Fifth Grade
Critical thinking and creative thinking was used as students completed Word Bridges. They tried to "bridge" two words by using another word to create a common saying, phrase, or compound word. An example is Dog___________________Wife. What do you think would connect the words?
By working together with strips of paper and brads the students discovered that one way to make a square more rigid is by creating two triangles from it. This is why a truss design is used on bridges and other constructions such as roofs and patio decks.
The research that was begun last week, Building Big, was completed by the students. All students should now be well-versed in their knowledge about bridges. Discuss with your student what they have learned so far about bridges.
Construction teams were formed. Students were given their jobs for the construction of a bridge in the near future.
Current events continue to be a time when lots of good thinking happens. Students amaze us with their insight and ideas about topics presented.
Homework: Linking Bridges
Fourth Grade
Our day began with demonstrations on how to get a strong bridge as folded paper became bridge piers. Books were placed on top of a cylinder, triangular prism, and rectangular prism. Of course it is the cylinder that held the most weight. A connection was made to piers under a bridge and their shape. We also completed an activity called “Stress Test.” In this activity, the students constructed several types of bridge supports, discussed which support they believed was the strongest and weakest. Next, the students tested each bridge support to determine how much weight it could hold to verify their predictions about which was the strongest and weakest.
Students began a research activity that used the web site "Building Big" to find the answers to several questions about bridges. Through browsing the site, students gained a basic knowledge of bridges.
We only had a half day of instruction since the ALP teachers had to attend a meeting.
Homework: “What materials are needed to build bridges in relationships?” Activity Sheet
Second and Third Grades
Students began their day with a convergent thinking activity “Only Need Four Gallons.” In this activity, students had to figure out how to measure four gallons without a four gallon measuring tool.
Next, students completed a listening activity called “From the Water Down Under.” Students created a picture by following directions only given to them orally. Some of the pictures were very entertaining as you can imagine.
Students had a problem to solve called “Poison Pump.” In this activity students worked together in groups to figure out the source of a small town’s Cholera outbreak. Students were given victim cards, clue cards as well as a map of the town to help them arrive at an answer. Students generated possible solutions once they realized that the pump was the linking all the victims together.
Students were then able to brainstorm “things that pollute.” We discussed what pollution is and how it can harm our environment. Students learned some new vocabulary and made point and nonpoint pollution flip books. Students were able to distinguish between the two types of pollution by the end of the lesson.
Finally, students finished their water molecule mobiles from a few weeks ago.
Homework: Chattahoochee
