Science Kickoff Challenge

For science this week we focused on what good observations look like when recorded down in a lab book. To help teach this, we focused on making observations of simple sticks. Each child had a stick that looked very similar (almost the same) as all the other students' sticks. The lesson focused on drawing multiple perspectives, drawing to scale/not scale, making accurate measurements in the metric system and what 7.2 cm looks like, weighing to the hundredth of a gram, adding detail in shading or color, labeling unique marks, labeling units in measurements, and more. After recording down all their observations, the sticks were collected and then each child had to scientifically prove which stick was theirs, using their notes. This was done quite quickly. The larger challenge came when we learned the importance of an organized, legible lab book when they had to switch lab books and use another's notes to find that student's stick.