Unit One: Earth Systems- Beginning with identifying Static and Dynamic systems.
To introduce the idea of Earth sized systems, we began by focusing on the Dust Bowl and how all the systems of Earth intertwined to create a catastrophe (Geosphere, Biosphere, Atmosphere & Hydrosphere)
At the start of the week (9/22), we began our first Mystery Science lesson: How much water is there on Earth? Students practiced reading and using surface area maps to answer that question.
Where does our water come from? How much fresh water do we really have? What's an aquifer?
These are important questions that we have been investigating in our Earth Systems Unit. Now, we are trying to protect Beach Town from a Hurricane. Ask your Student Engineer what they did.
Our final Earth System Unit activity is for the students to create a plan on how to protect their Kansas farm.
Earth Systems Unit Test Dates:
Miller HR- Study Guides completed Friday,10/24, test Tuesday, 10/28
Brace HR- Study Guides completed Monday, 10/27, test Wednesday, 10/29
What are Star Trails? Starting the week of 11/3, Our first activity for the next Science Unit- SPACE, answers that question Do you know?
Do you know how fast the Earth rotates? By doing some simple math, our students figured out the Earth rotates on it's axis at about 1,000 mph!
Who created the first clock? Your child will be finding out during the week of 11/10. Did you check out our Shadow Clocks?
During the week of 12/1, we will be exploring the night sky and why we see different starts during different seasons of the year. We will then be making another informative model that will be sent home...
Somehow we were able to fit an entire Universe into a box! Ask your scientist to see it.
Our first graded assignment of the 2nd trimester will be hanging in our hallway so you won't be able to see it for a while (we created personal constellations with a backstory describing how their constellation landed in the night sky) .
PLANET PROJECTS- You may have heard your scientist talking about our Planet Project. Each student was assigned a planet to research and they had to decide how to present the information- poster, google slide show, Canva, comic book... many options.
This was primarily to be a bonus Excel project, but many have taken it upon themselves to work on it outside of school. Since they are putting forth so much effort, I decided to reward the students who finish it with a 10 point grade in Genesis (which requires a quick presentation). If it is not completed, it will not count against the students' grade.
Our Astronauts have been very busy. Throughout January, we have been learning about gravity on other planets and moons, we investigated why the Moon looks different as the month passes, and we even created a new constellation that can be found in the night sky... sort of.
Soon, we will be checking out the Exoplanets and searching for the 'Goldilocks Zone". Not familiar with that concept, your astronaut soon will be.