NatureGlo's eScience

Exploring around a Kaolinite Mine in the Eastern Sierra. What is Kaolinite? It's a white clay used in paper, ceramics and cosmetics.

Getting outdoors as often as possible is a great way to inspire natural learning and problem solving with kids and adults alike. One thing I made sure to do while exploring this quarry, was to stay well enough away from the edges as the clay is quite soft.

What are the maths involved with Kaolinite clay? Check this out!

🌋 MINERAL PROFILE: KAOLINITE MINE 🌋

Looking at the white clay deposit off Antelope Springs Road near Mammoth Lakes, here are the official numbers and specs for Kaolinite clay:

💎 MOHS HARDNESS SCALE: 2.0 to 2.5

• What this means: It is incredibly soft! Your fingernail has a hardness of about 2.5, meaning you can easily scratch a solid chunk of kaolinite or break it apart into a smooth, chalky powder with your fingers.

⚖️ SPECIFIC GRAVITY (DENSITY): 2.16 to 2.68 g/cm³

• What this means: It feels remarkably light in your hand when dry because the raw clay masses are highly porous and filled with microscopic air pockets.

🔥 MELTING POINT: 740°C to 1,785°C (1,364°F to 3,245°F)

• What this means: While it begins structurally changing at lower temperatures, it doesn't fully melt until it hits extreme volcanic heat. This intense thermal resistance is why it is so highly valued in ceramics to survive kiln firings.

💧 SHRINK-SWELL CAPACITY: Very Low

• What this means: Unlike some clays (like bentonite) that expand like a sponge when wet, kaolinite is incredibly stable. When mixed with water, it becomes plastic and moldable but won't drastically warp or crack as it dries.

🔬 CHEMICAL COMPOSITION FORMULA: Al2Si2O5(OH)4

• Aluminum Oxide (Al2O3): ~35% to 39%
• Silicon Dioxide (SiO2): ~45% to 49%
• Chemically Bound Water (H2O): ~13% to 14%

✨ HOW IT FORMED IN MAMMOTH LAKES:

This beautiful bright white clay is a direct result of Long Valley's volcanic past! Hot, acidic geothermal water boiled up through the local volcanic rhyolite rock over thousands of years, chemically breaking down harsh feldspar minerals and leaving behind this soft, pure kaolinite clay.

Check out my latest shorts of this exploration: www.youtube.com/shorts/9-7veC...

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6 days ago (edited) | [YT] | 1

NatureGlo's eScience

🪞 A mirror mosaic mannequin in the desert just became the best math exploration of my summer.

I was wandering through East Jesus — a wild outdoor art installation near Slab City, California — when I stopped in front of this stunning mirror mosaic mannequin and started counting mathematical concepts hiding inside it.

I found FOUR:

✨ Symmetry

✨ Tessellation & aperiodic tiling

✨ Voronoi patterns

✨ Fractal geometry & self-similarity

This is exactly the kind of nature-based math exploration that turns a "I hate math" middle schooler into a full-on Math Detective — because the math isn't on a worksheet. It's on a wall. In the desert. Made of broken mirrors.

🎥 My brand new video is live now — go watch it and see if YOU can spot all four concepts before I point them out!

👉
Drop a 🪞 in the comments if you've ever spotted unexpected math out in the wild. I'd love to hear where you found it!

3 weeks ago | [YT] | 2

NatureGlo's eScience

Hey homeschool moms and teachers! 👋

Are you tired of the daily math battles? When traditional textbooks cause frustration for our gifted, creative, or neurodivergent middle schoolers, sometimes the best solution is to just step outside. 🌲✨

I just went live while hiking up a considerable hill here in the stunning Eastern Sierra landscape, pointing out "fractals"—nature's gorgeous repeating patterns—hidden everywhere from the mountain ridges to the plant life! ⛰️🔍

When kids see that math isn't just a list of boring rules in a textbook, but the actual fabric of the world around them, everything changes.

👉 Grab a quick dose of math inspiration! Check out the replay of my live stream on the channel now: "Exploring the Eastern Sierra Fractal Lands" at: youtube.com/live/xdbXS7iEEc4

💡 QUICK QUESTION FOR YOU:
Do your kids or students struggle more with memorizing formulas, or with seeing the "point" of math?

Let me know in the comments below! 👇

(P.S. If you want a quick, 5-minute blueprint on how to turn math frustration into visual exploration, head over to my channel's ABOUT PAGE and click the free video training link at: natureglosescience.com/homeschool-math-curriculum)

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1 month ago | [YT] | 2

NatureGlo's eScience

Ever wondered how fractal geometry helps a tree survive in the desert? 🌵

Today’s video takes us into the Sonoran Desert to explore math in the wild! From the branching patterns of salt cedar trees to the intentional tessellations found in desert art, I'm showing how we can bring "living math" to life for our tweens and teens.

Whether you're a homeschool parent looking to spark curiosity or a teacher wanting to show students that math is everywhere, this field trip is for you.

Watch the full exploration here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sH5Wd...

How do you integrate real-world observations into your math lessons? Share your favorite examples below!

1 month ago | [YT] | 2

NatureGlo's eScience

Is math a "boring" textbook chore or a desert secret code?

For too long, K-12 math has been trapped in a windowless "box." But as I travel in my van, EverGreen Queen, I see the truth: Math is a "Gloriously Gorgeous" language written in the patterns of the natural world!

I’ve just released a deep-dive Substack Manifesto that pairs with my latest YouTube video to help you transition your homeschool or classroom from "math trauma" to mathematical wonder.

