lessons from Mount St. Helen's
https://www.icr.org/article/a-30-years-later-lessons-mount-st-helens
The volcanic eruption of Mount St. Helen's in 1980 has challenged at least four evolutionary ideas related to how the earth has been formed and how long it took to be formed.
Evolutionary Assumptions:
1. Sedimentary rock is formed over millions of years.
2. The Grand Canyon was formed over millions of years
3. No clear scientific explanation for petrified forest where fossilized trees are found upright, or vertical
4. Radiometric dating is reliable way to date fossils and rocks.
Mount St. Helen's Discoveries
1. The volcanic eruption formed 25ft. of sedimentary rock in a day
2. A "Little Grand Canyon" was formed within a single day from this eruption
3. Whole trees that were displaced by the eruption ended up in Spirit Lake and because of their root ball, they were standing vertically.
4. The new rock cap was dated as being 350,000 years old according to radiometric dating when it was only tens of years old instead.
You can find a great article published by the Institute of Creation Research on the Lessons from Mount St. Helen's
https://www.icr.org/article/a-30-years-later-lessons-mount-st-helens
For our investigation we made a volcanic model. We used the scientific method to discover if eruptions follow predictable patterns.
Materials: 12" x 12" cardboard Aluminum foil Modeling Clay (3 colors) 3 Tbsp of Baking Soda 3 Tbsp of Vinegar Small 2 oz cup Cookie sheet Paper Towels Our Guiding Question was How do volcanic eruptions change the surface of the Earth? Procedure: 1. Cover a 12" x 12" piece of cardboard with foil. 2. Place a small 2 oz. cup in the center of the board. 3. Add 1 Tbsp of baking soda into the cup. 4. Ad Tbsp. of vinegar into the cup. 5. Use a pencil to outline where the 'lava' stopped. 6. Dry the area with paper towels. 7. Spread clay to cover the area you marked in step 5 8. Repeat steps 3-7 two additional times using a different color of clay each time. 9. Make and record your observations. In our Observation guide, we have spaces for the students to draw their observations and also have a Data Analysis section as well as a Conclusion section to complete the experiment. |
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If you are following along in Our Planet Earth Curriculum from Answers in Genesis, we covered Lessons 24, 25, and 26 today.
Week 7: Earthquakes
Did you know that as long scientists have been studying earthquakes, they are still unable to predict when or where an earthquake might happen? Only God knows these things.
Our devotion today was called 'I Feel the Earth Move Under My Feet' from Louie Giglio's Indescribable.
Since God only knows when and where an earthquake might take place, He also is the only one who knows what will happen in your future. However, no matter what, He will hold onto you and will use the ups in your life to create mountains of faith and the downs to create valleys of rest. He is shaping your life to glorify Him.
Our devotion today was called 'I Feel the Earth Move Under My Feet' from Louie Giglio's Indescribable.
Since God only knows when and where an earthquake might take place, He also is the only one who knows what will happen in your future. However, no matter what, He will hold onto you and will use the ups in your life to create mountains of faith and the downs to create valleys of rest. He is shaping your life to glorify Him.
We did an activity that reviewed what we had learned about mountains last week and what we learned about tectonic plate boundaries the previous week.
Materials:
Before we began, I had the students review what convergent, divergent, and transform boundaries were using their hands. They placed their hands palms down next to each other. If I said 'Convergent' their hands would move on top of each other. If I said 'Divergent' their hands would separate to make a gap/fault between their hands and if I said 'Transform' they would rub their hands together, palms still facing down, forward and back.
This is what we did with the graham cracker.
I gave each student a whole graham cracker, and a spoonful of whip cream on a paper plate. The whip cream represented the mantle while the graham cracker represented the crust. They were to move the cracker over the whip cream signifying how even though we feel like the crust is completely solid and never moves, it is actually moving all the time on top of the mantle.
They then broke the graham cracker in half and made the graham crackers converge, diverge and then formed a transform boundary. They were able to see how earthquakes can form faults and mountains
Materials:
- Graham Crackers
- Whip Cream
- Paper Plate
Before we began, I had the students review what convergent, divergent, and transform boundaries were using their hands. They placed their hands palms down next to each other. If I said 'Convergent' their hands would move on top of each other. If I said 'Divergent' their hands would separate to make a gap/fault between their hands and if I said 'Transform' they would rub their hands together, palms still facing down, forward and back.
This is what we did with the graham cracker.
I gave each student a whole graham cracker, and a spoonful of whip cream on a paper plate. The whip cream represented the mantle while the graham cracker represented the crust. They were to move the cracker over the whip cream signifying how even though we feel like the crust is completely solid and never moves, it is actually moving all the time on top of the mantle.
They then broke the graham cracker in half and made the graham crackers converge, diverge and then formed a transform boundary. They were able to see how earthquakes can form faults and mountains
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Divergent Boundaries
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Convergent Boundary
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We learned through our interactive note taking guide about what earthquakes are and what causes them, the factors that the destruction of an earthquake depend on, and how to detect an earthquake.
