October 7

Plant Update

The potato we placed in a dark cabinet sprouted roots. We moved it to a sunny window and leaves appeared.

Do you see the buds on the pumpkin vines?

Only one of the cornstalks germinated, so we planted more corn kernels.

The marigolds first grade planted in the recyclable container, filled with items to be composted, are sprouting too. They have planters in their classrooms.

The sunflower seeds the PreK classes planted are growing well also. Some of the seeds coats can be seen on the first leaves. Did you notice that just like us, they are growing at different rates?

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October 7

More Light

Fourth grade physicists continued their study of light. We used a slinky to demonstrate how compression (longitudinal) waves move energy.

I introduced the concept of iridescence.

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.

An anaglyph is a moving or still picture consisting of two slightly different perspectives of the same subject in contrasting colors that are superimposed on each other, producing a three-dimensional effect when viewed through two correspondingly colored filters. (The Free Dictionary) Anaglyphs were first created in the late 1800s.



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jelly marbles, made from a super absorbent polymer, are always a favorite of my scientists. They grow to 300 times their original size and they can bounce!  Click here to find out more.

Why can’t you see them when they are in water?

We couldn’t read the secret message until I poured water over the jelly marbles.


When you look through the jelly marble, your reflection turns upside down. Why?

Fourth graders investigated a simple optical illusion. When the pencil moved quickly back and forth, the spider appeared to be in the web and the fish were in the fish bowl, even though they were on opposite sides of the card.

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