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The 2022 - 23 Projects are below
MAP READING
Grade 1
The grade 1 focused on the theme of “Exploration and Maps” for their social studies. In the Foundry, they designed and built a primitive compass rose. They were introduced to woodworking techniques and names of basic tools. Students had to apply their math skills doing simple measurements and at the same time review the four directions.
Try this out!
Try this out!
Things you need
Ferromagnet
Needle
Paper
Water
Bowl
Scissors
This experiment requires direct adult supervision
This experiment requires direct adult supervision
Rub one end of the needle on one side of the magnet 30 times (the north pole if your magnet is labeled). Always rub in the same direction.
Flip the magnet over and rub the other end of the needle on this other side 30 times. Again, rub in the same direction.
Cut a circle of about 2 inches in diameter out of the paper.
Carefully thread the needle through the paper circle twice, but not all the way through, so that the needle lays flat on the paper.
Watch it slowly rotate and then stop pointing to one direction.
Check the directions with a compass. One end of the needle (the one that you rubbed on the north pole of the magnet) should point to north and the other south.
Label the circle with the corresponding N (north) and S (south) directions. You now have a homemade compass!
What happened? Click to find out
What happened? Click to find out
On the Earth, there is a natural magnetic field all around us.
When a needle is rubbed against a magnet, it is magnetized and becomes a temporary magnet.
Earth’s magnetic field is relatively weak and normally doesn’t exert enough force to move a stationary needle.
But floating on water has significantly less friction, allowing the needle to freely rotate and align itself along Earth’s magnetic field.
As a result. one end of the needle points north while the other points south, forming a compass.
Further experiments
Further experiments
Gently push the needle turning it in a different direction, then let go. Note how it will always turn back to point to the same direction, even if you turn it all the way in the opposite direction.
Take your magnet, and hold it near to your compass, without touching it. What happens to your needle?
Holding your magnet above the needle, rotate it horizontally. What is the needle doing?
Remove the magnet, holding it well away from the needle. What happens now?
What happened? Click to find out
What happened? Click to find out
The earth's magnetic field is very weak, but strong enough to pull the floating needle to always point to the same direction: the magnetic north. Now when you hold a magnet near to the needle, the magnetic field of that magnet is much stronger than that of the earth, and the needle will align with the field of the magnet. You can also see this when you hold the magnet above the needle and rotate it: the needle follows the direction of the magnet's field.
The moment you remove that magnet the earth's magnetic field takes over again and the needle will again turn to point north.
MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
Sound & Vibration
Sound & Vibration
The grade 1 studied sound, how it travels and how sound is made by instruments. By creating string instruments using wood and elastic bands, they learn about how an instrument creates sound when part of it vibrates rapidly.
When the string of a string instrument is pulled and let go, it vibrates. This vibration produces sound waves, which are vibrations in the air, and which we hear as musical notes.
Using math, fine motor skills and eye-hand coordination, they built a simple "box" body for their instruments and assembled their own “ukulele”.
What is SOUND?
What is SOUND?
Sound is carried by waves, not unlike the waves we looked at when we learned about color. These waves require a medium to travel through, which on earth is the atmosphere that surrounds us. e can’t see them, but air is actually made up of tiny particles, called molecules. These molecules transfer energy to one another, which is how a sound wave moves.
Sound travels through the air at a speed of some 300 meters per second. In contrast, light moves at just under 300,000 km per second. This is why lightning always comes before thunder: the light of the lightning bolt reaches your eyes almost instantly, while the sound takes a little longer. Count the seconds between the lightning and the thunder, divide by 3, and you have the distance in km between you and where the bolt struck.
Try this out
Try this out
Put the plastic wrap tightly over the bowl. (One layer, as tight as you can get it.)
Put about 1 teaspoon of rice on the plastic.
Then hold the metal pan close to the bowl and have your child hit it with the spoon.
Things you need
Big Bowl
Plastic Wrap
Uncooked Rice
Metal Pan
Metal Spoon
What happened? Click to find out
What happened? Click to find out
What is happening is that the pan vibrates, creating a sound wave travelling through the air. The sound wave travels by air molecules pushing against one another, but when the wave reaches the plastic wrap the air molecules push against it instead, and cause the plastic wrap to start vibrating as well. The vibrations of the wrap in turn make the rice dance!
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