Soil Observations

In science this week we are learning about the different types of soils, their properties, and how they are used. To compare and contrast the different types of soils, the students examined samples with three of their senses: by looking, touching, and smelling. They then recorded their observations on a grid that included what color the soil is, what it smells like, how if feels, what can be found in it, and what you could use it for.

Magnetic or Not Magnetic?

Last week the students went to the science lab to discover which items were magnetic and which were not. Thank you to my co-teacher, Mrs. Timms, for being so flexible and taking my class to the lab when I was out. The students then went back to class and illustrated objects that were magnetic and items that were not magnetic.

Light Energy Lab

Last week we visited the science lab to learn about light energy. The students explored with various types of light including lamps, flashlights, and poplights. We also read about and looked at pictures of various uses of light such as fireworks.

Earth Day Lesson: Earthworm Towers

Today we had an early Earth Day lesson with our literacy strategist, Mrs. Reed. Mrs. Reed teaches our first graders all about gardening throughout the year. Today's lesson was focused on the world's best recyclers - earthworms. We first learned about vermiposting from Vermi the Worm through videos and interactive games on the Promethean Board in the science lab. Your students can visit Vermi the Worm at his website to learn more about composting. The students then observed a compost bin filled with soil, shredded newspaper, and potato peels. Mrs. Reed then helped the students build a worm tower. The students added soil, shredded newspaper, water, and lettuce leaves to the top half of a 2-liter coke bottle. They then added earthworms to the mixture. The top half was then placed with the spout down onto the bottom half of the 2-liter coke bottle. Then they filled the bottom of another bottle with soil and planted lettuce seeds in it to grow on top of the worm tower. The students will continue to take care of the earthworm tower by feeding the earthworms and making sure they have plenty of moisture which they need to breathe. They will also observe to see if the lettuce grows and what drainage comes from the compost. Eventually the worms will be added to our grade-level garden. Our potatoes and onions that we planted a while back are almost ready!

All Soiled Up

We have been comparing and experimenting with soil this week. As a part of our study we did an experiment to see what different types of soil look like when they are dry and when they are wet. We examined sandy soil, planting soil, and clay soil. We then did an experiment to see how absorbant each type of soil was by counting how many sprays of water from a water bottle it would take to completely saturate each type of soil.

Magnets

This week we went into the science lab to experiment with magnets. We read the book What Makes a Magnet? by Franklyn M. Branley. The students first made predictions about which objects were magnetic and then went "fishing" with magnet wands to test their predictions. The students discovered that the magnetic objects all had something in common: they were made of metal - more specifically, they were made of iron. Click below to check out a few pictures from the lab. The slideshow is interactive so you can move the pictures.

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We Rock!

December has been a busy month for us all so I am a little behind on my posts. A few weeks ago we visited the science lab to experiment with the properties of rocks. We found the mass and circumference of our rock, observed their colors when wet and dry, if they sink or float, and if they can be scratched by various objects. We also explored different types of soil by smelling, touching, and observing sand, clay, and loam. Enjoy a quick slideshow of our lab experience.

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Exploring Plants

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