GLO-ing News

Greetings from GLO.  I just wanted to let everyone know what has been going on down in the GLO room.

First Grade

After completing an extensive study of animal classification (vertebrate/invertebrate, mammals, reptiles, amphibians), whereby the "animals come out", we have moved on to Sink or Float.  In this unit, we explore the concepts of surface tension, weight, and volume.  All this, using the scientific method, we predict or hypothesize, whether or not an item will sink or float.  We test and record our findings.  Bats, as mammals, were studied the week of Halloween.

Second Grade

Trees, Plant and Animal Adaptations, and Dinosaurs began our journey in second grade.  Tree identification included simple and compound leaves and opposite versus alternate placement on branches.  With that, we segued into how plants and animals have unique adaptations that help them live in their environments.  We "toyed" with our own adaptation, our thumbs, to see what we could and could not do without the use of our unique appendage.  Dinosaurs, a huge unit, gave us the opportunity to see how big these creatures actually were.  We measured creatures 80 feet long down the hallway outside the GLO room.  The Teeth and Claw teacher box from Burpee allowed us to touch and hold replicas of fossilized teeth and claws. 

Third Grade

The Scientific Method is our opener for third grade.  It is from this point that all experiments are written up in GLO. The sections for the Scientific Method are: Purpose (question we are wanting to know more about), Hypothesis (what do you predict will happen), Experiment (materials and procedure), Observation/Data Collection (the results) and Conclusion (referencing my hypothesis and data, what did I discover).  Each section was studied and written in detail using easy experiments.  The next unit, Changing Earth, had the students creating old and young rivers, noting erosion, deltas, and inside and outside curves.  Volcano study helped to see that some changes can move fast upon the land.  The "ever popular" volcano eruption with baking soda and vinegar added to visuals.  Now, we have begun rock study. Streak testing, vinegar testing and hardness testing will help in rock identification.

Fourth Grade

Fourth grade has completed the study of many topics.  A quick review of the Scientific Method helped to refresh our memory of why we write experiments up this way.  With the classroom study of cells and cell structure, we used microscopes and prepared wet and dry mount slides.  Dissecting flowers helped to see the form and function of plant parts.  Food/energy webs helped to study ecosystems.  The game "Deadly Links" reinforced the concept of biomagnification and its effect on animal populations.  During Red Ribbon Week we discussed the effects of drug and alcohol use and abuse.  A demonstration using drug look-a-likes fooled many students.  They thought they could recognize the real thing.  Now, we are studying the human body, specifically digestion.  At present, we have hardboiled egg whites being "digested" by vinegar, a mild acid.  The students are doing a week long study, noting changes in their science journals.

Fifth Grade

Weather is a large unit in fifth grade.  Using the FOSS kit on Weather and Water we have done numerous experiments on air pressure, ozone layer, heat transfer, evaporation and humidity, condensation, dew point, cloud formation, water cycle, and measuring wind speed.  The students have created instruments to help measure elements of the weather and to better understand what equipment meteorologists use.  We made hygrometers, barometers, and anemometers.  Taking readings from these tools we relate them to the information given in a weather forecast.  From here, we are just beginning our Chemistry unit.  Mystery powders utilize true inquiry based learning as the students try and figure out the six different powders they are analyzing.  Through prior knowledge and keying out of known reactions the students identify the powders.  Once completed, they will be given the correct idenfifications.

-Mrs. Woodin