Exploring Simple Machines

Monday, July 11, 2016

The children used tires on the hill to explore

force and motion by moving the tires

up and down the hill. 

Leo and Carraig pushing the tires uphill



We also made 3D creations by using paper fasteners as a simple lever!

Finally , we got to create  our very own catapults, since catapults
are another example of a lever. After using craft sticks, rubber bands,
and bottle caps students were able to use their catapults to explore
force and distance, and how the two are related.

Students here are using the balance board  as an example of a simple
lever. By varying the location of where they placed certain objects, 
the children were able to explore the force which is needed to move 
the lever up and down. 

Leo and Sarah exploring the balance board using wooden blocks

Tuesday , July 12, 2016

Leo, Ian, and Ivan exploring the co-op board

Aubrie and Nora also exploring the co-op board

We worked outside to explore the co-op board, 

another form of the pulley system, Two ends of the rope

were attached to the board,  the children holding the 

other end of the rope had to balance their force on each 

rope to correctly balance the board. 

Leo, Stephen, and Ian working with the clothesline pulley

Using the zip line pulley, children explored how to transfer 

objects and messages from one area to another. By exploring

this, children were able to explore how the bucket moves across

the line and what is needed to make the zip line move?

Alexa, Norah, and Carraig exploring the milk jug pulley

Children explored the milk jug pulleys using a wooden broom,
rope, and a gallon jug.We investigated how will you move the milk jug up and down?
What happens when you change the weight of the milk jug?

Wednesday, July 13,2016

Today we explored the wheel and axel by working together to construct

a car. The car , wheel and axle were all made from clothes pins, buttons, straws,

and twist ties. Children used their knowledge of simple machines and what type of things they 

know are made with wheel and axles, Students were able to figure out how to connect the straws to the buttons. They also were able to figure out where to put the axles in relation to the clothes pin. 

Stephen testing his car at the incline plane

Next, we got to test out cars down the ramp. This ramp is another type of simple machine that was introduced, an incline plane!

Aubrie and Norah building their winches 

Here the children got to construct their own winch, using recycled materials! This experience gave children the opportunity to use the knowledge they know about simple machines and create a simple machine to take home. By problem solving students had to think : how can you make the object move up and down? What do you need to include to make the wheel move? 

At the carpet, while using blocks and marbles, children worked together to create a structure that would support multiple slats and turns. The children used their knowledge of levers, wedges, and incline planes to create the structure and successfully get a marble to turn a corner!

In the afternoon we had fun in the water!

Thursday, July 14,2016

Some of our classmates worked together to build a spaceship garage with magnet tiles

Children used the PVC pipe pulley and explored how the pulley worked. They used what they knew about spatial awareness and aim to try to accurately hit the bowling pins with the attached ball. Many students had to problem solve where and how to line the bowling pins up.

 Then, while using both paint and spools children tried to manipulate the spools and incline plane to accurately knock down the lego people at the end of the ramp. Nora said " I had to change where the people were. They were too close to the end of the ramp. We should add a block to the ramp. It will hit the people faster".

 Ivan stated " if you line all 3 people 1 behind the other, if one person is knocked down, they will all fall down".

Leo's first try he completely missed all 3 people and said " it was too far to the side". Leo then moved the position of the paint spool. It took him several test tries before he knocked the lego people down.

Students explored an archemedes screw and what you need to do to the pipe to get the water to move. Also, how does the water move?What happens if you turn it the other way?

Finally, we went back to explore the zip line pulley again! Transferring the bucket back and forth using a pulley system!

Friday, July 15.2016

Today we finished off our week of simple machines! We continued to experiment with how to get the marbles to turn the corner!These structures included multiple slats , turns, and levers, and inclines.

Students also explored the revolving easel. They noticed that the easel is a single wheel and a single axle, different than a car or bicycle. Here, some of the girls are drawing while rotating the easel. 

The most exciting thing about our final day of camp was combining all machines together to create a 

Rube Goldberg machine! A Rube Goldberg machine includes several simple machines that work together to complete a final task. Students were very engaged in this , working together to find materials and objects . Then they worked to brainstorm and create their very own Rube Goldberg! 

"The Naughty Tiger"

In the Deep, Deep Jungle…

In April, the children began writing a story about animals in the jungle. We decided we would continue to work on this story and make it into a book. We discussed how when books are being written and published, the story goes through many processes before it is complete. As we continued the story, we reread and edited our story. The children decided which parts of the story they wanted to keep, and which details needed elaboration. We also discussed needing illustrations for the book. The children first drew their animals and bugs on paper. Next, they used various loose parts to make their characters three-dimensional. Images of these characters will be transformed into the illustrations for our book. As the children continue to finish their characters, they also continue to work on editing their story.

We hope you can join us for our field trip!

Please remember to sign up in the classroom if you are able to join us.

The butterflies have flown away!

When we first introduced the caterpillars to the children, we had them predict how long it would take for the caterpillars to change into butterflies. The children had a range of answers from 2 days to 2000 weeks. Every day we kept track of the days by adding a sticker to the chart.

As the caterpillars grew and changed, the children observed and drew representations at various stages. These experiences helped the children develop fine motor skills and strengthened their observational techniques.

 

Here is a photo sequence of how the caterpillars changed over time. Ms. Masserant used a penny attached to the side of the cup so the children could see how the size of the caterpillars changed over the two week period. The children had many discussions about their observations and used many descriptive words when talking about the caterpillars and the butterflies. "They changed color!" The caterpillars made their chrysalis!" "The butterflies are orange and black. I can see brown, too!"

The children have observed the caterpillars as they have grown and changed into butterflies. This week we let the butterflies go in the school garden. The children were excited to see them fly and tried to catch the butterflies as they landed on the plants in the garden.

“Hermit crabs have eyes, too!’

Using the hermit crabs to investigate our ongoing

exploration  of perspective

Early in the semester, we borrowed the hermit crabs from another class to observe their movements. The children were very curious about the hermit crabs’ bodies and how they moved. We brought the hermit crabs back to our classroom once a week for consecutive weeks.  At first, the children focused on how the hermit crabs moved and how they looked.  Using magnifying glasses,  we noticed details in the shells we hadn’t noticed before.

“This is the little one. When he fell on his back,

 his whole body came out."

After the children observed the hermit crabs in their shells, we studied the exoskeletons of older crabs. We provided photographs to the children to use as part of their research while they compared the exoskeleton parts and the photos. The children noticed the various features of the crabs, such as the joints and hard “shells.”

    

   

One day, after noticing the crabs crawling on a mirrored surface, the children decided the hermit crabs needed homes and playgrounds. We encouraged the children to draw their ideas for the type of home the hermit crabs might enjoy.  Although the children knew from their research that hermit crabs lived in the water, their drawings had many characteristics of human homes. The drawing displays Zaynab’s design of a house for the hermit crabs.

This drawing  shows Natalia’s idea for what the hermit crab will look like in the house the children created. The blue background represents the blue board  upon which the children built the house/playground.

Thanks to all our Guest Readers

Thank you to all our guest readers during the month of March! The children truly enjoyed having family members come and read some of the children's favorite stories. The children develop a love of literature, knowledge about print and strengthen their literacy skills when they see other people reading and have books read to them.