Home School Explorations Series (ages 11-13)

Spring 2012 Semester

For 6th–8th graders (ages 11–13)

Mondays 1 - 2 pm

Classes begin the week of January 30 and end the week of April 30. There are no classes the week of March 12 for Explora Spring Break Camp.

Looking Up Close
1/30/12
Students use microscopes and magnifiers to discover the fascinating world of organisms and elements among us. Explore the structures and functions of a variety of interesting features among a micro-world of bugs, plants and rocks.
Science: Strand I, Standard I, BM I, II

Be a Rock Star
2/6/12
This isn’t about music; it’s about geology! Students use microscopes and loupes to discover the main types of rocks, model the rock cycle, and perform a series of tests to unearth a mystery mineral.
Science: Strand I, Standard I, BM I, II and Strand II, Standard III, BM II, PS 6-1,3, 8-1

Acids and Bases
2/13
We use acids and bases every day. What’s the difference? Students prepare an acid-base indicator and compare the relative strengths of some common acids and bases.
Science: Strand I, Standard I, BM I, II and Strand II, Standard I, BM I, PS 6-1,2, 8-1

Altered States
2/20
Use sonar to measure distance. Graph the relative pH levels of a variety of liquids. Students collect data using computers and a variety of probes, graph and analyze the results, and develop conclusions about the correlations between two variables.
Science: Strand I, Standard I, BM I, II and BM III, PS 6-1,2, 7-1,2 and 8-1 and Strand II, Standard I, BM I, PS 6-1 and
Strand III, Standard I, BM I, PS 6-2

Kaleidoscope Crazed
2/27
Explore the amazing properties of mirrors, lenses and light and discover all the wonderful images and colorful patterns you get when angles and symmetry come into play. Students design and build their own unique kaleidoscopes.
Science: Strand I, Standard I, BM I, II and Strand II, Standard I, BM II, PS 8-5
Math: Geometry Strand

Crazy Light
3/5
Why do we see ourselves in mirrors? How are shadows made? Students use light boxes to explore the basic properties of white and colored light, including reflection and refraction, and investigate the properties of lenses.
Science: Strand I, Standard I, BM I, II and Strand II, Standard I, BM II, PS 6-1,4, 8-5
Continued …

Triangles and Tribulations
3/19
Have you always thought the triangle was just the shape between the circle and the square? It turns out that a triangle has some very important properties for engineering and construction. Find out more in this challenging trial-and-error exploration using triangles to construct games and roller coasters.
Science: Strand I, Standard I, BM I, II and BM III, PS 8-1,2 and Strand III, Standard I, BM I, PS 8-3
Math: Geometry Strand, Measurement Strand

Möbius Twist
3/26
Can you change your donut into a cup for your hot chocolate? Find out how by using the properties of topology! Experiment with ways to stretch, compress and bend shapes into new ones using various materials. Investigate the topology and geometry of shapes as you solve puzzles and explore Möbius strips. Use these ideas to map out and build a twisted roller coaster.
Science: Strand I, Standard I, BM I, II
Math: Geometry Strand

Chance or Lucky Guess?
4/2
By flipping coins, rolling dice, picking marbles from a jar and collecting data on candy, students generate data, analyze it, and develop a hypothesis on the probability of a specific outcome for both dependent and independent events.
Science: Strand I, Standard I, BM I, II and BM III, PS 6-1,2 and 7-1
Math: Data Analysis and Probability Strand

Magellan: Sailing Around the World
4/9
You’ve probably heard of Christopher Columbus, but what about the Portuguese explorer, Ferdinand Magellan? He sailed around the tip of South America, ending up in the Pacific Ocean and providing proof that the earth is round!
Science: Strand I, Standard I, BM II, PS 6-1, 7-1, 8-1,2
Theater: Standards 3, 5 and 8

Plants Capturing Light
4/16
What are the factors that regulate photosynthesis? Students experiment with leaf pigments, light intensity and light frequency to shed light on nature’s own solar cells.
Science: Strand I, Standard I, BM I, II and Strand II, Standard II, BM I, PS 7-5, 8-2 and BM III, PS 7-1,2,3,4,5, 8-1,2

Water Filtration
4/23
Students experiment with a variety of filtering materials to filter water samples. Students test their samples before and after for turbidity, hardness and pH and find out how effective different filtration methods may be.
Science: Strand I, Standard I, BM I, II and Strand II, Standard I, BM I, PS 7-1 and Strand II, Standard II, BM I, PS 8-1
and Strand II, Standard III, BM II, PS 6-7

Water on the Move
4/30
How does water move through the soil? Students design, build and test aquifer models to track contaminants, water tables and well levels.
Science: Strand I, Standard I, BM I, II and Strand II, Standard I, BM I, PS 7-1 and Strand II, Standard II, BM I, PS 8-1 and Strand II, Standard III, BM II, PS 6-7

For more information on this program, call (505) 224-8341, email reservations@explora.us, or visit www.explora.us.

Para español, llame al 224-8323.