Students enjoyed 9 hands-on experiment stations, thanks to a volunteer team of University of Virginia graduate students led by Professor J. Floro. Work included exploring the properties of oobleck, hydrophilic versus hydrophobic materials, self-assembly, and other challenges of working at the molecular level.
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As we completed our units of study concerning Jamestown (social studies), plants (science), and measurement (math/science), I got the idea to integrate them into a capstone maker project. First, we brainstormed plants the Jamestown settlers interacted with--one student suggested starting with the settlers' departure from England in boats made of oak, and including stops in the Caribbean Islands before arriving in Virginia. Next, students chose a plant to research. They took notes in their journals and included one sketch of their plant. Notes included measurement(s). Then, they constructed their plant out of whatever objects they chose. Process: Think--Research--Make--Improve. Once completed, the final step was preparing their work for hallway exhibition. Students created a legible 'museum card' for their object, including title; a connection (Plant to Settlers or Plant to Self); and a measurement detail of choice. Slideshow below; it includes images of the making process as well as photos of the finished products being displayed. My son and I walked in a local park and discovered a mama swan nesting in the hedges. Daddy Swan hovered protectively nearby. Watch out!
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March 2020
AuthorMs. McGill is a public school librarian at Stony Point Elementary. She has previously taught all subjects in 4th & 5th grades, and creative nonfiction at UVa's Young Writers Workshop for nine summers. Categories |