2nd Graders Start Building
Instruments are taking shape. Ask your student what they are using to build their instrument.
Instruments are taking shape. Ask your student what they are using to build their instrument.
Today marks the 50th anniversary of human space flight.
In honor of this historic day, Dr. Igor Geogdzhayev, NASA scientist and dad of Masha in 3rd grade, came in to teach the students about Earth Observing Satellites including his most recent project, GLORY.
Here are just a few of the new bits of information we learned from Igor:
Ask your child about today's Earth Day assembly.
Here are photos of our two presenters, Dr. Merry Cai and Michael Foster.
Here were some interesting highlights...
* Newspaper hat parade,
* Special rocks found in Earth's mantle, that absorb carbon dioxide,
* Environmental heros,
* Making pledges to help the environment in our own lives.
In keeping with this week's theme, Issues Facing our Environment (culminating in our Earth Day assembly tomorrow), the 6th grade students discussed and debated America's obsession with bottled water. Students watched a short video on the benefits of bottled water, produced by the International Bottle Water Association as well as short video entitled, "The Story of Bottled Water," produced by environmental activist, Annie Leonard.
IBWA: http://www.youtube.com/TheIBWA#p/a/u/0/LIeR6SoQ84A
"The Story of Bottled Water:" http://storyofstuff.org/bottledwater/
Some other resources students reviewed were:
Check out the link below for an animated explanation of the Greenhouse Effect!
http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/kids/global_warming_version2.html
Take a look at the Bald Eagles in their nest... http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2011/04/07/135148362/eagle-cam-soars-with...
After viewing the live stream of a Bald Eagle family in Decorah, Iowa, 5th grade students were inspired to find out more about our nation's symbol. Here are some samplings of what they uncovered:
* Bald eagles can be found in Canada and the United States usually near sea coasts, rivers, or large lakes.
* The breading season is November through April.
* The nest, usually made of sticks can weigh up to 4,000 pounds and be 8 feet in diameter.
* Some nests last as long as 30 years, with the Eagles returning from year to year. The nests can be found 10-150 feet above ground in a tree.
* The females are larger than the males. They can weigh from 4.5 to 13.5 pounds with a wingspan of nearly 8 feet.
* Both the male and female take care of the eggs and then the eaglets.
* The preferred foods are fish, duck, geese, rabbit, muskrat, carrion, and other small mammals and water birds.
* The female usually lays 1 to 3 bluish-white eggs that incubate for 35 days. The eaglets will leave the nest after 10 weeks.
* The voice of bald eagle is characterized as a harsh cackle.
* Bald Eagles migrate alone or in pairs and are known to mate for life.
We will dedicate this week's classes to talking and learning about climate change. Come ready to share your thoughts, ideas and questions!
http://www.npr.org/2011/04/02/135064518/the-cobra-that-boggled-new-yorks-stat...
As part of our unit on volume, students were challenged to calculate the number of marbles contained in the square prism!
And the answer is...74!