BLAST!

Atoms are Elementary
We had another great day learning about God's wonderful world of chemistry! Atoms, molecules, elements…His Wisdom is AMAZING

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF BLAST CLASS!

Lesson plans ready to go…just waiting for the children….

The house furniture has been cleared to the screen room…

Here they come!

Parents have the “drop-off” “pick-up” down pat!

Happy smiling faces

ready to have a BLAST!

Democritus came up with the name “atom.”

Kashy learning with the rest of the children that atoms are made of protons, neutrons, and electrons.

Susannah is ready for a day of learning!

Who can guess how many atoms are in a grain of sand?
10 x 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000!! In other words, there are just as many atoms in a grain of sand as there are stars in the universe! (I can’t wrap my brain around that!) GOD IS SO AMAZING!!

Students were challenged to tear a piece of paper into the smallest littlest bit they could get it to, but even that is waaaaaaaaaaaay bigger than an atom! Brandon and Abby tearing…keep tearing, keep tearing, smaller, smaller, smaller!

Kash is chillin’ thinking about all those atoms!

“I wonder how many atoms are in my cow pillow?"

JULIANA’S CLASS!
Juliana taught the children that all atoms are not the same. The number of

protons determines the type of atom. Hydrogen has one proton, helium has two protons, oxygen has 8 protons, and so on. The children illustrated atoms on their worksheet and then were excited to construct an edible atom with candy!

Students drew diagrams of different atoms before coloring them with colored pencils. Olders show lots of kindness in helping the youngers!

Everyone dives in for their favorite candy. M&Ms, marshmallows, and skittles become the tiny parts of the atom.

OLVIIA’S CLASS!

Olivia showed the children a brainpop video teaching about crystals. She also showed a slide show of the world’s largest crystals found in a cave! Gorgeous and amazing!
Next, Olivia demonstrated how to make various kinds of crystals using Epsom salt, borax, pipe cleaners and other materials. BEAUTIFUL!

Outside, the children looked for “crystals” and got to keep their favorite finds.

PAYTON’S CLASS!Payton’s taught on the noble gases. Noble gases are odorless, colorless and are quite snobby! They do not react with other elements. Argon is used in light bulbs. Neon is used in neon signs. Krypton is dangerous to superman! Helium is for making our balloons float into the air AND for making us talk funny! Right Brandi and Lincoln?

Each student was able to fill a balloon with helium to use later in the day at the end of BLAST class.

Soda, sunshine, pbj’s and friends…doesn’t get much better!

Trevelynn’s first day at BLAST was a treat for all!
She is so sweet!

Kash having a quiet picnic watching over the crowd.

Student’s picnic in the grass during a leisurely lunch break. Munching and crunching all those atoms!

BLAST “staffers” eating and regrouping inside.

In the afternoon session, students learned how God used only a handful of elements to make everything we know about in the entire universe! The students were introduced to the Periodic Table of Elements learning how to read and understand the information it conveys. Each block reveals an element's chemical symbol, name, atomic mass, and number of protons.

Jonathan, Lacee, and Megan were given identical baggies of Magnetix…and challenged to create something! All three made something completely different out of the same exact pieces…just like God uses the same exact elements to make complete different matter like stars, beaches, and you!

Each student was given a piece of the Periodic Table of Elements on a card and had to frantically search the room for their partners. “Silver! I’m silver!” “Who has the symbol for Titanium????!” “I have 6 protons!”

JULIANA’S CLASS!

Juliana had a blast teaching about polymers. Polymers are long chain-like strands (like spaghetti!) of molecules that make up many of the items we use everyday. A fleece jacket, a plastic milk jug, and even spider web are all made up of polymers! We’d be falling apart without them!

A sharp skewer slips easily through a polymer balloon.

A little glue, a little borax, and viola…..homemade Gak!

What a blast of a way to learn about polymers!

Jeremy didn’t eat enough at lunch…
JILL’S CLASS!
Getting to know the students one on one is such a blessing. Spending time in God’s Word with them is even more of a blessing! Jill encouraged all the students to remember the God who made their world. What an awesome, powerful, creative, thoughtful, and loving God we have! The students decorated scripture cards to tie to the helium balloons.

A chemical reaction illustrates a scriptural concept. The water is YOU. The iodine is your sin. Without Christ, you are dirty and stained. The bleach represents what Christ can do for you. LOOK! The red water turns perfectly clear! It is washed clean! Just like Jesus washes you of your sin!!!

PAYTON’S CLASS

Payton’s class was electrifying! Payton showed a Bill Nye the Science Guy video all about static electricity. What better way to learn about the behavior of electrons than to learn about static electricity. Hands-on experiments are not only a great way to learn, but make for some great hair-dos!

Electrons move wildly to make Anna Marie’ hair fly, the sugar storm, and the little people dance.
Sock clad students build up electrons by rubbing their feet on the carpet. Look out! ZAP!