An earthquake is when tectonic plates are stressed beyond their capacity as they move against each other creating a sudden shift in the crust. The two factors that destruction from an earthquake depend on are: 1. location of the epicenter. Is the epicenter inhabited or uninhabited? 2. Strength of the earthquake Our vocabulary words for this week, which you can get here are: Earthquake- rapid movement of the earth's crust Focus- center of activity in an earthquake Epicenter- the area above the focus on the earth's surface Fault- crack in the rock where the earth has moved Seismograph- an instrument used to detect and record earthquakes. Richter Scale- a scale that tells the magnitude of an earthquake. The last part of the notes was on the different kinds of faults; a normal fault, reverse fault and strike-slip fault. |
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I brought in a
One student taped the copy paper to the rolling pin,
another would slowly roll the pin while
another student held a pencil to the copy paper taped to the rolling pin.
Finally, another student would hold the cardboard box and when it was 'earthquake' time, they would shake the box. One of my groups was the more active earthquake than the other group. See if you can tell which one is which.
- cardboard box,
- a rolling pin and
- some copy paper
One student taped the copy paper to the rolling pin,
another would slowly roll the pin while
another student held a pencil to the copy paper taped to the rolling pin.
Finally, another student would hold the cardboard box and when it was 'earthquake' time, they would shake the box. One of my groups was the more active earthquake than the other group. See if you can tell which one is which.
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In groups of three, I handed them a bag of different sized blocks. The students were to build a building that could withstand an earthquake. The earthquake would come in the form of shaking the table.
An observation that I pointed out during this observational activity is that the further away from my shaking of the table, the less damage was done to their buildings. This is consistent with what we know about earthquakes. The closer you are to the epicenter of the earthquake, the more damage is done.
There is an investigation sheet that goes with this activity, however, I ran out of time to do formally with the students.
An observation that I pointed out during this observational activity is that the further away from my shaking of the table, the less damage was done to their buildings. This is consistent with what we know about earthquakes. The closer you are to the epicenter of the earthquake, the more damage is done.
There is an investigation sheet that goes with this activity, however, I ran out of time to do formally with the students.
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If you are following along in the Our Planet Earth curriculum, today we covered Lessons 22 and 23
Week 6: Mountains
I stand in awe of God's Wonders! Have you ever heard or seen the Rainbow Mountains in China? It is amazing to think that pressed down sandstone and minerals pushed up by tectonic plates and exposure to oxygen could turn these mountains all different colors. Amazing!!! We read about these mountains in our devotion from Louie Giglio called "Over the Rainbow Mountains"
From this devotion, we remembered that God keeps His promises and His covenant with us. I wanted the students to be able to remember this about God as well, so I had them make a rainbow container with salt. I thought this could also be a great gift to have children make to share God's promises with loved ones or friends in the upcoming months.
The materials that you will need for this activity are:
I am wanting to make six different colors. I began with 1/2 cup of salt in six baggies. I then placed about 15 drops of food coloring in each bag of the respective colors; red, yellow, green, blue. I halved that number with the colors that I did mixes with like orange and purple. After I dyed each bag, I sealed the bag and mixed it together with my hands until there was a solid, consistent color. I left the baggies open overnight to dry out.
I love how these turned out, they even looked 'rusted' like the Rainbow Mountains might be.
The materials that you will need for this activity are:
- Plastic, clear container with lid
- Salt
- Food Coloring
- Plastic baggies
I am wanting to make six different colors. I began with 1/2 cup of salt in six baggies. I then placed about 15 drops of food coloring in each bag of the respective colors; red, yellow, green, blue. I halved that number with the colors that I did mixes with like orange and purple. After I dyed each bag, I sealed the bag and mixed it together with my hands until there was a solid, consistent color. I left the baggies open overnight to dry out.
I love how these turned out, they even looked 'rusted' like the Rainbow Mountains might be.
I was thinking that 1/2 cup of salt for 16 jars might not be enough, so I just started adding salt to the baggie and began mixing it up.
It maintained its color despite adding extra salt. This picture is orange, the other picture is red. |
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While some of the students were finishing up their Rainbow Mountains, others were gearing up for our Vocabulary Swat the Fly Game. Where at first it was kind of slow moving, now the students are much faster at swatting these flies. This is great because it means that they are remembering their vocabulary words. Awesome!! Now they want a different game...sheesh!
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Today's lesson was all about Mountains. We learned about what makes a mountain a mountain, how geologists measure mountains and the different kinds of mountains. You will find all of these answers in the this note taking guide.
