At-Home Activities: Desert Adventures - Natural Wonders

February 8-12

Workshop Class Activities:

Craft – Po-up Desert Scene
Key Points – Wonders of the Desert
Collaborative - Senet
Language Arts – Desert or Dessert?
Math/Logic – Bufflegrass Vs. Saguaro Cactus Doubling Activity
Prepare for Adventure - Erosion Expleriment
Big Activity - Stratigraphy Snacktivity
Movement - Kudoda Game

At-Home Activities

See a suggested week schedule at https://www.celebrationeducation.com/single-post/free-curriculum

Materials

Various fiction and non-fiction books that relate to deserts
notebook or lined paper
two months of a blank calendar: https://www.wiki-calendar.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/blank-calendar-1.jpg
graph paper: https://templatelab.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/graph-paper-template-19.jpg
chess
blank map of the world: https://www.freeusandworldmaps.com/images/WorldPrintable/WorldMercator6NoLinesPrint.jpg
poster board

Reading

Various fiction and non-fiction books that relate to deserts

Writing

Copywork

“There will never be a photograph of the Grand Canyon that can adequately describe its depth, breadth, and true beauty.” - Stefanie Payne

“The glories and the beauties of form, color, and sound unite in the Grand Canyon - forms unrivaled even by the mountains, colors that vie with sunsets, and sounds that span the diapason from tempest to tinkling raindrop, from cataract to bubbling fountain.” - John Wesley Powell

Language arts lesson

Homophones are words that have the same pronunciation but different meanings, or spelling, for example new and knew.

Writing Activity

Write a paragraph with homophones in it, but use the wrong spellings. Let someone else read your paragraph. Can they catch the misspellings? For example, “I watched my mom rap presents while listening to wrap music.”

Journaling

I want to visit a desert so I can...

Math

Math Concept

In math, doubling means making a number that is twice the original number. This can be accomplished by adding the number with itself (3+3=6), or by multiplying the number by 2 (3x2=6).

Math Project

Pretend you got a job that will last for 7 weeks. You have two options for how much you are paid.

1. You get $100 for the first day, $200 for the second day, $300 for the third day. Each day you are paid $100 more than the day before.

2. You get 1 cent for the first day, 2 cents for the second day, 4 cents for the third day. Each day you are paid double what you were paid the day before.

Which option do you choose? You may want to use a blank calendar to solve this problem.

Math Concept

The definition of "largest canyon" is imprecise, because a canyon can be large by its depth, its length, or the total area of the canyon system.

Math Project

Compare the sizes of the largest canyons in the world. Use graph paper to illustrate, the length, width, and/or depth of six different large canyons, each from a different continent.

Mental math

Do some timed tests: https://www.hoodamath.com/games/mathtimedtests.html

Math games

Play chess.

Projects

Research and Report

Use a blank map to show the locations of the seven natural wonders of the world. Draw a picture of the wonder and include at least one interesting fact about each wonder.

Themed Fireworks Project

Use poster board to make a diagram that labels the layers of the Grand Canyon.

6-week project

Practice your oral report. There are various ways to present an oral report. You could:

• Give your oral report from memory. You can use the outline you created in week 3 to remind you what to say.

• Read your written report.

• Show and describe your display.

• Demonstrate how to do something (i.e., make slime, play a sport, etc.).

Create an event around your presentation. Invite family and maybe even prepare some refreshments.

Give your oral report, show your display, and share your written report. Celebrate your accomplishment!

Outings

Visit a wind farm.

Other Ideas

Make some sandpaper art: https://buggyandbuddy.com/art-kids-using-crayons-sandpaper/
Make a multi-layered cake, then carve it to look like the Grand Canyon. ◦ http://www.unicornlove.com/blog/2016/2/12/february-13-national-tortellini-day-and-a-sky-high-red-velvet-cake-recipe ◦ https://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/mile-high-white-chocolate-hummingbird-cake
What invasive plants can you find in your area? Discover the impact these plants have had on your local ecology.
Play an African children’s game: http://teacherlink.ed.usu.edu/tlresources/units/byrnes-africa/angbir/index.htm
Find one unique feature of each of the world's deserts. Put pictures of that feature on a map of the world showing the deserts.
Write a review of the story or movie Aladdin.
Play Double Take: https://www.transum.org/Software/Game/2048/