Houses with Kinder and 1st grade

For this unit, we pretended we were architects and city planners.  The students learned the difference between urban, suburban, and rural ways of life.  They discussed how your lifestyle would change based on the type of house you lived in and how your environment impacts this.  We discussed why houses are built out of different materials depending on the temperature outside and the types of things that are available in the community.  The students chose the type of house that they wanted to build and we talked about stability and sustainability.  They drew out their plans for their houses and got into groups to figure out how to best build their homes.  Then it was the magical building days!  We used things from the recycling bin to build our homes.  After the students were sure their homes were stable, we were ready for the big test against earthquake and tornado!  For the earthquake we tested our homes on a pan of jello.  The tornado test was against a strong fan.  This coincided with a real life tornado warning in the area so the learning was real and relevant!  Here are some photos of the process from plan to build to testing.  

Ms. Adams

2nd grade - marshmallow challenge

Second graders were tasked with building the tallest structure they could using one cup of marshmallows and 50 toothpicks.  They used the engineering design process to complete this project.  They brainstormed ideas; wrote plans; gathered in groups to discuss the merits of each plan; picked their best idea as a group; and then built (and re-built) until it was right.  We had melted marshmallows one day due to unseasonably high temperatures which made it even more challenging (and not on purpose!).  We had to rebuild from that disappointment.  We decided that weather happens and you can't predict everything.  We learned to make the most of it and sometimes just start all over.  In the end each group presented their final project and explained how the process went.  One student pointed out that you can't always tell from the finished project all of the interesting things that happen during the build.  I think that's an excellent metaphor for life in general.  Sometimes the path is more important than the destination.  I'm super proud of these second graders discussing such mature concepts.  Who knew what marshmallows and toothpicks could bring to a class discussion??  :)

Ms. Adams

Oobleck: the ooey gooey polymer!

It's that time of year again!  The time when Halloween costumes come out and so does the goo in STEAM class.  We experiment with states of matter and combine ingredients to make oobleck.  Here's a link to the recipe if you want to try it at home.  

It's messy and wonderful.  When the "magic liquid" ingredient gets added, their faces are priceless to see.  Enjoy the photos :)