👇 𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐏 𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐎 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐋𝐈𝐕𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐇 𝐂𝐋𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐑𝐎𝐎𝐌:

𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐧: https://youtu.be/_8aAf3LWi60

𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐨 & 𝐆𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐮𝐢𝐝𝐞: substack.com/@gloriaabrooks/p-196167917

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐤'𝐬 𝐄𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐊𝐢𝐭 𝐮𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞:

* 𝐅𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐬: Identifying geometric patterns in desert flora like the Creosote bush.

* 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐀𝐫𝐭™ & 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐁𝐢𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐲: How we use nature photography to bridge the gap between art, science, and math.

* 𝐎𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐬-𝐍𝐞𝐮𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠: High-quality science and math that focuses on the "how" and the beauty of the design.

* 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐅𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲: I am an approved DirectPay Vendor for ESA/EFA programs in Arkansas, Arizona, Alabama, New Hampshire, and South Carolina.

𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐥: 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐥𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐣𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐰?

2 months ago | [YT] | 1

NatureGlo's eScience

Stop the spring math meltdowns! 🌸🛑

I know this time of year is tough for our neurodivergent learners. The weather is getting nice, focus is slipping, and those dry math worksheets feel like a mountain to climb.

I’ve spent 15 years in the classroom and 10+ years helping homeschoolers online move away from, or, at the very least spice up "boring math" with MathArt™—where we use nature, art, and real-world beauty to understand numbers. 🎨🌿

If your student is a "right-brain" thinker who needs to see and touch math to "get" it, my Spring MathArt Bundle was made for you.

Grab the bundle here and save your spring semester:

www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/MathArt-Nature… 🔗✨

(And if you haven't seen my latest Reel/Short on how we use Art to beat the "math slump," check it out on my channel!)

3 months ago | [YT] | 2

NatureGlo's eScience

Whether you’re funding your homeschool journey in AZ, AR, AL, NH, and SC—or seeking a new path—welcome home. 🕊️✨

I’ve been speaking with so many families lately who are at a crossroads in their homeschool. Some of you are navigating the administrative maze of state funding (ESA/EFA), and others are simply exhausted by the traditional "compliance" model and looking for a way out.

𝐍𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐩 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨, 𝐦𝐲 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐞: 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝.

If you are looking for a way to bring wonder back into your homeschool, here are two ways I can help you today:

1. 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐒𝐀 / 𝐄𝐅𝐀 𝐅𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐬 (𝐀𝐙, 𝐀𝐑, 𝐀𝐋, 𝐍𝐇, 𝐒𝐂):

If you have access to state scholarship funds in these five states, I am a registered vendor in all five of those states! I’ve worked hard to make my online self-paced "MathArt" (ages 10 - 15) and Marine Biology (10 - 18) courses ClassWallet-friendly so you can focus on the learning, not the paperwork.

👉 𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞:

natureglosescience.com/state-funding

2. 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐇𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐅𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧𝐬 𝐅𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 "𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐌𝐞𝐥𝐭𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧":

If your neurodivergent tween or teen is struggling with dense math pages and "people-pleasing" instead of learning, you aren't alone. It’s time to switch from compliance to real discovery.

👉 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝟒𝟓-𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐨𝐧 "𝐍𝐞𝐮𝐫𝐨-𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐲 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐡" 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐟𝐭:

www.youtube.com/shorts/IHcFoS...

I’m so glad you’re here! Let’s protect the natural curiosity and wonder of childhood learning together!

#Homeschooling #Neurodivergent #ESA #EducationFreedom #MathArt #NatureGloseScience #SecularHomeschool

3 months ago | [YT] | 1

NatureGlo's eScience

I escaped the Slab City, California summer heat, AND high humidity for the open road! I’ll be returning in the fall to work another season at Salvation Mountain! Be sure to grab a FREE copy of the new Salvation Mountain Unit Study, perfect for homeschool unit study and classroom art, history and Language arts thematic unit! Superb for ages 8+! Go to NatureGlo’s YouTube Home Page of links to get your copy now!

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9 months ago | [YT] | 1

NatureGlo's eScience

The new and FREE Salvation Mountain Unit Study Kids Activity Book & Educator's Guide is now available as a download at: natureglosescience.com/salvation-mountain-unit-stu… I'm super proud and excited to release this work to the public after 8 months of work.

I just completed my one year contract as a docent, or greeter, at Salvation Mountain. It's been one of the best jobs I've ever had. I'll be returning this fall as a seasonal docent.

Do you have kiddos ages 8 and up?

Snag this freebie!

It's a great unit to jump into during any season. It's basically an art unit study as I bring you through the life and outsider art of Leonard C. Knight. Check out what you get at the link. I hope to see you on the inside!

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10 months ago | [YT] | 0

NatureGlo's eScience

Lately, I've been working on creating a brand new resource for homeschool, school educators and kids to get to know Leonard C. Knight and his amazing technicolor outsider folkart known as Salvation Mountain. Working as a docent (greeter/tour guide) has given me time as a veteran educator to dig deep into the nitty gritty details of this remarkable national treasure. I've come to know and love the quirky yet beautiful artistic waterfalls, bluebirds, redwood trees and right down to the mourning doves who like to roost atop the Salvation Mountain pinnacle, a 10-foot tall cross. I'm letting you know about the new Salvation Mountain activity guide and unit study coming out soon so that you can plan to get it for your family or students. And, the best part...it's FREE, just like universal love is!

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1 year ago (edited) | [YT] | 0