Jordan's Science {Apologia General Science}

Apologia Exploring Creation with General Science ~ Module 1 {Note: these lessons took 4 weeks to complete}
Highlights of Module One ~ A Brief History of Science:
  • The First Inklings of Science
  • True Sciene Begins to Emerge
Experiment 1.1: Density in Nature

Greek Scientists used observations in density to prove that atoms exist.


They figured that each liquid (water, oil and syrup) are made of atoms, but that some are packed more closely together. When the water was poured into the oil, the atoms in the water were able to pass through the oil. The syrup was able to pass through both the water and the oil.


Jordan learned that even solid objects are made of atoms. The cork's atoms were packed together very loosely so it floated. The grape sank to the top of the corn syrup and the rock sank to the bottom. (We thought this was a cool lesson on density and atoms).

Experiment 1.2: Atomic Motion


In this experiment, Jordan collected evidence that atoms are in constant motion and are affected by heat. The jar with the hot water mixed rapidly with the food coloring, and much slower in the cold water.
  • Notable Greek Scientists
  • The Progress of Science Stalls for Awhile
Experiment 1.3: A Chemical Reaction
During the Dark Ages, people discovered that mixing substances together could cause amazing results. {We were pretty amazed with the chemical reactions that took place in this experiment}
We first boiled red cabbage leaves and cooled them with ice cubes. Then, we put vinegar in the soda bottle and filled a balloon with baking soda.


Jordan poured the purple cabbage juice into the vinegar and it turned pink! (A substance in red cabbage, anthocyanin, reacted with the vinegar to turn it pink). Then he put the ballon on the top and lifted the balloon so that the baking soda would drop into the bottle.


When the baking soda hit the vinegar, the mixture began to bubble and fizz, and the balloon began to inflate (with carbon dioxide). At the same time, we noticed a color change as the chemical reaction occurred. The mixture turned from pink to blue. As the vinegar disappeared, the anthocyanin no longer had the vinegar to react with. {We thought this was so cool}
  • Science Begins to Pick Up Some Speed Again
  • The Renaissance: "The Golden Age of Science"
Experiment 1.4 Mapping the Paths of the Planets


Mapping the ellipses that a planet makes. An ellipse is made by two points called foci. In his experiment, the foci were two pieces of tape. You would think that the sun would be at the center of the ellipse, but it is at one of the foci.
  • The Era of Newton
  • The "Enlightenment" and the Industrial Revolution
  • The Rest of the 19th Century
  • Modern Science
Jordan is creating a notebook with the General Science LapJournal from Knowledge Box Central. You can see the first module that we used here. We also used the schedules from Donna Young and I found these bookmarks very helpful.

I had originally planned to do Apologia Physical Science this year, but Jordan was not ready for the math part of it. I found General Science at homeschool sale and knew it was for me him!

{Have I mentioned how much I love science?}

4 comments

  1. I have often wondered what that course was like, and how Apologia would change from the Elementary Level. Great post and it looks like you all had a lot of fun!

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  2. Great Post! I remember when Dallas did the Balloon Exp. with a friend..that one was pretty cool!

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  3. Thanks for the pictures....we (blush) couldn't figure out how to do 1.4, so I went searching the Internet. Now I "see" what we're to do for that one!

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  4. It took us a while to figure it out ~ so you are not alone! =)

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