Simple Machines

We have had a great time learning about simple machines!  The students participated in stations today to test out the amount of force needed to move a load.  They used levers, pulleys, wheels and axles, and inclined planes.  They are getting good practice using the spring scales and measuring in Newtons. 

The students will be taking the data they collected to help them plan and engineer their designs for a subsytem.  Their task is to move a "sack of potatoes" a certain distance and then lift it onto a table.  Stay tuned to see what they create!

Using QR Codes

It seems that everywhere we look these days, there are QR codes!  These small codes can link you to a website, text, video, and more.  We had fun using them, and our itouches, in science last week! 

The students read clues about science tools and made a prediction as to what the names were.  After they predicted, they used the QR code reader app, NeoReader, to scan the codes on the actual science tools.  They could then self-assess and write the actual names of the science tools in their journals.  This was a fun, interactive way to learn the names of several of the tools we will use this year. 

Parents:  NeoReader is a great FREE QR Code Reader to download if you do not already have one.

Students:  Leave a comment! 

Did you like using the itouches to scan the codes?  Where else have you seen QR codes at home? 

Waft to Whiff!

We had fun putting our science safety skill of wafting into practice today!  The kids smelled 10 different scents from film canisters.  They made predictions about what the scents were, and then I revealed the answers.  They did a great job, and some of them got a lot of the answers correct!  The easiest ones for them to guess was cinnamon and peppermint.  The one that got the most frowns and squinty eyes was definitely the garlic! :)