Super easy and inexpensive STEM Challenge

 

Super easy STEM Challenge... all you need is colored card stock (regular paper will work also, but it will hold less books), tape,  and books! Create a circular/cylinder, triangular/triangular prism, and square/cuboid column. Have students predict which shape column will hold the most and why. Have students discuss or debate which shape is best and why. Ask them to consider real world applications of columns. What shape columns do they see holding up a bridge or a building? Students could even research real world application use of columns. Primary grades could take a class survey on which shape they think will hold the most. This would also be great to incorporate into a shapes math lesson for 3-D shapes. 

Any the winner was? The cylinder. It held sixteen books. The square held twelve books and the triangular one held eight books. 

Forms of Energy

Yesterday, we started learning about forms of energy. Our district prefers the 5E lesson structure, so I began with "engage". We watched a 'forms of energy' quick video on Brainpop (https://www.brainpop.com/science/). If you have a subscription, Brainpop offers quite a few videos and resources for different forms of energy. If not, StudyJams (http://studyjams.scholastic.com), offers a good variety of short videos and resources for free!


Next, we moved into "explore" by using balloons to make
energy... static electricity!
 
Today, moving into "explain" we learned about three specific forms of energy: sound, heat, and light. We journaled and added energy vocab to our interactive science notebooks and students sorted pictures representing sound, heat, and light energy.

Later, we "extended and elaborated" by making a bracelet with 'special' (solar) beads. We then went outside to see which form of energy made our bracelets change color.  Students were amazed by the 'magic'!

 

Tomorrow, we will be wrapping things up with "evaluate". Students will journal a real world example of energy using newly acquired vocabulary and then we will play "Energy Scoot"!


   

Surviving and Thriving in Second Grade

It has been a busy transition from the science lab to second grade! I have also been busy in my personal life with my daughter in high school marching band and getting my health in order (70 pound loss so far!). I think I have been on auto-pilot for awhile, but something snapped me out of it today. I was in a PLC (professional learning community) today at my school, during my planning period (although there wasn't a lot of learning going on) when I realized that my district was mediocre at best and I had accepted mediocracy in my own classroom! Here was someone from our district (in curriculum) who has at our school to help us become better professionals and she was teaching us how to "cut and paste" from another state's standards website to create "our own" 5E model (another rant!) lesson plans. WHAT? Not only are we micromanaged, but we are taught to "cut and paste"? That doesn't sound like teacher common core 101 to me? Where is the "think for ourselves"? Are we not educated enough to come up with our own? Then, she practically begged us to come up with as many 5E lesson plans (cut and pasting okay) and submit them to the district, so that all teachers could use them. I think maybe, our district might be wasting some dollars on curriculum personnel.
I am going to use this as a lesson to not accept "cut and pasting" and to think for myself and what is best for my students!  

Coming soon... original 5E lesson plans in math and science for second grade! :)

New blog design, new grade!

I have moved from the science lab to second grade! Busy, busy, busy about sums up my summer and school year so far! Moving and packing up a science lab is no easy feat! I am looking forward to second and can't wait to create new stuff for my new grade!

NSTA STEM Forum New Orleans

I am presenting and soooo excited! Earlier in the year, during football season, my colleagues and I were sitting in a professional development class, when we were toying with a new unit per our pd instructor and we got so excited about it, we decided to use it! We had a meeting after school the following week and invited the entire staff... Only a handful showed up, so that handful created an awesome unit and now we are going to New Orleans to present it! If you are going to the conference, stop by to check it out! More information to follow soon...

Need science fair project help?

Do you need help looking for project ideas or you just need a completed project that you can use as a model? I am working on adding completed projects to my TPT store. I just added the first one: "Don't Even Sink About It"! It is about buoyancy and density with soda vs. diet soda. This experiment is more for the 3rd-5th grade groups. Below are pictures of a third grade class doing this experiment. After the experiment we weighed sugar vs. artificial sweetner and the difference amazed even me!

