Seed Planting Fun

It was a very busy day in the lab on Tuesday, May 21st. The JK students and the 3rd grade students teamed up to plant pumpkin seeds (and a few sunflowers, too). We talked about what a seed needs to germinate, and decided that the USM greenhouse would be the best place to keep our little planters. The seed containers were made out of toilet paper rolls and a small piece of tape. The JK students recently did a big recycling project and understood the concept of reusing materials. They also knew that the containers would "decompose" in the soil once they were planted in the garden. I think the 3rd graders were very impressed with the knowledge the JK students had. After the seeds were planted, the trays of planters were carefully moved to the greenhouse, where each child got a chance to explore. They noticed how warm it was in there, and I explained how the shade, windows, and watering system worked. They also got a chance to observe the hydroponics tanks, and were amazed that plants don't actually need soil to grow. The children are looking forward to the garden planting day on May 31st. Wish us luck that the rain will subside so we can prepare the garden.

More Signs of Spring

First graders are getting up close and personal with a slimy, squirmy, squishy creature in the science lab. Those are their terms, by the way. I just call it the "Earthworm". Students started making observations of the worms, making notes in their science journals about things they noticed were on the worm,or not on the worm. They also noticed how the worm moved, by "scrunching" and stretching, one end moving, and then the other end catching up. What was really fun about this first lab was the fact the first graders helped the JK students learn about the worms, too. The first graders became the teachers and taught the JK students how to hold the worm, how to know which end was the head, and which was the tail, and many other facts about the worms. The JK students took notes and made observations right along with their 1st grade friends. It was exciting to see how grown up our 1st grade friends really felt. Both myself and their teacher were very proud of them. Today the 1st graders designed a way to test the worm's response to wet or dry conditions. Next week, they will try to test for response to light or dark, and warm or cold. Our first graders have really grown up and are now using the scientific method (even if they don't realize it yet). Good job, first grade!

Signs of Spring

The JK students finally got to see some signs of spring on their nature walk last week.We heard birds chirping and singing,saw earthworms crawling on top of the damp ground, observed tree buds in all different stages of opening, noticed purple flowers in full bloom, and many other signs of spring. The spring rains had subsided enough that we could walk on the trail and observe many different kinds of animal tracks. We even found lots of rabbit fur in a pile. We also noticed some signs of erosion that the torrential rains had caused, and even found turkey tracks in the soft mud. There was also a pair of mallard ducks leisurely swimming in the roadside ditch. Please check out the individual teachers' blogs for pictures. I was so busy with everything the children were finding that I forgot to take pictures. The 4th graders finished their poster boards and presented their findings at the Science Fair on Wednesday, May 1st. The students were most impressive with the knowledge of their topic of investigation and did a beautiful job presenting it to their teachers, parents, and friends. Great job, 4th graders! The 2nd graders went to Camp Minikani on May 2nd and 3rd. Guess what? It rained almost the entire time except for the 1st morning. But the children and their parents were real troopers and had a marvelous time despite the weather conditions. The campers made clay pots, flower prints, UV bead bracelets, a wigwam, went on a nature hike, and played games. A good time was had by all, and it is hard to believe that another camp season is completed. Where did this year go? My 1st grade friends will be finishing up their year of science with an earthworm study. They will make observations of their earthworm, and then design several experiments to test the worm's reaction to light, dark, wet, and dry. Students will also be looking for adaptations that the worm uses to survive.