Week of June 2 - 5

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

• Kindergarten: We participated in a nature scavenger hunt.
• 2nd grade: We focused on the parts of insects and participated in an insect scavenger hunt outside.
• 4th grade: We played a game on the Promethean board that focused on all realms of science. It was a tough competition! 

{I didn't get to see the other grades this week because of our half day today and no school tomorrow.}

Once again, I am shocked at how quickly this year has gone by! I enjoyed exploring science concepts with all of your OUES students this year and am already looking forward to the 2014-2015 school year.

Have a safe and fantastic summer!

Week of May 26 - 30

I hope everyone enjoyed a restful and relaxing Memorial Day weekend!

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

• Kindergarten: I didn't get to see my kindergarten friends this week because of our Memorial Day holiday. I hope you and your family had a relaxing weekend!
• 1st grade: We had a nature scavenger hunt outside.
• 2nd grade: We learned how each part of a plant helps it grow and set up a stem experiment that we'll watch for the next week.
• 3rd grade: We played some games about ecosystems and habitats.
• 4th grade: We studied erosion and deposition more in-depth by exploring stream tables.

Week of May 19 - 23

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

• Kindergarten: We played a variety of science games in the lab.
• 1st grade: Old Union Field Day was this morning, and we had a special assembly in the afternoon, so I didn't get to share any science with first graders this week. We'll have fun together next week, though!
• 2nd grade: We learned about the life cycle of a butterfly. We'll be watching our class caterpillars turn into butterflies over the next few weeks.
• 3rd grade: We played a rainforest life cycle game that focused on the Brazilian Tree Nut and the creatures that depend on it.
• 4th grade: We learned about the properties of soil and how to filter soil.

Week of May 12 - 16

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

• Kindergarten: We learned about a goldfish's body and how its special characteristics make it perfect for life under water.
• 1st grade: We focused on sound and its energy this week.
• 2nd grade: We used our extensive knowledge of life in the sea to construct an ocean food chain.
• 3rd grade: We focused on the layers of the rainforest this week.
• 4th grade: Because so many of our fourth graders are involved in choir {and this Tuesday was the choir field trip}, our librarian and I combined our small classes to work on Genius Hour.

Week of May 5 - 9

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

• Kindergarten: We learned about a frog's body, life cycle, and habitat.
• 1st grade: We focused on light and its energy this week.
• 2nd grade: We participated in sand and seashell stations.
• 3rd grade: Now that we are familiar with an owl's prey, we were able to demonstrate our knowledge of an owl's food chain.
• 4th grade: Today was our scheduled visit to Eubanks to get familiar with our upcoming new school. Because of this schedule, my fourth grade friends enjoyed working on a Genius Hour project started by our librarian.

Week of April 14 - 18

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

• Kindergarten: We studied a pillbug's body, life cycle, and habitat.
• 1st grade: We learned more about leaves and made a "Leaves of Old Union" book for our homeroom.
• 2nd grade: We studied more about ocean creatures by picking a marine animal and researching it. {We'll share our findings in a couple weeks!}
• 3rd grade: This was week one of our three week mini-unit over owl pellets.
• 4th grade: We studied thermal energy by doing some product testing on sunscreen.

Week of March 31 - April 4

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

• Kindergarten: We learned about the parts of animals and plants, and how babies usually resemble their parents.
• 1st grade: We learned about the parts of an ant, an ant's life cycle, how ants walk, and we got to see an ant farm in action.
• 2nd grade: We watched a really cool IMAX movie about oceans to kick off our ocean unit!
• 3rd grade: We finished our mini-unit on simple machines by making our own models with K'Nex.
• 4th grade: I didn't get to help my 4th graders perform a science investigation this week because of the STAAR writing exam.

Week of March 24 - 28

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

• Kindergarten: We learned the difference between living and non-living things.
• 1st grade: We learned about bats' extraordinary senses of smell and hearing by playing a "Mama Bat" game and testing our echolocation skills.
• 2nd grade: We learned more about wind and made anemometers.
• 3rd grade: We continued our investigation over simple machines by focusing on the inclined plane and the wedge this week.
• 4th grade: We investigated circuits by making our own with our shoulder buddy.

Special Thanks:

• Family Science Night: Our amazing PTO funded our first ever "Family Science Night," and I am so happy to report that it was a great success! Family Science Night was hosted by the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History; the museum had various science stations available for students to explore between 6-8 pm. All families that attended received 2 adult passes and 2 child passes to enter the museum for free. In addition, the Fort Worth Astronomical Society set up giant telescopes in the playground area and helped students and their families pick out the constellations and various other objects in the night sky. A big thanks goes to each of these organizations for providing a fun time for us! Here's a video with some pictures of the evening:

Week of December 16 - 20

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

• Kindergarten: We reviewed the 4 seasons and Earth's patterns.
• 1st grade: We learned more about what animals do in the winter before making a bird feeder to take home.
• 2nd grade: We finished our mini-unit over pendulums. Be sure to ask your 2nd grader what affects the swing of a pendulum!
• 3rd grade: Because of "Kids Rule the School," 3rd grade had a special teacher -- Miss C. Miss C. taught our 3rd graders more about weather, played a weather game, and read a book. 
• 4th grade: We investigated a mystery matter called "Oobleck." Ask your student if this matter was a solid or a liquid.

