April/ May

Exploration:
For the last part of the year, students looked at the use of models in discovery. We read the article, "Everyday Mysteries" highlighting black boxes as the term for systems that are hard to see and explain. Models are tools used to show explanations of these mysterious inner workings. Students also read The Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins and learned how models develop over time and change with new information. Students were then introduced to their own black boxes. They worked to observe these hidden systems and created their own conceptual and physical models to explain what was happening inside the box. Just like scientists don't have a cheat sheet that can be checked at the end of the day, students had to prove or disprove their hypothesis just from comparing models and never actually got to open the box!

After completing the black box investigation, students looked at using the design process in the development of the automobile. Students read the article " Early Autos" to learn the history of their development. They then began the design of their own free rolling go carts that they were able to revise and test for distance. We also did research on "What Makes Things Move?" and tried tweaking our designs to include a self-propelled factor. We celebrated our last day together by competed in a QuizetLive review game to earn first pick at supplies for the edible car challenge.

Math:
For math, we took a look at the Chinese expanded notation system. This system brought us back to the mysterious writing on the Moli Stone that we were finally able to crack! I will certainly miss this wonderful group! I am so proud of all they have accomplished, their love of learning, and the community they have built with each other.

Discovery Place

We had an amazing day at Discovery Place!  Students took an advanced robotics class and programmed their rovers, learned about force and motion in the energetic contraptions lab where they built and competed in a catapult launching contest.  They explored the simple machines, insect, aquarium, and rain forest exhibits, watch Backyard Wilderness in the IMAX dome, and saw an after-hours show about light!  They also made everyone proud with their excellent manners on a long and fun-filled day!

 

March

Exploration:

This month we got to dive in to part two of our exploration unit, Exploring through Problem Solving. We began by looking at the scientific method as a problem solving tool. We went through the steps and conducted a class test to see how many random numbers a third grader could hold in their brain without forgetting. We also experimented to see how many drops of water could fit on a penny. We also read one of my favorite books, Ada Twist: Scientist by Andrea Beaty and used a dancing raisin activity to distinguish between observations and inferences.
Our next topic took us on an investigation of simple machines. We were able to use a student paced Simple Machines Nearpod to brush up on our understanding, take some good notes, and play several online quizzes and activities reinforcing the concepts. As a fun way to show off their learning, groups used information from the previous lesson to complete a lock box break out challenge. Students loved solving puzzles and cracking codes to discover what simple machine had been taken from our classroom!

M^3 (Mentoring Mathematical Minds) Unraveling the Mystery of the Moli Stone:
This month we visited ancient Egypt and its’ number system to look at their use of symbols and lack place value and zero digit. Students decoded, wrote, and even added and subtracted with hieroglyphics.

Critical and Creative Thinking:

I loved seeing students present their inventor and invention projects! I learned a lot and it was a wonderful way to engage and build enthusiasm for our new unit! I was proud to see a lot of our research skills at use and loved the creative products!