After going through these notes with the student's today, there is a confusing part when it comes to identifying the elevation and actual height of mountains. Most places will only mention the elevation of mountains but this is only how tall the mountain is above sea level. There is another height called Actual Height that is the difference between the height of the base of a mountain and the height of the summit. The example that I used in this note taking guide is Mount Everest. Its elevation is 29,028ft but its actual height is 12,000ft. This is because the base of this mountain is 17,028ft which is not included in the actual height of a mountain.
Thankfully, geologists have decided to classify mountains according to how they are formed, not based on heights.
The four kinds of mountains that we covered today are:
Depository Mountains- these mountains are formed from accumulated rock, lava, and ash from volcanoes, sand or other materials. Some examples of these are volcanoes, sand dunes, and glaciers. Anything that made 'deposits' to create a mountain is considered a depository mountain. Volcanoes 'deposit' lava and ash. Sand is 'deposited' by wind or water to make sand dunes. Glaciers carve through the crust 'depositing' excess material to create mountains.
Erosional Mountains- these form by the gradual diminution of the material surrounding mountains. These are the kinds of mountains that you see that are flat and have a hole in the middle as a result of being worn away by the wind or water.
Fold Mountains- these mountains form when two tectonic plates come together and rock is forced upward creating a mountain range
Fault Block Mountains- these form when a block of rock pushes higher than another along a fault in the Earth's crust.
I have pictures of these included in the note taking guide.
Below are the vocabulary cards that we covered today in class for the students to add to their collection of knowledge
After going through these notes with the student's today, there is a confusing part when it comes to identifying the elevation and actual height of mountains. Most places will only mention the elevation of mountains but this is only how tall the mountain is above sea level. There is another height called Actual Height that is the difference between the height of the base of a mountain and the height of the summit. The example that I used in this note taking guide is Mount Everest. Its elevation is 29,028ft but its actual height is 12,000ft. This is because the base of this mountain is 17,028ft which is not included in the actual height of a mountain.
Thankfully, geologists have decided to classify mountains according to how they are formed, not based on heights.
The four kinds of mountains that we covered today are:
Depository Mountains- these mountains are formed from accumulated rock, lava, and ash from volcanoes, sand or other materials. Some examples of these are volcanoes, sand dunes, and glaciers. Anything that made 'deposits' to create a mountain is considered a depository mountain. Volcanoes 'deposit' lava and ash. Sand is 'deposited' by wind or water to make sand dunes. Glaciers carve through the crust 'depositing' excess material to create mountains.
Erosional Mountains- these form by the gradual diminution of the material surrounding mountains. These are the kinds of mountains that you see that are flat and have a hole in the middle as a result of being worn away by the wind or water.
Fold Mountains- these mountains form when two tectonic plates come together and rock is forced upward creating a mountain range
Fault Block Mountains- these form when a block of rock pushes higher than another along a fault in the Earth's crust.
I have pictures of these included in the note taking guide.
Below are the vocabulary cards that we covered today in class for the students to add to their collection of knowledge
If you are following along in Our Planet Earth curriculum from Answers in Genesis. We covered Lessons 20 and 21 today
Week 5: Layers of the Earth and Plate Tectonics
Ezekiel 36:26- "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh."
In Louie Giglio's devotion 'Hard at Heart', he introduced the layers of the earth with some astounding facts about the core of our earth. The core of our earth is hard, supposedly made out of iron and very hot. He touched on a very applicable truth in that our cores (hearts) are not to be hard but soft. Often when we are hurt or are going through troubling circumstances, our response is to harden our hearts. However, God desires for our hearts to be soft toward Him and others so that we can continue to spread His love to all we know and come into contact with.
In Louie Giglio's devotion 'Hard at Heart', he introduced the layers of the earth with some astounding facts about the core of our earth. The core of our earth is hard, supposedly made out of iron and very hot. He touched on a very applicable truth in that our cores (hearts) are not to be hard but soft. Often when we are hurt or are going through troubling circumstances, our response is to harden our hearts. However, God desires for our hearts to be soft toward Him and others so that we can continue to spread His love to all we know and come into contact with.
How are we able to tell what the inside of the earth is made of if no one has been there?
The first section of our interactive notes was about Seismic Waves. Seismic waves are waves of acoustic energy formed by earthquakes. Scientists are able to study these waves and make predictions about the material inside the earth.
I did a brief demonstration using:
I filled the jar with just enough water so that it would not float in the bowl of water.
I filled the serving bowl with water and placed the jar in the middle. I, then, took a pencil and struck the water so that waves would be seen through the bowl. The waves went around the jar and back again. When the seismic waves return, it sends us back information about what material the waves went through.
The first section of our interactive notes was about Seismic Waves. Seismic waves are waves of acoustic energy formed by earthquakes. Scientists are able to study these waves and make predictions about the material inside the earth.
I did a brief demonstration using:
- Serving Bowl
- Jar
- Pencil
I filled the jar with just enough water so that it would not float in the bowl of water.
