Week of March 3 - 7

Here's what we did in the Science Lab this week:

• Kindergarten and 4th grade: We finished our last lessons of StarLab.
• 1st grade: I didn't get to see my first grade friends for a science lesson this week because of Dragon Day, but I'm excited to learn about the parts of plants after Spring Break!
• 2nd grade: We discussed the water cycle and started an experiment regarding evaporation. Your student will monitor the experiment for the next week with his/her homeroom teacher.
• 3rd grade: We made and experimented with foam flyers.

Upcoming Events:

• March 27: Our amazing PTO funded our first ever "Family Science Night." FSN is hosted by the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History. The museum will have various science stations -- including a StarLab -- available for students to explore between 6-8 pm. All families that attend will receive 2 adult passes and 2 child passes to enter the museum for free. In addition, the Fort Worth Astronomical Society will set up giant telescopes in the playground area, starting at 6:30. Mark it on your calendar -- it will be a fun night! Find out more about it by clicking HERE.

Have a fun (and safe!) Spring Break!

Week of February 24 - 28

StarLab is in full swing! The planetarium will be in the OUES Science Lab until March 4th. During that time, please make sure your student wears socks on his/her Science Lab day. Younger students may wish to wear slip on or Velcro shoes, as we have to take our shoes off before we get into the tent.

Upcoming Events:

• March 27: Our wonderful PTO funded our first ever "Family Science Night." FSN is hosted by the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History. The museum will have various science stations -- including a StarLab -- available for students to explore between 6-8 pm. All families that attend will receive 2 adult passes and 2 child passes to enter the museum for free. In addition, the Fort Worth Astronomical Society will set up giant telescopes in the playground area, starting at 6:30. Mark it on your calendar -- it will be a fun night!

Week of February 17 - 21

Here's what we did in the Science Lab this week:

• Kindergarten: We learned how different objects (and people) can move.
• 1st-3rd grade: We went through our first week of StarLab. We got to see the "real" night sky and several constellations there, and then we moved to the "dot to dot" pictures and heard some star stories.
• 4th grade: We made electroscopes. Ask your 4th grader to show you how it works.  

Upcoming Events:

• March 27: Our amazing PTO funded our first ever "Family Science Night." FSN is hosted by the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History. The museum will have various science stations -- including a StarLab -- available for students to explore between 6-8 pm. All families that attend will receive 2 adult passes and 2 child passes to enter the museum for free. In addition, the Fort Worth Astronomical Society will set up giant telescopes in the playground area, starting at 6:30. Mark it on your calendar -- it will be a fun night! 

Week of February 4 - 8

This was our last week in StarLab for 2013, and I think it's safe to say that everyone had a great time! StarLab is so much fun and a great learning opportunity for all that get to go inside. I can't get enough of it!

Students were able to see the constellations again this week -- both in the "real" sky and in the "dot to dot" version of the sky -- and hear some more fun stories about each. Students have been reminded that these stories are just pretend, much like Spongebob or Cinderella. Still, it's fun to learn the stories associated with each constellation.

Ask your student what constellations we were able to find the StarLab this week, and then take your student outside to see if he/she can spot them in the real night sky. I think you'd be surprised and impressed about how many constellations OUES students can name!

Green Thumb Club members: our next meeting is Tuesday, February 12. Hope to see you there!

Week of January 28 - February 1

StarLab is at Old Union this week! All students got a "refresher" on how the Earth rotates around the Sun before we went into our very own little planetarium. We got to see the "real" stars in the night sky, as well as what we call the "dot to dot" canister of StarLab. {The "dot to do" canister makes it easier to pick the constellations out of the sky because each shape is outlined for us.}


All students got to see a variety of constellations, including Orion, Cassiopeia the Queen, King Cepheus, Leo the Lion, and lots of others. Ask your student to tell you about the constellations we saw in StarLab this week. If possible, you could go outside with your student after it gets nice and dark, and go star gazing!

If you're interested in discussing these constellations with your student at home but are unable to go star gazing outside, you may consider downloading one of the following apps to your smartphone:

• Star Walk
• Pocket Universe
• Sky Orb
• Starmap
• Planisphere
• Stars New
• Star Guide

 

Week of January 21 - 25

Here is what happened in the lab this week:

• Kindergarten: I didn't get to see my kindergarten friends because of this Monday's school holiday, but I can't wait to see them next week! We are going to have a blast.
• 1st grade: We learned about magnets this week by seeing what a magnet can attract and what it doesn't attract. Home extension: Give your student a magnet off the refrigerator and allow him/her to walk around the house, exploring magnetic capabilities. {Students have already been instructed that magnets are harmful to electronic devices and should be kept away from them!}
• 2nd grade: Since I had the flu on our special Teacher of the Day back in December, we rescheduled it to allow my new "teacher" to help in the lab on this day. Miss B. helped the second graders learn more about magnets, focusing specifically on compasses. Students were able to make their own compass in class before participating in a small "cardinal direction treasure hunt" with their shoulder buddy. Home extension: If you have a straight pin, a piece of Styrofoam, and a magnet, you could allow your student to make a compass at home. Hide a "treasure" for your student somewhere around the house, and allow your student to use their homemade compass to find it while you give them instructions about which direction to turn.
• 3rd grade: We explored the water cycle this week. Students were able to see a demonstration of a water cycle right in our Science Lab while we simultaneously made a cool, sliding craft to help remind them of the water cycle. Home extension: Ask your student to describe the water cycle demonstrate he/she saw in the Lab this week, and brainstorm a way to recreate this demonstration -- using different, household materials -- at your home.
• 4th grade: I was unable to see my 4th grade friends this week, due to Dragon Day, but I definitely look forward to seeing them next week!

**Notice: StarLab is coming to Old Union, starting next week! It will be in the Science Lab from January 28 to February 8. If possible, please allow younger students to wear shoes that don't tie (Velcro, slip-on, etc.) on their Science Lab day. Older students may consider bringing a clean pair of socks. Since no shoes are allowed inside our delicate StarLab, socks are required to go inside. I can't wait!