They Blinded Me With...SCIENCE

The "Trash Master" mascot "toadally" approves of Aaliyah and Tealie's lantern

In order to wrap up our Electricity Unit, the students still needed to design, build and test a device that produced electricity.  These Gr 6 scientists certainly charged ahead once presented with the task. Nothing like a little hands on learning to ignite some passion.

Since they had already experimented with static electricity and creating simple circuits, the students built on this previous learning.  They were allowed to create a circuit but had to devise a switch or way of turning it on and off to level up.  The device simply had to create sound or light, or move or charge.  Some of the kids decided to "myth bust" some findings on YouTube.

Kayla and Mairna's projector, including a homemade "flashlight"

Josh and Aidan's sound amplifier

Hailey and Emily M's flashlight

Owen, Derek and Isaac's homemade battery for a remote

Evan and Macenzie's "oven" (aka marshmallow melter)

There are even more experiments that did not get photographed like a lemon charger for an iPad, a motorized boat and solar battery powered car.  Click here to see the devices in action.

This was certainly an electrifying way to end a week filled with activity...

~MissBrooks

We Like to Move It, Move It

Making numbers from thousandths to millions

Although this week was a short one due to a PA Day on Friday, we were moving and grooving!

Numeracy:

We are learning to read and write whole numbers up to the millions and to multiply numbers (even with decimals!) by 10, 100, 1000.  To get the kids to visualize how the number grows when multiplying, they took turns coming to the front and arranging themselves into the number that I said aloud.  Before the number holders could move, the kids that remained at their desks wrote the number on individual white boards.  On "GO!", they moved and the kids at the desks checked their answers against them.  

We later introduced the decimal (a favourite card to get to hold!) and started by forming the number, then multiplying by 10, 100, 1000. 

With some too cold days resulting in lack of outdoor recesses this week, this was a little like "mathercise"!

Science:  

Does static electricity have enough power to move objects?  We began a unit on Electricity this week and had the opportunity to try two experiments using simple, dollar store items to generate static electricity.  

Cheerio "pendulum"

First, the students charged a plastic comb, bringing it close to a Cheerio hanging from a string to see what would happen.  It was interesting to watch some of the students become curious scientists, looking for other objects to "charge" (rub on the carpet or fleece sweaters) to see if the Cheerio would behave in a similar fashion.

Comb vs balloon in the pop can race

The next class, we has a pop can race without touching the cans or modifying them in any way!  Using charged balloons required a lot of head rubbing and hair on end!  Would the size of the balloon or the size of the can affect the outcome?  Could a comb work?  Does the amount of time "charging" affect the race?  Visit our YouTube channel to see the races!

Not only did we generate some electricity this week but also some NOISE (learning IS noisy work)!  It's a good thing we're in our own little corner of the school or we may have ended up with some enemies!

~Miss Brooks