Science

We have continued our study of ecosystems and energy in ecosystems. Students explored food chains with a game called "Predator In Training" and expanded each individual food chain from a different habitat into a more complex food web with multiple producers, prey and predators. 

Lately, we have been more focused on producers (plants) and their role in capturing the sun's energy via photosynthesis. We explored the different colored pigments that leaves have in them that help trap the sun's energy by separating the pigments into reds, greens and yellows. Students compared leaves from different plants as well as leaves of different colors. 

Last week we finished up an experiment where students observed photosynthesis in water plants by watching bubbles of oxygen being produced. We answered two important questions with this experiment 1) that plants will photosynthesize under artificial lights (many students predicted they would not) and 2) that the distance from a light source (even a difference of 10cm) does effect the rate of photosynthesis as determined by the number of bubbles produced. The further away the plants were, the fewer bubbles were formed. Very cool!

In engineering challenges, we built catapults out of only spoons, popsicle sticks, rubber bands and tape. I also challenged the students to build towers using only classroom supplies (markers, rulers, etc) that were at least 45cm tall, were free standing and could hold an apple at the top of them. The designs were highly varied, and it was with much celebration when a group was able to achieve the objective!

Impromptu catapults.

Celebrating apple tower success!

Observing and counting oxygen bubbles.

Another successful tower!