Thermodynamics Quest, Story Drafting & Salem Witch Trials (Session 2, Week 3)

Hello, everyone! Even though this week was shorter than usual, Journey still packed in plenty of learning. We completed a Quest competition and made great progress on the rough drafts for our Genre stories.

Quest – Thermodynamics, Heat Transfer & Rocket Launching

On Tuesday, we researched thermodynamics and the chemical reactions involved in heating and cooling. After taking detailed notes, we created a plan for how we would heat or cool our rockets.

On Wednesday, we put our knowledge to the test in a Quest Competition. Each team tried to heat or cool a 5 mL cup of water, and the winner was the team that caused the greatest temperature change.

On Thursday, we applied everything we learned throughout the week to launch rockets—despite the cold weather! It was a fun and challenging hands-on experiment.

Genre – Drafting Our Stories

On Tuesday, we learned about the difference between telling and showing in writing. We practiced writing the climax of our story twice—once by telling the action, and once by showing it through details.

On Wednesday and Thursday, we used these skills to begin drafting our full story, aiming for 1,000–2,500 words. Next week, we will begin revising and improving our drafts.

Civ – The Salem Witch Trials

In Civ., we studied the Salem Witch Trials, a period in history when people were falsely accused of witchcraft. We imagined that our own sister was lying about accusing a villager and then considered:

• Would we tell our parents?

• Would we tell a village official?

• Or would we stay quiet?

This sparked thoughtful discussions about honesty, justice, and moral courage.

Even though it was a short week, it was still super fun and full of learning. Come back next week to hear what we do next—and have a great weekend!

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