Rocket Scientists

Hello!
Here's a quick update on upcoming events in the science classroom. This week students aremaking and launching water and air powered rockets made from plastic bottles. We brainstormed a list of requirements (fins and a nosecone) and possible supplies (seemingly endless possibilities) in class and we build on Thursday. I made it clear that these are extra items from around the house, not a shopping list for mom and dad. I'm hoping to see a new Calvert record out of this hard working and competitive group. They have a lot of neat ideas and this is always a fun day. We're hoping to launch on Friday, if there's no snow day.

On Friday, February 5th we have the privilege of hosting Dr Don Thomas,

a former astronaut and current Director of Hackerman Academy of Mathematics and Science at Towson University. Dr Thomas comes highly recommended from Makayla G-P, who volunteers with Dr Thomas every other weekend at Saturday Morning Science (SMC),at TU. SMC is a series of programs suitable for all ages, focusing on all kinds of awesome topics. I can't wait to hear about his experiences on shuttle missions, and aboard the International Space Station.

It's an action-packed couple of weeks, and the big International Space Station quarter project is coming up soon as well. I'll also be returning our most recent test here in a couple of days.

MrE

Cow Eye Dissection

5th graders dissected eyes on Monday. I sense a few future surgeons...

Happy New Year

Hi All,

Welcome to 2010! This year has some great things in store for us - a new topic of study (Astronomy) and some fun new classroom tools. We're finally going to start using our classroom wiki, and we'll be making better use of the podcasts as well.

Our major project in the astronomy unit is building a space station. Students will learn

about the International Space Station by writing a short research paper, then they will demonstrate their knowledge by creating a model space station in small groups. The space stations are among my favorite models that students build - they have a few required parts, but the rest is up to to the imagination. In past years I've had built-in Starbucks, paintball courses, shopping malls, grocery stores, and a host of other extra rooms they feel a flying clubhouse just "has to have." We end up hanging them from the ceiling of the science room and dodging the parts as they fall off for the rest of the year. It's a blast - but we won't be starting that process for a few weeks.

We also get the chance to visit the Luetkemeyer Planetarium a few times. Since it was revamped a couple of summers ago it gives us a great chance to fly around the solar system, visit other stars and galaxies, and to get an idea of just how vast and wonderful our universe is. I love planetarium days.

Finally, before we move forward we have to take a quick look at our past. We'll spend a couple of days reviewing the mid-term exam and discussing how we prepared for it. Overall scores were excellent and we'll see what we can learn from this test that will help us prepare for exams in the future.

MrE

PS - I had to share a photo of the Ewen House during that snowstorm at the beginning of Winter Break.