Waldorf 8th Grade Physics and Meteorology

Waldorf 8th Grade Physics and Meteorology

It seems like every year I surprise myself by my complete and utter fondness for the life sciences and physics blocks that I teach. I’ve definitely always been a language person, but more and more I’m finding so much pleasure in teaching the subjects that are NOT my specialty.

For 8th grade this year I’ve decided to start off with a 7 week combination block – physics and meteorology. I’ve never done it this way before, but the content goes together so well, it makes perfect sense. And when I sat down to map it all out, the block practically planned itself – a sure sign that I’m on the right track.

Note: I’ve now packaged up and put together a curriculum guide for Waldorf Eighth Grade Physics and Meteorology. I’m super-proud of it and I think you’ll find it really helpful!

Here are the resources I’m using for the block. (Links are affiliate links.)

Hydraulics and Aeromechanics

• Hydraulics and Aeromechanics: A Demonstration Manual for Use in the Waldorf School Eighth Grade Physics Main Lesson by Mikko Bojarsky (scroll down about halfway to find the book) – I got this book years ago when Mikko taught the Art of Teaching Grade 8 at Rudolf Steiner College. Man, those were the days! I found him completely charming, full of amazing information and slightly kooky. I confess, I had a little bit of a teacher-crush. Though it was a long time ago, those sessions full of incredible scientific demonstrations, made a lasting impression. When I read through this book I could completely remember them! I can’t emphasize the value of this book enough. If you purchase only one book for your 8th grade physics work, make it this one!

Meteorology

• Weather: A Golden Guide – This book is tiny, but it is chockful of information. It lays out all of the meteorology information in a straightforward, completely understandable way.
• Eric Sloane’s Weather Book – This is a larger book that has similar content as the Golden Guide. It’s still digestible, and written with kids in mind and what I love most about it is that it is full of wonderful drawings and diagrams. Definitely chalkboard drawing material.
• Look at the Sky … and tell the weather by Eric Sloane – I’m not sure how much I’ll use this book, but it basically goes through a number of professions in various states and discusses how they approach the weather. It is a nice little way to get a taste of the climates in different parts of the United States.
• The Invention of Clouds by Richard Hamblyn – This book is for my own enjoyment, on the strong recommendation of Mikko Bojarsky. It’s the story of a 1700’s pharmacist named Luke Howard who determined the system for naming the clouds. I’m finding it fascinating. The first challenge – how do you scientifically study something that is so ever changing? No two scientists can look at the same cloud. So interesting!

General Physics

• Physics is Fun by Roberto Trostli – I’m actually not using this book as much as I used it in 6th and 7th. According to Trostli, the 8th grade exploration of sound, light, heat and electricity is a lot of review and includes a lot of content that we’ve already covered. We’ll do some work with lenses (which I did in 7th grade with my last class), tie in heat with our meteorology study and dedicate a few days to making an electro-magnetic motor, but that’s about it. This book has instructions for the motor, though I seem to recall that Mikko has some instructions, as well, that worked out really well the last time I taught 8th grade. I plan on doing some digging to see if I can find them.

So, over the past few days I sat down with these resources and planned my block. I’m so excited and really glad I decided to start off the year with this block!

I don’t often share my week-by-week breakdowns, but here you go (if you can make sense of my notes). I only outline the new content here. I usually plan the review activities every Sunday. (We start school on Wednesday this year.)

Week One

• Wednesday – The idea of pressure and activities to demonstrate. Calculating pressure per square inch.
• Thursday – Water pressure. 2 liter bottles with holes. Make a manometer. Marianas Trench and Challenger Deep story.
• Friday – William Beebe and the Bathysphere. Water seeks its own level.

Week Two

• Monday – flotation
• Tuesday – Archimedes’ Principle demonstrations, Archimedes and the golden crown story
• Wednesday – various floatation demonstrations, using a hydrometer
• Thursday – biography of Blaise Pascal, Pascal’s principle demonstrations
• Friday – making cartesian divers

Week Three

• Monday – leading up to the hydraulic press, demonstrations with syringes
• Tuesday – hydraulic press model, exploration of real life examples (bottle jack, jaws of life, automobile lift)
• Wednesday – atmospheric pressure demonstrations
• Thursday and Friday – ropes course field trip

Week Four

• Monday – repeat demos during review, bell jar demos
• Tuesday – pumps
• Wednesday – the barometer, Bernoulli’s Principle
• Thursday – Michaelmas, no main lesson
• Friday – Fly High field trip

Week Five – Meteorology

• Monday – tall tales, weather stories, what makes the weather
• Tuesday – clouds, Luke Howard
• Wednesday – types of precipitation
• Thursday – the atmosphere as a sea of air, levels of the atmosphere
• Friday – winds, the effect of the earth’s motion on weather

Week Six

• Monday – high and low pressure systems
• Tuesday – air masses
• Wednesday – fronts
• Thursday – various storms
• Friday – block test

Week Seven

• Monday – lens demonstrations
• Tuesday – heat, radiation demonstrations
• Wednesday through Friday – building a motor and finishing main lesson books

Phew! I’m so excited to have things mapped out through October! And it’s not even August yet! The American Revolution is next on my block prep list, which I’m sure will be more of a challenge!

How’s your planning coming along? I’d love to hear about it in the comments!

And if you’re needing a little support, don’t forget about my Curriculum Planning E-Course. It walks you through everything you need to consider when planning your year!