GATE Science Fair

Get ready to be amazed by the next generation of scientific thinkers! Our GATE Students have diligently embraced the challenge of the Science Fair Project, demonstrating curiosity, critical thinking, and research skills—all completed at home. Following the rigorous steps of the Scientific Method, each student has devised a testable scientific question, conducted their investigation to collect and analyze data, and meticulously prepared a detailed Science Board as a powerful visual guide to their journey of discovery. Beyond the physical display, they've honed their communication skills by recording an informative video presentation, already uploaded to Google Classroom. We invite you to witness this impressive showcase of logic and evidence-based learning as our students present their findings in person. Join us at the Jane Phillips Elementary School Gym on November 11th from 5:30 PM to 6:00 PM. This is a fantastic opportunity to support our brilliant young scientists, view their impressive work, and be inspired by the projects that may even go on to the District Science Fair! We can't wait to see you there! 

Habitat Creature Adventure Project

We're excited to update you on the final stage of our Habitat Creature Adventure Project! Last month, students concluded the creative writing phase, finishing their original adventure stories where their unique new species interacted with classmates' creatures, demonstrating their understanding of complex food chains and community dynamics. We’ve now transitioned to the exciting, hands-on phase of diorama building. Students are collaborating in their Biome Groups (like Desert, Rainforest, etc.) to construct detailed, 3D representations of their habitat, synthesizing all their research on the biome's geography, climate, and plant life into a cohesive miniature world. This challenging activity requires them to apply science, art, and collaboration skills simultaneously.

This project will culminate in a presentation showcasing the entire journey. Soon, we'll be sharing the final products: the creature's scientific details, the original "pressed crayon" species portrait, their imaginative adventure story, and the fantastic 3D diorama built by their group. We'll be uploading pictures of the completed projects to the November Album; we can’t wait for you to see the incredible creatures and worlds our students have brought to life! They’ve truly enjoyed learning through this cross-curricular adventure.

Volcanoes 

This month, our class has taken an exciting deep dive into volcanology! We've been studying the powerful forces that shape our Earth, focusing on the gently sloping Shield Volcanoes. This type of volcano, exemplified by the giants of Hawaii, is characterized by its broad base and low-viscosity lava that allows gas to escape easily, resulting in spectacular, but relatively gentle, effusive eruptions that create a signature "oozing" flow rather than a violent explosion. To bring this learning to life, students are working in peer groups to construct impressive 2-foot tall papier-mâché shield volcanoes that mirror the wide, shallow cone or caldera found at the summit of these formations. The culmination of this unit will be our highly anticipated eruption later this month! This explosive activity is a memorable way to demonstrate a powerful chemical reaction: we'll combine baking soda and vinegar to instantly produce large volumes of carbon dioxide gas (CO2), which builds up pressure and forces the dramatic "lava" up and out of the wide, shallow cone. It's an incredibly fun and educational exploration of geology and chemistry! 

Balloons Over Broadway

Get ready for an incredibly engaging and dynamic project as our students kick off their "Balloons Over Broadway" challenge! We began by stepping into the world of float design, using the Promethean Board to share the inspiring book Balloons Over Broadway and analyze footage of the spectacular Macy's Day Parade. This foundational research sets a real-world context for their task: teams must combine Art, Engineering, and Coding to build their own parade floats. Using balloons, straws, and tape, students will act as engineers, designing a stable, lightweight rig to attach their creative balloon to their Dash robot. Finally, the team's Lead Coders will program the robot using the Wonder Workshop App to navigate a precise sequence of turns, stops, and speeds required to complete our very own parade around the school square. This exercise is a fantastic test of design-thinking, structural problem-solving, and coding precision—a perfect blend of technical skill and creative execution!