October 27
Let’s take a little bit of a break this week, shall we? Instead of beginning to read Lesson 5, The Geosphere, I would like you to put your “October Science Packet” together.
Today I gave you a Table of Contents for October. It lists all the assignments and labs we did during this month, in order.
Elementary latitude longitude handout
Staple your answers and labs in the order they are listed, please. Staple the Table of Contents page on TOP.
Parents – please make sure your child’s packet is STAPLED before he/she comes to class on Tuesday. (If you don’t own a stapler, a paper clip will work in a pinch.) Thanks!
October 20
Read the rest of Lesson 4, Mapping Our World. Answer the questions, below:
Old book: page 61-66
New book: pages 61- 68
- What are lines of longitude?
- What do ante meridiem and post meridiem mean?
- Where does the prime meridian begin?
- Why did astronomers choose this place to begin the prime meridian?
- If you are in a sailing ship, and you sail WEST across the International Date Line, what would happen?
October 13
We’re working on painting the seven continents onto your globe for the next couple of weeks! Today, you finished North and South America; next week we’ll work on Europe, Asia, and Africa, and then finish with Antarctica and Australia.
We painted them brown so that in the future we can add mountains and islands, paint deserts and tropical forests, etc.
Please read Lesson 4, pages 54-60 in the new book or pages 52-59 in the old book. Answer these questions:
- What are maps good for?
- What is a compass rose? Draw one!
- What word means “the art of making maps”?
- See Game: Learning about Coordinates on page 60 in the new book or page 58 in the old book. Answer the game questions on your own piece of notebook paper.
- Do Activity 4.1 on page 53 of the old book or page 55 of the new book. Draw your map on a piece of notebook paper or copier paper. Make sure you follow the directions!
October 6
Today we learned a bit more about earth’s magnetosphere, and we did a lab called “Exploring Magnetic Fields.” If you were absent, you are excused from that lab. But, you must still color the “Magnetosphere” handout and answer the “Understanding Checkpoint” questions. (Ask me for those handouts next week in class.) These go in the October section of your science notebook.
Read all of Lesson 3, Spheres of the Earth, and answer these questions:
- What are the four spheres of the earth? (Don’t include the magnetosphere)
- What do these Latin words mean: geo, hydro, atmo, and bio?
- Draw a picture and label the parts of the geosphere.
- Write one sentence about the hydrosphere.
- What are the five layers of the atmosphere?
- What is the “biosphere comfort zone”?
September 22
Week 2: Life in the Habitable Zone, part 2
Read –
New book, pages 31 – 33
Old book, pages 29-31
Answer:
- What habitable characteristics does Mars have that could possibly support life?
- What important habitable characteristic is missing from Mars?
- Describe what our magnetosphere does to keep us safe.
- Describe an aurora.
Parents,
Students should not write the questions on their paper. Instead, they should incorporate the questions into their answers.
For example,
- Mars could support life because…
- One important characteristic missing from Mars is…
- Our magnetosphere keeps us safe by…
- An aurora looks like…
Lastly, your September Earth Science Lab Packet is due on October 6. I gave you a “Table of Contents” today; if you were absent, you can print it yourself from the link, below.
Included in the packet are today’s handouts: “Terrarium Design” and “Northern Lights Puzzle”.
September 15
Week 2: Life in the Habitable Zone
Read part of Lesson 2 this week and answer these questions:
New book: pages 27-31
Old book: pages 25-29
- How many other planets, besides earth, have breathable air?
- Besides breathable air, what other two gifts has God given us so that we can live on earth?
- What does “habitable zone” mean?
- The location of a planet’s orbit is important. What did you learn about earth’s distance from the sun?
- What is important about earth’s size? Why?
- What is important about earth’s surface? Why?
Next week you will make a terrarium! Bring a small jar, about the size of a jam jar, a small plant, and any decorations you would like to include in your terrarium.
Finally — if you didn’t finish your “science badge” face today, you can print a new copy from the link, below.
Hello Parents! On September 22, we will be constructing terrariums in class. Your child will need a “small” glass container, such as a jam jar. Also, they’ll need a plant small enough to fit inside of the jar, and any “decorations” they would like to add. You can see the idea on page 29 of the “old” book or page 31 of the “new” book. I’m using a different resource than the activity in our book, but the idea is the same. FYI — instead of purchasing a small plant, feel free to go outside and see what’s still growing…a nice-looking weed will be just fine.
September 8
Week 1: The Observable Universe
HW: Read Lesson 1, “The Observable Universe”.
If you have the “old book”, read pages 13 – 24
If you have the “new book”, read pages 13 – 26
Answer these questions on your own paper:
- We live on planet earth! Our planet is just one tiny part of God’s big, big universe. Why does our book call the universe “the observable universe?”
- What is the name for scientists who study space? What are some tools they use?
- What planets are in our solar system? List them in order, from the sun outward.
- What are the three galaxy shapes? Describe each one.
- What is the name of the galaxy we live in? What shape is it?
Also, complete the “Cosmic Address Activity” handout.
Put this homework inside your science binder, under the September tab.
You will turn your homework in on October 6.
Hello Parents —
It’s almost time!
I’m grateful to be your child’s science teacher this year. As you know, we are studying Earth Science, and you should have purchased Apologia’s Exploring Creation with Earth Science. In addition, your child will need a 3-ring binder dedicated to this class only. We’ve found that 1 ½ to 2-inch binders work great, and if your student has his/hers from last year, use it after removing the 2025-26 content. Binders need sectioned tab dividers, labeled for the seven months of our course: Sept, Oct, Nov, Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr. Lastly, add a batch of lined notebook paper and a few pencils in a pencil pouch and your student is good to go for the year!
This is the place your students must visit each week to know what I expect for science homework. I update homework assignments by Wednesday mornings, 8 a.m. (If you don’t see an update, please don’t be shy! The sooner somebody lets me know about a missing post, the sooner I can fix it. Thanks).
Science homework will follow this pattern:
- Assigned reading from our textbook.
- Questions to answer. We will train your student to write his/her answer in a complete sentence, incorporating the question into the answer. Students must NOT rewrite the exact question onto their paper.
- A lab activity to finish.
We don’t collect homework each week; instead, we collect a month’s worth of work at a time (I will call this “your science package”). For example, all of September’s homework (“your September package”) is due on October 6.
When science homework is about to be due, I’ll publish a “Table of Contents” page here, along with a list of assignments to be included in the package. If you don’t see something on the list, we don’t want it. Generally, I will provide PDF links to any handouts from class, so that if your student loses his, you may reprint it. Students who miss a lab due to absence are excused from labs done in class.
Missing work will be indicated by an “m” in the grade report and is worth “0” points. Missing work does affect a student’s overall grade. I do not accept late homework, unless it is due to an absence.
So many words — I know! Once we get going, all will be clear and rhythmic. If I had your students last year, nothing has changed. If you’re new this year and something seems fuzzy, please ask questions!
Thanks, and welcome to Earth Science!