I filled the serving bowl with water and placed the jar in the middle. I, then, took a pencil and struck the water so that waves would be seen through the bowl. The waves went around the jar and back again. When the seismic waves return, it sends us back information about what material the waves went through.
The next section of our interactive notes was about the three main layers of the earth; crust, mantle and core. On our interactive note taking guide, there is a chart noting the differences in each of these layers.
Many scientists use models to help them understand ideas better. So we made a clay model of the three layers of the earth.
Many scientists use models to help them understand ideas better. So we made a clay model of the three layers of the earth.
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Plate Tectonics!
Tectonic plates are large pieces of the earth's crust that float on the mantle. In the note taking guide, we covered:
I did a demonstration modeling something of what happens in our crust by using:
Heavy Cream
Cocoa
Hot Plate/Stove
First I placed the heavy cream, about 2 cups, in a saucepan. I sprinkled some cocoa over the heavy cream to layer it like the earth's crust. The cocoa really makes it look like the crust.
Then, I turned on my hot plate on high and waited.
While we were waiting on the mantle to heat up, I explained that scientists believe that the core is extremely hot and that the heat from the core is transferred to the mantle through convection currents similar to a stove or oven. While the cream is heating up, the molecules are becoming more excited and active.
Where there was a weak spot in the crust, the heavy cream would start to ooze through similar to what a divergent boundary would create. Eventually, there were more cracks in the cocoa crust and more of the heavy cream came through until the cocoa was completely subdued. Some of the cocoa also looked like volcanoes erupting. We added some sugar and enjoyed some yummy hot cocoa.
Praise God that He has control over the core and mantle and that a weakness in our crust does not completely destroy our world like it did in my saucepan. Our God is faithful!
Tectonic plates are large pieces of the earth's crust that float on the mantle. In the note taking guide, we covered:
- Continental plates- larger plates the size of continents
- Convergent boundaries- place where two plates come together with one plate going above the other plate (Examples are Appalachian Mountains and Mariana's Trench)
- Subduction- the process of a plate going under another plate in convergent boundaries
- Divergent boundaries- these are formed when plates separate and the mantle rises to the surface to fill the gap in between the plates. (Examples include Great Rift Valley in Africa and the Mid-Atlantic Ridge)
- Transform boundaries- these boundaries are formed by sliding horizontally against each other. When these plates get stuck, it triggers an earthquake. (Example includes San Andreas Fault in California)
I did a demonstration modeling something of what happens in our crust by using:
Heavy Cream
Cocoa
Hot Plate/Stove
First I placed the heavy cream, about 2 cups, in a saucepan. I sprinkled some cocoa over the heavy cream to layer it like the earth's crust. The cocoa really makes it look like the crust.
Then, I turned on my hot plate on high and waited.
While we were waiting on the mantle to heat up, I explained that scientists believe that the core is extremely hot and that the heat from the core is transferred to the mantle through convection currents similar to a stove or oven. While the cream is heating up, the molecules are becoming more excited and active.
Where there was a weak spot in the crust, the heavy cream would start to ooze through similar to what a divergent boundary would create. Eventually, there were more cracks in the cocoa crust and more of the heavy cream came through until the cocoa was completely subdued. Some of the cocoa also looked like volcanoes erupting. We added some sugar and enjoyed some yummy hot cocoa.
Praise God that He has control over the core and mantle and that a weakness in our crust does not completely destroy our world like it did in my saucepan. Our God is faithful!
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*This demonstration came from Geology Lab for Kids by Garrett Romaine. While I appreciate this activity, this book is evolutionary based and the author holds to an old Earth worldview.
**Please note that the predictions about the layers of the earth are ideas. They are not facts as there is no one that has been able to physically observe the inside of the earth. For more information on scientific idea versus fact, scroll down to Week 3.
**Please note that the predictions about the layers of the earth are ideas. They are not facts as there is no one that has been able to physically observe the inside of the earth. For more information on scientific idea versus fact, scroll down to Week 3.
If you are following along in Our Planet Earth curriculum from Answers in Genesis. We covered Lesson 8 and Lesson 19
Week 4: The Ice Age and Glaciers
"How Cool Is That?" was the name of the devotion that I read to the students today. It speaks about the Mendenhall Ice Cave, how beautiful it is and how hard it is to get inside this awesome glacier. Louie Giglio made the comparison that some people have some grumpiness or bad attitudes to forge through before you can see the beauty of who God made them to be but that by using God's love, that heart can be reached.
Our first activity was making a melting glacier model. We wanted to see if ice melts faster in room temperature water or without the water. Here is the inquiry guide that we used in class.
The materials that you would need for this inquiry are:
The materials that you would need for this inquiry are:
- Two plastic containers
- Ice Cubes
- Room temperature water
- Food coloring (optional for ice)
- Timer
- Rulers
I then came around and measured out about 1cm of room temperature water to each group and started the timer for 6 minutes.
