Physical Properties

In science we have been learning about how to sort objects according to their physical properties: size, shape, color, and texture. We visited the science lab to first discuss safety rules and then practiced sorting according to properties. We read the book Officer Buckle and Gloria to help us brainstorm ways to stay safe in the science lab. The students then rotated through stations to sort. Watch the quick slideshow below to see different ways the students sorted their objects. The students used their knowledge to create properties Bubble Maps about various objects.

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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!

Oceans in a Bottle

As a part of our study of the ocean, the students created their own "ocean in a bottle." The purpose of the science experiment is to teach the children that oil and water do not mix. It is also a great representation of the zones of the ocean. The students first poured sand into the bottom of their bottle. They then poured in a cup of vegetable oil. After pouring in the oil, they filled the bottle with water. They immediately noticed that the oil rose to the top and would not mix with the water. After adding a few drops of blue food coloring, the students sealed their bottles and turned it to the side to make waves. We discussed how the weight of the oils pushes down on the water. Because the food coloring does not mix well with the oil, it stays a lighter shade and the water stays darker. This led us into a discussion of why it is darker in the deeper parts of the ocean and lighter closer to the surface. They used great inferencing skills to determine that the surface is lighter because it is closer to the sun.

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Rocking Away!

Today we went to the science lab with Ms. Goolsbay's class. to experiment with rocks. The students learned various properties of rocks by testing if the rocks sink or float, what will scratch them, and if they are magnetic. They also observed what colors the rocks are when they are dry and when they are wet. The students measured the circumference and mass of their rock as well. As an introduction to next weeks' science lessons over soil, the students examined sand with microscopes which we learned is actually small rocks and dirt particles. Below is a slideshow of our adventures in the lab.

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Thank you to Ms. Pollard, my teammate and fellow blogger, for setting up the lab for us today. We had so much fun!

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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"Eggs"perimenting with Teeth

Yesterday we made predictions about what we thought would stain teeth by soaking eggs in three liquids: water, grape juice, and soda. The students journaled about their predictions and today in the science lab we tested our predictions. We found that the soda and grape juice stain the eggshell but the water did not. The students concluded that the water was the best thing for their teeth. In the lab today the students also explored several different tooth-related stations. At one station they were able to see what would clean a grape-juice stained tile the best: store-bought toothpaste or homemade baking soda toothpaste. The students got to make their own toothpaste as a class. At another station they practiced flossing properly with an egg carton and yarn. To practice the correct brushing motion, the students colored cavities on laminated teeth and then used an eraser to "brush" away the cavity. At another station, they explored the pressure teeth has on food by using pliers and scissors on pretzels. At another station, they drew themselves with healthy smiles and wrote sentences explaining how to keep them healthy. They also had a chance to read all about teeth. Enjoy a slideshow of their explorations and experiments.

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