Kindergarten:
We will be exploring Gravity & Motion on Thursday and Friday, November 13th and 14th. We will need 2-3 parent volunteers for each class when they come down to the lab to investigate these forces! It is EASY & FUN - no science knowledeg is required; just patience and a smile! Please email me if you are interested. The schedule for the classes is coming soon. deborah.kauffman@cobbk12.org
First Grade:
In first grade, we will be investigating Magnets & Sound. The students will come to the lab for a full hands on investigation into many of the neat things that magnets can do! We will learn about permanent and temporary magnets with electromagnets, repelling and attracting forces as we "bounce" magnets, cow magnets and the magnetic field, what is magnetic, what blocks magnetism, where north & south are on different shaped magnets, what magnets do to compasses, and when magnets "sing"! Whew! Be sure to ask them about the aurora borealis or the northern lights!
Then we move on to sound.......
In our sound unit we have learned all about the ingredients needed to make a sound, atoms or particles, energy, and vibrations! We felt vibrations in our throats, balloons, and tuning forks. We explored what makes a high or low pitch and what can make sound louder. We discovered that sound can go through solid, liquid and gas and even discussed whether you would hear a spaceship explode in space! Are the sounds on Star Wars accurate or not; would you hear it? Ask your student! Then ask them what happens when you touch the tines of a tuning fork to the surface of water! I can still hear the squeals of delight!
Second Grade: 
In second grade, we will be investigating Energy! We will learn what energy is, that energy can come in the form of heat, light, and motion. We will also investigate how light from our sun heats the Earth, that any motion results in heat energy, and how energy cannot be created or destroyed. So much learning & so much FUN!
Third Grade:
In Third Grade we are exploring Fossils, Soils, Habitats & Organisms! We are making soil percolators to investigate how particle size effects how water moves through the soil and how understanding these differences is important for choosing sites for construction of ponds, bridges, homes, and roads. We will also be making imprint & mold fossils using coffee ground, sand and flour! Then we will moving on to Habitats & Organisms....
Fourth Grade:
We are investigating Force & Motion! To demonstrate Potential and Kinetic energy we will be making Roller Coasters! We will also be learning about Simple Machines as we construct the three classes of levers and "fling" some marshmallows! Too much Fun!
We are also studying sound! Much of this unit is more in depth review of 1st grade lessons, with what causes sound, pitch and volume, sound travelling through the three phases of matter, and where the vibrations actually are. Then we had a little American Idol contest with our palm pipes; and let me just say they made the songs their own! Now ask your student, "If a tree falls in the forest and no one is there to hear it, does it make a sound?"
Fifth Grade:
In Fifth Grade we will be examining Microorganisms and Cells. We will learn about the effectiveness of washing our hands with water, soap, and hand sanitizer. Then we will use a special lotion that will reveal the micobes that we "missed" as they glow under UV light; how cool! We will learn about the parts of a microscope and how to use the compound microscope to investigate pond water from my backyard. We will also be learning the differences in Plant and Animal cells and finally we will be isolating strawberry DNA as wearable science! Way Cool!
