Second Grade Sound

The 2nd graders are just about finished making all kinds of "noise" in the science lab. They have completed lab investigations which helped them learn about pitch, volume, sound waves, materials sound can travel through, and how to amplify sounds. Students used a slinky to demonstrate sound waves, dominoes to model how sound moves through solids, liquids, and gases, and boomwhackers to demonstrate pitch and volume. Students also made sound tubes and sound boxes to amplify sounds. It was definitely a "joyful" noise coming from the science lab over the last few weeks.

4th Grade Invasive Species

The 4th graders have been studying invasive species, especially in Lake Michigan, and following the work of Host Researcher Russell Cuhel, from the Great Lakes Water Institute. The students used a powerpoint developed by Mrs. DeTorre and Mrs. Ziegelbauer to collect data to compare and contrast zebra and quagga mussels. In the science lab, the students worked at 4 different stations to simulate the real research going on at the present time. The lab stations had the students measuring shell length, using digital calipers; measuring the biomass and shell mass using the triple beam balances; observing live zebra mussels in a tank; and finally answering the question about zebra and quagga mussel distribution around the United States.

Now the students are putting together the results of their research and making models of both types of mussels. The models must include: shell shape, shape of bottom of shell,orientation (ability to stay upright), coloration or patterns, siphon position, and byssal thread location.

Students also got a chance to put all their knowledge of invasive species to work when they went to the JASON Project Mission site online and played the digital lab
called, "Eco-Defenders". Invasive species from one part of the world sometimes move to new places, establish an ecological niche, and disrupt the ecosystem. Using their understanding of these concepts, students analyzed how an invasive species can enter an ecosystem and take over. Students have access to this digital lab and more by logging into the JASON Project website at jason.org.

Sound Second Grade

What's all that noise you hear from the science lab? It's the second graders making meter sticks, rulers and rubber bands vibrate. They also made horse lips sounds. As you can guess, 2nd graders are busy learning "All About Sound". After a brief introduction, the students tested rulers, rubber bands, metal pans, and empty water bottles to see what kind of sounds they made. The children noticed that something has to be vibrating to make a sound. They also discovered that sound can travel through many kinds of materials, some better than others. Using dominoes, the children found out that sound travels the fastest in a solid and the slowest in air. Using a slinky, they modeled how sound waves travel. To test that sound waves carry vibrations, and can make other things vibrate without touching it, the students did an investigation called "What Makes Pepper Dance?". They still have several experiments to go, investigating pitch and volume. Keep tuned to the blog for more exciting "Sound" news from the second grade.

Simple Machines Third Grade

The third graders have been very busy since the Thanksgiving holiday learning about Simple Machines. They found out that a machine is "anything that helps us do work", and that work is "done when something moves after a force is applied". Testing of the six simple machines is happening right now in the lab. After experimenting with all the simple machines, the students will then take a look at "Leonardo's Mysterious Machinery", and see how this great 15th century inventor, scientist, and artist, envisoned machines we see today. To conclude the Simple Machines unit, the students will design, build, and test their own compound machine using several of the simple machines.