Our field trip to Edmonton started bright and early at 6:30 in the morning. When we arrived, students took in a first presentation on light. Students were able to put their prior knowledge to good use as they experimented with tools that showed the movement of light. Next, we took in a science demo called Spectacular Spectrum! It takes about light and color for grades 1 to 6 and really showed how our understanding of light evolves through grade school. After lunch and some running around, students got to explore the galleries! They touched on all of our science outcomes and involved lots of hands on exploration. Favorites were the Science Garage and Body Fantastic! Lastly, and probably the highlight for many kids, we participated in a robotics program! They learned about real life robotics and were introduced to LEGO Mindstorm. Students had to work in teams to program robots through different challenges!
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Thank you to our CAP volunteers, Linda and Jim Pugh! They came out the classroom to present to us on various livestock that are raised in the area and the different crops that are grown. We were even tasked with making our own edible soil from graham cracker crumbs, coconut, chocolate pudding, gummy worms and jellybeans. What a fun treat!
Can you tell which leaves are real and which are drawn with the best of efforts after some study?
During our unit on plant growth and changes, students learned a little about common edges and shapes of leaves. If you thought a few were real, you'd be wrong! All of these were carefully drawn by our students! They needed to make the best, most realistic replica of a leaf and then describe it's shape and edge. Well done! The fertilizer must be good stuff...the kid's sunflowers are really growing!
Students got to use the new science lab for the first time! What a great space! After months of tending to their vermicomposter, students were tasked with prepping their own plant. Students layered two plastic cups, one with drainage holes. They layered store bought soil and vermicompost soil then moistened it. According to package instructions, they set three soaked seeds in 1cm deep holes about 5cm apart from one another, covered and added more moisture. We set our plants up at the window to access natural light.
Students were challenged to create a flagpole design that was 30cm in height, and utilized a simple machine to raise and lower a flag. The challenge created many questions that needed to be solved such as how do I keep my tower from falling over, how do I make the string stay on my wheel or axle, how do I make my flag stand straight out. To add to the assessment process, students were asked to talk about their design process and their hiccups along the way, via a recorded interview.
It is important to check-in with students, as they read and discuss, their opinions form, expand and change. It is important to jump back and check-in on the main purpose or what you want them to be taking away from the lessons.
When we did this check-in, students were finishing up learning about the six geographical regions of ALberta. As you can see, many of their ideas hit right on target. The short activity acts as a review or adjustment of thinking for those that were a little off the mark. We had aome dreary days and unexpected rain the last couple days of our Light and Shadows unit so we improvised. Students learned that light can be redirected on a shiny 'reflective' surface.
Students were challenged to create waterwheels with a waterbottle and bottle caps/ cups. Everyone found success and problem solved their way to a waterwheel powered by moving water. Students found that there could not be much friction between the wheel and axle, and the amount and alignment of bottle caps/ cups that will "grab' the water made a big difference in the efficiency of their project.
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Home Reading
300 minutes a month (approx. 10 min. per night) Word Work (due Wed.)
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"Observe and reflect, and become a little wiser every day" |