Eureka-Recaps...Re-Putting on your thinking caps!

OCTOBER
I enjoyed being with all of you today for Eureka!  You always amaze me with your eureka-ness!

Some of my favorite thoughts from apprentice today:
I loved when RW shared that the thing she doesn't like about math is being wrong.  Very profound! I don't know anyone who likes to be wrong ;). But we all make mistakes.  And it is okay! 
I enjoyed all of your scary math monster drawings!
I enjoyed our discussion about is there ever nothing?...is there truly zero?  Something to continue pondering on!

I really liked all your thoughts about:
kattara...what big problems do you have in your life that need to be broken down into smaller problems?
translation errors....we all understand everything perfectly, right? :)  do you have any translation problems in your life...maybe with parents? Friends? The Spirit?  How can you work on your translation skills?
And showing your proof...is there anything in your life that it is important for you to show your work or your answer?....answers to prayers, big decisions,...great reason for writing in a journal!

Don't forget to keep yourself, and your thoughts in the positive!  Some good suggestions you made were: service, good music, good books, taking some time alone, being with others who are a good influence.  And don't forget to subtract bad things from your life (thanks to Kaiden Bird for that great thought)

Big shout out to SB, JS, and DB, the winners of our Fast Math Facts!  You all were amazing at your math facts.

Remember the math challenge for this month is:  look for patterns all around you, write them down and share next month!   Also why is 0 / 0 not 0?   Hmmm.

For journeyman we finished reading science verse and everyone wrote their own science verse.   Please share everyone!  You could send it as an email, submit it to the newspaper, or post it on the blog at Http://vanguard eureka.blogspot.com/ You all were creative and insightful...please share them again with the group, especially those who didn't get to finish.

We had some great experiments about air pressure, and cloud formation, and the weight of air.  Thanks to GE and DB for sharing!

I enjoyed our discussion on the firmament and what heaven really is or may be.  I am really enjoying studying Genesis slowly.  I love reading every word and pondering on why the Lord chose that word.  I hope you are too!  I am going to have to keep pondering on "the evening and the morning" days. And I really loved your chalk and pastel drawings of the heavens.  You were creative and thoughtful.

I learned a lot from our tour of the Salt Lake Weather Service.  We saw pictures and videos and talked about weather events and how to stay safe..like not driving though standing water in floods, going inside if you hear thunder, and staying away from windows if there is lightening....we learned that one at our house last month during a lightening storm :).

Here are some questions to ponder from the Roger Bacon book:
He believed that you must understand nature and art and science to understand God.  Do you agree?

He had some great mentors in his life, but he also made lots of enemies by his candidness and his harshness.  What do you learn from other people in your life, good and bad?

Bacon had some problems because he always said what he thought.  Is this a good or bad way to be?  How do you tell people things they don't want to hear?  Do your own personal weaknesses sometimes get in the way of communicating the glory of God to others?

Bacon spent lots of money...Lots of money, getting his education and doing his research.  Do you think this is good or bad?  What will you sacrifice for your education?

In his days knowledge was accumulated for a specific purpose.  What are some bad uses of education?  What are some good uses?

Bacon surrendered his freedom to pursue his education.  Do you think it was worth it?

Even though it is the "scary" time of year, I hope you will not be scared of math and science.  We all have math things we struggle with, it's okay!  Just worker harder on those things...your still awesome and amazing at many things.  Keep working on your math goals!  And Don't be scared!

Sister 21 :)





SEPTEMBER
As I was reflecting about yesterday's class I wanted to shout out a big Eureka!  to all the Vanguard youth.

I really enjoyed our discussion on seeking for our own personal perfection and giving everything we do our best.  I also gained some great insights from our discussion about having incorrect information vs no information.  I was thinking how much this relates to the medieval time period;  many people had some information that was right and some information that was wrong,  But there were also many people.....the peasants and servants....who had no information.  How were their lives different because of it?  I would have loved to continue debating about that subject and finding examples in our own lives and in the lives of others to determine the importance of always seeking for truth.  That is part of our mission in Vanguard...to pursue right and truth...even if we get things wrong sometimes :)

I hope the math curse is working on all of you and that you are observing Math everywhere around you...after all....everything can be a math problem!

And I wanted to give a huge Voila!  To those who did chemistry experiments for us.  I was thinking about how many of the experiments were mixing, or learning about acids and bases.  I was also thinking about how different the results were when Isaiah did his experiments.  What about the ingredients he used caused it to have such a cool form and to create heat?  Interesting things to think about...After all....everything can be a science experiment!

I also wanted to say thank you to the youth who did the master inspirements.  I gained a lot from your insights and thoughts.  One of them said...I didn't understand everything, but I feel like I learned a lot!   That is what it is all about!  We are all still learning and growing and learning, even if we only take away a small piece of knowledge from something we study, that one little seed of knowledge can become something great.

Just a heads up for next month.  We will be going on a field trip to the national weather center in Salt Lake city to watch a weather balloon launch.....you won't want to miss it!   Plus we will be having Bacon in honor of Roger Bacon and of the periodic table discovery of BaCoN!   It is ten chapters so give yourself some time to read it...we will miss you if you aren't there!  And remember you don't have to understand all of the history and nuances of the Catholic church, but find that little seed of knowledge to blossom and change you.

And lastly remember to pace yourself....three more "school" days, and one weekend before History with Sister Bird.  How many things do you need to finish each day to do your personal best in apprentice, journeyman, or master?    Oh, I do so love Math!

Thanks for sharing your awesome-ness with me and with our Vanguard group! 

Sister Johnson