Healthy Foods From Healthy Soils April 8 - May 13, 2013
Every year our entire third grade class participates in this unit. It involves learning about plants, plant cycles, recycling, composting, soils, and trees. The first part of the unit involves classes at school, indoors and out. It will be taught by myself, Mr. McKibben, and Mrs. Boucher. The most fun part, however, and the most experiential part is when we all go to farm school!
For a week, students pack into our school buses and we head to Wolfe's Neck Farm in Freeport to spend each day with farm staff. Children learn about life cycles, animal cycles, growing cycles, different ecosystems, foor webs and so much more. The highlight for everyone of course is the animals. Everyone will help care for the different animals and do the farm chores for the day. We'll also include journal writing. Stay tuned for more.
Saturday, April 6, 2013
Sunday, March 17, 2013
The Microscopic World
The Microscopic World March 18 - April 4, 201
To begin this unit, students discovered some unusual ways to magnify tiny objects. They experimented with different transparent objects with different shapes to see if they would magnify-- cubes, cylinders, jars of water, prisms, even a water drop. Then they took a close look at common objects to uncover a few until now unseen parts. Students got out hand lenses and practiced drawing exactly what they saw. Not an easy task! Discussion about about just what the difference is between an observation, an opinion, and an inference helped when it came time for them to write clear descriptions of what they were looking at through the lens.
Our compound microscopes then were used to learn about different kinds of cells, bacteria, and other living microscopic organisms. What are these microbes, where are they, and what do they do? Everyone saw some of the differences between plant (onion) and animal (their own inner cheek) cells. Students learned to make wet and dry mount microscope slides to observe living and non-living specimen.
By peering down the microscope, students even were be able to help solve a crime! Given several suspects and the incriminating evidence, the class determined who the culprit was in the 'famous' Coin of Uniti heist.
To end the unit, a visitor from Midcoast Hospital's Community Health came to the class to discuss what germs are and how we spread them to ourselves and others.
To begin this unit, students discovered some unusual ways to magnify tiny objects. They experimented with different transparent objects with different shapes to see if they would magnify-- cubes, cylinders, jars of water, prisms, even a water drop. Then they took a close look at common objects to uncover a few until now unseen parts. Students got out hand lenses and practiced drawing exactly what they saw. Not an easy task! Discussion about about just what the difference is between an observation, an opinion, and an inference helped when it came time for them to write clear descriptions of what they were looking at through the lens.
Our compound microscopes then were used to learn about different kinds of cells, bacteria, and other living microscopic organisms. What are these microbes, where are they, and what do they do? Everyone saw some of the differences between plant (onion) and animal (their own inner cheek) cells. Students learned to make wet and dry mount microscope slides to observe living and non-living specimen.
By peering down the microscope, students even were be able to help solve a crime! Given several suspects and the incriminating evidence, the class determined who the culprit was in the 'famous' Coin of Uniti heist.
To end the unit, a visitor from Midcoast Hospital's Community Health came to the class to discuss what germs are and how we spread them to ourselves and others.
Sunday, February 17, 2013
Crystals, Rocks and Minerals
Crystals, Rocks and Minerals February 12 - March 14, 2013
The rock hounds in this unit learned all about what makes a rock and how they can be formed.
They studied the inside of the earth and the changes deep within that create different minerals, crystals and rocks.
They also learned about the rock cycle, and about the properties of rocks to help identify them.
They even got to "grow" their own crystals.
A guest speaker, Mr. Ritchie, who is an amazing rock enthusiast, was invited to class to discuss his own rock collection and how he became a rock hound.
He inspired students to start collecting their own specimen too. And he invited everyone to the soon-to-open rock and mineral museum in Bethel, Maine, of which he is a board member. Thank you, Mr. Ritchie!
The rock hounds in this unit learned all about what makes a rock and how they can be formed.
They studied the inside of the earth and the changes deep within that create different minerals, crystals and rocks.They also learned about the rock cycle, and about the properties of rocks to help identify them.
They even got to "grow" their own crystals.
A guest speaker, Mr. Ritchie, who is an amazing rock enthusiast, was invited to class to discuss his own rock collection and how he became a rock hound.
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| Parent of student assists our visitor. |
He inspired students to start collecting their own specimen too. And he invited everyone to the soon-to-open rock and mineral museum in Bethel, Maine, of which he is a board member. Thank you, Mr. Ritchie!
