Week of October 14 - 18

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

• Kindergarten: I didn't get to see my kinder friends this week due to our teacher work day. I'm excited to see them next week, though!
• 1st grade: I didn't get to see my first grade friends this week because of Dragon Day. (Dragon Day is our school-wide Professional Learning Community meetings. Students have a special encore rotation for this day.)
• 2nd grade: We learned about changing temperatures of matter.
• 3rd grade: We got to conduct our Milk in Motion experiments this week. We got some pretty cool results!
• 4th grade: We learned more about adaptations by studying bird beaks.

Upcoming Events:

• On Tuesday, October 22nd, 4th graders will start an adaptations project during Science Lab. This project requires the use of lots of arts and craft supplies. If you have any extra craft supplies at home that you would like to get rid of, please send them to the lab! I do have some supplies but probably not enough for the entire grade. Students will be constructing a brand new animal of their choice with adaptations. I'm encouraging students to think creatively for this project, so almost any supply goes!  
• The Super Science Sale will come to OUES for the second year in a row on December 2 - 6. It will be set up much like Book Fair -- where students have an opportunity to preview at the beginning of the week and shop the rest of the week. I'll post an updated list of shop hours when the date gets closer. 

December 3 - 7

Wow! I cannot believe it is already December! We are having such a blast in Science Lab that time has been flying. :)

Before we get to the weekly update, I just wanted to say an extra THANK YOU to all of those that helped or supported OUES's first annual Super Science Sale last week! It was a lot of fun and a great success! 

Here's what we did this week:

• Kindergarten: We learned about temperature this week. We studied how the temperature changes through the year, how temperature impacts our lives, and how to measure temperature. Home extension: If you don't already, start having conversations with your student about the daily temperature, and let him/her decide what to wear, based on the weather.
• 1st grade: We learned all about air this week. We learned that wind is moving air, and we did an investigation to figure out how much wind it takes to move certain objects. Home extension: Ask your child about the wind investigation and allow him/her to re-create it at home with random, household objects.
• 2nd grade: We learned more about sound energy this week. We saw how sound waves look by modeling them on an slinky, we made "clucking chicken" noises with sponges and cups, and then we made our own cup telephones. It was fun to observe the vibrations and the way sound travels. Home extension: Fill various-sized glasses with water and allow your student to tap them with a spoon to create sound.
• 3rd grade: This was week 1 of our volcano exploration unit! Students learned all about volcanoes and made a model volcano on paper. We are so excited to create model volcanoes with soil and sand next week...and even more excited to make them explode! Home extension: While your driving for errands or the holidays, ask your student to look out the window and identify as many landforms as possible. There probably won't be any volcanoes where you're going (), but we've learned about other landforms, too, that your student could be on the lookout for.
• 4th grade: This was our first week into our matter unit, and we kicked it off with a fun investigation about making potatoes float. We got to conduct an experiment with our table groups to see if potatoes will float in salt or sugar water, and, if so, how many spoonfuls of sugar or salt it takes to make the potatoes float. Home extension: Allow your student to try a variation of this experiment at home by taking something that doesn't usually float and adding salt or sugar 1 spoonful at a time to see if you can make it float. Your 4th grader is an expert at this, so let them show you how it works! 

Green Thumb Club members, if you and your child would like to attend the Tuesday, December 11 meeting at Calloway's Nursery, please arrange transportation for your child. We will begin the meeting at 3:15 pm. If your child can't attend, no worries! We will gladly welcome him or her back at our next meeting on Tuesday, January 22.