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The Seed Within

In this science class, the students read a book called “A Suitcase for Seeds.” The students were asked to make predictions about what they thought the seeds would look like, where they were located and how many there were. The students then got to analyze different fruits. We predicted what the inside of every fruit Read More >>

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Lego Class

In Lego class 2nd and 3rd graders have been learning about simple and powered machines using hands-on activities. They investigated structures and forces, incorporating both rigid and flexible shapes in building deck chairs and drawbridges. Applying principles they learned about levers, they made drumming machines. Attaching a motor provided more opportunities to explore. For example, Read More >>

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Salt Water Biome – the Ocean

Students in grades 1, 2 and 3 were part of a unit that recently studied the ocean. Students working with a partner explored the characteristics of a specific layer of the ocean. They researched and wrote a short paragraph describing their assigned layer and the animals that inhabit it. Students selected and illustrated two animals from Read More >>

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Paper Airplanes

How do airplanes fly? That is a question that our younger students (K-1) explored during Investigations by making paper airplanes and testing them. First they made the classic Dart. They tested it to see how far, how high, and how straight it could fly. Then they made a second airplane, the Lock-bottom, a variation of Read More >>

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Forensic Science

Students in grades 3, 4 and 5, used what they learned earlier about physical and chemical changes, and their powers of observation to identify a mystery white powder. Over a period of three weeks students examined and tested 8 different white powders. They had to keep meticulous notes on their observations. Each white powder was Read More >>

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Sink or Float?

Students in Kindergarten through Second Grade participated in a class where they explored items that would sink or float.  As scientists, they first made predictions on six different items and then tested them out one by one, recording their results as they went.  As each group tried out their items, there were a few surprises – Read More >>

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The Microscopic World

                     In December 2016, Students in grades 6 & 7 began a unit on exploring microscopes and discovering things too small to see with our eyes.  We started this unit by reading about Antonie van Leeuwenhoek and then creating our own “microscopes” with glass bottles and Read More >>

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Chemistry 101

What is matter? What are the three states of matter? How do atoms behave differently in solids, liquids and gases? Students in grades 3, 4 and 5 love this hands on chemistry class. As they learned about matter, they explored the physical characteristics of matter, and the three states of matter. Now we were ready to look at Read More >>

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Ramps

 During Investigations the youngest children at our school explored inclined planes using ramps. They rolled marbles down ramps and measured the distances each marble rolled. They varied the slope of the inclined plane, predicting which height would cause the marble to roll further and explaining why. First they used a height of 6 wooden blocks, Read More >>

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Experimental Design

At the end of last year, we started a unit on Experimental Design.  Students had to “save fred” a gummy worm from drowning by only using paperclips.  Students had to write down their procedure and then have another group try and follow it word for word.  After a few attempts and notes from peers, students Read More >>