Science Help At Home

Sometimes parents express an interest in helping their child at home with science but just don't know where to begin. The way we teach science is a very hands-on and interactive approach. Although research definitely has it's place in science, the emphasis is more about being engaged in "doing" science and less on reading from the science text book. This approach is fantastic because it provides students with a meaningful experience at being a scientist. We realize that this approach can also be challenging when parents would like to help support their child in developing into a scientific thinker. We hope that this list of suggestions will help support your efforts at home when working on science.

1. Be familiar with your child's science standards. Visiting this link will help you understand what your child is expected to know at each grade level.

2. Go to the local library to check out some Outstanding Science Trade Books. Reading any science books, even if it is not the the current topic of study, will help your child become a more critical science thinker.

3. Conduct simple science experiments at home.

Home Experiments Link #1

Home Experiments Link #2

Home Experiment Link #3

4. Understand misconceptions in science so that you can help your child understand the concepts correcly.

5. Visit the science links provided on our blog. The Gizmos provides fantastic online simulations that power inquiry and understanding.

6. Always, show a positive attitude towards science even if it may not be your favorite subject.

Gravity in 3, 2, 1... ACTION!

Did you know that along with math, science, and social studies standards there are also technology standards that we are hard at work teaching your child? We did a culminating gravity project in which students had to create a "Bill Nye" style video to share gravity in action on the playground. Students wrote all of their own scripts, directed, and filmed everything themselves. Because it was the student's first experience using our new class set of iPods to video, we let them off the hook with the video editing. Next time, our students will be producing the entire product through video editing the product and sharing it via their personal iGoogle accounts. (How exciting!)

We want our students to be exposed to many different types of technology and feel comfortable using it on their own. We are helping to prepare them for a workforce in which technology will be a vital part of their daily work. Some of the technology standards we worked on with this project include: communicating and collaborating to produce original work, processing data and reporting results, understand and use technology systems, and as always being a good digital citizen. Technology standards we are moving towards include selecting applications effectively and productively, troubleshooting systems and applications, and transferring current knowledge to learning of new technologies.

Because this is the first time students had a chance to video all on their own, the video clip may not have turned out just right. We are using this as a learning experience for our next filming adventure. If your child's video is not part of their homeroom's project, the video either did not record (we had some students realize when they got back inside that they forgot to push "record") or your child was absent. Not to worry, we will have other opportunities to film this year.

Presenting the Lipsky & Timmons Homeroom Students

Lipsky Timmons Homeroom Gravity Video from Melissa Ross on Vimeo.

Presenting the Russell & Ross Homeroom Students

Russell Ross Homeroom Gravity Video from Melissa Ross on Vimeo.

Thank you Mrs. Holtsman for lending a helping hand! We appreciate all of your help! :)

Animal Kingdom

We have moved from learning about plants to learning about animals. Our third grade science standards tell us that students should be able to classify animals into major groups (mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, arthropods, vertebrates, invertebrates, live births, lay eggs) according to their physical characteristics and behaviors. We just started learning about these classifications, so your child may not be able to describe each category yet.

Check out some of these fun games to practice what we have learned:

1. Animal Characteristics

2. What Kind of Animal

3. Classification Game

4. Matching Links Game

5. Classification Game

6. Animals of the World

Which game is your favorite? We like them all! :)

Plants on the Go!

Check out these time lapse video clips:

Parts of plant practice

The Great Plant Escape

Our Laptops

We successfully used our latops today for our first official science/technology lesson! Ask your child to tell you all about it!

On the right side of this blog under the headings "Our Favorite Math Sites" and "Our Favorite Science/SS Sites," we will be posting sites that we use in class. Check that area to access fun games as well as a digital copy of the science text we use in class.

We can't wait to share more technology news with you!! :)

What's a Gizmos?

Gizmos are online simulations that power inquiry and understanding. Our classroom was one of the chosen few in the building to receive a laptop cart and wireless Internet. We are so excited for some awesome new opportunities to explore this year! Gizmos is one of the programs we will be using to explore on the laptops.

Your child has a log-in and password for Gizmos (as of 9-8-10) in the back of his/her planner. We have selected several introductory math simulations for students to use. These include:

1. Cannonball Clowns (estimation)

2. Rounding Whole Numbers

3. Target Sum Card Game (Close to 100)

4. Number Line Frog Hop (Addition and Subtraction)

As we explore more Gizmos in class, we will make them available on your child's account. In order to access your child's account, use the navigation bar on the right side of this blog. Under the heading "Our Favorite Math Sites," the first choice is Gizmos. This will be available for the remainder of this school year.

What is your favorite Gizmos so far? :)

Butterflies!

We are so excited to share with you what we have learned about our Painted Lady butterflies!

A Jacksonville Zoo Adventure!

