In Science Class - Late October/early November

4th Grade: In class, we've been working on series and parallel circuits using multiple lightbulbs and d-cells.   We soon will begin some exploration of electromagnets, examining  how the number of winds of the wire of an electromagnet affects it's strength. We'll also discuss the uses of electromagnets in engineering many of the gadgets we use every day!

• What are the differences between parallel and series circuits? (Parallel circuits allow for multiple pathways of electricity, which results in more electricity going towards the bulb or motor. Series circuits require that multiple bulbs/motors share a pathway, which means the bulbs are dimmer or the motors go slower. For reference, the bulbs in your house are on a parallel circuit - they can be bright at the same time, and if one goes out, they don't all go out! By comparison, those old Christmas lights are on a series circuit where if one bulb goes out, none of them work. )
• What is an electromagnet? (One can induce magnetism in an iron object by wrapping a wire around it and hooking it up to a electricity source. We used a iron needle-like thing hooked to a battery to pick up washers.)
• What is the advantage of an electromagnet? What are they used for in every day life? (Electromagnets can be turned on and off, unlike permanent magnets. They are used in everything from doorbells to junk yards to many electronics.)

On another note, quizzes will be going home early next week. If you have any questions about my grading system or report cards, PLEASE let me know. I know having multiple teachers is a transition for you and your kids - I want to make sure kids feel supported and prepared to be advocates for their own learning as they approach middle school and have even more teachers, grading systems, etc.

5th Grade :  Students investigated properties of materials. We found that, unlike plastic or wood, metals can conduct (or carry) heat and electricity. We used the materials to complete a circuit and found that all metals will allow the motor to go on. We also put strips of material in a container with shallow hot water. The tops of the strips had butter on them. We watched as the copper and aluminum strips had butter that melted FAST! Steel and brass were slower. Heat was not conducted with the plastic and wood strips.

We also continued with our study of the elements, chemistry and the periodic table by looking at common food products for clues to their contents. We listed them and took a tally, finding that the most common elements in our food are carbon, hydrogen and oxygen (in the form of sugars, grains, other plant and animal products, etc) Some other metals are present, like iron and zinc, but in much smaller amounts. 

We'll be wrapping up our physical science unit next week and moving onto the solar system, water cycle, weather, etc. 

• What properties make metals different than other types of elements on the periodic table? (Metals conduct heat and electricity much better than other elements. They also are mostly solid at room temperature and won't break when hammered into thin sheets. These properties make them extremely useful for building things)
• What did you find out about what elements make up our food? What was the most interesting and random ingredient you found? 

In Science Class . . . Late Sept/Early Oct

Hello everyone, here's what has been going on in our science program.

5th Grade: 5th graders continued their exploration of mixtures by examining salt crystals (saltwater post evaporation), determining a plan for separating a dry mixture and most fun of all, chemical reactions! On Monday, students created gases and precipitates through various combinations of citric acid, calcium chloride, baking soda and water.  Today kids discussed the Periodic Table and the concept of atoms and molecules.

• What is a chemical reaction? What are some examples and non-examples? (FYI, good non-examples include dissolving, phase change and soda under pressure.)
• How is the periodic table useful for humans?
• Why are there so many different substances on earth if there are only 90 types of atoms?
• How do the atoms change in a chemical reaction?

4th Grade: We wrapped up our exploration of magnetism by creating a hanging compass and detecting magnetic fields of magnets inside boxes. Early this week, we lit a bulb using just a battery and wires. Today, we examined how electricity flows in a circle and requires no spaces in wiring. We were able to turn our bulbs on and off using a switch.

•  How did our hanging magnets detect the magnetic field of the earth? How were iron filings and a real compass helpful for detecting the magnetic field of magnets in a closed box?
• How did you get the light bulb to go on? What did you find out about the wiring?
• How does a switch work? What is the difference between an open and closed circuit?

Hi everyone! Welcome to another fabulous year of science at BAM. I'm excited to be back at BAM for my fourth year. I'm also really proud of last year's 5th graders for all their hard work on the CST (which is not easy!)

Here's the scoop in science:

A letter went home two weeks ago in Thursday folders that detailed our science program. It included information about the curriculum, pacing, class pet, grading, contact info, schedules, etc. If you'd like a copy of this, please email me at caitlinjenkins@berkeley.net.

