I look forward to studying weather with my first and fourth grade scientists each year. I am always amazed at the beauty and power of weather systems. Mrs. Denard, one of our fourth grade teachers, captured this approaching storm.

We have a pair of vultures that are often spotted around school. When I visited school last week, I discovered they have a new addition to their family.

I made my students laugh and inspired them to change the world. My year is complete. Happy summer everyone!

These guys are so much fun! I was cleaning out their tank today.

I always end my fourth grade labs with the popular Diet Coke and Mentos experiment. The results are explosive! We used five, then six and finally seven Mentos. You could change up this investigation by using warm and cold sodas, different types or brands of soda, or sodas with the tops left off for varying amounts of time.

What would happen to your stomach if you washed down a Mentos with a glass of coke?

I sure will miss these scientists next year when they move to middle school! I hope they visit me often.

First grade scientists study trees and seasons. Each class adopted a tree at the beginning of the school year and observed how it changed each season. It was fun watching my scientists grow too!

Mrs Dickey’s Class

Mrs. Hornsby’s Class

Mrs. Judge’s Class

This former student brought me an impressive snakeskin that he discovered in his yard. I love being the recipient of science treasures!

Second grade scientists began this lab with a lesson about air pressure. We tried to pick up the can, but it was almost impossible, but the air pressure paddles made it very easy to pick up the desk. The power of air pressure (almost 15 pounds per inch) is amazing!

Then we investigated Isaac Newton’s first and third laws of motion.

• An object at rest remains at rest, or if in motion, remains in motion unless acted upon by an external force.
• For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

What will happen to the ball if I knock the side of the pie plate? Why?

How is it possible to pull the tablecloth off the table without the dishes falling on the floor?

We moved to the lab tables and applied our knowledge of the laws of motion to knock the pennies in the cup and the hex nut inside the bottle without touching either.

Finally, we reviewed potential and kinetic energy with boinks and dropper poppers. I introduced the idea that there are different kinds of potential energy: elastic, gravitational, and chemical.

Mr. Swegman discovered a baby turtle on the sidewalk. Looks like he had just hatched! We observed him for a few hours, and then sent him back on his way to our pond. We have quite a few large turtles that we often spot sunning themselves on warm days.