Force & Motion

Last Friday, our Science Spin magazine was all about force and motion and how the Olympic athletes use forces to compete in their different events. We learned that an object begins in a position and that different forces like a push or a pull can change these positions. We learned that hockey players use push to propel the puck into the goal and that athletes also use gravity to compete in their various sports. 

We also learned that we use many of these forces when we're enjoying winter fun. Children pull each other on sleds and then push themselves down the hill. 

To help the children understand how forces work, we did a little experiment where they were putting different types of force on objects and observing what happened. 

The children started by predicting whether or not they thought each different type of force would put each object in motion. The different forces they used were blowing on the object, pushing the object with a pencil, pushing the object with two hands, and raising the end of a clipboard to make an inclined plane. 

Next, they tried out each different force on each object, recording if their prediction was correct. If it was correct, they gave themselves a check. I made sure to explain to them that we shouldn't change any predictions--many times scientists think one thing will happen and another thing happens and that is just way for them to investigate even more. I don't want them to think of these predictions as "wrong answers", but as opportunities to try something else out and see what works. 

After each group had a chance to try out each object, we had a class discussion about what we learned. I asked the children if anything had surprised them. Many of them were surprised that they could move some of the objects by blowing on them. We also discussed what some of the objects that were the easiest to move had in common. The tennis ball and the car moved almost every time with ease. The children decided that this was because both the ball and the wheels were round. We also discussed what happened if they pushed a little harder or a little less and they realized that the greater the force, the farther/faster an object will move.

See! They are already thinking like scientists!

Nibbling on Place Value

For the past several weeks we have been learning about place value. We've been counting all year and adding straws for the days in school, bundling up the tens and then counting tens and ones. Now, we've been working more and more on making numbers using tens and ones in as many different combinations as we can. 

For munchie math last week we made some numbers using veggie straws as tens and cheerios as ones. Students would take turns choosing a two digit number and then the rest of the class would make the number using their snacks. 

After we made the number, we wrote it in expanded form. This is a little trickier as the students have to look at the value of their tens and ones, not just at the number. Example 33 is 3 tens and 3 ones, which equals 30+3. This has been a little confusing when the children have to figure out the value. We've had a lot of fun exaggerating when we think 30 is 30 tens instead of 3 tens. By explaining to them that that would be 300, they understand the idea of actually grouping those ones together. 

We did a lot of other fun place value activities throughout the week to help us remember and really cement this concept. 

We also practiced place value at our BUILD centers this week. 

We played place value "war" using playing cards with a partner. Each child took two (or three) cards and made the biggest number that they could by choosing which card should go in which place. Then the child with the biggest number got to take the other player's cards. 

We also used place value dice to roll a two digit number and then write it, draw it, and expand it. 

At another station the children pulled a number out of a bag and the made it using cubes. 

Another fun game of place value war was played with cards that have different numbers made out in tens and ones. The children had to put down their card and read the number and tell its expanded form and then decide which player had the highest number. 

These were fun ways for us to practice and the children had a ball!

Rocket Ryan presents Primarily Plants

Last week we were fortunate enough to have Rocket Ryan come back for another visit! This time we learned all about plants!!

To start out, the children learned about chlorophyll. They each got to scrape a spinach leaf and see what that huge word really means! It was really neat for them to actually get to see what it looks like and understand a little better what it actually does- helps the plants absorb light to aid in photosynthesis. 

Next, the students dissected Lima bean seeds to see the parts of a plant up close and personal! They learned about the outer shell or seed coat and got to see the parts of the seed that eventually turn into seedlings and later into plants. 

Next, we did a little experiment that mimics plants making their own glucose type food during photosynthesis. 

The students mixed together dish soap, vinegar, and baking soda to imitate how plants use water, sunlight, and soil to create food. 

They also learned some great science vocabulary like beaker and graduated cylinder. 

They added the baking soda last and boy did they get a surprise! Adding these three ingredients together created a type of energy that the children just loved!! In the same way, during photosynthesis plants create a similar energy. 

During this segment, they also learned about safety during scientific experiments. Don't they look adorable in their little goggles!?

For our last experiment of the day, the children each got to plant their own Lima Bean seeds to observe. 

First, they had to make a little hole for their seeds. 

Then they used another scientific instrument called a pipette to give their plant plenty of water. 

Finally we had to give them a little sunlight so that they could grow. 

Most of the plants went home, but we still have a few at school. I will give you an update once we're back from this blizzard!

While Rocket Ryan got everything cleaned up, the children got to have a little free time to experiment with the tornado bottles. They love those things! I especially love that Rocket Ryan has little monopoly houses in his- I'll have to remember that next time I make one!

We're 100 Days Smarter!

Last Friday we celebrated the 100th day of first grade. We'd been counting every day since school started and the children were very excited to finally get to 100! Each day we wrote the number on our one hundred chart and added straws, bundling up tens and the children were so tickled to finally have that big hundred bundle!

We read lots of great 100th day of school books like Jake's 100th Day, The Night Before the 100th Day of School, It's the 100th Day Stinky Face, Fancy Nancy's 100th Day, and 100th Day Worries.

We also incorporated the number 100 into our BUILD stations for the week. At Buddy Games the children played "Roll To 100" where they took turns rolling the dice and moving that many spaces on their one hundred chart. The first one to 100 was the winner! At Using Manipulatives the children had 20 minutes to put together as many pieces of a 100 piece puzzle as they could. For Independent work the children had to find missing numbers on a 100 and for Learning About Math they got to read Cheerios Count to 100 and 100 Days of School.

When the big day finally arrived the first fun activity that we did was make a 100th day snack with 100 yummy items. The children had to make 10 groups of 10 using their snacks.

In the afternoon we had 100th Day Centers. At one station the children made 100th day books. They wrote to 100 by 2's, 5's, and 10's and drew a picture of what they would like to have 100 of and what they would NOT want to have 100 of. They also wrote numbers that were bigger than 100 and numbers that were smaller.

At the next station the children used stop watches to time a partner for 100 seconds. During that time the partner counted how many times they could jump, write their name, and say the ABC's! This was a fun way for the students to get up and get moving!

At their third station they made 100th Day hats. Each student had 100 star stickers to decorate their hats. This was a fun activity and the children loved wearing their cool hats!

                                Happy 100th Day of School!!!!