Car Repair and Maintenance

Today Ian and I rotated the tires and changed the oil in the car.  First we talked about safety when jacking a car up. We decided that neither one of us was going to crawl under anything being held up by just a jack.  Ian chose two large rocks to use as wheel stops on a wheel that would stay on the ground.  I pried off the wheel covers and broke loose the lug nuts. Then we looked under the car to identify good locations to put the jack.  We jacked one corner of the car up with a screw-scissor jack and then lowered the car down on a jack stand also placed at a strong place where a suspension member is bolted to the frame. Ian was impressed that with the jack even he was easily able to lift the heavy car up.  We calculated that the car weighs about 100 times as much as Eric does, and since Ian can just barely lift Eric, the jack makes Ian 100 times stronger.  Then we jacked up the other corner of the car and set it down on a jack stand too.

Ian used a wrench to remove the lug nuts.  We inspected the tires and talked about how siping makes snow tires grip better. We checked the tire pressure in all the tires.  We talked about how tire pressure changes with temperature, but I'm not sure Ian totally grasped the ideal gas law equation. We'll have to revisit that concept again, I'm sure. We also inspected the brake pads, discs, CV joints, and suspension bushings.  After swapping the tires front-rear we reinstalled the lug nuts, just snug at first... and then papa tight in a star pattern.  Then we turned the car around and rotated the tires on the other side.  That side went much faster because we used a hydraulic jack.  We don't carry the hydraulic jack with us in the car because it is very heavy, but it sure is easier to use.

Then we changed the oil and oil filter.  We noticed that the old oil was black but the new oil clear and golden in color.  Ian helped find the oil filter by looking at the new one to see what it should look like.  We also checked the coolant, brake fluid, power steering fluid, and windshield washer fluid.

World Religions

Ian and Eric made rolled beeswax candle Christmas gifts.

This month we learned about three major world religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.  We learned each religion's symbols, holy books, places of worship, and leaders.  We also learned ways religious holidays are celebrated today.  Some activities included eating latkes (traditionally eaten during Hanukkah), tasting dates (traditionally eaten to break the fast during Ramadan), and making Christmas presents.

The boys had a lot of fun at our Thursday co-op Christmas party.  Games included Blind Snowman, reindeer hunt, winter Mad-Libs, and marshmallow toss.  Eric was excited to win the marshmallow toss by getting the most marshmallows in his bucket.  We also decorated cupcakes and watched A Charlie Brown Christmas.

Books:  The Nativity by Vivas;  Many Ways: How Families Practice Their Beliefs and Religions by Rotner and Kelly;  Places of Worship: Muslim Mosque by Wood; How the Reindeer Saved Santa by Haywood;  My First Ramadan by Katz;  Celebrate Hanukkah by Heiligman;  The Night Before Christmas by Moore;  I Am Muslim by Chalfonte;  Psalm 23 by Moser;  Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns: A Muslim Book of Colors by Khan;  A Sweet Year: A Taste of the Jewish Holidays by Podwal;  Places of Worship: Christian Church by Wood;  Harvest of Light by Ofanansky;  To Every Thing There Is a Season by Dillon

Videos:  Holidays for Children: Ramadan by Schlessinger Media