In a previous post, I explained that a discrepant event is an event that puzzles students because it is contrary to what they would expect to happen based upon their background knowledge.
I showed this to my students which led to a discussion of tipping point and center of gravity.
Then Mrs. Dickey sent this photo, taken in her first grade classroom, to me the next day. Glancy got it! 🙂
First grade environmentalists pledge to “go green” and put less trash in landfills! Three great ways that we can all reduce waste and protect our environment is to reduce, reuse, and recycle. We brainstormed ways to reuse items that we often throw away, as well as ideas to decrease the amount of trash we produce. Then we sorted a pile of trash into five groups: plastic, paper, metal, glass, and those items that must go in a landfill.
Click here to watch a video about recycling with your child.
We have a new landfill to observe in our classroom. Are these items biodegradable. How long will it take for each to decompose?
My fourth grade scientists performed several investigations to further understand the properties of light. We used UV lights to write on paper coated with zinc sulfide. Click here and click here to watch us in action. While we were in the dark room, we also turned the lights on and off and observed how our partners’ pupils changed.
Why does the straw appear to be broken when it is placed in water?
When you look on the concave side of a spoon, your reflection is upside down, but when you turn the spoon to the convex side it is right side up. Why?
Mirror writing was a real challenge! can you read this?
uoy era woh olleh
Why does the arrow reverse when you add water to a jar?
After placing a penny under a mason jar, we poured water inside the jar and the penny seemed to disappear just like magic. Click here for more information. Click here to watch us in action.
Water magnifies. Why?
We also looked at several optical illusions.
Fourth grade scientists investigated sound. We used tuning forks to feel and hear vibrations. Then we struck the tuning forks and held them on lab tables. The volume of the sound increased, but we could really hear the sound when we placed our ears on the tables. Sound waves (unlike light waves) need to travel through a medium such as a solid, liquid, or gas. The sound waves move through each of these mediums by vibrating the molecules in the matter. The molecules in solids are packed very tightly. The spacing of the molecules enables sound to travel much faster through a solid than a gas (air).
In our next investigation, I swung air tubes. As air spiraled through the tubes, we heard sound. The sound has a higher pitch the faster the tube moves. If the opening is covered preventing air to enter the tube, sound stops. We will each have a chance to use these in our next lab. Click here to learn more.
We wrapped string around our fingers that was attached to a spoon or a hanger. As we hit the objects against different materials around the lab, the sound waves traveled up the string into our ears with surprising results.
I had a great time being a student at the National Science Teachers Conference. My favorite session was hosted by the Bug Chicks. I learned more about choosing and caring for arthropods in the classroom. Click here to meet these fun scientists who LOVE bugs!
I think we need a millipede in the lab!
I plan to purchase some silkworms, so we can watch them go through metamorphosis.
Some of the fun items I purchased for the lab.
When you add some solids to water, they dissolve and seem to disappear. But other solids sink to the bottom and can still be seen and separated from the water. Why? Click here to watch the video that introduced this lab.
My first grade chemists continued their study of matter by pouring salt, pepper, jello, flour, sugar, and oats in water to determine if they would make a suspension or a solution. We completed a lab report as we worked.
This is a great lab to extend at home. Try mixing other solids and liquids that you have in your pantry or refrigerator with water. Did you make a solution or a suspension?
