Yesterday we started a project on animals.  We are hoping that when we are finished with our research we will be able to convince PTA that Cannon Elementary needs an aquarium.  Check out our project.
project
We have started our research on salt and fresh water today. 

"Bull sharks can live in fresh water." Alberto
"In areas where it is really hot the ocean has more salt."Laura
"Squids and octopus live mostly in salt water." Emma

Today for our design challenge we build golf towers.  Check out the challenge

Wow they had some amazing ideas. 

In science this week we have been looking at object in the day/night sky.  Yesterday we looked how what we see of the moon changes every night.  We discussed how this is called the phases of the moon.  Today we read a story What's the Moon Like Around the World?  In this story two children that just moved to the United States wonder if the moon phase they see in the sky is the same one they would see if they still lived in the Middle East.  Then they wondered if it is the same in the southern hemisphere as well.  We did a probe to test what we thought.  The students wrote down their ideas and kept them to themselves.  Next we read a book about how the moon travels around the earth.  We used models to test this.

Then we looked at a website to gain some schema.  We then looked at our original guesses and decided if they were correct or we had some misconceptions.

http://resources.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/time/moon/shape.htm 

Things Are “Looking Up” at

Cannon Elementary School!!

Don’t miss this chance to participate in a FUN

and meaningful school project!!

Project Description:  Cannon Elementary will be selling ceiling tiles to Cannon scholars to be painted and displayed on the ceiling throughout Cannon Elementary School.  Several tiles, decorated by Mrs. Highfill, are on display in the library and will be in the school’s main hallways soon.

Purpose:  This is a fundraising project to raise money for Cannon Elementary and the money will be used to help purchase materials for our STEM program.  In addition, this project is a way for Cannon scholars to help enhance our campus and show their interest in STEM subjects.

Project Details:  If you would like to purchase a ceiling tile:

·      Please complete the attached order form and Project Planning Sheet and return it to school with your money. The cost is $18.00 per tile.

·      After the Project Planning Sheet is approved,* a plain ceiling tile will be delivered to all scholars as the orders are received.  

·      After the scholar paints the tile at home and returns it to school, it will replace an existing ceiling tile in the school in the Cannon hallways.

** Scholars will be provided with suggestions and guidelines for painting an appropriate and creative design.  All designs must be approved by campus administrators.

What a wonderful way to commemorate your child’s 2012-2013 school year!  These tiles will remain for years to come for all students (former, current, and future) to enjoy! 

Please complete and return the attached order form with payment by Friday, April 5th. 

Project Planning Sheet

Please draw your STEM design idea in the space below and return it with your ceiling tile order form to the office.  All designs must receive approval from campus administration.  Be creative! Be original! Do quality work!

Today in science for our water cycle project we were working on precipitation.  The students were put in groups and given a design challenge to make precipitation happen inside a jar.  They had to have the opening of the jar covered and the rain had to happen inside the jar.  They were allowed to ask for other things that were available in the building if they wanted.  All groups tried to make a temperature change to make condensation happen.  They knew that the more condensation they made the quicker it would get heavy and fall as precipitation.  Group one put ice in the jar and then wanted to use straws to blow in hot air.  But they found that when they covered the opening to the jar the hot air was not getting in.  So they did a redesign and they left the ice in the jar and tried to create heat by rubbing their hands together and then placing them on the jar.

Group 2 wanted to put hot water in the jar then turn the lid upside down and fill it with ice.

Group 3 put ice in the jar then tried to create heat using a flashlight and a magnifying glass.

Group 4 put ice in the jar then tried to create heat using a large lamp.

Congratulations to group 2 on making rain in a jar.  After discussion the other groups decided that group 2 was successful because they had the greatest temperature difference and none of the other groups generated as much heat as the hot water did.

Today we continued our study of the water cycle.  We worked on the Evaporation stage today.  They were given a challenge to make water evaporate quicker than the other groups.  All groups were given a cup with the same amount of water.  They were not allowed to pour the water off of the sidewalk and they were not allowed to pour it into the cracks of the sidewalk.  Other than those two rules they were allowed to do whatever they felt would speed up the evaporation process.  Congratulations to Brooklyn and Emily on their idea to add heat with magnifying glasses. 

"Our idea was to send the sun through some see through plastic to raise the heat."Ian and Alberto
"Our idea was to fan it with paper to help it evaporate.  We also used our hands to spread out the water so there was no puddles."Bailee and Elijah
"Our idea was to blow on it and spread it out would help."Jude and Abraham
"Our idea was to blow on it and use a paper fan to help it evaporate."Laura and Riley
"Our idea was to put a cup with the bottom cut out to create a beam of light to help it evaporate quicker."Levi and Jacob
"Our idea was to use a cup to reflect the sunlight on to the concrete.  We also used a flashlight for added heat."Ellorie and Saxton

It was building challenge day.  Today for our building challenge the kids were given the challenge of helping NASA solve a problem.  Check out the  challenge.  Wow there was great thinking going on.  This challenge really used the redesign section of the engineering design process.  Congratulations to Emily, Brooklyn, and Ryan for coming up with the 1st design that completed the challenge.

Today we were lucky to have visitors from Grapevine come and talk to us about historical buildings here in Grapevine.  We have been asked to create brochures for the city that they can use for their historical buildings.  We learned a lot of helpful information today about the buildings we are researching and life in Grapevine in the past.  Thanks to our visitors.