Unit 9 was out of this world!!!
In week one we visited the Star Lab. I spent time in the inflatable planetarium with every grade level (including Kindergarten)!! We were able to look at the differences between the day and night sky, see the phases of the moon, explore the planets, and hear the stories of several constellations. I really enjoyed sharing this experience with our students.
Next, we met our sixth Scientist of the Month, Sally Ride. She encouraged us to try new things even if they seem scary. Her story was so inspiring! As always, kindergarten through second grade recorded about Sally's work as a scientist using pictures and words. Third through fifth graders responded to Sally's words.
In week two, kindergarten and first grade learned about the job of an astronaut and made Straw Rockets. It was super fun!
Kindergarten and first grade read Hedgie Blasts Off in week two. We then rotated through Space Centers. We made a sparkle from planet Mikop in Hedgie's book, constructed constellations out of marshmallows and toothpicks, and coded BeeBot to travel through the planets!
In week two, second and third grade learned a little bit about the moon. We read Eight Days Gone, a book that chronicles the events of Apollo 11. After reading, they completed the Lunar Lander Challenge. In this challenge the students had to stop their astronauts (marshmallows) from falling out of their Lunar Lander when it dropped to the surface of the moon. They had to use cushion or shock absorbers to prevent the transfer of energy from the moon's surface to the lander platform.
Week three found our second and third graders learning about asteroids and meteors. We read How the Meteorite Got to the Museum and watched a short video on asteroids. The students then coded their Edison Robots to avoid obstacles using a barcode. They set up a course of asteroids and watched as their Edison dodged the asteroids!
One of the third grade classes used our Lego WeDo 2.0 Kits to build and code a lunar satellite!
Fourth and fifth grades learned about the International Space Station.
In week one and two, the fourth graders built and launched water rockets. They used two-liter bottles and tested different sizes, shapes, and numbers of fins.
Here is a compilation of some of their flights:
Fifth Graders were the first to use our 3D printer in week one! We learned how to use Tinkercad and printed a star for each class. I put them all together in a mobile to remind us to "Reach for the Stars!"
In week two, they also tried their hand at programming and used Hopscotch to code a Space Game where an astronaut collected stars. The stars vanished, made a sound, and recorded points as they were collected.
As always...check out the grade level pages for more pictures and videos!
