Hello again!
Trimester 3 begins this week, and I am so excited to welcome back my 4th graders and 3rd graders from 3/4 blended classes! This trimester our theme will be Green Engineering. We will learn about how engineers have to think about impacts their technologies could have on our fragile environment, as well as, how engineers solve environmental problems. We will also be learning about the West African country of Senegal and how their recycling marketplaces allow the people there to reuse materials that would otherwise be wasted to create new products. Recycling is a huge part of Sengalese culture, and we will see how we can also use recycled materials to create new products in STEM class.
Parents and Families: Stay tuned for a request for recyclable materials that will be needed in our upcoming engineering projects!
Also, as a general reminder, anyone who would like to have a conference with Mrs. Athearn, please send an email to sathearn@scarboroughschools.org or schedule a date in PTC Wizard. I will be available for conferences the week of March 21st.
-Mrs. Athearn
Monday, March 14, 2016
Update for week of March 7th, 2016: Grade 3
Hi Friends!
Here's a quick update on grade 3 aeronautical engineering!
First, most third graders were able to finish creating their final aeronautical technology----a flying technology that could carry a certain amount of photographers and stay in the air a certain amount of seconds in order to take aerial photos of an area in the Empty Quarter.
Groups each picked an area in the Empty Quarter and their air-time and photographer criteria was based on which area they chose. Each area also had a constraint on how many materials could be used.
The kids did a great job staying within their material constraints to build this technology---something they have not had to consider so greatly before. I was able to drop or launch technologies from a tall ladder for testing, and some groups tested in the wind tunnel. In order to improve their technologies, students worked with another group before we started to get some advice on their designs. When all the testing was done, students were able to reflect in writing on how things went. This coming week will be the last week for groups to test their technologies, and perhaps India and Jacob, our student engineer friends, will send along another challenge. We know that India has warned us that the Empty Quarter can be a harsh environment prone to sandstorms---who knows how this will affect the students' challenge and designs. Some third graders got wind of this challenge last Friday, but the others will find out this week!
Happy Pi Day all!
-Mrs. Athearn
Here's a quick update on grade 3 aeronautical engineering!
First, most third graders were able to finish creating their final aeronautical technology----a flying technology that could carry a certain amount of photographers and stay in the air a certain amount of seconds in order to take aerial photos of an area in the Empty Quarter.
Groups each picked an area in the Empty Quarter and their air-time and photographer criteria was based on which area they chose. Each area also had a constraint on how many materials could be used.
The kids did a great job staying within their material constraints to build this technology---something they have not had to consider so greatly before. I was able to drop or launch technologies from a tall ladder for testing, and some groups tested in the wind tunnel. In order to improve their technologies, students worked with another group before we started to get some advice on their designs. When all the testing was done, students were able to reflect in writing on how things went. This coming week will be the last week for groups to test their technologies, and perhaps India and Jacob, our student engineer friends, will send along another challenge. We know that India has warned us that the Empty Quarter can be a harsh environment prone to sandstorms---who knows how this will affect the students' challenge and designs. Some third graders got wind of this challenge last Friday, but the others will find out this week!
Happy Pi Day all!
-Mrs. Athearn
Update on week of March 7th, 2016: Grade 5 Final Projects!
Hi friends!
I want to give a big shout out to the 5th graders at Wentworth School! You all did an amazing job this year in the STEM classroom. Final Rocket and Rover Mission projects were fantastic! Last week, the 5th graders presented their final projects---including their final rocket, rover, and mission logo. They explained their destinations and their rover missions on distant planets and moons, performed their final rocket launches and decorated and presented their mission logos. Not all groups had a successful rocket launch, and some did not make it to their destination, but everyone had ideas trade-offs on their rover tools and explanations for improvements of rocket designs which was at the heart of this assignment to use the Engineering Design Process to design a rocket and rover with specific criteria and constraints. We learned that above all, when engineers fail, they take what they learned to make their technologies better next chance they get. These 5th graders are going to do fabulously in their engineering class at the middle school!
Students will also be receiving a copy of their team's mission logo sometime before April vacation. The logos came out so great, I want everyone to have one to take home, but they do take time to print in our 3D printer, so stay tuned!