Upcoming Events:

• January 7th: 4th graders are doing a matter activity that involves different kinds of fruit: grapes, plums oranges, apples, pears, grapefruits, peaches, and strawberries. We will not be eating the fruit, but we will be touching it. If your child needs to avoid any of the above-mentioned fruits, please contact me. 
• February 4th: 4th graders will do a special STEM program. A company will come to our school and teach students more about wind energy and wind turbines. Thank you to our wonderful PTO for providing this opportunity!
• February 19 - March 4: StarLab is visiting OUES. Please make sure your student wears socks during on Science Lab days during that time. Younger students may wish to wear slip on or Velcro shoes, as we will need to take our shoes off before we get into the tent. 
• 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!

Have a fantastic winter break! See you in January!

Week of November 4 - 8

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

• Kindergarten: We made predictions about measuring a pumpkin and then measured it with nonstandard units. We also got to weigh a mini pumpkin and test to see if pumpkins sink or float.
• 1st grade: We learned about the layers of soil and made a model of it with our table team.
• 2nd grade: We did an investigation with cornstarch packing peanuts and learned how biodegradable items are better for the Earth than non-biodegradable items. 
• 3rd grade: We learned about the different types of landforms this week.
• 4th grade: We got to share our unique Texas animal and its adaptations to our classmates this week.

Upcoming Events:

• November 19th: 4th graders are doing an activity that requires the use of one clean 1-liter bottle for every student. Mrs. Mertens and Mrs. Arefi are offering 10 tickets for every 1-liter bottle that is brought in! 
•  December 2 - 6: All students will come to Old Union's 2nd annual Super Science Sale. Previews will be on Monday and Tuesday (similar to Book Fair), and purchases are welcome the rest of the week. Hours are 7:30 - 3:30 except on Thursday, when the hours are 7:30 am to 6:00 pm.
• December 12: 3rd graders are making and erupting volcanoes. This activity involves soil, baking soda, vinegar, and food coloring. If your student is allergic to any of these items, please contact me ASAP.

Week of May 20 - 24

Here's what happened in the Science Lab this week:

• Kindergarten: We completed a nature scavenger hunt at the pond near OUES this week. Students were challenged to find various things outside, ranging from certain insects to special textures.
• 1st grade: We studied bats this week.We had fun mimicking a bat's echolocation abilities, and we saw how parent bats find their young pup(s) in a nursery.
• 2nd grade: We learned about parts of plants this week. To investigate the role of a plant's stem, we placed white flowers in different colors of water; we'll have to watch the plants over the next week or two to see what happens. 
• 3rd grade:We learned a little more about the layers of the rainforest this week. Ask your third grader to explain the four layers to you!
• 4th grade: I did not get to see my 4th grade friends this week due to a fun and exciting field day. Special thanks to Ms. Specht and all of the volunteers for arranging it. We had a blast!

Have a fun and safe 3-day weekend!

Week of May 13 - 17

Here's a recap of our Science Lab activities this week:

• Kindergarten: We learned about goldfish this week! We learned that goldfish have special physical features that allow them to live underwater. We got to observe real goldfish, do a goldfish puzzle, and play some other fun creature games.
• 1st grade: We learned about ants this week. We added ants to our ant farm and got to observe them in action. We also learned about an ant's life cycle and all of the amazing things they can do.
• 2nd grade: We studied the life cycle of a butterfly this week. We learned about the various stages a caterpillar goes through as it transforms into a butterfly. We saw how truly breathtaking nature can be!
• 3rd grade:We played a game about life cycles in the rain forest and saw how difficult it can be for certain creatures to survive.
• 4th grade:We learned more about erosion by studying how rocks can break down. We illustrated this with chalk, cinnamon, sugar cubes, and glass jars {ask your 4th grader how we did it!}.

Enjoy your weekend!

