Science fairs are one of those quintessential elementary school experiences that students and parents love to complain about, and for good reason. In their worst form, parents do all the work, the artistry of the display board takes on outsized importance, and students lose track of what they are doing and why. But this bad reputation masks the underlying good bones of the idea: giving students a chance to participate fully in the process of doing science…
Read MoreLast week we pivoted in science from a focus through a series of lessons on how engineers solve problems to deeper work on the nature of science and how scientists think and work. Mrs. Swanson took the group through a demonstration that involved catalyzing the breakdown of hydrogen peroxide. The result of the very exciting demonstration was that a huge swath of thick foam poured out of the graduated cylinder, and the timely addition of food coloring made the foam look like large toothpaste, or “Elephant Toothpaste."
Read MoreEngaging in the practices of engineering helps kids understand the work of engineers, as well as the links between engineering and science.
As problems are identified and solutions are needed, often times the solution is developed through the engineering design process. Engineers, like scientists, utilize a series of practices as they design solutions to solve meaningful problems…
Read MoreOur first science unit will traverse some interesting terrain, as we will be investigating a series of questions related to using our resources wisely. Along the way, we will meet interesting scientists (including kids who have made meaningful contributions) and talk about how scientists think and interact with the world. We'll discuss energy, renewable v. non-renewable resources, Earth's systems, our impact on the Earth's systems, and we'll work through a design challenge in which we design windmills that can lift pennies. The design challenge process will introduce us to prototyping and iterating -- ideas that we will revisit often…
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