 

Rotation and Revolution

     I have been working the past two weeks on teaching my K and 1 group about rotation and revolution. Last week, we modeled rotation and revolution. First, we spin around and around and say revolution three times, then we switch directions. We do this on the carpet and if anyone feels dizzy, they get to sit down. This activity gets giggles and grins, galore! We also get my globes out and practice rotating them. Next, we all pull a chair out with plenty of space around them and practice revolving (or orbiting) the chair. Finally, I challenge them to rotate and revolve aroung their chair at the same time. In the past, I have had them make a sun to tape to their chair, and an earth (paper plates) hung around them with string, but this year I ran short on time. In first, we also discuss what earth looks like from space. We take a paper plate, fold it in fourths. I tell them to color it blue, however many parts they think the earth has water on and green for the land. They are usually amazed the the earth is 3/4 water. Then, for those that know their address, we travel from space to their house via google earth. This is always a big hit!
   This week, I cut up a black plastic tablecloth and used string to tie a piece around a large round tupperware container. Students get various balls and the tupperware container "our solar system" and have to orbit the smaller balls around a big one that they place in the middle. I saw this activity on a Bill Nye episode years ago and it is easy and fun! I have enough supplies for each table/four students per table. Balls from the dollar tree...I even found suns and mini globes! 

 

What does Rotation mean?

Rotation occurs when something is spinning around an axis.

What are some examples of things that rotate?

Tops, Ballerinas, Figure skaters, cyclones, Tornadoes, a merry-go-round, Earth

What is the difference between rotation and revolution?

Rotation occurs when an object spins around an axis.

Revolution occurs when an object spins around another object.

So Sad...

Last week, I lost my beloved "Big Daddy". Our weather has been fluctuating between cold and hot for the past month and he got pneumonia. I rushed him to the vet when I came in and saw him lethargic, but that afternoon he passed. It has been tragic for me and my kids. :( He is buried in our school butterfly garden and there will be a memorial put there for him.

Mock Trials and Reptiles

We just finished analyzing evidence from our crime scene in 2nd grade. Felix's body disappeared from the crime scene and it is up to us to figure out who did it. So, we had a trial. It was so much fun! I scripted a few pages to get everyone going, but once they started, they didn't want to stop! I have quite a few actors and actresses! If you have never used a "mock trial" in your classroom, you should give it a try. It will really work at any grade. There are tons of resources online for fairy tale "mock trials" to get you started. Then you can pick your topic. Science A to Z has debate/argument questions that would work great for a science topic. In kindergarten, we used our observation skills with superworms and Big Daddy, one of our resident bearded dragons. Next week, we learn about owls and check out an owl pellet. Ewwww!

 

Gingerbread on the loose!

Our first graders are solving mysteries through a gingerbread man theme. Since my kids love all things detective,  I found a gingerbread girl I could use to create mysteries all over campus. We have a "crime scene" board with clues and suspects, but as it turns out "Gingy" is acting on her own and is loose on campus. We have tracked fingerprints and footprints so far. We "installed" a surveillance camera over the weekend and caught Gingy doing all kinds of things. She even has her own Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Have-you-seen-Gingy/1393241127573457?ref=hl

Science Lab Update

We are having fun, fun, fun in the lab right now! Last week, we began with lab rules and basic science process skills, mainly, observation and prediction. This morning, with my first graders, we worked on classifying. I used Rachel Lamb's (The Tattoed Teacher) "Stinky Feet"   http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/stinky-feet-science-use-shoes-to-learn-how-to-classify-freebie-317874. I love her stuff! I also use her matter unit and mealworm unit (my favorite unit of the year!).

 

     In kindergarten, we are "Wildlife Biologists" learning about our senses through science.

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Mysteries-of-the-Wild-exploring-the-senses-and-nature-of-science-293335

     In second grade, we are "Forensic Scientists" solving GEMS Mystery Festival, "Case of the Missing Millionaire."

Where did summer go?

Summer is over, it happened so fast! I have been missing from blogland for a little while...life happened. Now, I am back, ready for an exciting year of science and STEM! I did do a little science field work this summer... I was fortunate enought to spend some time with the Coastal Wildlife Club and learn all about sea turtles! It was an amazing experience! I was able to see both loggerhead and green turtle nests.

 

4 Chicks and a Sale!

    We have four baby chicks! My hatching rate was not so hot this year. Last years was much better...in the 90 percent range. This year we only had 4 out of 17 hatch, but they are adorable! Teachers and students alike come by often to visit and hold the chicks. I love spring with all of the babies. We have kittens at home, also. Please check out my farm unit for more agriculture fun and activities.

 http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Farm-Fun-Learning-on-the-mooove





Also, BIG SALE on Teachers Pay Teachers this week!

 

 

Farm Fun!

Kindergarten students are learning all about farm life, where are food comes from, and all things agriculture! We have chicks in the incubator and we have been checking on their progress with our ovascope. Everyone had fun doing our egg dissection lab: http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Egg-Dissection-primary.
You can download our lab sheets for free at my TPT store. Also check out our farm unit:
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Farm-Fun-Learning-on-the-mooove

 

 

Chess

    Consider adding chess into your students' day. Chess can help develop memory, improve concentration, promote logical thinking, and promote imagination/creativity. Did you know that chess is part of the daily academic curriculum in thirty countries? More information about chess in schools around the world: http://cis.fide.com/. 