After 6 minutes, the students were to measure their ice cube an calculate the difference.
After 6 minutes, the students were to measure their ice cube an calculate the difference.
I set the timer for another 6 minutes and then had the students measure their ice cubes again.
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The ice cubes did melt faster in the room temperature water than the ice cubes that were just sitting in an empty container. In the inquiry guide, I mentioned that when there is a change in the state of matter, there is always energy transfer. In this case heat energy is more easier transferred through water than through air.
We did not just sit around for 12 minutes and watch ice melt. While the ice was melting, we played a vocabulary game. I called out the definition and then the students had to run to the wall and swat the vocabulary card that matched the definition that I called out.
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After we reviewed our vocabulary from the first two weeks. We sat down to take some notes on the Ice Age and Glaciers.
In the Acts and Facts Magazine November 2018, there is an article titled, 'The Bible Best Explains the Ice Age.' In this article, they had a wonderful diagram of what a Creation Scientist thinks could have been the reasons for an Ice Age. I drew this diagram for the students so that they could copy it on the back of their notes.
It was interesting to compare what evolutionists believe about the Ice Age (s) and creationists. However, there were two main points that both agree on; Two conditions were necessary for their to be an Ice Age. 1. Wetter winters 2. Cooler Summers.
In review of last week's class, I asked if this was a scientific fact. The answer was a unanimous 'no' because the Ice Age is not observable, repeatable or measurable.
In the Acts and Facts Magazine November 2018, there is an article titled, 'The Bible Best Explains the Ice Age.' In this article, they had a wonderful diagram of what a Creation Scientist thinks could have been the reasons for an Ice Age. I drew this diagram for the students so that they could copy it on the back of their notes.
It was interesting to compare what evolutionists believe about the Ice Age (s) and creationists. However, there were two main points that both agree on; Two conditions were necessary for their to be an Ice Age. 1. Wetter winters 2. Cooler Summers.
In review of last week's class, I asked if this was a scientific fact. The answer was a unanimous 'no' because the Ice Age is not observable, repeatable or measurable.
The last inquiry that I wanted to do with the students was form a model of how a glacier would form in the first place. Considering that during the Ice Age, there would have been a lot more snow and the summers would have been much cooler so much of the snow would not have melted, the snow could have compacted and created the large ice sheets that we see as continental glaciers.
For this activity, all you need are two regular sized marshmallows and your fingers. Here is an inquiry guide to help you through this as well.
For this activity, all you need are two regular sized marshmallows and your fingers. Here is an inquiry guide to help you through this as well.
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Last week, I had assigned the students to go home and look through their science books to see if they could determine whether a science book had an evolutionary worldview or a creationist worldview. Two of the students were able to bring in their book and tell us what they were. One was from National Geographic and it was determined by the student that it had an evolutionary worldview because of the dating of things in the book. Another student read a Science Comic about spiders. These are fun science books with lots of information given in a fun medium, however, this particular book went into the history of spiders dating back to millions of years. It is okay to read these books just be mindful of what worldview they are coming from and assess the material adequately. Here below are the new vocabulary cards for this week, reviewing what we have learned about the Ice Age and Glaciers
If you are following along in Our Planet Earth curriculum from Answers in Genesis. We covered Lessons 5 and 6
Week 3: Scientific Facts or Scientific Ideas
"Elephants drink water through their trunks like a straw. Bats are as blind as a bat. An ostrich hides by sticking its head in the sand. Touching a toad will give you warts. Bulls will charge at the color red." This is a quote from our devotional today. You can find it in Louie Giglio's How Great is Our God devotion called 'Say It Isn't So' This is a book that has 100 devotions about God and Science.
All of the above are facts right? We have heard them said over and over again so they must be true.
As it turns out these are not true. You will need to read the devotion or ask your child from my class why these aren't true.
All of the above are facts right? We have heard them said over and over again so they must be true.
As it turns out these are not true. You will need to read the devotion or ask your child from my class why these aren't true.
Our class today focused on what would be a 'scientific fact' versus a 'scientific idea'.
If something is a scientific fact it should be:
If there is just one of these not checked, it is a scientific idea. There are many scientific ideas floating around today in our school textbooks and other trade books that portray these ideas as facts. I wanted to teach the students how to decipher what is really true and factual versus someone's idea.
A scientist's ideas are very smart and deduced with all logic, no doubt, however, their idea is greatly influenced by their worldview or the way they see the world and how it began. If they are a creation scientist, their worldview is that God made the world in 6 days and that we live on a young earth. If they are an evolutionary scientist, their worldview will not include a creator and will believe the earth is billions or millions of years old (I have seen both time frames in books)
We had some wonderful conversation in class. I made this statement:
The dinosaurs lived millions of years ago and were destroyed by an asteroid. I asked them if this was a fact or an idea.
