2nd Grade Sorts River Rocks!

2nd graders have been investigating river rocks!  They began by observing and sorting the rocks by properties: color, shape, size, luster and texture. We were surprised at how most of the rocks were more than one color and many of them had patterns. 

We discovered that most of the river rocks were smooth, sparkly and had more than one color.

The next class we sorted the river rocks by properties again and put each sorted group into water to see if the rocks would change in any way.

We were so surprised that the dull rocks turned shiny and the shiny rocks turned dull when they were put in water.  And the river rocks changed color when they were wet. Some even turned green!

Our Mealworm Has Changed!

1st grade has been very busy learning about their mealworms and caring for them!  They have also looked at other critters - millipedes, Bess beetles and walking sticks - and compared them to their mealworm!

A few weeks ago, we noticed a huge change in the mealworm!

A pupa!

The mealworm looks so different in the pupa stage!  It's fatter and doesn't move unless it get nervous, then it twitches!  No need for food or water during this transformation! What will come out of the pupa!  There was much debate amongst the students - a moth, a butterfly, a bigger mealworm.  About 10 days later...

A darkling beetle arrives!

They move really fast!

And love to climb all over our hands....

..and arms!

They can really hold on to your finger.

They love to hide...watch out!

This one is helping with a journal entry!

Great camouflage! 

See you next class!

Kindergarten Plants Corn Seeds and Watches them Grow!

Kindergarten has been busy investigating all parts of the tree!  We have looked at the trunk, leaves but wondered how can we look at the roots of the tree?

Well...we planted corn seeds during our gardening class...

First we made a sign for our seed...

So we will know which of the 140 plants is ours!

Then we put soil in the cup.

The cup has a hole in the bottom incase we
 water our plant a little too much!

Next we added about 4 corn kernels.

Sometimes some extra seeds get dropped in!

Cover the seeds and water!

Ready to grow!

It's too cold outside, so the seeds were brought inside...

And put in the grow lab in my classroom!

Two weeks later...our corn seeds have grown!  We first drew what our plant looked like and then, carefully and gently, we pulled our corn seedling out to look at the root structure.

You can see the roots growing from the seed!

There are so many roots!

My roots are so long!

We discussed how the roots help the plant get food and stay
in one place!

Lastly, we re-planted our corn seedling and should be making their way home to continue growing in your homes!

Rocks from Utah!

Last week class 2-227 had a visitor during science class!  Julie Fry, Orla's mom, came and talked to the class about her trip to Arches National Park in Utah.  The park has more than 2,000 natural sandstone arches that have been made over time by rain!

Julie found some amazing rocks at Moab's Rock Shop and has kindly donated them to PS58's growing rock collection!  

Everyone liked the polished, colorful rocks!

The fossils were amazing!

And then we saw the geodes!

Everyone had their goggles on!

Orla cracked the Utah geode after a few good smashes with
the hammer!

Thank you so much for coming in Julie and sharing your experience at and photos of Arches National Park and the rocks you got at Moab's Rock Shop!

2nd Annual Cardboard Challenge!

The Cardboard Challenge at PS58 today was another success!  It was wonderful to see so many families build amazing creations out of cardboard!  

In case you are unfamiliar with the Cardboard Challenge, here is a link to Caine's arcade that started the whole movement! http://cainesarcade.com/

And it begins!

Cardboard and building everywhere!

The arch with a sculpture on top!

A tree house!

Adventure boy's backpack!

A fire breathing dragon!

Cardboard creations in the lobby!

 Such a fun morning!  I can't wait for next year!