I spent two hours today visiting grade 5 science classes taught by Ms. Patrice Healy at the Bernazzani School in Quincy. The students have been learning about aerodynamics, engineering design, and the scientific method through gliders. One year ago I won a classroom glider kit at a glider workshop when the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) had its annual convention in Boston. I donated it since I don't have a class of my own!
Each class was divided into five or six teams, with three to five people per team. Since the students have been working on these for a few days, one person from each team came up front to collect the group's glider (a work in progress) and other supplies, including a clipboard with a special form for recording their observations, masking tape, and a meterstick (which I initially thought was a yardstick!).
First, they resumed working on the glider, discussing it with each other, with comments and questions for the teacher, too. When all were ready, we went out to the schoolyard to try them out. Well, today happened to be kind of windy -- and not always coming from the same direction. So we learned to be aware of where the wind was coming from and to pitch the glider aloft with the wind at your back -- using the force of the wind to help you, rather than having the glider turn around and head back to you. One boy knew enough to wet his finger and hold it up in the air, the better to feel the wind!
The frames were made of a lightweight wood, maybe balsa. Some teams needed to continue making design changes to see what would work better, such as changing the amount of Silly Putty on the glider's nose. Some made changes using scissors to make some subtle snips here and there or for more drastic adjustments to its Styrofoam body Launching technique was important to the overall success, too.
They had also tried out the gliders in the gymnasium for a while, one class last week, the other class today, this being a control situation without the wind to contend with. It was fun to watch the gliders that had a successful flight. Sometimes the flight of a glider reminded me of the flight of a bird staying aloft on a current of wind.
The students had some questions for me, too, including how did I win the kit, and different kids came up to me and thanked me for donating it. Thank you to A World In Motion for the gift, to Mr. Peter Dionne, principal of Bernazzani School, and to Patrice Healy for this welcome chance to get back into the classroom and see some nice science learning going on.
Monday, June 8, 2015
SOUTH SHORE SCIENCE FUN HOUSE -- TAKE A TOUR. See video!
Cambridge Science Festival's new home in Quincy
at the Quincy Center for Innovation
Saturday, April 25 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Visitors to the first South Shore Science Fun House -- part of the Cambridge Science Festival -- were greeted upon arrival in the lobby by the sight of:
Hula hoopers in the back seen through the glass swinging doors -- producing torque.
Kids kicking and lobbing and whacking recyclable things into recycling bins labeled "plastic " and " metal" and "cardboard" -- that were stacked on top of one another.
While parents were checking in, kids got some hands-on experience with a ratchet, socket and bolt on the Torque Talk Tabletop game, learning "righty-tighty, lefty loosey."
They waited for the elevator with the sounds of a theremin, a musical instrument based on electromagnetic waves.
Getting off the elevator on 3, they were greeted by the sight of laboratory equipment from Quincy College's biotechnology program, with plenty of hands-on opportunities. They listened to music performed by students from New England Conservatory and practiced making music at their musical instrument "petting zoo."
If they were interested in manufacturing something, they could make a helicopter, a Lego robot, or anything they wanted in a simulated factory process.
They could learn about refraction, from the viewpoint of both an optometrist and a jeweler.
They could write a story on the computer incorporating stop-action motion. They could try their hand at Scratch programming. They could learn about The Cloud.
They could learn about animal tracks and bird whistles, and more, in nature studies.
They could get some experience in improvisation and learn to think on their feet at the same time.
They could learn in tug-of-war that the surface they stand on needs to provide enough friction so they can gain traction.
At Word-o-Rama, Children Across America helped kids have fun learning new science terms and gave suggestions to parents on what they can do to help their children. Some kids kept coming back for more!
In String-Can Alley:
They could try that old-time game of string-can telephone and realize that the can amplifies the voice while a taut (tight) string passes the sound along to a can on the other end, which also amplifies the sound.
They could find out what surface tension is in water when they drip water onto a penny or drag a drop of water with a toothpick along a smooth-surfaced maze.
They could find the physics hidden in storybooks.
All in all, people were arriving before the doors opened at 9 and were reluctant to leave at 3. We've met since then and examined "Lessons Learned" in planning for next year's second South Shore Science Fun House!
at the Quincy Center for Innovation
Saturday, April 25 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
TAKE A GUIDED TOUR THROUGH
THE SOUTH SHORE SCIENCE FUN HOUSE
Visitors to the first South Shore Science Fun House -- part of the Cambridge Science Festival -- were greeted upon arrival in the lobby by the sight of:
Hula hoopers in the back seen through the glass swinging doors -- producing torque.
Kids kicking and lobbing and whacking recyclable things into recycling bins labeled "plastic " and " metal" and "cardboard" -- that were stacked on top of one another.
While parents were checking in, kids got some hands-on experience with a ratchet, socket and bolt on the Torque Talk Tabletop game, learning "righty-tighty, lefty loosey."
They waited for the elevator with the sounds of a theremin, a musical instrument based on electromagnetic waves.
Getting off the elevator on 3, they were greeted by the sight of laboratory equipment from Quincy College's biotechnology program, with plenty of hands-on opportunities. They listened to music performed by students from New England Conservatory and practiced making music at their musical instrument "petting zoo."
If they were interested in manufacturing something, they could make a helicopter, a Lego robot, or anything they wanted in a simulated factory process.
They could learn about refraction, from the viewpoint of both an optometrist and a jeweler.
They could write a story on the computer incorporating stop-action motion. They could try their hand at Scratch programming. They could learn about The Cloud.
They could learn about animal tracks and bird whistles, and more, in nature studies.
They could get some experience in improvisation and learn to think on their feet at the same time.
They could learn in tug-of-war that the surface they stand on needs to provide enough friction so they can gain traction.
At Word-o-Rama, Children Across America helped kids have fun learning new science terms and gave suggestions to parents on what they can do to help their children. Some kids kept coming back for more!
In String-Can Alley:
They could try that old-time game of string-can telephone and realize that the can amplifies the voice while a taut (tight) string passes the sound along to a can on the other end, which also amplifies the sound.
They could find out what surface tension is in water when they drip water onto a penny or drag a drop of water with a toothpick along a smooth-surfaced maze.
They could find the physics hidden in storybooks.
All in all, people were arriving before the doors opened at 9 and were reluctant to leave at 3. We've met since then and examined "Lessons Learned" in planning for next year's second South Shore Science Fun House!
Video by Eric Braun, 30Hands Learning
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