Solutions on the Playground?

After three labs of learning about mixtures and solutions, students explored elements on the playground that might be able to be dissolved and made into solutions. From grass, to bark, to leaves and more, students made a mixture of water and the solute. Shaking the bottles vigorously, they tried to dissolve some of the solute into the solvent. Next, groups filtered their mixture. Many groups noticed a coloration to their filtered water. The water is now sitting in evaporative trays. The final test will be to see if some solid material (the solute) is in the tray after the solvent evaporates.

Strings in Music

We are learning some really great things in music recently. We are working on a unit that teaches students how to care for stringed instruments and an introduction on how to play them. At the end of this year, students and their families choose the elective music class for next year. They will have a choice between choir, strings, and band. This gives a great opportunity for the class to experience what strings might be like.

New Tools in Science

This week we continued our Mixtures and Solutions unit. Students learned to use new tools, including: a balance, a screen, and a filter as they attempted to separate mixtures and get me back the materials we started with. At this point, 2/3 of the materials have been returned, including the gravel and the diatomaceous earth. We have set up evaporation dishes to attempt to retrieve the salt back from the sodium chloride and water solution. A few more days will determine if they were successful. It is looking good so far though!

Mixtures and Solutions

This week we started our multi-month unit on mixtures and solutions. It is usually one of the highlight units of the year. Today students made three different mixtures, while also learning about diatomaceous earth and sodium chloride (NaCl). The goal early next week will be to separate the mixtures back into their original components.

Clay

We started an art project with clay today. The creative ideas and detail students put into their projects were great.

Halloween Fun

Our learning took advantage of the excitement of Halloween on October 31st. For reading, we read an article about root beer and how it can be made. Using the recipe, we made our own homemade root beer for our party that afternoon. As the root beer carbonated throughout the day, we investigated more on dry ice, since that was the item adding carbonation to our drink. The dry ice lab centered around observing this fascinating item. Students finished the lab by writing a scientific claim about dry ice and backing it up with evidence and reasoning. In the afternoon, students read their "spooky" stories they had been writing for the past week around "campfires" in the classroom.

Designing a Decomposition Experiment

This past week, students had been designing an experiment that tested an idea of their own dealing with decomposition of carrots. The experiment involved students creating scientific teams where each scientist had an experimental bag as well as a control. Yesterday we set up the experiment. For the next month, we will weigh the carrots each week to determine some of the factors that impact (or don't) decomposition of carrots. Some of the experiments involve: different temperatures, including worms in one bag, adding grass clippings to one bag, burying the carrot at different depths, adding lemon juice to one bag, adding soda to one bag, and more. With each team having 4 or more students, we have several trials of the same experiment and several controls as well. New tools of graduated cylinders and syringes were utilized as well as math (averaging their groups' carrot weight for both control and experimental bags).

Art and Jr. Achievement

Today was our first official art lesson in class, led by a parent. The class learned about perspective of things up close and in the distance. A watercolor painting was done using the new elements learned. Any parents who would like to help on future art lessons on Mondays, please let us know. Our second lesson of Jr. Achievement, led by Mr. Palmer, was a fun success today as well. Students learned about what an entrepreneur is and then groups became entrepreneurs, creating a new product and commercial to market that product.

Mindful Seeing

This week, our class connected our Mindful Seeing lesson (our ability to visually distinguish details) with a science activity. Students were given a small stick and encouraged to record down as many rich and descriptive observations in their lab book as they could. Throughout their observations, the teacher identified students who were recording observations that might be helpful to the class. This included: using tools to assist (rulers to measure length and scales to measure mass), descriptive sentences and bullet points, drawings (both to scale drawings and enlarging a drawing to get more detail), diagrams, and more. The first challenge was each student had to turn in their stick. These sticks were placed on a table and each child had to find their stick. The had to PROVE, using evidence in their lab book, why that stick was theirs. Students who believed the same stick belonged to both of them took on conversations using their evidence to discover whose stick it actually was. Finally, students added more details in their own lab book and then switch books with another scientist. The real challenge had them use another's notes and details to find the other person's stick. This demonstrated to students how important distinguishing those details are, not just for themselves, but for others.

Scarecrow

The class did an amazing job both creating their own personal scarecrows, and using teamwork to create our classroom scarecrow. It will be great weather today for the festival.

Day Three at JOS

We all got to experience a true OUTDOOR school today. The weaker elements threw some curve balls at us, yet the students didn't get down. Instead, they celebrated the 1/4 inch hail mixed with lightning and thunder by dancing in it. Then we headed for shelter!  One group, up on the mountain during their hike during the sudden downpour, had such positive spirits that they received a special hot chocolate when they returned to warm them up. Lots of learning still took place with close to a half day tomorrow to squeeze in a little more. 

End of Day 2 at JOS

As the afternoon progressed, as rain sprinkled down on us, students didn't let that get them down. Groups headed into the forest, with at least two groups making it to the top of Bald Mountain. On their way, one group was able to take a side trip to a quartz outcrop. Some groups were able to try their hand at the sort of archery. At the challenge course, some groups made it to the high ropes course, with two groups working so well together that they were able to climb the Alpine Tower. After dinner, pasta and a favorite to many students,  Trail groups headed into the forest to experience the "night experience". Without flashlights, they learned about adaptations of nocturnal animals. A highlight was some of the science dealing with the eyes and light. 

First 1/2 of Day 2

Weather was great this morning. Student Trail groups went all throughout the forest this morning. Here are some photos of archery and pond ecology. 

(Backup) The Start to Day 2

Lots of happy and excited faces this morning. The students are smiling and ready for what today has to offer. A warm morning, at 50 degrees and plates full of eggs, sausage, French toast, fruit, oatmeal, and juice. Stomachs are full and minds are ready to learn. 

Day One at JOS

Day one at Journeys Outdoor School was a success. Trail groups worked on team building activities to prepare them for the challenge course, which many groups begin on day 2. Dinner, as can be imagined, was a highlight, with only 6 pounds of ort (wasted food) for the entire group of over 80 of us. Our goal for breakfast is 3 pounds, which was set by the students. The evening activity, Active Science, surely captivated their attention and led to a multitude of science concepts learned. 

On Our Way to JOS

We are officially excited and on our way to Journeys Outdoor School. Kids are excited and everything got on the bus (as much as we know). We are ready for a diet-floor learning experience. More posts to come!

The Science of Tie Dye

This week we investigated a little bit with chemistry. We learned all about the science of tie dye, all the way down to the bonding that occurs. Students then got to put the science into practice by dying their own shirt. All aspects of the science were reviewed as we dyed. Students then get to follow directions to rinse out their shirt, which also review the science taking place. We all get to reveal our new masterpieces next Friday at Journeys Outdoor School when all wear them.