Science

This month in science the 3rd/4th class finished up our plant studies and focused more on body systems with a first aid/survival skills unit. 

For Halloween, we revisited a candy experiment they had previously done, with a new twist. Gummy bats were placed in different solutions (vinegar, baking soda water, water), First the bats were measured for wingspan, body length and mass - utilizing a new science tool to many students - the balance scale. We then took new measurements after the bats had been soaking overnight. The most interesting discovery was the large increase in mass most of the gummies experienced, though sadly some dissolved completely. 

We then started body systems with the circulatory system. Students learned to take their own radial (wrist) pulse and compared their resting heart rate to their heart rate after exercising. We made a graph on the door of everyone's heart rates - which revealed a wide range. Some students had a bit of extra time and calculated their blood volume which was around 3L for most students. We modeled the movement of blood through the various circuits of the body (through the heart to the lungs, back to the heart and out to the body) by acting out the chambers and passing red and blue blood cells. To tie into first aid, students placed colored tape on our friendly skeleton Mr. Bones (thanks to Molly Margulies for all the cool tile room skeletons!) where we had experienced injuries. As you might expect there were many wrist, ankle, shin and head injuries, it it quite illustrative. We followed that up with a brief first aid practice where we discussed assuring your own personal safety while helping others and practiced bandaging and making slings.

The latest engineering/build challenge was to create a working gravity water filter with various sizes of gravel, sand, charcoal and a 2L bottle. There were many approaches with lots of different theories. Some of the systems produced very clear and clean looking water (we did not consume any water in course of this experiment). The most unique approach was to grind up the charcoal and mix it into sand - this resulted in initially black water (from the charcoal) then after the first flush seemed to work rather well. 

Gummy bats!

Practicing bandaging.

Making water filters.

Testing water filters.