Lots has been going on the last two weeks of sustainability. We've dealt with some different weather conditions, from wind and rain, to temperatures in the teens. With these changes in weather, the students have been very observant around the property. They have noticed the ground being crunchy, icicles hanging from unique places, certain surfaces being slippery, and the list goes on.
Lower Elementary built on their ice curiosity during engineering. They experimented with different materials to see which would melt a cube of ice the fastest. Their options included sand, sugar, baking soda, and salt. This was such a fun experiment because while we were doing our activity all together, they were given an ice cube and created their own recipes to race and melt their ice cube.
After multiple observations throughout class, they discovered that salt melts ice the fastest. They even learned some dance moves to help them remember why the salt works.
Upper Elementary has been studying seeds and all things gardening in preparation for the upcoming planting season. Students spent time analyzing seed packets and what information is on them to best plan our garden for the spring. Students made list of words unfamiliar to them and made them into a matching card game to further master the vocabulary. They sorted pictures and seed packets based on similar characteristics and that led them to the introduction of plant families. They discussed some simlarities and differences between the families as well as why it is important to know when planning a garden.
Middle School wrapped up their "Life Below Water" unit this past week. Students studied how old water truly is and discovered that the water we use today is the same water that first appeared on Earth. They created a timeline that many of you saw during the curriculum fair. This timeline included major historical events that had some connection to water. The students then illustrated the events in their time period and hung them on the timeline accordingly.
This past week, they presented on a marine species of their choice. They were challenged to create a biography for their species in five words. They also conducted research earlier in the week so they could share unique facts about their species.
We ended the unit with the documentary "Mission Blue", which is about the life and work of oceanographer, marine biologist, and environmentalist, Sylvia Earle. It is a beautiful documentary that explains the threats and solutions that have been studied and discussed in our unit. Students then reflected on the unit and what our role as humans are in the current situation.
-Ms. Emily