‘Tis the Season
Posted by Faith Barbuto
For germs that is! Kindergarteners finished their unit on living and nonliving things by studying the smallest forms of life, microorganisms. This group includes bacteria, germs and viruses. We learned more than we ever wanted to know about healthy bacteria that live all around and on us! Next, we explored how to keep ourselves healthy and germ free. We conducted an experiment to see the most effective way to remove germs from our hands, In this scenario, purple glitter played the part of germs, much less gross and much easier to see. Students predicted what method would work best, some answers were very creative! Then we put each method to the test, seeing if it really did remove germs and prevent germ transfer. We proved once and for all that warm water and soap is the best way to keep your hands clean!
Consumer Challenge Results Are In
Posted by Craig Knebel
We don’t have all the winners of cups, eyeshadow, bath products, batteries and food listed. But students have learned mostly that a bargain is usually not what it appears. The day before projects were due, students tested dish soap brands Ivory, Palmolive and Kirkland’s to see which brand produced the biggest bubbles. Bubbles aid washing by lifting dirt. The method of the test is shown with our 8th graders.
Caribbean Vacation? How about Caribbean Conservation!
Posted by Craig Knebel
Twenty-four 7th and 8th grade students traveled over spring break with Mr. Mitchell, Mr. Knebel and our Spanish teachers, Ms. DeAngelis and Ms. Fernandez, to work and vacation with the Dominican Foundation for Marine Studies or Fundemar in Bayahibe, Dominican Republic. As Ecotourists, our students learned about and worked towards coral reef restoration and marine mammal conservation. As global citizens, our students met community members affected by the loss of the reef and learned how to make crafts and projects to help rid the reef of invasive species. They snorkeled in bleached out and not bleached out reefs to compare the levels of biodiversity – the difference was striking. Other highlights included a cultural exchange with Dominican youth, visiting the six hundred year old first capital of the the Americas and exploring underground limestone aquifers. Oh yes, practicing speaking Spanish, beach time, bargaining in souvenir shops and a whitewater raft trip were also on the itinerary.
Fourth Graders at the Science Fair
Posted by Carlene Gordon
At the onset, the words SCIENCE FAIR may spark feelings of excitement, frenzy, confusion, or even dread. This is a very daunting task we place before our fourth graders. “Choose a scientific topic, construct a central question and a hypothesis, create a demonstration or experiment to prove (or disprove) your hypothesis, research the science behind your topic, write a conclusion and, finally, present your findings to fellow students, teachers, family and friends.”
At Unquowa, fourth grade is the initiation year of our annual Science Fair. We take this task and break it down into steps. Weeks are spent at school and at home preparing students for the big day. As we progress, students gain the confidence of knowing how to approach a large assignment and how to organize their work within a timeline. Excitement and enthusiasm build as our fourth graders develop into knowledgeable scientists in their chosen field of study. The day of the Science Fair this year brought with it our newly polished, confident and accomplished fourth grade scientists. Congratulations to all on a job very well done!
Do You Hear That?
Posted by Lloyd MitchellSixth grade continues to explore robotics! To gain a better understanding of how sound waves travel and are measured, we first used an app for measuring the room’s sound in decibels. We then used our robots to see how various different sounds are measured so that we could understand how to program the robots to successfully follow sound commands. Our initial trial run ended in a robo crash, but trial 2 proved successful! We are about to begin our culminating activity in our robotics unit – students will use their new sensor skills to program the robots to tackle a real world problem with automation. We look forward to seeing the results of our hard work!
Transferring Energy With A Disturbance – A Fun Disturbance For 8th & 2nd Grades
Posted by Craig KnebelThe 8th grade is studying waves in science and learned that the scientific definition of a physical wave is a “disturbance that transfers energy through a medium.” In lab, the 8th graders researched the two main kinds of physical waves: transverse and longitudinal. They were then assigned the task of transferring energy in a slinky down the stairs. The excited disturbance of the 8th graders outside their classroom, led to some cooperative learning with the second grade…and several races!
