As we continue to learn about our environment, we have discovered that pollutants do find their way into our food chain. Many people believe that a small amount of pollutants do not have a negative impact in a large area because it becomes so diluted. To show how a small amount can truly impact areas we think are safe from harm we conducted an experiment. We took six clear plastic cups. Every other one had water and food coloring in them. Those in between had no water. Students hypothesized that the "safe space" between colors wouldn't interact. But with the catalysts of wind, rain, or others, this would change. To represent this we folded a single white paper towel connecting two neighboring cups. We waited, predicted, and observed. We saw that the colored water was pulled into the empty cups pretty closely leveling out the amount of water in each of the six cups. The colors mixed turning them into a rainbow. In a separate experiment we took four cups with only the end cup having colored water to see if the intensity of the color would decrease with distance travelled down the line of cups. The simple demonstration caused us to think about how interconnected all things are in our environment and hopefully will cause us to make safe choices now and in the future.
This week we did a hands-on demonstration of an oil spill allowing students to see and feel the impact of oil. We also did a read aloud of the Exxon Valdez disaster and how it impacted the environment. One of our groups also learned about the BP Deep Water Horizon disaster. These activities were our jump start for our long-term research project. The theme for this year is "environment" which is very broad allowing students to investigate a topic and it's impact on our environment in various ways. Students will write a final report near the end of the year and create a visual product to showcase their learning. So far we have many great research ideas under way!
This week we completed our "how to" problem-solving process writing activities. We have been discussing the need for clear, detailed, and proper sequential information when writing or giving directions to others. We shared real-life examples of times this had caused us frustration when someone else thought we could perform their requests, but maybe our interpretations or experiences were different.
Students worked in teams to write instructions for tying a Windsor knot in a man's tie, doing different dances, frosting a two-layer cake, and folding and flying a certain model of paper airplane. Students practiced their skill before writing their directions. After a couple of days of preparation, we tested our directions by having the rest of the class perform the tasks. We found some areas of strength and some areas of weakness. It was a fun and reflective opportunity! We also got to celebrate with the yummy cake treat. This week I mailed a letter to each family explaining a research project I am undertaking. Included in the envelope was a letter of informed consent explaining the purpose of the research as well as needed signatures for those electing to participate. I enclosed a copy of a questionnaire for parents to complete and return to me for your convenience.
If you give permission for your child to participate in the study, I will ask the exact same questions but in an interview format and will record their responses. I will not conduct any interviews unless I have a signed permission from parents. Please let me know if you have any questions regarding this research project. I hope to hear from many of you. Thank you for considering participating. :) |
Archives
February 2016
Categories |