-Mrs. A
I want to give a big shout out to the 5th graders at Wentworth School! You all did an amazing job this year in the STEM classroom. Final Rocket and Rover Mission projects were fantastic! Last week, the 5th graders presented their final projects---including their final rocket, rover, and mission logo. They explained their destinations and their rover missions on distant planets and moons, performed their final rocket launches and decorated and presented their mission logos. Not all groups had a successful rocket launch, and some did not make it to their destination, but everyone had ideas trade-offs on their rover tools and explanations for improvements of rocket designs which was at the heart of this assignment to use the Engineering Design Process to design a rocket and rover with specific criteria and constraints. We learned that above all, when engineers fail, they take what they learned to make their technologies better next chance they get. These 5th graders are going to do fabulously in their engineering class at the middle school!
Students will also be receiving a copy of their team's mission logo sometime before April vacation. The logos came out so great, I want everyone to have one to take home, but they do take time to print in our 3D printer, so stay tuned!
-Mrs. A
Friday, March 4, 2016
Grade 5 Update for the week of Feb. 29, 2016
WOW Friends!!
What an exciting and busy week we had in the STEM classroom at Wentworth School!
First, Wentworth PTA's 2nd Annual STEAM Fair was a huge success! I was there showing off my new LittleBits Inventor Kit. The kids had so much fun putting bits together to create bubble machines, tickle machines, flashlights, and much more! I also had a three wheeler car on display to show the kids what we will be working on in STEM class in an upcoming unit.
Grade 5 Update
The fifth graders are winding down their trimester, but we all sure worked extra hard this week to complete the Final Rocket and Rover Mission project. The kids did a great job working as teams to create their final projects. I was also very busy printing their 3D Mission logos in our CubePro 3D printer. We had a few minor hiccups with the printing, but I am happy to report that as of Friday afternoon, I have finished printing all 11 fifth grade classes' mission logos! They came out great! Here is a photo of some of the logos.
What an exciting and busy week we had in the STEM classroom at Wentworth School!
First, Wentworth PTA's 2nd Annual STEAM Fair was a huge success! I was there showing off my new LittleBits Inventor Kit. The kids had so much fun putting bits together to create bubble machines, tickle machines, flashlights, and much more! I also had a three wheeler car on display to show the kids what we will be working on in STEM class in an upcoming unit.
Grade 5 Update
The fifth graders are winding down their trimester, but we all sure worked extra hard this week to complete the Final Rocket and Rover Mission project. The kids did a great job working as teams to create their final projects. I was also very busy printing their 3D Mission logos in our CubePro 3D printer. We had a few minor hiccups with the printing, but I am happy to report that as of Friday afternoon, I have finished printing all 11 fifth grade classes' mission logos! They came out great! Here is a photo of some of the logos.
Grade 3 Update
Third graders worked on the Create step of the Engineering Design Process to create a model flying technology that can fly above an area in The Empty Quarter with a certain set of criteria and constraints for taking aerial photos. The criteria had to do with the amount of photographers the technology must carry and how long it must stay in the air. Their constraints were the number of materials they could use. The kids had to make some adjustments to their plans from last week to make sure they could use the materials they wanted without going over their limit. This was very different than what the kids were used to, because it really forced them to think critically about their plan and ensure that materials would not be going to waste. Next week, the kids will test their technologies from a high elevation (Mrs. A will drop from a ladder) to see if they have met their area's criteria. The kids will also have time to use the Improve step of the Engineering Design Process if their technology is not successful on the first test.
Have a great weekend!
-Mrs. Athearn
Spot the International Space Station this weekend!
The International Space Station will be visible in Maine this weekend in the night sky if mother nature cooperates and provides a cloud-free viewing condition!
It will only be visible for a brief amount of time---3 minutes or less, but if you are a science lover like me, and like a challenge, check out the site below for more details!
http://spotthestation.nasa.gov/sightings/view.cfm?country=United_States®ion=Maine&city=Portland#.Vtn1JH0rLIU
-Mrs. Athearn
It will only be visible for a brief amount of time---3 minutes or less, but if you are a science lover like me, and like a challenge, check out the site below for more details!
http://spotthestation.nasa.gov/sightings/view.cfm?country=United_States®ion=Maine&city=Portland#.Vtn1JH0rLIU
-Mrs. Athearn
Sunday, February 28, 2016
Leap Year, Leap Day Explained
Hello!
Tomorrow is February 29th, 2016---a leap day! A few kids have asked me what the Leap Day and Leap Year is all about, so here's a video to explain everything featuring my favorite astrophysicist and all around lover of science and the Cosmos---Neil deGrasse Tyson!
Happy Leap Day tomorrow!!
