SKrafty

Online Homeschool Education and Fun

Headphones for Live Classes or Gaming Only $13.98

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If you are looking for a nice affordable pair of headphones to use for live classes these work great! Our favorites are the Logitech Headsets here, but these also work really great at a lower price.  Right now you can get a pair of Ailihen C8 Foldable Headphones for only $13.98.  We have a set of these, and they actually work really well. I like how they fold up. PLUS, they have decent bass if you like to listen to music with headphones.

Head over HERE to get a pair of these headphones.  They’ll be great to use for live classes or just chatting on Teamspeak.

Seed Science Experiment

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Have you ever thought about why seeds are planted in the ground? Can seeds sprout in the light? What exactly do seeds need to grow?

Find out in this light and dark seed science experiment.

In this experiment, kids will learn how to grow seeds, what seeds need to germinate, how to determine the best growing methods for different seeds, and the basics of photosynthesis.

This science experiment is perfect for kids age 10 and up!

Supplies

  • Fast-growing seeds (we used broccoli sprouts)
  • Plastic baggies
  • Permanent markers
  • Paper towels

How to Do the Light and Dark Seed Experiment

  1. Dampen two of the paper towels and place some seeds on them.
  2. Place seeds on two dry paper towels as well. Place the paper towels into plastic baggies and seal them up.
  3. Label one dry bag “light” and one wet bag “light.” Label the other two bags “dark.”
  4. Place the two dark bags in a dark place, and place the other two bags in a light place.
  5. Wait 3-7 days for the seeds to sprout.
  6. If you wait too long, the seeds will get moldy, so check on them every other day or so until they start to sprout.

Experiment Results

In our experiment, the seeds that were in the dark grew the best. However, both the dark and light seeds molded a bit, probably because we waited a bit too long to take them out.

Seed Growing Science

Seeds require water, sunlight, and nutrients to grow. However, some seeds germinate faster in the dark, rather than the light.

Our seeds sprouted faster in the dark, but soon turned a weird yellow color because they were not getting enough light to keep growing.

STEM Elements

Science: Talk about photosynthesis and what seeds need to germinate. Why didn’t the dry seeds ever grow?
Technology: Examine your spouted seeds what a microscope. What do you see?
Engineering: How could changes in the soil or location of the seeds change how well they grow? Why is this important?
Math: Measure how long it took the seeds to sprout. Keep tracking how long it takes the seeds to transition from seedling to plant, then from plant to flower and seeds.

DIY Thermometer

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Ever wonder how thermometers work? The science of thermometers is simple. Higher temperatures produce greater levels of energy, which allow molecules to move faster. You can see this in action by placing a straw inside a bottle filled with liquid. When the liquid gets hotter, it is sucked up farther and farther into the straw. Using a digital thermometer you can then measure how hot it is by determining where the liquid sits inside the straw.

It’s a super simple science activity, but you can learn a lot!

Supplies:

  • Bottle
  • Straw
  • Clay (play dough also works)
  • Rubbing alcohol
  • Water
  • Food coloring
  • Permanent marker
  • Digital thermometer

Making A DIY Thermometer

  1. Fill a third of the bottle full of a mixture of 50% alcohol and 50% water. Dye the liquid red or another fun color so you can easily see the level inside the straw.
  2. Suspend the straw inside the bottle with clay, leaving a small amount in the water, but don’t allow it to touch the bottom of the bottle.
  3. Make sure the top of the bottle is sealed with clay.
  4. Set the bottle outside and track its temperature with a digital thermometer.
  5. The hotter the bottle gets, the farther up the liquid reaches inside the straw.
  6. After examining how high the liquid reaches at each temperature reading, mark the lines of each temperature on the bottle with a permanent marker.

DIY Anemometer

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Have you ever wanted to measure how fast the wind is blowing? You can do just that when you make your own anemometer. The easiest anemometer to make at home is called a Robinson anemometer. The device catches the wind inside cups, and then starts to spend, when you calibrate the anemometer, you can then determine how fast the wind is blowing.

An anemometer is a device that is used to measure wind speed. There are many different types of anemometers suited for different environments, situations, and measurements. A cup anemometer is a basic type of measuring device, while newer, more accurate anemometers can make use of lasers and ultrasonic measuring technology.
A cup anemometer is commonly called a Robinson anemometer. It uses cup-like shapes to catch the wind, causing the device to spin. How many times it spins in a given time interval can tell you how fast the wind is moving. In this experiment, we’ll learn how to make an anemometer and calibrate it.

DIY Anemometer

Supplies

  • 5 paper cups
  • Small bottle
  • Tape
  • Bamboo skewers

Directions:

  1. Stick a cup on the end of a bamboo skewer facing up. Tape in place.
    Stick two more skewers through the same cup making a cross shape inside the first cup.
    Stick a cup on each open end of the skewers with the top facing out.
  2. Tape all the cups in place, then stick the assembly inside a bottle.
  3. You may need to add a bit of tape to stabilize the assembly inside the bottle.
  4. Calibrating Your Anemometer
    Hold the anemometer outside a car window while the car is driving 5, 10, 20, and 30 miles an hour. Count how many rotations it completes in 30 seconds at each speed. This will let you determine the rotations for each mile per hour.
  5. Set the anemometer up in a high location in your yard (like the top of a fence or your roof). You can then use your chart to determine how fast the wind is blowing on any given day using the data collected during the car drive.

Interested in learning more about weather?  Take a look at this ONLINE 6 Week All About Weather class.  It’s included with a SKrafty EDU Subscription and our SKrafty Lite Subscription!

Summer Sale on Books Used in SKrafty Classes from CBD.Com

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There is a great sale on homeschool curriculum going on now at Christianbook.com. Many of the books used for Skrafty classes are discounted. Below is a list of some of the deals or head over HERE to see all the sales. Use code HSFREE18 to get free shipping on orders of $35 or more till tomorrow 7/17!

Sale on items from our 2018-19 Live classes

Science

518120: Applied Engineering: Studies of God"s Design in Nature Set Applied Engineering: Studies of God’s Design in Nature Set – 29% Off
By Master Books

 

138071: Exploring Creation with Marine Biology Textbook (2nd Edition) Exploring Creation with Marine Biology Textbook (2nd Edition) – 30% Off

Sales on items from our self paced courses

Science

337015: Apologia Exploring Creation with Human Anatomy and Physiology Apologia Exploring Creation with Human Anatomy and Physiology

 

337002: Exploring Creation with Botany, Textbook Exploring Creation with Botany, Textbook – 35% Off

 

495401: Apologia Exploring Creation with Chemistry and Physics Apologia Exploring Creation with Chemistry and Physics

 

337010: Flying Creatures of the Fifth Day: Exploring Creation with Zoology 1 Flying Creatures of the Fifth Day: Exploring Creation with Zoology 1 – 35% Off

The Periodic Table: Elements with Style! – 10% off

460856: Basher Books The Periodic Table: Elements with Style! Basher Books The Periodic Table: Elements with Style! – 10% Off

History

The Mystery of History Volume 4: Wars of Independence to Modern Times
By Linda Lacour Hobar / Bright Ideas Press

339004: Softcover Text, Volume 1: The Ancient Times, Story of the World Softcover Text, Volume 1: The Ancient Times, Story of the World – 37% Off

PLUS…Get Free shipping on orders of $35 or more with code HSJuneSale at checkout!!