I apologize for not posting on the blog or emailing an update for so long. I allowed other things to come first and was remiss in my duties. I will work to be more diligent in posting/emailing this semester!
In this new semester we are shifting over from Social Studies to Science, a shift which I am very excited about! First we will be learning about Earth Science, which we have broken into two smaller units based on how the standards are organized.
Last week we did a small unit about how natural earth processes impact humans. Essentially, we learned about different kinds of natural disasters and how humans are impacted by them. To culminate this short unit, the students had to research, design, and build an earthquake proof house for a little figurine out of graham crackers and other building materials. They had some constraints, such as a budget for materials and a time limit, that they had to work within. The students rocked it! Only a few students' structures started to fall apart when shaken on the shake table for 20 seconds, which was impressive! The students also completed a reflection sheet about the process. They had a great time building and testing their buildings. Mrs. Mackedon was kind enough to take a picture for us, which I will make sure to get and share with you!
This week and next week, the students will be studying how the use of natural resources to produce energy impacts the environment. Today we talked about what natural resources are and the difference between renewable and non-renewable natural resources. For their final product, students will work with a partner to research and create a slideshow presentation about one method of making energy, and they will present this to the class next Thursday.
Thank you for raising such amazing kids! I am so grateful to have the privilege of being their teacher. And I will work to be better about posting on the blog weekly!
