On Friday, we once again got to work with worms in lab. The room was made very dark and students used flashlights to determine if worms can see light and then if they prefer dark or light. We also wanted to know if they are more sensitive to light on a certain part of their bodies (head, middle, or tail). Lastly, students shined colored light onto the worms to see if they responding differently to white, red, or green light. The students are having a lot of fun using the worms in lab. This Friday we will finish up the last of our experiments with the worms.
5/4/14
The students were super excited during last Friday's innovation lab. They got to use real worms in our lab. Students first just observed the worms with magnifying glasses. They were trying to identify the head, tail, and mouth. Then we also experimented to see if worms prefer wet, dry, or they don't care. Students made predictions and then we used wet and dry paper towels to see what the worms would do. Most of the worms moved over to the wet side and some groups even had their worms go under the wet paper towels! The students had fun with the lab and were so excited to watch their worms crawl around the trays and some were even trying to escape! Next week we will continue with our experiments.
4/12/14
On Friday, we planted flower seeds. Each student planted their own seeds. We will be watering them and watching them in class as they start to grow. Students will take them home in a couple of weeks.
4/6/14
We have been talking about plants in science class. Our innovation lab last week allowed the students to investigate different kinds of seeds. Each students was given various seeds. They then looked at each one and identified the color, size, shape, texture of each seed. We were able to see that all seeds are different - even the two sunflower seeds looked different!
Students will be planting flower seeds next and we will also see what happens when we put flowers/celery into water that is different colors.
3/30/14
Our last innovation lab the students created their own compasses. The students found out which direction was North using the compasses and walked around the room with their compasses to see their compasses move to find what direction was North based on where they were standing.
3/23/14
In our last innovation lab, students worked with their 5 senses. They completed various center activities for each of the 5 senses. Students felt different things inside balloons and had to match up the balloons that had the same items as well as guess what they thought was inside. They shook eggs filled with different items, matched up the ones that sounded the same, and then guessed what was inside. They looked at items under a magnifying glass. Students also tasted different items and guessed what they were. Lastly students smelled different things and tried to guess what it was.
2/22/14
Friday in lab we looked at the water cycle. Students worked in groups to observe the demonstration of the parts of the water cycle. We use containers of water to represent the water on the ground (in lakes, streams, oceans, etc.) and then talked about how the water evaporates and goes up into the sky and forms clouds which were represented by shaving cream. Then we poured food coloring on top of the clouds to represent the precipitation that then falls back to earth.
1/26/14
We did our blubber glove lab on Friday. We talked about how penguins and other Arctic animals have a layer of flat called blubber that helps them stay warm. Students then tested out a blubber glove to see if it would keep them warm. They put one hand into the blubber glove and the other hand into the ice water. Students were surprised how the glove kept their hand warm while in the ice cold water. They then wrote about what it felt like with and without the blubber glove.
1/19/14
On Friday the students raced cars in lab. They first raced them on just the floor and we measured how far they went (I think some might have had a lot of "push" to send them along the floor). Then I took out a ramp and we raced them using the ramp to see how far they went. Lastly, I raised the ramp up higher and we raced them to see if that made a difference in how far they went. The kids had a lot of fun racing the cars during this lab.
Next we will be doing a Blubber Glove lab to see how penguins and other animals stay warm.
1/12/14
On Friday students worked on a sink/float lab. They made predictions about the items in their bags - if they would float or sink in plain water and then if they would float or sink in salt water. They then tested each item and recorded if it floated or sank in the water. At the end we discussed our results.
Next we will be racing cars in the lab.
12/14/13
Students explored what happens to gummy bears when they are put into water, salt water, water and vinegar, and water and baking soda. They started by measuring the length of the gummy bears before and seeing how many paper clips each gummy bear weighed. Then we let the gummy bears sit in the solutions overnight. The next day they were able to see what happened to each other their gummy bears. They measured and weighed them again and recorded any changes.
11/17/13
Last week students constructed their Native American drums. The students had a lot of fun constructing them and worked well with their groups. It was great to see the different ideas the groups came up with using the same materials.
Each group shared their drum with the whole class telling us how they created it and then played it a little bit for us.
11/10/13
Two weeks ago in our lab the students worked in their groups to construct their sailboats. Once they were constructed we put them in water and using a fan watched them float across the water. It was great to see all of our sailboats make it across numerous times and all were able to carrying 11 weights and I'm sure could have carried even more.
Last week we began talking about sound and drums. Students watched two Brainpop videos about sound and drums. They also looked at pictures of different Native American drums. Then they explored materials that they will use this week to create their own Native American drum. The students wrote down their plans and will work in groups this week to build them. It is so great to see what ideas they come up with.
10/13/13
The students had a lot of fun last week investigating the materials they can use to construct their sailboats. They identified which materials will float and how the materials respond to wind. Some of the students were already planning out their boats.
This week students will draw out their plans and label the materials they will use. Then they will be put in groups to begin constructing and testing their boats.
10/6/13
In our last innovation lab students used magnets to move cars around a race track. They couldn't touch the car with their hands or the magnet, but had to use the one magnet to repel the other magnet which would move it around the race track. Students found out that it was difficult to make the car turn the corners.
Our next couple of labs the students will be working on engineering sailboats.
9/15/13
Last week students explored more with magnets. They saw that magnets can repel and attract each other. Students also had fun turning paperclips, brass fasteners, and small nails into magnets. They could pick up other items using just the paperclip, brass fastener, or nail. It was pretty cool to see them excited when it worked.
This week we will be trying to move a car around a race track only using a magnet.
9/8/13
Our Innovation Lab last week had students looking at magnets. They each received a bag of items and had to make predictions about which ones would be attracted to the magnet and which ones would not. Then students each received a magnet to test their predictions and record their actual results.
This week we will be working more with magnets. We will see if we can turn a paperclip into a magnet.
9/1/13
Last week during our Innovation Lab, students pretended they were Paleontologists. They were each given a rock, craft stick, and a brush. They wore safety goggles and students dug into the rocks using their tools. They had to be careful so that they wouldn't damage anything that might be in the rocks. Students had a great time and found tiny dinosaurs in each of their rocks that they got to take home with them.
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