My PreK scientists learned that although Styrofoam is used to protect items in packages and to maintain the temperature of liquids, such as hot chocolate, Styrofoam is not good for the environment because it doesn’t decompose. My youngest engineers discovered a fun way to reuse Styrofoam packing chips, so they don’t go in a landfill. These young engineers were asked to build a structure as tall as a ruler that could stand on its own.
Constructing boats during our sink and float unit is always a favorite lab! This year, I began lab by reading The Three Billy Goats Gruff. I asked if there were other ways the goats could cross the river to stay away from the troll? After one of the kindergarten students suggested a boat, I explained that they were going to be engineers and build a boat for the goats.
I introduced the Engineering Design Process- Ask, Imagine, Plan, Create, and Improve. We looked at the design of several plastic boats and discussed what would be important to remember when they built their boats. My scientists had the following materials from which to choose: aluminum foil, masking tape, Popsicle sticks, a rubber band, toothpicks, a cup, and straws. As they finished, we tested their boats and some engineers had time to improve their designs. I am always amazed at the variety of designs and the learning that occurs.
Click here to watch some fun videos about sink and float concepts from Sesame Street. I encouraged my little engineers to build boats at home and to test them in their bathtubs. Be sure to send me photos.
At the end of lab, we checked to see if there were any changes in the pumpkin that we had cut in half last week. At first, my scientists thought the pumpkin had grown fur! We moved it outside, so we can watch how it continues to decompose.
I tell visitors all the time that watching students develop their passions through high school is one of the greatest blessings for teachers at a PK through 12 school. One of my passions has always been dance. My daughter was a competitive dancer, and I danced in high school and college dance teams. I was even certified to teach Christian hip-hop two summers ago through Shazzy Fitness!
This year, I am assisting the coach of the Tigerettes, the King’s Ridge varsity dance team. What a great group of talented girls!
My fourth grade scientists completed their sound investigations. Last week, we created a variety of sound effects and learned how to use stethoscopes and tuning forks. I also demonstrated how to make speakers for your iPhone with a paper towel tube and cups. Click here for directions.
We began this lab by creating music. As we poured varying amounts of water into goblets, the pitch changed. We could also see vibrations in the water. Click here to watch a musician play Tchaikovsky with glasses.
How do you make individual musical notes with palm pipes? Click here to learn more. Click here to watch us play.
Paper cup phones are an excellent way to demonstrate how sound waves travel. Our partners whispered questions into the cups and we could hear them! Click here to watch an informative video.
We completed lab by cutting the end of a straw in the shape of a reed. As we blew into the straw and slowly cut off the end of the straw, the pitch changed. Click here to see how. Hmmm, do you see a connection between the palm pipes and the straws?
Click here to watch one of my scientists.
Love that you can do most of these investigations at home! Try changing a variable. For example, when constructing the whisper phones, try different cups (Styrofoam, plastic, or paper) or vary the length of the string.
All living things make more of their own kind. My kindergarten scientists learned that a seed contains a baby plant and that flowers make seeds. Sometimes a fruit forms around the seeds. We also looked at the life cycle of pumpkin plants.
We learned that plants need water, sunlight, air, and soil to grow. Then we planted pumpkin seeds. We poured water on the seeds to soften the seed coats. How long will it be before they sprout? My biologists hope it will be on Halloween!
Let’s look inside a pumpkin. What will this pumpkin look like next week? What will happen to the pumpkin if we put it in the woods?
My scientists used fruit to further investigate sink and float. Why do some fruits sink while others float?
Wow, look at these plants that second grade planted go! Soup beans are on the left and pumpkin vines are on the right.
The bean plants are weaving themselves in and out of the blinds.
The tendrils on the pumpkin vine are wrapping around the string.
Sunflower plants are reaching toward the sun and the cornstalks are growing to the right of them.
The sweet potatoes have grown roots and vines. We’re hoping our avocado pit will sprout.
Most plants make their own food in a process called photosynthesis. Venus flytraps and pitcher plants are carnivorous plants which means they are meat-eating. They need insects to provide the nutrients the soil does not provide. I brought in carnivorous plants for my scientists to observe. Click here to learn more about carnivorous plants in this informative video.
Decomposing Insects Inside a Pitcher
First grade scientists completed the stained glass leaves they had outlined in black glue in a previous lab. They used what they knew about the shapes of leaves and vein patterns to draw their leaves. Today, we looked at the colors of real deciduous leaves and then painted our leaves with watercolors. We also began our conifer lab. More information about conifers next week.
Fourth graders continued their study of light in this lab. We began lab by using a slinky to demonstrate how compression (longitudinal) waves move energy.
Why does the stick look bent in the water? We also investigated an arrow reverse and the word won become the word now when we placed them behind a jar and added water.
How does your reflection change in the concave/convex mirrors?
We placed a penny under the Mason jar. Why did the penny disappear when we poured water from the beaker into the jar? Click here for more information.
Click here to watch how we used the Plasma Ball to light up fluorescent bulbs and an energy stick. Fascinating!
Periscopes and kaleidoscopes work with light and mirrors, like our microscopes. The root word, scope, means to see and “peri” means around. The kaleidoscope was invented by the Scottish physicist Sir David Brewster in 1816.
I also demonstrated how an overhead projector uses light and I shared this mini projector I found in the toy section of Walmart.