5th Grade Update: The students have started our physical science unit. We've been discussing mixtures and solutions and how to separate them. Today, we also saturated a salt-water solution.
Questions to ask your student:

• What mixtures (natural and human-made) can you name? Can you think of an example with all three states of matter - solid, liquid, gas? 
• What is a solution? How do you know the solution is saturated? How do you separate a solution back into a solid and a liquid?
• For later in the week: What is the difference in saturation of a salt water solution vs an Epsom salt water solution? 

4th Grade Update: The fourth graders have been investigating the properties of magnets. We discovered that magnets are attracted to iron and steel, and attract and repel each other based on the orientation of their poles. Today, we measured how the magnetic force between magnets decreases with distance. We'll follow up this activity with graphing to help us with our conclusion and then work on detecting the magnetic field of the earth.
Questions to ask your budding scientist:

• What objects are magnets attracted to?
• How does the orientation of the poles affect the magnets' behavior?
• As the magnets became further apart, how was the magnetic force between them affected? 
• What happened to the magnet when we attached a string to it and hung it from our tables? Why?

In Science Class . . . Week of 4/9 and 4/16

4th Grade: Last week, students set up terrariums with soil, water, and seeds from various plants. Most of the seeds have since germinated and are looking great! The seedlings range from 1 to about 12 cm tall. We discussed the biotic and abiotic environmental factors that can influence plant growth, such as light, temperature, soil, water, insects, other plants, etc. We've also been focusing on measurement in the metric system, using our rulers to find the height of the seedlings in centimeters. This week, we continued our terrarium observations and also started to look at live beetles and isopods (aka "rolly pollies").

• What factors could influence plant growth?
• What is the difference between biotic and abiotic factors? (Biotic factors are living, while "abiotic" means nonliving)
• What do plants need to survive?
  
• What did you notice about your beetles and isopods?

5th Grade: Fifth graders have been continuing their study of living systems. Last week, we wrapped up the human body systems and this week have been studying plant systems. On Monday, students designed an experiment with celery. Experiments varied, but many students are comparing water intake between plants with leaves and plants without leaves. We'll continue to monitor the celery through out the week. We also have a demonstration going that has celery in water with red food coloring!

Also, know that the 5th graders will be taking a state test in science in a few weeks (along with language arts and math). The test will cover 4th and 5th grade content. Because 4th grade was so long ago, I'm spending a bit of time each week reviewing material. If you would like more information on the science standard framework and released questions, please visit

http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/sr/documents/cstrtqscience5.pdf

In Science Class . .. Week of 3/19

4th Grade: Over the past few weeks, the 4th graders have been studying weathering, erosion and deposition. Students experimented with weathering granite (creating sand by shaking granite pieces in a jar) and have since been using stream tables to study how canyons and deltas are formed by moving water.

Key questions:

• What is weathering? What did you notice about the granite pieces that had been weathered? (Weathering is the breaking apart of rocks. Our granite was smoother and smaller as a result of weathering, and sand was created by the process)
• What other forces weather rock? (Acid rain, wind, rain, moving water, ice, foot traffic)
• What did your stream table look like when we poured water on it? What is erosion and where can we see it occurring? (Erosion is the moving away of earth materials by water, wind, etc. Canyons and valleys are the result of erosion, but smaller examples can be seen in gardens, yards and by the sidewalk)
• What is deposition? (The "dropping off" of eroded earth materials, which can result in landforms such as a delta).
  
• How are erosion and deposition affected by a flood? (The canyons are straighter and wider and erosion/deposition are increased)

Fourth graders will be taking a quiz on these concepts next week. A study guide will go home later this week to help them review.

5th: The 5th graders wrapped up their unit on weather, atmosphere and the water cycle early this week, and we are moving on to our life science unit. This week, we learned about cells and cell needs. Later this week, we will be studying circulation as a means of getting key components to and away from human cells.

Key questions:

• What is a cell? (A cell is a small unit of living organisms. Some organisms are made of just one cell, which complex, large organisms such as humans are made of tens of trillions of cells!)
• What do all cells need to survive? (Food, water, gas exchange, waste disposal)
• How do humans get all of these needs to their cells? (The heart pumps blood around the body, and the blood carries sugar, nutrients, water and oxygen to cells and takes carbon dioxide and other waste away.)
  

