X for X-Ray

See what we did for other letters in the Alphabet in Simple Science.

X for X-Ray

Science Notebook Page (Click the picture to print).

     Background

As with all topics, we started off by talking about what X-rays are.  I actually included two different science notebook pages, depending on how complex of a definition you wanted for your little one.  I went ahead and used the more complicated one for Xander (a type of picture of the inside of something taken using electromagnetic waves).  I started off asking him how doctors look at peoples' bones when they get hurt.  We talked about how skin, muscles, and organs are in the way of seeing bones directly, so doctors use special types of pictures called X-rays.

Of course, we started off reading some books.  I picked up X-Treme X-Rays and from the library.  Both had real photos of X-rays in them.  Unfortunately, my dad took a really fall off his bike this week which resulted in an ambulance trip to the hospital.  I literally got the call while we were reading these books.  Since Xander went to the hospital with me until I could get someone to take him for the night, we got to have a conversation about CT scans and how they're another way doctors can look inside us.
 
I picked up this great Your Body puzzle when the price dropped for a little while, and the timing ended up being perfect for talking about X-rays.  Xander was able to see how there are many layers/systems of the body.  Here he is pointing to some of the bones he knows.

Light Table X-Rays

Materials:

Transparency Paper or Vellum

Laser Printer

Alright, so I'll admit that this week wasn't much of an investigation, but x-rays are difficult!  What I really wanted was this animal x-rays set where Xander could match images of the outsides and insides of animals.

Sadly, it just wasn't in the budget (although we have played with them at the local children's museum).  Therefore, I decided to make my own x-ray materials for the light table.  It ended up being pretty easy.  I picked up some clear vellum from the craft store.  Then I used Google Images to find some x-ray images and printed them off (it might work with ink jet, but I didn't want to risk ruining the vellum, so I borrowed someone's laser printer).  They'd probably be even better on transparency paper, but I didn't have any.  I think they turned out pretty well, particularly given how inexpensive they were to make.

Check out my Alphabet in Simple Science Pinterest Board for more ideas!

 

O for Opaque

See what we did for other letters in the Alphabet in Simple Science.

O for Opaque

Science Notebook Page (Click the picture to print).

 

    Background

First we did his science notebook page and talked about what opaque, transparent, and translucent meant.  We read a book about it and looked at things around the room.  I defined opaque as something that blocks light, transparent as something that lets light through, and translucent as something that let some light through.

Transparent or Opaque?

Materials:

Random items, some opaque and some not
Light box or flashlight

Procedure:

I gave Xander a bucket of items.  Some were opaque and some were not.  Then before putting each one on the light box, I had him predict whether it would be transparent, translucent or opaque.  Then he tested them out on the light box.

Making it Opaque

Materials:

Transparent or translucent boxes
Beads, beans, or other opaque items

Procedure:

For this activity I put two translucent on the light box (I used our geometric shapes), then I asked him to predict what would happen if I filled one with his pop beads.  We talked about how putting opaque objects inside a translucent one made it opaque.

Transparent and Opaque Shadows

Materials:

Transparent, translucent and opaque objects
Flashlight

Procedure:

While learning about transparent, translucent and opaque objects, we talked about how transparent objects cast a really light shadow while opaque objects cast a really dark one.  For this activity, I lined up a bunch of his objects near a wall and gave him a flashlight.  Then we compared shadows and talked about how the really dark shadows belonged to opaque objects.

Check out my Alphabet in Simple Science Pinterest Board for more ideas!