Posterous theme by Cory Watilo

Exemplary Field of View Sketches

Take a look at these great field of view sketches.  

(download)

Can you match them to the photographs of the same specimen?

(download)
FOV Sketch Credits: Charlotte S., Matthew Zu., Matthew Za., Dana, Kirsten, Yvonne, and Emmet

Elusive Egyptian Cobra

Thank you to Daniel for bringing in a selection of reptile books and sparking an interesting discussion about the Egyptian Cobra that has escaped in the Bronx Zoo.  Using Daniel's books and other books from the classroom library, we researched some quick facts about cobras and then the students began to imagine what adventures the cobra might be partaking in while escaped.  Students wrote and drew their ideas which ranged from cobra tweets to a New Yorker article advocating for the un-caging of zoo animals, authored by the cobra.

These are two articles that we read during class:

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/30/us-usa-cobra-twitter-idUSTRE72T6752...

 

Screen_shot_2011-03-30_at_7

 

Instrument Ideas

(download)

Second grade students began to experiment with getting different materials to vibrate and make sounds. Students tinkered with different sized rubber bands, boxes, cans, chopsticks and more, to gain inspiration for their upcoming instruments.

*Please continue to send in clean, dry, unbreakable found items with no sentimental value, for the children to use to build instruments. Some suggestions (but not limited to):
Shoe, tissue, or cereal boxes
Coffee, tuna, soup cans
Wine corks
Chopsticks
Plastic bottles
Plastic fruit containers
Plastic cups
Any other interesting materials

Weather Fronts

3rd Grade meteorologists learned that uneven heating of Earth is what causes wind.  Students briefly discussed wind patterns such as prevailing winds, the jet stream, and the trade winds.  

Picture_2
In addition, students learned about weather fronts and practiced using the weather symbols.
Weather_map
 
Picture_3

Changing Sounds...Pitch vs. Volume

Today, 2nd graders discussed the differences between the pitch (how high or low a sound is) vs. volume (how loud or soft a sound is) of a sound.  Each student classified common sounds into categories based on their pitch and volume.  

Sound

Click on the link below to virtually change the pitch and volume of a guitar, a drum, and a bottle!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ks2bitesize/science/physical_processes/changing_...

 

**Please start saving clean recyclables and found items that could be used to construct creative musical instruments.  Keep your eye out for a formal e-mail regarding the collection of items, and the invitation to come in and build with us during science time.