Our Mars Colony--Settlers Profile

This year I modified my Settlers unit to incorporate what we learned in science.  Instead of creating a historical colony, we studied the plans for a colony on Mars.  We created a class bulletin board with characters and the setting for our colony.  This became a jumping off point for several writing projects.

To download a graphic organizer to create a settler for any colony, click here.

Earth, Sun, and Moon Freebie

I just finished updating my astronomy unit in my classroom and store.  If you previously purchased my top selling Sun and Shadows activity from Artistry of Education @ Teachers Pay Teachers to get the update with three new activities.
 

I used the page above for a formative assessment and activity several times during our unit.  I wanted to know what my students knew about the relationship between the earth, the sun, and the moon and how those relationships cause days, nights, seasons, and eclipses.

Students cut out the three circles and demonstrate in partners or small groups the answers to the five questions.  I walked around the groups to note who understood and who didn't.  I had certain groups demonstrate the correct answers for the whole class.

You can download Earth, Sun, and Moon Freebie from my Google Drive here.

Science Experiment Posters

In Washington State, fifth graders have to take the Science Measurement of Student Progress--M.S.P. for short.  The scenarios follow a certain format: question, prediction, materials, procedures, data, and conclusion.

 I make sure that the science experiments we do in class in fourth and fifth grade fit these six steps.  I created the posters you see in this post to put up in the classroom and refer to during experiments.

When it comes to listing the materials and procedures, I talk to my students about the importance of replication.  When scientists publish their results, they must include all the information necessary for someone else to repeat the experiment and get the same results.  Something isn't considered proven until many people follow the directions for themselves.

 All of the science units I have created for my Teachers Pay Teachers store follow this format.

To download this free set of science experiment posters, please click here.

Happy Friday!

 

Groundhog Predictions 2016

Next Tuesday is Groundhog Day and I wanted to share my Groundhog Predictions freebie.  Students make predictions and track the weather for six weeks from Groundhog Day to the First Day of Spring.  Students practice finding average temperatures for a week and creating a bar graph to display the information.

When I created Groundhog Predictions, I included a data collection page for Leap Year.  If your class is participating, you will need that page this year.

Groundhog Predictions is available for free in my Teachers Pay Teachers store.

Groundhog Predictions is also available in my Teacher's Notebook store.

Happy Friday!

 

Are You Ready For Science Fair?

This week my students are presenting their projects at our school science fair.  We have worked hard to get ready.  Here are some resources I used this year:

Science Experiment Plan Printable

Science Project Checklist for Grading



Follow Mary Bauer's board Science ideas on Pinterest.

How do you prepare your students for science fair?

Update: I have created a freebie for my Teachers Pay Teachers Store and my Teacher's Notebook Store that contains the forms I use and some directions.

Groundhog Predictions 2015

In previous years, I did this activity with my class and posted our results online.  This year, because of technology changes in our district, I am going to do this as a pencil paper task.  I have already contacted personally the teachers who joined me online to tell them of the changes. 

This free six-week unit includes the format for science experiments: Question, Prediction, Materials, Procedure, Data, and Conclusion.  It includes worksheets for each section. 

Groundhog Predictions is available at my Teachers Pay Teachers store.

Groundhog Predictions is also available at my Teacher's Notebook store.

I hope you enjoy this activity with your class.

Getting Ready for Science Fair 2014

At the end of this month, my students are participating in a school wide science fair.  We are caught right now between the state standards we have been using and the CCSS we are adopting.  I am still teaching my students the steps of conducting their own science project.  It takes much conferring on my part, but I believe it is worth it.

Click here for the graphic organizer I use to help students plan their own experiment.

Click here for the checklist I use to grade the experiments.

I focus on the scientific process during this project.  I might have twenty similar experiments, but I ask them all two questions:

1. What are you comparing?
2. What are you measuring?

The comparing question needs to be about a single variable.  I emphasize that they are creating two very similar systems and changing just one thing.  They isolate that one thing to see if it changes the results.

The measuring question is about those results.  They need to measure the time it takes for something to happen or the size or weight change with the appropriate tools.

If you have any questions for me about how I help my students with this, I welcome them in the comments.
 

Update: I have created a freebie for my Teachers Pay Teachers Store and my Teacher's Notebook Store that contains the forms I use and some directions. 

Groundhog Day 2014

Update 2/2/15 -- Check this post for current Groundhog Predictions information.  The links to the freebies should be the same, but we aren't doing the website this year.

The last several years I have made a huge deal about Groundhog Day.  I wrote a seven page packet using the science experiment format: Question, Prediction, Materials, Procedure, Data, Conclusion.  I set up a website to record our data and invited other classes to participate. 

At first I wasn't going to do this unit with my students this year, but then I gave them a science test and realized we need to practice the parts of an experiment in as many ways possible before they complete their science fair projects at the end of March.


So I'm a little behind this year, getting it set up and inviting others.  If you want to see what we have done in the past, visit http://groundhogpredictions.blogspot.com.

The seven page packet is a free download in my Teachers Pay Teachers Store and my Teachers Notebook Store.

 

Science Plan Checklist

Three months ago I shared my Science Experiment Plan that I use with my students to develop their Science Fair Projects.  Science Fair was two months ago and I realized I never shared how I graded the projects.  Click here for the Google Doc version of my checklist for grading science projects.

The above image shows what the checklists look like.  I have them printed four to a page.  I chose to give 0-2 points for each item in the list and I communicated with students and parents how many points translated into a specific grade.

I also have a communication grade for this project, because I required an oral presentation.

Update: I have created a freebie for my Teachers Pay Teachers Store and my Teacher's Notebook Store that contains the forms I use and some directions.

Student Designed Experiments

For the last several years, I have been spending January and February helping my students get ready for the school science fair.  One of the other teachers puts together a packet of instructions.  Each teacher has their own process for helping students prepare.

The first year I did this project with my students, someone showed me Science Buddies.  The resources for parents, teachers, and students are fabulous and although they have kits for sale, that isn't their primary focus.

If you are preparing your students for a science fair or just looking for some interesting experiments, I encourage you to visit this site.



This year I redid the graphic organizer I have my students use to plan their experiment and record their results.  My Science Experiment Plan is attached as a Google Doc here.

I set a deadline for the first page so I can approve their plans.  The second page is due when their experiments are complete.  The last due date is for the display board and the oral report.
I would love to hear about how you get students ready for a science fair.

Update: I have created a freebie for my Teachers Pay Teachers Store and my Teacher's Notebook Store that contains the forms I use and some directions.

Astronomy Resources

If you are teaching astronomy this school year, I highly recommend Stardate.org. It is a part of the University of Texas McDonald Observatory. The pictures are amazing! I have had students choose to explore this site in their free time. I know I have barely touched the potential resources on this site.

Besides the pictures, the one part of the site I use every year is the Phases of the Moon Calendar. When I have had my students chart the phases of the moon, we often have cloudy skies here near Seattle, Washington. Stardate.org’s chart is my back up plan.

Here is a copy of my Moon Observation Chart.  Just click on this link to get this freebie.

I recently updated Sun and Shadows Observations in my TpT Store. This packet now contains three more activities.

 Students measure their shadows once in the morning, once in the middle of the day, and once in the afternoon. They will record their measurements and the direction of the shadow for each time. This activity can be repeated during each season. I have attached additional recording sheets with student directions should you wish to do this.