In Science Class . .. Week of 2/27

4th Grade: This week, the students have been studying the structure of the earth and the types of rocks (and how they form). We took some notes, discussed and played a game to reinforce vocabulary. Next week, we'll be moving on to weathering and erosion.
Key questions to ask:

• What are they layers of the earth? (Core, mantle, crust)
• What are the three types of rocks and how are they formed? (Igneous rock is rocked formed from the cooling of the mantle. Sedimentary rock is rock formed when bits of other rock are pressed together. Metamorphic rock is rock formed from heat and pressure.)
• What processes are important in the rock cycle? (Weathering, melting, heat and pressure are important ways that rocks can, over a long time, be changed into a different type of rock.)

5th Grade: Last week, we looked at how the energy from the sun heats water and soil. We took containers of water and soil outside and measured the temperatures over time in the sun and the shade. Students found that the soil heated and cooled much more quickly than water, which maintained a pretty even temperature throughout. On Monday, we practiced line graphing with our results. This activity will provide a basis for how the sun's energy affects the heating and cooling of the earth, weather, and atmospheric conditions. On Wednesday, students where officially introduced to the earth's atmosphere through a writing activity about photos of the earth. We then observed and discussed atmospheric pressure by putting various objects (balloon, marshmallow, bubble wrap, water) in a vacuum chamber. Kids LOVED watching the objects expand and the water change phase. It was so much fun! Next week, we're on to weather.

Key questions:

• What where the results of your heating soil/water experiment? (Soil heated and cooled much more quickly than water.)
  
• What happened to objects in the vacuum chamber? Why? (The objects expanded due to decreased atmospheric pressure on them. The balloon and bubble wrap stretched and then popped. The water started to change to a gas because of the decreased pressure as well.)
  

In Science Class . . . Week of 2/6

5th Grade: Ask your child about outdoor science camp! Kids should have a good working knowledge of redwood ecology, gardening, adaptations, etc. I was with them for part of Tue and all day Wed - it seemed like they were having a great time, and the weather was overall beautiful. What an amazing opportunity for them! If you have a minute, thank Mr. Weis, Ms. Klein and Ms. Delgado for putting so much time and energy into getting the kids there!

4th Grade: This week, we examined some new minerals and discussed the properties of magnetism, luster, cleavage, and streak color. We filled out a mineral property table and compared it to a table of known mineral properties.

Key Questions:

• What knew properties did you learn about? (Magnetism. Luster = metallic or nonmetallic. Cleavage = mineral breaks apart with flat surfaces. Streak color - color of the streak of mineral pieces when a mineral is rubbed against a tile). Why did you study this? (It helps us understand how geologists identify a mineral and also helps with our table-reading skills.) FYI, the new minerals were hematite, pyrite or Fool's Gold, galena and magnetite.

In Science Class . . . Week of 1/31

5th Grade: Since wrapping up our study of evaporation and condensation, we have started to look at the water cycle as a whole. Today, students played a game in which they "became" a molecule of water and traveled to various locations (and through various processes) on planet earth. It was fun, and kids were engaged. There was a little bit of mild frustration about being "stuck" in the ocean from a few "molecules" though : ) We'll debrief a bit more on Friday, and then it's off to science camp next week!

Key questions:

• Where did your molecule "travel?" How did it move to each location from the previous one? (Evaporation, condensation, flowing rivers, sinking into the ground, freezing into a glacier, being ingested by an animal, etc)
  

4th Grade: This week and last, we've been exploring new mineral properties. We found that calcite, a mineral, reacts with acids to form a chemical reaction that results in bubbles. Last week, we tested several rocks for calcite by putting the rocks in vinegar. Two rock types - marble and limestone- bubbled. This week and early next week, we'll examine some new minerals and discuss the properties of magnetism, luster, cleavage, and streak color. We'll fill out a mineral property table and compare it to a table of known mineral properties.

