As part of their study of measurement, students listened as I read aloud the book, How Big is a Foot? (stopping strategically for questioning and critical thinking). They then worked cooperatively in teams to make beds for the Queen using feet of different sizes. The Queen (Mrs. Dickinson) then tested out each bed to see which "foot" was the best fit. In the end, we determined a standard unit of measurement with which to make the Queen's bed. We then discussed how standard units of measurement were established to prevent problems like the one that occurred when making the Queen's bed (different sized "feet" led to different sized beds).
Marble Roll
This week we flexed out STEM muscles and worked to create a marble run along the wall! The goal - to create a marble run along the wall that took the marble 7 seconds or more to go from the start of the run to the floor. Students had to communicate and collaborate with a partner in order to plan, design, build and improve a marble run. There was a great deal of problem solving involved as students worked to understand the science behind what they were doing and build a marble run that met the criteria. Here are some great photos of their hard work.