Yesterday, we went on an exciting field trip to the Jacksonville Zoo. Before we left, we learned how to read the signs at the zoo to learn more about each animal. The Ross/Russell homerooms went on a Flip Video scavenger hunt to teach us some of the great things they learned. Check out their video clips below.

Zoo Part 1 from Melissa Ross on Vimeo.

Part 2 Jax Zoo from Melissa Ross on Vimeo.

Part 3 Jax Zoo from Melissa Ross on Vimeo.

We are so proud of you for all of your hard work in our scavenger hunt. You all did an amazing job! Thank you chaperones for being so patient with our young producers. They had a great day with you!

Have a fun and safe spring break! Remember, your teachers love you!

Science Rocks!

In second grade, our standards for our next science unit on rocks state that students should be able to:
- recognize that the Earth is made up of rocks.
- describe how small pieces of rock and dead plant and animal parts can be the basis of soil and explain the process by which soil is formed.

We are going to cover these standards through some fun observations and labs in class. Do you have a special rock you want to add to our class rock collection?

More Research:
Online Rock Collection
Geo Mysteries
Our Planet Rocks

And just for fun, Underground Adventures

What Happened to the Water?

We finished one of our longer science projects today in class. We learned that water left in an open container will disappear over time. Ask your child about our salt water and fresh water experiment.
To do more research on this topic at home, check out the sites and activities below.



Water Droplet Game
Diary of Water Drop
Water Cycle
More Great Information

Wind Fun!

Let's go fly a kite

Up to the highest height

Let's go fly a kite

And send it soaring!

Up through the atmosphere

Up where the air is clear

Oh, let's go fly a kite!

Learning About the Weather

We have moved into our new science unit, weather. For those who have yet to hear our exciting news, we have a Smartboard in our classroom now. We use a lot more interactive sites in our lessons now because of this new tool. Check out some of the sites and games below that we will be using in the coming days. Which one is your favorite?

Check your weather.

Weather Wiz Kids

Weather Tools

Weather Watch

FEMA

What did one hurricane say to the other hurricane?

I've got my "eye" on you!

Float Sink Boat Results

Ross/Russell Homeroom Boats

Lipsky/Timmons Homeroom Boats

Can Your Boat Float?

In class, we have been learning about floating and sinking. We have completed a lab testing several items to see if they float or sink. As an optional extension to this lesson, students may choose to create a boat at home out of household items they think will float if put to the test.

Rules and Regulations:

1. The boat must be built by your second grader.

2. The boat must be no longer than 12 inches. There are no height requirements.

3. The boat may not be pre-tested at home. The maiden voyage of your boat must be taken at school on Friday, November 20, 2009. (Pictures coming soon after.)

May you have fare winds and following seas!

Science Recipes

We did several fun experiments on Friday to end our matter unit. We promised to post the recipes in case you want to try them at home. **Warning** These are very messy - you may want to do them outside! (Oobleck may clog your drain.)

Recipe for Oobleck

2 cups of cornstarch

several drops of green food coloring

enough water to make the consistency of pancake batter

You will have to mix the Oobleck with your hands - it does not mix well with a spoon.

Recipe for Ice Cream: Makes 1 serving

Bag 1: Pour the following ingredients into a sandwich sized Ziplock bag. (You may want to double bag it so the rock salt doesn't get inside of the ice cream.)

1/2 cup whole milk

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoon sugar

Bag 2: Fill a gallon sized Ziplock bag with 2 cups of ice and 1/2 cup of rock salt. Place the ice cream mixture bag (bag 1) inside this bag and shake, shake, shake! (about 5 minutes)

Enjoy! :)

Science Time!

Our super scientists have been working hard on our matter unit. We have done many fun labs and learned a lot of cool things. Check out one of the lessons we did in class below. (Thank you Mrs. Holtsman for always being ready with the video camera!)

2nd Grade Science - Matter 10-09 from Melanie Holtsman on Vimeo.

For more research at home, check out these links:

Changing and ice cube

Changing solids and liquids

Video, song, and quiz on matter

Check out any of the sites above and leave us a comment for some class money! :)

Severe Weather Time!

We have finally finished diagnostic testing in math and science and are ready to learn! Yea! We had our very first science lesson today, learning all about hurricanes and hurricane safety. We are working toward exceeding the standard that says that students should be able to state the importance of preparing for severe weather, lightning, and other weather related events.

We talked a lot about preparing for a hurricane and creating a hurricane kit. We even had the News4Jax Eye on the Storm guide copies to read and take home. If you are interested in researching this topic further with your child, check out these kid-friendly links:

1. Hurricane Hazard Hunt

2. FEMA for kids

3. Glossopedia

Kids, leave us a comment and let us know your favorite part of the lesson we did today or tell us something you learned from one of the websites above for a chance to earn some classroom money! :)

Love,

Miss Russell & Mrs. Ross