Key Questions:

• What rocks contained calcite? How did you know?
• What knew properties did you learn about? (Magnetism. Luster = metallic or nonmetallic. Cleavage = mineral breaks apart with flat surfaces. Streak color - color of the streak of mineral pieces when a mineral is rubbed against a tile). Why did you study this? (It helps us understand how geologists identify a mineral and also helps with our table-reading skills.) FYI, the new minerals were hematite, pyrite or Fool's Gold, galena and magnetite.

In Science Class . .. Weeks of 1/16 and 1/23

5th Grade: Last week and this week, we've continued our study of evaporation. Students put the same amount of water in different sized containers (with different surface areas) and measured how much water evaporated over the weekend. We found that the containers with the most surface area (water spread out) had highest evaporation rates, while our tall, thin vials barely lost any water to evaporation. Next up, we'll be looking more closely at the atmosphere and water cycle.
Key questions:

• What did your group find out about evaporation? (Evaporation happens more quickly in areas with higher temperature and in containers with larger surface area)
• What process is the opposite of evaporation? (Evaporation is the process of a liquid changing phase to a gas. Condensation is the process of a gas turning to a liquid. Freezing is liquid to solid while melting is solid to liquid.)

4th Grade: Last week, we examined the mineral property of hardness. Student experimented and found that "harder" minerals can scratch softer ones. We scratched four minerals with our fingernail, an aluminum nail, and a paper clip. The hardest mineral, quartz, could not be scratched by any of the tools, while gypsum, the softest, could be scratched by all three tools. This week, we discussed the Mohs Hardness Scale, which ranks minerals on a scale of 1-10 based on their hardness. Gypsum was a "2" while quartz was a "7." Often times, gemstones like emeralds, rubies, etc are high up on the hardness scale. Diamonds are a "10."

• What minerals were softer? How did you know? (Gypsum and calcite were softest and could be scratched by at least 2 of the tools. Fluorite and quartz were harder and couldn't be easily scratched.)
  
• What mineral was the hardest? (Quartz was hardest and could not be scratched by anything. FYI, it's a "7" on the Mohs hardness scale.)
  
• As we look at the hardness scale, can a "3" scratch a "5" mineral? What about the other way around? (A "3" mineral cannot scratch a "5" mineral because a "5" is harder, but a "5" mineral can make a mark on a "3" mineral.
  

In Science Class . . .. Weeks of 1/3 and 1/9

5th Grade: This week, the students will be focusing more on evaporation and recording data. We will examine our paper towel experiment, and then design an experiment to investigate how different locations in the room affect evaporation. Key questions:

• What happened to the scale with the paper towels? (The paper towel without the lid dried, meaning the water evaporated. The paper towel with the lid did not dry because the water was contained, though there was some condensation on the inside of the cup. The scale tipped toward the side with the lid because it still contained water, whereas the water on the other paper towel had escaped into the atmosphere.)
• Where did your group place the cups with water? What predictions did you make? Which cups will have the highest evaporation rates?

4th Grade: Our new unit is on earth science. Last week, we examined some fake and real rocks and discussing what sort of information geologists collect. Students will be working with the measuring tape and balances to collect data on the circumference, mass and diameter of their rocks.

• What sorts of information do geologists collect when they study rocks? (They look at the size, shape, texture, location, color, luster, etc. They also will weigh and measure the rocks)
• What did your rock look like? What did you notice about your rock? (Most of the fake rocks are gray with green and blue "minerals.")
• What tools did you use to collect information? (We used a measuring tape for circumference and diameter. The unit of measurement being centimeters. For the mass, we used a balance and took the mass in grams.)

This week in science, we acted like geologists and broke apart our fake rocks to see what "minerals" were inside. The students were able to identify several different ingredients, including red and green gravel, shells and some gray material. We then used water to see if we could separate the gray material. Key Questions:

• What is the difference between a rock and a mineral? (Minerals are the ingredients of rocks and are just one type of substance, while rocks are made of many types of minerals.)
• What types of "minerals" did you find in the "mock rock" Ms Jenkins made? (Most groups will find red and green gravel, shells, and gray material that we separated with water)
• What do geologists do? (They study rocks and make observations about the shape, size, texture, color, shininess, mass.)
• How are rocks and minerals used by humans? (We use them in various mixtures for roads, houses, jewelry, etc)