What's the Matter?

The students have been learning about solids, liquids, and gases. They have participated in hands-on investigations about each one to learn about the characteristics of each.

How do we know that gases take up space?

Engineering Unit

The students have been working through the steps of the engineering design process for the past couple of weeks.  (Imagine, Plan, Design, Improve, Share)  We have been studying industrial engineering.  Their task was to design a subysystem for a potato chip factory to move a load a certain distance across the floor and then up to the table.  They had to think about the amount of fore it would take as well as the ergonomics.  They did a GREAT job being creative and using the data they collected when testing the simple machines to help them create their plans. 

Watch our animoto below to see the students in action!

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! :)

The Invisible Fire Extinguisher

We had a lot of fun with the Invisible Fire Extinguisher demonstration today!  The students did a great job observing the science safety rules Mrs. Hansen and I followed while we did the demonstration. 

Students:  What science safety rules were important for us to follow today? 

Leave a comment, but remember not to use your last name!

 (You can write 3A student # _____ or 3B student # _____.)