Week of May 6 - 10

Here's a review of our Science Lab activities for this week:

• Kindergarten: We learned about the life cycle of a ladybug this week; students were very excited to learn more about ladybugs, since they got their first "taste" of the subject at our Earth Day Ladybug Release! We learned how a ladybug changes throughout its life, and we got to observe some live ladybugs up close. Afterwards, Mrs. Lugeanbeal was kind enough to let us borrow her tadpole aquarium again, so we got to see if and how those little tadpoles were changing. Very exciting!
• 1st grade: This was week two of our tree study. This week, we learned about different kinds of trees and how their leaves look different. We collected leaves of our own, graphed our leaves, identified the leaves of Old Union, and made a book of our leaf rubbings.
• 2nd grade: We wrapped up our ocean unit this week by completing a culminating project over ocean food chains. Students had to create a full ocean food chain in their notebook; the only "rule" was that everything had to have something to eat! It was a fun way to end our ocean study.
• 3rd grade: Since we studied owls for the past three weeks {and dug through their pellets!}, we finished our owl study by creating an owl food chain. We used our knowledge of owl pellets to create prey for the owls in our food chain. Students who finished early had the opportunity to continue trying to identify the bones they found in their owl pellets.
• 4th grade:We explored stream tables this week. We looked at different kinds of weathering and did some investigations of our own to see what happens to the Earth when rain hits the ground.

A special thank you goes to all of you that were involved in Teacher Appreciation Week. I definitely felt loved! :) Thanks for your hard work and generosity!

Week of April 15 - 19

Here's what happened in the Science Lab this week:

• Kindergarten: My kinder friends and I explored pillbugs (more commonly known as roly polies) this week. We got to observe them, learn more about roly polies and their lifecycle, and make a little roly poly craft to take home. Home extension: We talked this week about what roly polies eat; allow your student to use this informaton to help them keep a roly poly pet in a jar for a little while!
• 1st grade: This was week 2 of our seed investigation. This week, we observed 6 different kinds of seeds and sorted them before planting our own seed to take home and nurture. Home extension: allow your student to place his/her plant in a sunny windowsill, and remind him/her to water it every day. You could even give your student an extra challenge: measure the plant's growth every day to see how quickly it grows!
• 2nd grade: We got to share our animal research information today to the rest of the class. It was so much fun learning new information about every animal! We'll use this information later to create our own ocean food chain during Science Lab. Home extension: Ask your student to share facts about 2-3 animals they heard about from classmates today.
• 3rd grade: This was week 2 of our owl study, and it was messy! Students were able to dive right into dissecting their owl pellet this week. Students worked for almost the whole hour to uncover bones and clean them off for next week's project. Home extension: Do a Google search for "live owl webcam." There are several to choose from online; they provide an opportunity to watch barn owls in action 24/7!
• 4th grade: We tested the effects of gravity and air resistance with a challenge today: we had to build our own parachute with the most "hang time." Students had to work with their team to decide on appropriate materials before constructing and testing their parachute. Home extension: provide students with some string and a grocery sack or piece of tissue paper and allow him/her to continue the investigation at home.

 Green Thumb Club members: our next meeting is Tuesday, April 23. Hope to see you there!

Earth Day: Earth Day is April 22, but we'll be celebrating it all week long in the Science Lab next week! We'll start on Monday morning with a ladybug release -- all students will get to release a ladybug into the wild. Ladybugs are considered a garden's best friend (acting as a pest control) so we know they'll do wonderful things both for OUES's garden and for surrounding neighbors' gardens! If you're interested in playing a super-cool, online recycling game, check out Recycle City's Dumptown Game.

Week of April 8 - 12

Here's a review of our Science Lab activities for this week:

• Kindergarten: We worked on our sorting skills again today; this time, we sorted plants and other objects we found after taking a walk through the playground. Students had to come up with a "sorting rule" at their tables -- I was so impressed with their work! We also looked at how baby plants and animals look like their parents. Home extension: Take your student on a walk and allow him/her to collect random items. When you get home, ask your student to find a sorting rule so that every item has a specific group.
• 1st grade: First graders are spending two weeks learning about seeds! Today, we looked at the parts of a lima bean and compared them to the parts of a red bean. We soaked the seeds in water so we could dissect them more easily. Home extension: Ask your student to summarize this investigation at home, and then recreate it using different seeds.
• 2nd grade: We focused on learning more about marine biology this week by researching a little about sea creatures. Each student received an informational sheet about their animal and a realistic replica; students could work with a partner to find out more about this animal. We're going to share our results with the rest of the class next week. We are so excited to learn more about the ocean's food chains! Home extension: Ask your student about their assigned sea animal.
• 3rd grade: This was week #1 of our three-week project over owls. Students got to learn more about owls --  specifically, the barn owl -- and their pellets. We examined the outside of the pellets and prepared to dissect them fully next week. Home extension: If your student is excited about dissecting the pellets, allow him/her to practice with a virtual dissection. {Click HERE to access the virtual dissection.} He/she could practice identifying bones!
• 4th grade: We learned about electromagnets before conducting an investigation about electromagnets: does the number of coils make a difference? Home extension: Ask your student to summarize the electromagnet investigation from today. If you have a nail, a battery, and some wire at home, he/she could even recreate it to show you how neat an electromagnet is!