Our Field Trip To The Cleveland Metroparks Zoo (African Elephant Crossing) & Rainforest

On Tuesday, we kicked off our fifth IB Unit Of Inquiry, "Sharing The Planet."  As the provocation for this unit, we took a surprise field trip to the African Elephant Exhibit and The Rainforest at The Cleveland Metroparks Zoo.  Thank you to Diyun Currie, Amy McConnor, Marcie Mennes, and Todd Wilson for chaperoning our field trip!

We started our day at the African Elephant Crossing.  We came at a great time because the zookeepers were feeding and training the elephants.  While we were there, we learned a little bit more about elephants.

We also learned about "Leo" the snake.  Some of the students and adults were risk-takers and touched him!

We spent the rest of the day exploring The Rainforest.  We were able to make great connections to our IB Unit Of Inquiry, "Sharing The Planet", as we talked about endangered animals and depleting rainforests around the world.

We had a great time on our field trip!  It really wore some of us out...

More photos coming soon!

Our third field trip to the Woodbury Science Lab - Chemistry

On Monday, our class took a field trip to the Woodbury Science Lab.  Thank you to Erin Zelin for chaperoning the trip! 

Mrs. Hochman led us through several experiments relating to matter and its three states – solid, liquid, and gas.

We conducted six different experiments:

Experiment #1 – When you put a cup containing a towel into a container of water, why doesn’t it get wet?

 Experiment #2 - Can you hold water in each of the three states of matter?  

 Experiment #3 – What happens when you add heat to an empty soda can?

Experiment #4 – What is dry ice?  What states of matter does it go through?

Experiment #5 – Can baking soda and vinegar inflate a balloon? 

Experiment #6 – How can you get water into a beaker using a candle?

The students made “flubber” – a mixture of liquid glue and starch. 

Back in our classroom,  the students wrote “I wonder…” statements about the flubber we made at the Woodbury Science Lab.  (A few examples are pictured below.)  We picked some of the students’ ideas and tested them out.  We bounced, colored, stretched, stuck, and submerged the flubber in water to see what would happen to it.  The students enjoyed experimenting with this “putty-like” substance! 

"I wonder if you can make a face and put makeup on it." 
We tried it!  Lipstick didn't work well, but nailpolish did!

"I wonder if it can float in water." 
No!  Flubber sinks.

"I wonder if we can put food coloring on it."
Yes!  We dyed it red and green!



100th Day Of School

Today we celebrated the 100th day of first grade!

The day was a HUGE success!  The 100 item trail mix was delicious!  The 100 bead necklaces looked great on the students!  Everyone worked collaboratively to put together four 100 piece floor puzzles!  The 100th Day projects were UNBELIEVABLE!  We really enjoyed singing "Happy Birthday" to Shaker Heights.  What a great day!

Using 10 each of 10 ingredients (goldfish crackers, skittles, m&ms, sweedish fish, gummy bears, chex, chocolate covered raisins, pretzels, teddy grahams, and mini marshmallows), each student created a trail mix consisting of 100 items.  Thank you to Erin Zelin, Todd Wilson, and Barb Horrigan for helping us with this activity!

Each student used 100 beads to make his/her own necklace.  Everyone had fun designing and creating this 100th day jewelry!  Thanks to Lynn Lehmann & Jason Moorman for their help with this project!

In small groups, we put together four 100 piece floor puzzles.  Thank you to Diyun Currie and Jason Moorman for their assisting the students with their puzzles.

The students shared their 100th day projects with the class.  They are currently on display in our "100th Day Museum" in the hallway.

 

We ended the day by celebrating Shaker's 100th birthday.  We sang, we made a wish, and we ate.  We had red and white cupcakes with red and white candles.