Fifth Grade Science Is Looking Up, Way Up
In science fifth graders have been exploring patterns of the earth, sun, moon, and stars. We looked at photos of star trails and asked what could have caused the trails in the photo. We used a model to discover that although the stars appear to move to create the star trails, the stars are not moving, we are. We learned that because the earth rotates on its axis once per day, which causes day and night depending on when our planet is facing the sun. Students realized that if the stars appear to move at night, the sun, and the shadows caused by the sun, appear to move during the day as we spin on the Earth. These shadows can be used to tell time because they change predictably throughout each day. Students build shadow clocks to test out this idea. These shadow clocks are similar to sundials that many ancient cultures used to tell the time before modern clocks were invented. We used our precise location and the month—September—to place the toothpick on the clock such that its shadow would reach the times. We tested our clocks outside on a sunny day, and they worked.
– Emma Nairn, fifth grade teacher
PE Update: Leaping Into the School Year
A good physical education unit is like a good recipe: it works well any time of year, but it might be particularly tasty during certain seasons.
To set a collaborative and courageous tone in class this year we chose to start with two units designed to get students, from pre-k to fourth grade, leaping, laughing, and learning: parkour and team games. In the team games unit, students are challenged to problem-solve on the fly and work together to achieve a common goal. Activities might involve Hula Hoop Rock Paper Scissors, Partner Challenges, and the beloved Boom City.
During parkour students learn about taking calculated risks as they practice vaults, precision jumps, balance challenges, and navigate obstacles. The unit culminates with Mission Impossible, which combines all of those skills in an epic floor-is-lava-style activity. Ultimately, this PE recipe produces supportive teammates and brave athletes ready to take on whatever the season calls for next.
– Alex Tzelnic and Abby Nyland, physical education teachers