 

                                                                                                              

                                                                 
     One of the essential goals of education is to teach children to think critically: students must learn to make reasoned judgments. Chess is an excellent tool to demonstrate the theme of critical thinking. During a game a player must formulate a plan of attack or defense. 

      Chess is an excellent tool to teach problem solving skills to all levels of students especially in the formative primary years. Instructional gaming is one of the most motivational tools in the good teacher's toolbox.  Children love games. Chess motivates them to become willing problem solvers and spend hours quietly immersed in logical thinking. These same young students often cannot sit still for fifteen minutes in the traditional classroom. 

For more research and statistics on the benefits of chess in education: 
http://www.psmcd.net/otherfiles/BenefitsOfChessInEdScreen2.pdf

Motion, Marble Runs, and More...

     For physical science, nothing is more fun than marble runs! In kindergarten, I have premade plastic marble run tracks that students can put together to build their own design. This can provide hours of purposeful play. Students are engaged in the inquiry process and are able to apply what they've learned about force and motion to a real situation. It also helps the younger students with eye-hand coordination and hand dexterity. In first grade, their theme during this particular unit is based on the "If You Give a _______, a _________". We write our own story about one of our lab critters, "If You Give a Reptile a Rollercoaster." And we build an amazing marble run/roller coaster. I premake tracks and turns out of cardstock and they design their own rollercoaster in teams. For 2nd grade, their theme is based around Mercy Watson books and we write our own Mercy story about her wanting to go to an amusement park. We then create, design, and build our own rollercoasters out of cardstock. If you are in need of a great marble run template set, check out http://www.paperrollercoasters.com/products.htm. There are multiple you tube how-to videos for these templates.

For the giveaway... Check out my blogger friend's birthday giveaway:

Join Antonia's B-day Bash and Giveaway Celebration in honor of 200 blog followers! 

The Nature of Science

        I always start off the year with the nature of science, but you can teach it anytime of the school year. The students need to learn how scientists use specific skills and processes to explore their curiosities. The first skill we learn is observation. A great easy activity for observation is to line up your class in two rows facing each other. Have them turn around facing away and change one small thing about their appearance (a button, shoelace, hairbow, collar up, etc.), have them turn back around and guess what is different. Shuffle the line and repeat. You can also have the principal or another teacher stop by for something random. Have them leave, change one thing about their appearance and stop back by in five minutes. Have everyone write down what changed and turn it in. Give the winner a prize.

    Another important skill is working together and collaboration. I usually give them a challenge investigation to solve while learning how to work as a team. Something that is engaging and requires the use of inquiry skills is "The Bridge." Tell them that they will be engineers for the day and build a structure that must hold weight. A great picture book to introduce the lesson is "Iggy Peck the Architect". 

Next, give each group one notecard and a bunch of blocks the same size. The rules are that they have to keep two blocks as far apart as possible (under the outside edges of the notecard) and stack as many blocks as they can on the structure. The team with the most blocks on their structure wins. They are allowed to make one modification. Now the fun begins. They will try it all. I have seen it all! Don't tell them the answer! You can guide them, but it is important that they figure it out. The best way to build the structure is to make your one modification, folding the notecard accordian style.  A triangle shape is the strongest! This activity can cover a range of grades. Keep it basic for primary and for the older grades, add in some tools like the digital scale and level. You can also add the design process or the scientific process.

                                     

 

      I hope I have given you some ideas on how to incorporate simple activities that promote scientific inquiry. 

Moon Craters

   In my kindergarten classes, we have been talking about the night sky and last week, we focused on the moon. How long does it take for the moon to orbit the earth and long does it take for the moon to go through all of its phases (29.5 days)? What are the phases? What does the surface of the moon look like? etc.

   First, we used Google Earth and Google Sky to explore the moon. We learned that the moon has mountains and craters caused by different sized asteroids. Brave teacher that I am, we decided to recreate the moon's surface using flour and cocoa powder (for color). First, I let them do it inside. Each group had a round container with "moon dust" and a selection of different size "asteroids" (balls). They were instructed to drop different sized asteroids from different heights to see how this affected the size of the craters. I have since created a lab sheet for this activity which will be posted in my TPT store. After a lot of fun and a huge mess, we moved outside! :)