Energy Transformations

Energy is the ability to do work. We learned that at MOSH on our field trip. We also learned that it cannot be created or destroyed. Over the next few days, we will be discussing the ways that energy can be transformed (changed) from one form to another. For instance, did you know that you observed a transformation of energy when you built your circuits last week? Well, it's true!

The battery contained energy in chemical form. It works like this. Inside the battery is a metal rod surrounded by a special paste inside a zinc casing. The rod has a chemical reaction with the paste and chemical energy is released. When you connect the wires in a closed circuit, the chemical energy is transformed to electrical energy (inside the battery) that flows through the wires and is transformed again into heat and light energy in the bulb.

Can you think of other examples of energy being transformed from one type to another? If you're having trouble thinking of some on your own, check out the "Energy Transformations" link under "Out of Sight Science Sites." It has a cool game where you can transform energy to power a robot, a city, or a farm. Enjoy!

P.S. If you thought the diagrams we drew in class of Series and Parallel Circuits were complicated, check out this diagram used to design the circuits in a motor.


P.P.S. Just click on the circuit diagram to zoom in and take a closer look. :)

Alternative Energy Sources

When most of us think about how we would light up a light bulb, plugging it in or using a battery come to mind. Similarly, when asked how you would heat up water, many people would think of using a stove or possibly solar energy. Not many of us would think of a lemon or a peanut as a source of energy. BUT....they are! Here are some links to some fun experiments you can try at home to explore this concept. If you try them, make sure to write up a lab sheet (like the awesome one on the Jazz Standard wall that Emily made about the swinging cereal from the Bill Nye video) so we can share your scientific findings with the class.

Lemon Power!

Peanut Power!

Atoms are everywhere!?!

Yes, atoms are everywhere! We have been learning about atoms in our discussions of static electricity. We have learned that atoms make up everything and are made up of small particles like protons, electrons, and neutrons. Normally atoms have a neutral charge, or no charge, but when an object experiences friction or even touches another object, an imbalance can occur. Once an object becomes charged, the static will bleed off to the ground or discharge in the form of a static shock! If you want to read more, check out this site. It's a great resource for information and even includes some cool labs you can try at home! If you try one, let me know! I would love to hear all about it.

Got Energy?

Our new science unit on Energy begins tomorrow. I am sooooooooooo excited! Are you? There are a lot of exciting labs coming up. Tomorrow, we will look at some photos like this one...


Eeka freaka! What is happening to her hair? Why is it standing up like that? Write me back and let me know what you think.

The Best Song Ever!

Here is a link to the song we sang in class about the seasons. Practice it at home and sing it to your grandma, your little brother, and your pet gerbil. As you sing, think about the words. It explains the difference between summer and winter. You can show off what you know about the reason for seasons to your whole family!

P.S. If you think of some cool dance moves that act out the song, let me know. I'm still working on that. :)

Calling all Wall-E fans!

I was doing a little surfing today (on the web...not in the ocean. I'm no good at the ocean kind. I just clutch the board screaming until I get thrown off.) and I came across an article I thought you might like. How many of you saw the movie Wall-E? I'm guessing most of you did. I don't know about you, but I thought it was pretty interesting to think about a time in the future when trash collecting robots like Wall-E would really exist. It sure would help make my list of chores shorter. Well, guess what?!? That time is here. That time is now. Check out this real life Wall-E. Be sure to scroll through the slideshow to see how the robot works.

Array Card Games

I heard you're working on poetry with Mrs. Nash, so I thought I'd try to write you a math poem about your next opportunity to practice math facts and earn a superstar!
(Note: I tried my best.)

Play Multiplication Pairs over the next few days.
Bring a note to school and cause a superstar craze!
You can play other games like Count and Compare.
Playing them each once would keep it fair
There's Small Array, Big Array and Skipcounting too
You'll be counting so fast....blah, blah, blah, kangeroo!



Ok, so maybe the end of my poem wasn't so great, but you get the idea. Basically, you play the games and if you bring a note in your planner any day next week, you can earn a superstar! What's really cool is that you can earn one star each night; all you have to do is play one of the games every night. It's just that easy!

What's that? You forgot to take the rules home. Well, it doesn't matter. You can still play as long as you have your array cards. The rules are right here.

P.S. My favorite is Count & Compare (the one that's just like War). Which one is your favorite? Leave a comment and let me know!

Another Earth!?!?

Check out this link about another very Earth-like planet that was recently found.

Bring in a brief summary of the article in your own words for a superstar. Be sure to mention the main difference between this planet and our own (i.e. why we wouldn't want to vacation there), as well as what made this such a great discovery (hint: it has to do with the composition).

Attention Shuttle Commanders!

Are you curious about the distance between each planet? Are you having a hard time comprehending the vastness, of the dimensions, of the universe? Then this take-home lab is for you...



This is your mission, should you choose to accept it. Obtain the following document. Read the directions carefully. Enjoy your journey through space!!! Don't forget to return your observation notes to mission control (our classroom). If you do so by Monday, September 14, you will be eligible for 5 super stars!!!

Hitting the books!

It's good to hear that you're spending lots of time playing the multiplication games under "Really Cool Math Stuff." Don't forget to take a break from the games tonight, so you can study for your DOSS quiz tomorrow. You don't have the map from the book, but you can look at this map (it's very similar).



P.S. Click on the map and it will take you to a new page where it's a little bigger. You can even print it out and practice finding the distance between different cities in Florida. Using a map scale won't be a problem for you, since we've been practicing since the first day of school.

Welcome Back!

Wow! What a fabulous first week back at school. It flew by so quickly. Now that all those diagnostics are out of the way, I can't wait to launch our exploration of space. I'm so excited about our alien tog gorbs (pen pals) that we will be writing to on Monday. I'm glad we took a critical look at our solar system diagrams; I'm sure we'll draw much better ones this time. Hopefully our planet mind trick will help us remember to put the planets in the right order. Just remember (My Very Enthusiastic Mother Just Served Us Nachos.) Thanks to Lalo, we'll never have trouble remembering the order again.

If you're still a little nervous about getting your diagram just right, or you're still a little confused about how the planets move on their orbital paths around the sun, then take a look at this diagram. It actually shows the planets in motion! How cool is that? You can also click on your favorite planet and explore it inside and out! This morning I went on a trip to the rocky core of Jupiter (483 million miles away), without ever leaving my living room!

I can't wait to see you again on Monday. You are a really great group of students. I know you're already hearing the music, and I can't wait to sing along with you this year! :)

Dog Days of Summer

Well, it's happened once again. The time of year when school supplies begin creeping into giant display cases that eventually overtake the aisles. As a child this sent me into a complete sense of panic. Who would be my teacher? Would any of my friends be in my class? What if I didn't have time to eat my lunch because the line was too long? What if aliens invaded the school and took me away to live on planet Nebula? These were just some of my many concerns.

I was often torn between wishing away the days of summer, so I could get to my mid-August birthday party, and wishing my birthday would never come, so I could be trapped in an endless abyss of summer fun (swimming pools, ice cream cones, bike riding, ice cream cones, backyard camping, and more ice cream cones).
As an adult, I love school, but I'll let you in on a little secret. I still get a little sense of panic this time of year. I didn't want my worries to get out of hand, so I went into school to start getting things ready. Getting back into the swing of things was a great idea. Each moment I spend in our new classroom preparing for our first day of school, gets me a little more "jazzed" up for this year. I hope you spent plenty of time relaxing this summer because I have so many awesome things to share with you this year. I just can't wait for that first day back, and hopefully we'll even get a chance to say hello at Orientation Day. See you then!

Miss P