Is this observable? No
Is this measurable? No
Is this repeatable? No
Therefore this is a scientific idea and not a fact.
One student did present some evidence of an asteroid hitting the earth and creating the Gulf of Mexico so therefore the dinosaurs did go extinct by an asteroid.
Is this observable? No
Is this measurable? No
Is this repeatable? No
This would be a science idea not a fact.
It was great that she brought this up because I just read in an Acts and Facts publication written by the Institute of Creation Research about a place called the Whopper Sand 200 miles east of Brownsville, TX. They have discovered a massive amount of oil there and the scientists can't understand how this is possible with their theories. However, if you take into account a worldwide flood, it fits perfectly. You can view this article on ICR's website. This was the August 2021 issue so you would need to download the magazine to read the article on the Whopper Sand. Worth it!
https://www.icr.org/article/12927
If something is a scientific fact it should be:
- observable
- measurable and
- repeatable
If there is just one of these not checked, it is a scientific idea. There are many scientific ideas floating around today in our school textbooks and other trade books that portray these ideas as facts. I wanted to teach the students how to decipher what is really true and factual versus someone's idea.
A scientist's ideas are very smart and deduced with all logic, no doubt, however, their idea is greatly influenced by their worldview or the way they see the world and how it began. If they are a creation scientist, their worldview is that God made the world in 6 days and that we live on a young earth. If they are an evolutionary scientist, their worldview will not include a creator and will believe the earth is billions or millions of years old (I have seen both time frames in books)
We had some wonderful conversation in class. I made this statement:
The dinosaurs lived millions of years ago and were destroyed by an asteroid. I asked them if this was a fact or an idea.
Is this observable? No
Is this measurable? No
Is this repeatable? No
Therefore this is a scientific idea and not a fact.
One student did present some evidence of an asteroid hitting the earth and creating the Gulf of Mexico so therefore the dinosaurs did go extinct by an asteroid.
Is this observable? No
Is this measurable? No
Is this repeatable? No
This would be a science idea not a fact.
It was great that she brought this up because I just read in an Acts and Facts publication written by the Institute of Creation Research about a place called the Whopper Sand 200 miles east of Brownsville, TX. They have discovered a massive amount of oil there and the scientists can't understand how this is possible with their theories. However, if you take into account a worldwide flood, it fits perfectly. You can view this article on ICR's website. This was the August 2021 issue so you would need to download the magazine to read the article on the Whopper Sand. Worth it!
https://www.icr.org/article/12927
I brought about 20 books to class from my personal library to see if the student's could read them and see if they were:
Evolutionary based - These kinds of books would tell of millions or billions of years old and how animals have moved from one kind to another in that time to create the diversity of animal species we have today.
Creation based- These books accredit God as the Creator and then explain the process or law that is being used.
Neutral- These books have neither a religious or spiritual basis, they just present information.
Nature- These books are the new trend where it isn't evolutionary based or creation based. These are not really neutral because they give credit to Nature for creating what we see today.
Evolutionary based - These kinds of books would tell of millions or billions of years old and how animals have moved from one kind to another in that time to create the diversity of animal species we have today.
Creation based- These books accredit God as the Creator and then explain the process or law that is being used.
Neutral- These books have neither a religious or spiritual basis, they just present information.
Nature- These books are the new trend where it isn't evolutionary based or creation based. These are not really neutral because they give credit to Nature for creating what we see today.
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Last week, the students took home an Acts and Facts magazine. I asked them to read an article and tell us something briefly about what they learned from the article. The student's did great! These magazines are not easy to read!
You can find the most recent edition of Acts and Facts from the Institute of Creation Research at
www.icr.org
under Publications
You can find the most recent edition of Acts and Facts from the Institute of Creation Research at
www.icr.org
under Publications
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Week 2: Geologic Dating Methods and the Genesis Flood
Hebrews 3:4
"Every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything"
'Shooting Down the Big Bang' from Louie Giglio's Indescribable was the devotion that I read today for the students.
This was a good introduction into the primary components behind evolution and how the details needed to create life, could only come from an Almighty God.
"Every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything"
'Shooting Down the Big Bang' from Louie Giglio's Indescribable was the devotion that I read today for the students.
This was a good introduction into the primary components behind evolution and how the details needed to create life, could only come from an Almighty God.
The first activity that we did was make a Flood in a Jar. I adapted this demonstration from Answer's in Genesis' Our Planet Earth and created an observation handout to guide us through the demonstration
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I placed the students in groups of 3 and each student within a group had a job to do. One placed gravel in the jar, one placed sand in the jar, and one placed twigs or dead grass in the jar. I poured water over all of it. Each student observed and recorded what the jar looked like with the order of how we placed materials in the jar. Each student then shook the jar for 10 seconds each. After the shake, they observed what the jar looked like. Then we placed the jars off to the side while we continued with the rest of our class time. I set a timer for 30 minutes to remind me to come back and finish up the observations of this demonstration.
