Week of April 21 - 25

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

• Kindergarten: We learned more about recycling: what to recycle, how to sort it, and where our trash goes.
• 1st grade: We explored magnets today by magnet "fishing" and racing.
• 2nd grade: I didn't get to see my second grade friends this week because of STAAR testing, but they continued to study the ocean with their homeroom teacher. 
• 3rd grade: This was week two of our mini-unit over owl pellets. Most of us were able to excavate the majority of our pellet's bones this week. Next week, we'll start trying to identify which prey they came from!
• 4th grade: I didn't get to see my fourth grade friends this week due to STAAR testing, but I'm excited to see them next week!

Week of March 17 - 21

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

• Kindergarten: We explored magnets by making magnet kites and having a magnet race.
• 1st grade: We learned about the parts of a plant and dissected a flower.
• 2nd grade: We showed off our knowledge of weather and how it determines what clothes we wear, what transportation we take, and what activities we participate in.
• 3rd grade: We started our three week mini-unit over simple machines by studying the lever.
• 4th grade: We learned about insulators and conductors while making circuits.

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.

Week of February 3 - 7

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

• Kindergarten: We learned about light energy by doing some simple investigations and playing a light game.
• 1st grade: We started a two-week lesson about seeds. This week, we got to dissect a lima bean!
• 2nd grade:We explored sound some more about sound by making telephones and clucking chickens with cups.
• 3rd grade: We made magnet cars and got to race them around the room. :)
• 4th grade: The wonderful PTO allowed a company to visit our school to teach about wind energy and help our students make wind turbines. It was a great STEM lesson!

Upcoming Events:

• 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 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 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!

Week of February 11 - 15

Here's what happened in Science Lab this week:

• Kindergarten: We learned about light energy by focusing on sources of light. We went on a "light scavenger hunt" to find things that provide light, recorded our findings in our notebooks, and played a "light charades" game. Home extension: go on a light scavenger hunt of your own at your home. Try to find as many light sources as possible -- even the smallest light counts!
• 1st grade: We learned a little more about magnets this week by going "magnet fishing." Using a magnet tied to the end of a string, students were able to "fish" inside a baggie filled with "little fish" (small paper clips) and "big fish" (large paper clips) to see which would allow them to catch the most fish. We graphed our results and then just did some "fishing" for fun afterwards. Home extension: Using a refrigerator magnet and a bunch of paper clips, allow your student to conduct a quick experiment to see how many paper clips their magnet can hold. Is the amount different, based on which magnet you use? Hmm. I'd love to know your answers!
• 2nd grade: We focused on the moon this week. We learned why the moon looks so small when it is actually quite large, and we learned more about how it rotates around our Earth and shows different "phases" along the way. Home extension: Allow your child to track the moon phases each night. Are there any patterns?
• 3rd grade: We explored magnets by making magnetic cars today! We had so much fun pushing and pulling our cars -- without even touching them! -- around the room. Home extension: the students were able to take home all parts of the car except the magnets. If you have a couple of magnets at home, you could recreate this activity in the kitchen or living room.
• 4th grade: We learned more about the water cycle by creating an actual water cycle inside our room. Home extension: ask your child to describe our water cycle model from today, and see if you can figure out a way to recreate it using items in your house. Talk to your student about how this model mimics the real water cycle. 

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!

Week of January 14 - 18

Here is what we did in the lab this week:

• Kindergarten: This week, we did a magnet exploration. Students were able to rotate to test a variety of objects for its magnetic ability. Home extension: give your student a magnet from the refrigerator and allow him/her to explore the magnetic objects in your home. {Students have already been cautioned to keep magnets clear of computers and other electronic devices, so there should be no worries!}
• 1st grade: This week, we worked on observing and recording changes in the moon. Since our Science Lab lessons take place during the day time, we had to use a couple of videos to show how the moon changes its appearance. We practiced making each moon shape in a pie plate filled with sugar, and then we played some moon games. Home extension: once it gets dark, take your student outside to "moon watch." See if he/she can identify the shape of the moon in the night sky. I've encouraged my first grade friends to keep a moon observation journal at home to document what they see!
• 2nd grade: This was week 2 of our pendulum investigation. We have been studying ways objects move, so we were testing our pendulums this week to figure out if the length of our pendulum affected its swing. Home extension: during daily activity or errand-running, ask your student to be on the lookout for pendulums in everyday life. If you ask your 2nd grader about pendulums, he/she should be able to give you a list of examples of pendulums we see every day.
• 3rd grade: We completed week 2 of our planets in the solar system investigation. This week, we reviewed the planets and the order they appear in the sky. Then we used ratios and our measuring skills to make models of the planets; we demonstrated how far each planet is from the sun. Home extension: ask your 3rd grader to show you how far away the planets are from the Sun and to explain astronomical units (AUs).
• 4th grade: We started our force, motion, and energy unit this week by talking about conductors and insulators. Students were able to use strips of foil, D Cell batteries, a light bulb, and various random items to see which materials are conductors and which materials are insulators. Home extension: If you have some aluminum foil, a D Cell battery, and a light bulb at your house, your can allow your student to demonstrate how some objects are conductors and some are insulators. Ask your student to pick 5 of each and show them to you in a presentation.

Green Thumb Club members: our next meeting is Tuesday, January 22. Hope to see you there!