Pollination Lab 10/14/13

Parts of the Plant 9/30/13

Today in class we added 2 pages to our Science notebooks. We labeled the four basic parts of a plant, and we also learned important facts about the leaves and the stem.

Vertebrates and Invertebrates

Thursday and Friday we learned about vertebrates and invertebrates. Today the students added a notebook page to their Science notebook. We defined vertebrates and invertebrates, and we drew 2 examples of each. This was our daily grade for the week. I loved these girls’ work!! I have included the link if anyone is interested.  You can find the handout here.

Save Fred — 9/4/13

Today was a fun lab!! Students worked in groups to Save Fred using the Scientific Method. Fred, a gummy worm, has spent his summer boating at Bear Creek Lake. He is not very responsible though — he doesn’t know how to swim, and he forgets to wear his life jacket. The worst thing has happened — Fred has capsized his boat, and his life jacket is trapped underneath the boat. If he tries to retrieve it, he could fall into the water and drown. Each lab group was given Fred (a gummy worm), a life preserver (gummy worm), a plastic cup (a boat), and four paper clips. Without using their hands, students had to use the paper clips to rescue Fred by placing the life preserver on him. I’m very happy to announce — all Fred’s were saved today by our 4th graders!! Check below for pics of the first groups to save Fred!!

Save Fred — 5th Period

First group to Save Fred in 5th!!

Save Fred – 6th Period

First group to save Fred in 6th period!!!

Lab #1 — Coin Lab

Today we had our first Science Lab!! We worked in lab groups to see how many drops of water a coin could hold.  Our purpose was to see how changes in procedures (holding eyedropper close, farther away, dropping water slowly or fast) could change our results. I saw lots of good team work going on!! Next Wednesday, we will have another lab — Save Fred!!

Lab Safety Day

Today in Science we discussed the importance of lab safety. We put a lab contract in each child’s Science notebook, and parents are to sign it tonight. After our lab safety lesson, students used their knowledge to make an acrostic poem about safety knowledge. As I walked around the room looking at all of the great work, I was amazed at this little scientist’s work .. I loved it!!! We’re coming up on our first Science Lab on Thursday!! I’m not sure who’s more excited — the kids or me?!

First day of Science Notebooks

Today we completed the first page of our Science notebook. This was a title page for our book, and I was impressed at how hard the kids worked on their drawings. As they were working, I walked around the room and taped their notebook guidelines into the front of their notebooks. Tomorrow we are beginning our Inquiry unit!!! The picture I posted is a title page I snapped as one of my students was creating it!!!