Every two weeks during distance learning we’ve focused on different Crosscutting Concepts, the various themes that connect all of the big ideas in science. For example, Systems and System Models, relates to how a cell is organized and functions or about how energy and matter move and flow between organisms. It also relates to Earth systems such as patterns in the weather or in weathering and erosion. Systems and System Models help us think about balanced and unbalanced forces and about chemical reactions. The ideas of stability and change, things staying the same and things becoming different, is another Crosscutting Concept.

Think about ideas of stability and change over this school year.

• What has stayed the same? What has changed?

• What caused some things to stay the same? What caused some things to change?

• What was the effect of some things staying the same and some things changing?

• Can you find any patterns to all of this?

Today let’s think about stability and change related to the science topics you studied this year.

What are examples of stability and change?

Use the sheets below to guide your thinking.

• 6th grade

• 7th grade

• 8th grade

Today share your thinking from yesterday with someone that you know.

Things to think about:

• In what ways are the different Crosscutting Concepts connected to our science units? to each other?

• As you go into the summer what will stay the same and what will change?

• What do you hope to do in the summer?

• What do you think you might need help with?

Materials

• Paper and something to draw with )Pen, pencil, markers, etc.)

• A light source (lamp, flashlight, or the sun)

• Something that can cast a shadow

Ideas

• Line up toys and try tracing their shadows to create a scene.

• Try creating portrait silhouette art by taping paper to a wall. Have someone sit in front of it and shining a lamp on them. Then trace their silhouette. If you use colored paper, you can cut out the silhouette and and glue it to another piece of paper! Or if you do the silhouette on white paper, you can draw things that you like inside the lines.

• Create a small sculpture with foil, trace its shadow, and then attach the sculpture to the drawing.

• Try an abstract piece of art by laying paper beneath a tree. Trace the shadows cast by the branches and color in the shapes.

Guiding questions

• Where does the object need to be, relative to the sun (or other light source), to make a new shadow?

• Why is the shadow a different size than the item casting the shadow?

• What might be the best time of the day to do shadow art? What might be the most difficult time of the day? Why do you think that?

Over the summer

What you are noticing in and around your house that you wonder about or would like to learn more about ? It could be as simple as timing how long it takes various amounts of water to boil, to what kinds of birds you see in your backyard, to looking how a worm moves, to how long does your cat actually sleeps in a day, to which kind of ball bounces the highest? You are the scientist. What are you wondering about?

Scientists ask questions and then plan investigations to answer their questions. Everyone can be a scientist.

Use the Inquiry Template linked below to guide you in the steps of the inquiry process and learn more about the things that you are curious about.

Keep a notebook of your wonderings, your questions, and your experiments. Draw your observations of nature. If you are comfortable doing this, share your notebook with others.

Scientists communicate and share their ideas.

Inquiry Template

Look for more summer science and engineering activities on our summer fun page.