Dear Parents,
Last Friday, I sent home a number of crystal experiments we had made using alum. Students shaped pipe cleaners into hosts for the crystals and we created a super saturated solution (I explained this concept using the metaphor of hot water over a tea bag vs. cold water over a tea bag).
Using the left over solution, we have left a couple more brewing, which we've added food colouring to, so we'll see if those are as effective. Pictures of those results are yet to come. This investigation is very teacher directed: I have the information and I mostly manage the materials, but the results are interesting for students.
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| One really big crystal |
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| Lots of smaller crystals |
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| A triangle and a heart shaped ornament |
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| More little crystals |
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| A lollipop spiral |
We also ended the week by making a neighbourhood map on the hallway wall. Students have continued to add different pieces to this map through the week. In addition to the artistic sensibilities involved in each segment's creation, we like to build things together as a class community. Cutting out the shapes and paper has also been a good exercise in building scissor skills for students with weaker fine motor abilities. Using a variety of materials also gives students more flexible problem solving skills.
This investigation is teacher supported. I suggest the topic and help students brainstorm, but the followthrough and ideas are their own.
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| Our map has houses and trees and lots of stop signs |
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| Cutting and consulting |
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| Every good map needs the sun |
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| A close up of a road section |
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| Kids at work |
For instance, I think our map has made student approach our play dough station a little differently. First, we used the book Bug Life as an inspiration because it uses clay to make its illustrations.
This is an investigation of materials provided as provocations to learning: the topic and the execution are student directed.
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| We've put out some new craft materials |
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| Students are adapting materials to their needs |
But over the past week, other investigations have been incorporated. These students were making specific dinosaurs they'd looked up in a reference book. Once one started, it was a going concern.
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| A Spinosaurus |
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| Very detailed teeth and claws |
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| The attention to detail in some of these was amazing! |
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| Look at this guy's little claws |
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| So many teeth in this T. Rex |
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| Even brachiosauruses need families |
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| Pteradon |
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| "The long neck helps it eat leaves" |
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| Pleiosaur or swimming dinosaur |
Today, they used the same materials in a completely different way. The lids helped to create the circular faces.