After 30 minutes passed, the students looked at the jar quickly and said, "It looks the same." I told them to look closer. Is it really the same?
Lets look closely at the details:
We put the gravel in at the same time, yet now there was gravel on top of the sand instead of all the sand being on top of the gravel. I made the case that these would be in different sedimentary layers and if using fossil dating, they would be thousands of years apart in age when we know that I placed all that gravel in the jar at the same time.
Some of the plants are now buried and some are floating in the water. This would also cause a discrepancy in dating according to the dating methods used today.
The surface has changed and the gravel and sand have combined.
All of these make a case that a worldwide flood can account for the sedimentary layers and all the fossils that we find in each layer all the while discounting the dating methods used today.
After 30 minutes passed, the students looked at the jar quickly and said, "It looks the same." I told them to look closer. Is it really the same?
Lets look closely at the details:
We put the gravel in at the same time, yet now there was gravel on top of the sand instead of all the sand being on top of the gravel. I made the case that these would be in different sedimentary layers and if using fossil dating, they would be thousands of years apart in age when we know that I placed all that gravel in the jar at the same time.
Some of the plants are now buried and some are floating in the water. This would also cause a discrepancy in dating according to the dating methods used today.
The surface has changed and the gravel and sand have combined.
All of these make a case that a worldwide flood can account for the sedimentary layers and all the fossils that we find in each layer all the while discounting the dating methods used today.
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After we prepped our Flood in a Jar activity and did our preliminary observations, we reviewed our vocabulary words from last week. We played Around the World. I placed the vocabulary words around the room, and when I read the definition they were to find the word.
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Part of their homework was to design a world that would sustain life. The students came up with very good and important aspects of a world that sustains life; oxygen, water, atmosphere, ecosystems etc. Since none of them had everything, I had them glue eight different aspects of our world that God created that make it perfect for sustaining life. This is called the Anthropic Principle. Here are some pictures of their completed works. I love seeing their creativity.
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The final task that we undertook was going through our interactive notes on Dating Methods and the Genesis Flood. You can grab a copy of this here.
Some big words we talked about were 'secular' geologists versus creation geologists. I defined 'secular' as not Christian in light of the topic we are discussing. These notes took us through three assumptions that are made by secular geologists along with the current ways of dating fossils.
On the second column we looked at two catastrophic events that were documented in the Word of God and changed the surface of our world significantly. Plus, we talked about how a worldwide flood could change the Earth's surface and can explain many of the fossils and other land forms we see today.
Some big words we talked about were 'secular' geologists versus creation geologists. I defined 'secular' as not Christian in light of the topic we are discussing. These notes took us through three assumptions that are made by secular geologists along with the current ways of dating fossils.
On the second column we looked at two catastrophic events that were documented in the Word of God and changed the surface of our world significantly. Plus, we talked about how a worldwide flood could change the Earth's surface and can explain many of the fossils and other land forms we see today.
Here is our next set of vocabulary cards:
Evolution- A belief that the world began by random chance from a single-celled organism and has changed into what we today over millions of years.
Creationist- A person who believes the God of the Bible purposely created the world as recorded in the book of Genesis.
Uniformitarianism- An idea that all changes to the earth have happened as a result of the processes we see today.
Radiometric Dating- A way of measuring time that uses the decay rate of radioactive elements.
Carbon-14 Dating- A type of radiometric dating used for identifying the age of organic materials like plants and animals
Fossil Dating- A way of measuring tie that uses index fossils or sedimentary rocks found in similar layers of the earth to approximate an object or layers age.
Evolution- A belief that the world began by random chance from a single-celled organism and has changed into what we today over millions of years.
Creationist- A person who believes the God of the Bible purposely created the world as recorded in the book of Genesis.
Uniformitarianism- An idea that all changes to the earth have happened as a result of the processes we see today.
Radiometric Dating- A way of measuring time that uses the decay rate of radioactive elements.
Carbon-14 Dating- A type of radiometric dating used for identifying the age of organic materials like plants and animals
Fossil Dating- A way of measuring tie that uses index fossils or sedimentary rocks found in similar layers of the earth to approximate an object or layers age.
One of their homework assignments is to read an article from Institute for Creation Research's (ICR) Acts and Facts magazine. They are to pick an article to read through and be able to tell me one thing they learned from reading it or having it read to them.
These are creation scientists that do amazing research all from a Christian worldview. I have learned so much from them. This magazine subscription is free should you like to invest. I highly encourage donating here or to Answers in Genesis as they have been on the front lines of Creation research for a long time.
You can view this month's latest magazine here
https://www.icr.org/aaf
These are creation scientists that do amazing research all from a Christian worldview. I have learned so much from them. This magazine subscription is free should you like to invest. I highly encourage donating here or to Answers in Genesis as they have been on the front lines of Creation research for a long time.
