2nd Grade Balances!

Oh the things we can balance! 2nd grade has continued to balance a multitude of objects.  They tried to balance a triangle and an arch in almost a dozen different ways! We discovered that in order for the shape to balance, the counterweight from the clothespins needs to be near or lower than the balancing point!

Next we created our own shapes and made predictions about where the counterweight need to be for the shape to balance!  

Then came the biggest balance of all!  Balancing a pencil on its tip! First we balanced a paper pencil....

...then we tried to balance a real pencil on its tip using only clothespins and wire.    

It took almost the whole period, but eventually we figured it out!

The culminating investigation was creating a mobile that balances!

If you get a chance, stop by the Whitney Museum to see Alexander Calder's mobiles!

A Visit from an Archeologist!

Tommy Berger, Sasha Berger's (2-231) dad, came for a fascinating visit last month.  Sasha's dad is an archeologist and professor.  He talked a little bit about evolution and about a dig he went on in Israel.

We looked at artifacts from the dig!

We looked at a replica of a skull. 
Sasha and her family call it Lucy!

A tool made from basalt (a rock that we studied!).

Looking at artifacts!

Artifacts can tell us about people
and how they lived.

We asked Sasha's dad when did he become interested in science.  He said his parents were scientist and they always encouraged him to ask questions. Then they challenged him to find out the answer to the question!

What Happens to Wood When it Gets Wet?

Kindergarten has been discovering what happens to wood when it gets wet. They have made some great observations and predictions!

I can see the lines on the wood.

Look!  The wood sticks together when it's wet!

One wood gets darker and the other gets lighter.

The wood sticks to the table too!

The water sinks into this wood.

I'm trying to get more of the wood to stick together.

Three can stick together!

We discovered that all five wood samples floated.  We made
predictions about on whether the wood will still be floating
by the next science class!  Most students think some will sink
and some will float!

Bring in the Snow!

What do we do when there's a lot of snow outside?  Bring it inside of course!! Pre-K measured, packed, mixed and molded snow from the blizzard this week!

I'm making water!