Projects are "Out of this World"

 

Students were given a students choice menu based on learning styles for their space projects and a rubric to guide their work.  Once they completed the project, they reflected by scoring themselves and then presented them to our class.  They did such an outstanding job!

Let there be light!

We conducted several discovery experiments last week to investigate refraction and how light travels.  Check it out!

 

 

 

I'm Stuck on You!

One of our lessons this week focused on magnets- how they work, what are they attracted to and why?  Students conducted a discovery/engagement task to test different objects to see what was magnetic and what was not.  They then had to create a hypothesis as to what was attracted to magnets and why?  We then created an electromagnet!

Creating a Hypothesis

We have really been focusing on how to create a hypothesis and taking the time to create wonderings too and then test them in class.  I believe students have the most valuable learning when they are creating their own questions and then experimenting to discover the answer!  Here are some examples from a lesson this week where students took their individual thoughts and created a group hypothesis and we sorted them into two categories: testable or researchable.  We also discussed how we could change the researchable questions into testable ones.  The next day in class, we tested our hypothesis and even I was surprised!

Picture Perfect Science

I am super excited about some new resources I recently ordered!  Picture Perfect Science is such a great tool for teachers to use to tie in literacy with science.  It is also written, basing lessons on the 5E Model of Engagement.  The books include formative assessments, linked to the NGSS standards.  I can't wait to use them!  There are three of them in all!

Electricity Circuits

We used an energy stick to create human electrical circuits- sounds scary doesn't it?  Don't worry, no one was injured!  Students were amazed at how the energy could flow through and make the energy stick light up!  We created a series and parallel circuit and discussed the difference and why it's helpful to use parallel circuits in some situations.  We listened to "The Electric Slide"!

Butterfly Habitat

I am so excited because our butterfly habitat and caterpillars arrived today!  We are going to be observing them as they go through their life cycle to change into a butterfly over the next few weeks, just in time for our last unit in science on our world of living things!