Second Grade Learns About H2O
In science, second graders have been learning about the water cycle and the three states of matter. We discussed stages of evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and collection and watched a video to help us see the cycle in action. To demonstrate their understanding, students labeled each stage and explained how the cycle worked in their own words. Some of us even created motions to describe each stage!
– Sunny Lee, grade 2 teacher
Seventh Grade Learns About COVID-19 From Expert
Seventh grade began this week with a fabulous presentation from Dr. Ingrid Katz P ’22, associate faculty director at the Harvard Global Health Institute. Dr. Katz spoke with the class about the latest news and developments in the fight to stop the spread of COVID-19. We learned about everything, from scientists’ current understanding of why teenagers are less prone to developing severe COVID-19, to examining cutting-edge infrared technology that shows aerosolized droplets leaving a person’s nose and mouth, both with and without a mask. Students also enjoyed working in groups to discuss the issues that real policymakers are grappling with today, including determining who should be prioritized for the vaccine. This presentation sparked some intriguing conversations in science class this week as we continued to examine the structure of viruses, the mechanisms by which they infect organisms, and how the immune system fights back.
– Leal Carter, grades 7 & 8 science teacher
Fourth Grade Starts Pyramid Construction
The fourth grade pyramid architects, builders, and scribes have been hard at work during these past three weeks to construct model pyramids. Most students chose to make a true pyramid, which has four triangular faces and a square base, a shape many of us are familiar with. Some requirements for this project were that the pyramid needed to be no taller than 9 inches, made of recycled materials, and include at least one burial chamber. Students utilized various skills, including measurement, art (for creating tomb paintings), geometry (for determining the dimensions of their pyramids’ faces), and, above all, creativity. To culminate this project, students contributed videos to a Flipgrid describing their pyramids and the process.
– Mary Norman, grade 4 teacher
