The first 6-day cycle is over and we are into the second. During all the classes, we set the foundation for expectations in the classroom by discussing our rules and taking a "tour" of the classroom to see all the great gadgets we would be using this school year. Each class ended with creating Elephant Toothpaste. Below is a video showing a couple of classes reactions. My objective was to hook the students with something great to set the stage for the upcoming school year. Now that I am into my second cycle, I am thinking I might have set the bar too high! :-) Each class is expecting another "explosion" and they keep asking when we will be doing science! My K and 1st graders are learning about germs and how they spread though some real hands-on activities. The 2nd graders are learning about our hearts and how to maintain a healthy heart through exercise. They will be Personal Trainers and design an exercise regiment that will get their heart rates up. Meanwhile, the 3rd and 4th graders are becoming Nutritionists and are learning about food labels, testing for sugars using Benedicts solution and testing for fats using an Emulsifying test. As you can see, they are immersed in everyday science and they don't even realize it! I think that might be my biggest accomplishment. If they go home and try something or talk about what they learned, then my job here is complete!
| This was a video I took during some of the classes using the GoPro camera that I obtained through an MC3 grant. The GoPro really makes everything look so much better! |