It was an out-of-this-world time in Co-op this week! Both Tapestry of Grace classes studied the space race and the Mercury Space Program. They learned that Alan Shepherd was the first American in space, he made a sub-orbital flight. And, John Glenn was the first American to orbit the earth in space, he made an orbital flight, orbiting the earth three times before returning to Earth with a splash! The older kids took a more in-depth look at the space race, making time-lines of the advances of both the Soviet Union and America. Meanwhile, the lower grammar kids were learning what it takes to become an astronaut. They did a test--much like the tests that astronauts take. Okay, it was a lot easier! The boys were tested for cardiovascular health, strength, vision, reflexes, tolerance of extreme conditions and academics. They did great! Then both classes made rockets with film canister engines. We learned that the capsules that the astronauts travel in (such as Glenn's Friendship 7) have no power of their own. They require rockets to launch them through the earth's gravity and into space. After constructing the rockets, it was time to launch them out on the lawn. The film canisters were filled with water and Alka Seltzer and most of them exploded up into the air a few feet. It was a lot of fun! The Five in a Row kids were having a "blast" as well! They read the classic story, "We're Going on a Bear Hunt." In the story, a father and his four children--a toddler, a preschool boy and two older girls--go on the traditional bear hunt based on the old camp chant. The family skids down a grassy slope, swishes across a river, sludges through mud and, of course, finally sees the bear, who chases them all back to their home. It's a fantastic journey!! All of the kids then enjoyed going on a journey of their own! Along the way, they each made an adorable pocket-book describing all the things they saw and did!
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