5th Grade Pumpkin and Slime

We read an article about how animals use slime to protect themselves and travel up walls or across rough surfaces.  We discussed friction, lubricants, and polymers. Then we made our own slime.  It should be stored in the refrigerator to prevent mold.  

We also cut open a huge pumpkin (Big Mac) to count the seeds and check out the pulp.  It was interesting because the pulp was green in some areas and orange in others.  We counted 308 seeds. I will post pictures to the class blog by the end of the day tomorrow.

4th Grade Discovery Center Trip

Our trip to the Discovery Center was amazing!  The students tried to make fire using two methods that Lewis and Clark used: a lens/the Sun and flint/steel.  I was impressed with the students’ perseverance as this was not easy.  Two groups made fire using the lens method.  many students made sparks with the flint and steel but did not make fire.  They have a new appreciation for the struggles Lewis and Clark faced. We also used compasses to find marked cards.  They first learned how to use the compasses and how to count their paces. Then they followed the directions from card to card and answered questions about people who traveled with Lewis and Clark.  In the afternoon, they learned about the items Lewis and Clark took with them on their journey.  They also practiced journaling by describing the weather conditions and taking notes about two plants.  They also pressed the plants which is how Lewis and Clark preserved plant specimens.

2nd Grade Gourd Experiment

We reviewed the steps of the Scientific Method that we have been using all year.  Then we made a hypothesis about how many seeds were in 4 different gourds and what they looked like on the inside.  Next I cut each gourd in half and the students worked in small groups to sort and count the seeds. The students then recorded the actual number of seeds and drew what the gourds looked like on the inside.  Then we met to talk about our results and draw some conclusions: 1.The larger gourds had more seeds than the smaller gourds.  2. The larger gourds had larger seeds. I am drying the seeds and will plant them next year so we have more gourds.

4th Grade Slime Experiment

We read an article called “The Secret of Slime” in our SuperScience magazine.  We learned how animals use slime and how lubrication reduces friction to help items travel smoothly (i.e. oil in an engine, slime for a snail). Then we made our own slime.  We tried using the recipe in our magazine, but it did not work very well.  We tried making adjustments based on past experiences so it made more of a flubber substance. :)

3rd Grade Discovery Center Trip

We learned about the specialized structures that MO animals use to stay alive.  We got to touch a king rat snake and an ornamental box turtle.  We also saw a three-toed box turtle on our hike.  We observed a tarantula, snapping turtle, black widow spider and other creatures in their tanks.  We also went on a nature hike through the forest, prairie, and wetland habitats.  Then the students created a new creature using a mixture of the specialized structures they had learned about.  They created their creature using a variety of materials. Then presented the creature to the class and explained its name, specialized structures, prey, predators, and habitat.

4th Grade Symphony Trip and Barge Engineering

We had a marvelous time at the symphony!  We had really good seats in a section they call the boat.  The theme was Play Me a Story, so each song told parts of a story: setting, characters, and plot.  One of the highlights was when they played “Hedwig’s Theme” by John Williams.  It is the famous song from Harry Potter.  We learned that John Williams is a famous American composer who writes a lot of songs for movies including “Jaws”, “Jurassic Park”, “Home Alone”, and the Star Wars movies.

Don't they look great?!

We read an article called “The Great Pumpkin Race” in our SuperScience magazine.  We learned about buoyancy and inertia.  Then we worked in teams to design a barge out of aluminum foil.  We tested each barge by putting it in a tub of water and counting pennies as they were placed on the barge.  Then we talked about which barges worked the best and what we would do differently next time.

3rd Grade Barge Engineering

We read an article called, “The Great Pumpkin Race” in our SuperScience magazine.  We learned about buoyancy and inertia.  Then we worked in teams to design a barge out of aluminum foil.  We tested each barge by putting it in a tub of water and counting pennies as they were placed on the barge.  Then we talked about which barges worked the best and what we would do differently next time.

2nd Grade Colorful Caroline Experiment

We had fun learning about primary and secondary colors, rainbow order, and density today.  We poured oil in a cup of water and observed how the oil floated on top of the water.  Then we added drops of food coloring.  The food coloring formed balls in the oil.  Once the food coloring hit the water, it spread out.