You can view this month's latest magazine here
https://www.icr.org/aaf
If you are following along in Our Planet Earth curriculum from Answers in Genesis. We covered Lesson 3 and 4
Week 1: Introduction to Earth Science and Geology
A Blank Page- This was the devotion we began with today. In the beginning God created... I read a devotion from Louis Giglio's Indescribable book on page 8. God began with nothing and created everything on earth and in our universe. God is also using each one of you as part of His incredible story. Every class I teach, I begin with a blank page to see what the Lord might create through it. Come, let's discover some of God's world together.
Before we dig into a new topic of study, it is important to excavate some terminology. (Puns always intended:) We needed to learn what Earth Science is and what Geology is. Are they the same? How are they different?
Earth science is the study of the earth. There are four branches of Earth Science; Astronomy, Meteorology, Oceanography, and Geology. Each one of these branches has their own specific definition. Geology is the study of the lithosphere which is the solid part of the earth. Geology, then, has five subsections or categories. We will be able to hit on each one a little bit throughout this year of discovery. The five subsections of Geology are:
So Geology is but one branch with five subsections under the topic of Earth Science
Earth science is the study of the earth. There are four branches of Earth Science; Astronomy, Meteorology, Oceanography, and Geology. Each one of these branches has their own specific definition. Geology is the study of the lithosphere which is the solid part of the earth. Geology, then, has five subsections or categories. We will be able to hit on each one a little bit throughout this year of discovery. The five subsections of Geology are:
- Physical Geology- study of land formations
- Mineralogy- study of minerals and crystals on Earth and the moon
- Geophysics- study of the earth's magnetic field, heat flow, gravity, seismic waves and core
- Environmental Geology- study of how humans affect the earth
- Sedimentary Paleontology- study of rock layers and fossils
So Geology is but one branch with five subsections under the topic of Earth Science
I challenged the students to design a world that could sustain life. Will they draw a sphere? A cube? A pyramid? I don't know but will let you know next week and see if they left out anything needed to sustain life.
The next topic we dug into were the first and second laws of thermodynamics. When God created our physical world, He made laws to govern it. Just as God has given us laws that if followed (10 Commandments) would distinguish us from the world and protect us. God has given the natural world physical laws that distinguish Him as Creator and we can rely on as we learn about His creation.
First Law of Thermodynamics states- Energy cannot be created or destroyed; it can only change form. To demonstrate this law, I made all the students a Popper. Shown here is a printable that also demonstrates this law in easy-to-understand way. This sheet will also allow you to label how the potential energy is transferred to kinetic energy. We didn't make new energy to shoot the cotton ball out. It was transferred from the potential energy in the balloon popper.
First Law of Thermodynamics states- Energy cannot be created or destroyed; it can only change form. To demonstrate this law, I made all the students a Popper. Shown here is a printable that also demonstrates this law in easy-to-understand way. This sheet will also allow you to label how the potential energy is transferred to kinetic energy. We didn't make new energy to shoot the cotton ball out. It was transferred from the potential energy in the balloon popper.
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Second Law of Thermodynamics says simply that all objects tend to go toward increasing disorder in which energy is becoming less useful. Increasing disorder is also known as entropy.
We demonstrated this by seeing if a tennis ball would hit us in the head if we let it swing from a door frame. The demonstration is mapped out for you here.
The students would pull the ball out to their forehead and then let it drop seeing if without any added force, if it would hit them in the head.
This showed us that with every swing, the tennis ball loses energy therefore making a smaller swing.
We demonstrated this by seeing if a tennis ball would hit us in the head if we let it swing from a door frame. The demonstration is mapped out for you here.
The students would pull the ball out to their forehead and then let it drop seeing if without any added force, if it would hit them in the head.
This showed us that with every swing, the tennis ball loses energy therefore making a smaller swing.
Our vocabulary words for this week are:
Geology- the study of the lithosphere
Lithosphere- the solid part of the earth
First law of thermodynamics- Energy cannot be created or destroyed; it can only change form
Second law of thermodynamics- all objects tend to go toward increasing disorder in which energy is becoming less useful.
Entropy- Increasing disorder
Anthropic Principle- (I will go into this more next week) The principle that states God created the earth perfectly within the universe to sustain life.
Here are flashcards if you would like to use them.
Geology- the study of the lithosphere
Lithosphere- the solid part of the earth
First law of thermodynamics- Energy cannot be created or destroyed; it can only change form
Second law of thermodynamics- all objects tend to go toward increasing disorder in which energy is becoming less useful.
Entropy- Increasing disorder
Anthropic Principle- (I will go into this more next week) The principle that states God created the earth perfectly within the universe to sustain life.
Here are flashcards if you would like to use them.
For the topics I am presenting in this class, I am using Answers in Genesis The Planet Earth from their God's Design series. This week and next week, I will be covering Lessons 1,2, and 3.