Force and Motion PBL

Our fifth graders presented their force and motion Minute-to-Win-It games to our second graders this week.  It was a hit on all sides! Isaac Newton would be proud.  I know I am!

Force Fueds

We did our own March Madness tournament bracket today demonstrating unbalanced forces in action!

Filter of Hope

Fifth graders are partnering with Filter of Hope to help provide a water filtration system to those without access to clean drinking water.  Dr. Gretchen Wilhelm demonstrated the system for us and spoke to our students about water as a natural resources and some of the man made contaminates that can pollute it.  Help support the cause by donating or purchasing our "mixture of fun" at the Cougar Carnival.

Mixing up Play-doh for the Cougar Carnival.  

Mixture Un-mixing...

Students in action puzzling out how to separate some mixtures based on their physical properties. Check us out on the school newsletter as class of the week for more on this project!

Cougar Roar Class of the Week

Presentation Day!

Mrs. Hoft came by today to see our work, hear our pitches, and make her final decision about which feature of the ocean floor to visit.  Our presenters were composed, convincing, and proud to show off their great work!

Check out the run-down of the whole project here with students' final video presentations!
Project Link

Ocean Floor Models!

The floor has been mapped!  What features do you know?  These sculptures look fantastic!

Scientist Skype

Today we had the awesome opportunity to Skype with a real life oceanographer!  Dr. Sancho talked to us all the way from Spain and helped us answer some of our research questions for our ocean floor mapping project.  This makes my top ten list for best days in the classroom!  Our students did an excellent job with their questions, and we can't thank Dr. Sancho enough for taking time to speak with us!

Down in the Bubbly Blue Kick-off

We are on a mission to map the ocean floor!  What will we find?  Where should the Hoft's visit on their submarine excursion?

Kickoff Video



How do they know what's on the ocean floor?
Bathymetry Ocean Map
Gravity Mapping- Most Detailed Ocean Floor Map to Date!
Atlantic Ocean Map Gallery
Google Maps- Atlantic Ocean Floor
Drain the Ocean Movie

Break it, Take it, Make it!

We took a look at some erosion in action today with our stream tables.  Students were able to identify canyons, deltas, meanders, and plateaus in their models and answered the investigation question, "What effect does water have on land?"

Chemistry Kitchen

We had fun mixing up some matter for our goodie bags to send to children at the Ronald McDonald House!

Check out a run-down of the full project here.

Matter Review

Use these websites to complete your matter review!

Matter Games

Characteristics of Matter

Molecularium

Sorting Solids, Liquids, and Gases

States and Properties of Matter

Separating Mixtures Live!-  Skip this one!

Reversible and Irreversible Changes

Mixtures Lab

Ecosystems WebQuest

Have fun completing your WebQuest using these websites!

Chain Reaction

Energy Pyramids

Food Chains: Predator and Prey

Fun with Food Webs

Gould League: Food Webs

Biomes

Use these links to help your group find information on the different biomes of the world!

Salt Marshes/Estuaries
MBG: Salt Marshes
MBG: Estuaries
The World's Biomes: Estuaries
Sea Science: Salt Marshes

Deciduous Forests
World Biomes: Forests
Enchanted Learning: Deciduous Forests
MBG: Forests
Blue Planet: Deciduous Forests
The World's Biomes: Temperate Forests
Mission Biomes: Deciduous Forests
Window to the Universe: Forest

Grasslands
World Biomes: Grasslands
Enchanted Learning: Grasslands
MBG: Grasslands
Blue Planet: Grasslands
The World's Biomes: Grasslands
Mission Biomes: Grasslands
Window to the Universe: Grasslands

Oceans
MBG: Oceans
The World's Biomes: Oceans
Window to the Universe: Oceans
Ocean Plants

Lakes and Ponds
Enchanted Learning: Ponds
MBG: Ponds and Lakes
The World'S Biomes: Lakes and Ponds
Lake Habitats

Chemistry Kitchen

We had tons of fun in our matter unit whipping up a lot of crazy mixtures and solutions.  We were able to create "mattter bags" full of doughs, puttys, slimes, paints, bubbles and soaps to share with the children staying at our local Ronald McDonald House.