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Mystery Powders

Students in grades 3 – 5 took part in a chemistry unit titled, Mystery Powders. They had to observe and learn about the chemical and physical characteristics of white powders (cornstarch, baking soda and plaster of paris) in order to solve (infer) a “Who-did -it” mystery. Students were told that there had been a robbery Read More >>

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Atoms and Molecules

This semester the 6th, 7th, and 8th graders spent 5 weeks learning basic chemistry! We started with the structure of the atom and decoding the information in the periodic table of elements, atomic numbers, atomic masses, etc. We then discussed the importance of electrons and covalent bonds. We started drawing simple organic and inorganic molecules Read More >>

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Magnets

Over the last few months, all of the kindergarten and first graders have been in a magnet class during Investigations that was a total of five classes. The groups were split up into two groups and they met about once a week. This class was incredibly fun for them because they all love magnets and Read More >>

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Magnets

Over the last few months, all of the kindergarten and first graders have been in a magnet class during Investigations that was a total of five classes. The groups were split up into two groups and they met about once a week. This class was incredibly fun for them because they all love magnets and Read More >>

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Bugscopters

This fascinating investigation was created by Larry Schafer, the amazing science educator at Syracuse University. It starts with a box wrapped up as a gift. In the box is a letter from Bugso, challenging the class to become scientists and discover as much as they can about the Bugsocopter. After experimenting with the Bugsocopters, children Read More >>

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Electricity

Over the past few months the students have been learning about electricity. This is a very exciting topic for the students because electricity means a lot of activities and experiments! We learned how to light up a lightbulb only using a battery, lightbulb and two wires and that it makes a complete circuit which the Read More >>

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Density and Viscosity

Density and Viscosity This fall, the three seventh graders have been exploring the similarities and differences between density and viscosity. We started by defining the terms: demonstrate, model, interpret, density, viscosity and environment and then watched a video on determining the different densities of oil, water and syrup. Students asked ten questions of the video, Read More >>

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Solar System

Students participated in a Solar system unit where we talked about the name of the planets, their size, their distance from the sun, the moon phases, and constellations. The first-class students listened to a book about the planets and began drawing and coloring in the planet they were designated. I then turned each child’s planet Read More >>

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Animal Classification

When Animal class began again in January of this year, we started with a book called The Butterfly and the Lamb. As is often the case, while the book seems very simple it is addressing an important issue: the difference between animals who need to be nutured for some portion of their lifespan and those Read More >>

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Life

by Paul OttesonSecond semester science teacher for 7th and 8th grades  Biology has been this year’s science focus for the older students, using the curriculum suggested by the Science Education for Public Understanding Program (SEPUP). It was my pleasure to join the teaching team for the second part of the year to take on Genetics, Read More >>