Saturday, December 29, 2012
Design and Build January 2 - February 7, 2013
Design and Build January 2 - February 7, 2013
Back by popular demand, students once again participated in this challenging and fun engineering science unit. By drawing blueprints with different views and using metric scale and measurement, students designed and built several structures.
They used hand tools and basswood to first learn how to make strong, square corners and angled joints to build a model catapult.
With their models, they then chose a variable to test to see how far the catapult would fling an object. Using the engineering and technology aspect of the STEM model of science learning, students observed in their models the effect of differing weights being flung with no change in force. Much discussion about mass, force, momentum, gravity and acceleration ensued around the use of the catapults.
After this, students used all that they learned to design and construct their own moving vehicle, which also was tested and refined.
Each group of two students designed and built a unique vehicle that moved without human power.
Some cars used wind power, some used motors, some used rubber band/propeller power, others used gravity down a ramp. Everyone's vehicle passed the challenge -- to travel a distance of three meters.
Celebrating Science Afternoon was an exhibit in the Soule Program that concluded this month of work in this class and in all of the other Soule Program classes, even the art class!
Students shared what was learned in each class during the past month and prepared activities to highlight their learning and to allow parents and students to participate. Besides the Design and Build class, other science displayed at the fair included a class about Sound, a class about Sink and Float, and a class about the physical and chemical properties of clay and glazes.
Back by popular demand, students once again participated in this challenging and fun engineering science unit. By drawing blueprints with different views and using metric scale and measurement, students designed and built several structures. They used hand tools and basswood to first learn how to make strong, square corners and angled joints to build a model catapult.
With their models, they then chose a variable to test to see how far the catapult would fling an object. Using the engineering and technology aspect of the STEM model of science learning, students observed in their models the effect of differing weights being flung with no change in force. Much discussion about mass, force, momentum, gravity and acceleration ensued around the use of the catapults.
After this, students used all that they learned to design and construct their own moving vehicle, which also was tested and refined.
Some cars used wind power, some used motors, some used rubber band/propeller power, others used gravity down a ramp. Everyone's vehicle passed the challenge -- to travel a distance of three meters.
Celebrating Science Afternoon was an exhibit in the Soule Program that concluded this month of work in this class and in all of the other Soule Program classes, even the art class!
Students shared what was learned in each class during the past month and prepared activities to highlight their learning and to allow parents and students to participate. Besides the Design and Build class, other science displayed at the fair included a class about Sound, a class about Sink and Float, and a class about the physical and chemical properties of clay and glazes.
Sunday, December 9, 2012
Optics: The Study of Light December 4 - 20, 2012
Have you ever been in a completely dark room? Students attempted to block out all light from their classroom.
During this short unit, students learned about the beauty and fascinating behavior of light.
To begin, students learned about what light is, how it travels, and how we see. Then the class set up several light boxes to explore and experiment with using white light and colored light.
Prisms, mirrors, shadow probe sticks, protractors, and rulers were more tools that they used to help students understand how light beams bend, spread out and blend together.
Another challenge: making white light from colored light!
Have you ever created a multicolored shadow? We did!
Have you ever been in a completely dark room? Students attempted to block out all light from their classroom.
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| Refraction! |
To begin, students learned about what light is, how it travels, and how we see. Then the class set up several light boxes to explore and experiment with using white light and colored light.
Groups around light boxes were challenged to use their mirrors, protractors, rulers, etc. to send one light beam completely around the four sides of the light box.
Prisms, mirrors, shadow probe sticks, protractors, and rulers were more tools that they used to help students understand how light beams bend, spread out and blend together.
Another challenge: making white light from colored light!
Have you ever created a multicolored shadow? We did!
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Magnetism and Electricity October 29 - November 30, 2012
Using magnets, wires, bulbs and batteries, and the science process, students investigated the basic principles of magnetism and electricity.
Everyone participated in an experiment to determine the strength of magnetic force when additional magnets were added onto a stack of magnets.
Students also learned about electromagnetism, and experimented with the effect that the number of wire coils around a nail would have on its magnetic strength.
They then learned about circuits and how a battery and bulb work.
Finally, they were challenged to create their own working flashlight using their knowledge of electrical energy and circuitry.
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Central Maine Power's Mr. Brad Kaherl also joined us for a presentation to the entire Soule Program on electrical safety.
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