-Mrs. A
Tomorrow is February 29th, 2016---a leap day! A few kids have asked me what the Leap Day and Leap Year is all about, so here's a video to explain everything featuring my favorite astrophysicist and all around lover of science and the Cosmos---Neil deGrasse Tyson!
Happy Leap Day tomorrow!!
-Mrs. A
Friday, February 26, 2016
Update for February 26, 2016
Hi friends!
I haven't updated in a few weeks. Between snow-days, vacations, and lots of engineering projects, it has been a very busy February in the STEM classroom!
First, I want to remind everyone about the Wentworth PTA's upcoming Family STEAM Fair on Thursday, March 3rd at Wentworth School from 5:30-7:30 pm. STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics! I heard that last year's event was a huge success, and I am so excited to be a part of the fun this year. Many teachers and staff members have prepared highly engaging STEAM activities for kids and families to share in the joy of learning together. I will be there showing off my new LittleBits kit, an exciting tool for inventing and makerspace activities. I will have a few different inventions for families to choose to create, but unfortunately the LittleBits cannot be taken home, as we will use these great tools again and again in STEM class for the rest of the year and beyond.
Grade 3 Update
Right before vacation, the third graders completed another challenge to create a flying technology. The kids used their knowledge of aeronautical engineering to create a flying disc that could spin in the air and create some lift before it falls to the ground. This helped us to understand design features that could overcome the force of gravity. The flying discs are serving as inspiration for a new flying technology that can take aerial photos that we began to plan out this week. The students are currently working in small groups to now take everything they've learned about flying technologies, and design their own prototype that could be created to take aerial photos of a part of the world called the Empty Quarter. The Empty Quarter is the largest sand desert on earth, and we learned that scientists at NASA are interested in studying the Empty Quarter, because it resembles the harsh conditions that they might encounter on other planets like Mars. I'll keep everyone updated on the final flying technologies the kids imagine, plan, create, and improve over the next few weeks!
Grade 5 Update
The trimester is winding down for grade 5, and sadly we only have 2 classes left before I have to say goodbye to these amazing students. I have been so impressed with these 5th graders and their ability to embrace the engineering design process and new technologies like Tinkercad in such a short period of time!
Right before vacation, we learned a new 3D modeling program called Tinkercad. Tinkercad is the program we are using to create a logo to go along with the 5th graders final aerospace engineering project. Each group is creating a final model rocket that will be launched to a specific destination in the solar system and with a specific mission to perform. For example, the mission to Pluto is to take a picture of the surface of the dwarf planet. Each group is also creating a model rover that will perform the mission on their destination. Finally, each group is also creating a logo to represent their mission team in Tinkercad. I will be 3D printing these logos during the last week of the trimester. The kids have divided their work collaboratively, and each group has a rocket, rover, and logo manager. I can't wait to see all these final projects in action during our last week together.
That's all for now! Hope to see you at STEAM night!
-Mrs. A
I haven't updated in a few weeks. Between snow-days, vacations, and lots of engineering projects, it has been a very busy February in the STEM classroom!
First, I want to remind everyone about the Wentworth PTA's upcoming Family STEAM Fair on Thursday, March 3rd at Wentworth School from 5:30-7:30 pm. STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics! I heard that last year's event was a huge success, and I am so excited to be a part of the fun this year. Many teachers and staff members have prepared highly engaging STEAM activities for kids and families to share in the joy of learning together. I will be there showing off my new LittleBits kit, an exciting tool for inventing and makerspace activities. I will have a few different inventions for families to choose to create, but unfortunately the LittleBits cannot be taken home, as we will use these great tools again and again in STEM class for the rest of the year and beyond.
Grade 3 Update
Right before vacation, the third graders completed another challenge to create a flying technology. The kids used their knowledge of aeronautical engineering to create a flying disc that could spin in the air and create some lift before it falls to the ground. This helped us to understand design features that could overcome the force of gravity. The flying discs are serving as inspiration for a new flying technology that can take aerial photos that we began to plan out this week. The students are currently working in small groups to now take everything they've learned about flying technologies, and design their own prototype that could be created to take aerial photos of a part of the world called the Empty Quarter. The Empty Quarter is the largest sand desert on earth, and we learned that scientists at NASA are interested in studying the Empty Quarter, because it resembles the harsh conditions that they might encounter on other planets like Mars. I'll keep everyone updated on the final flying technologies the kids imagine, plan, create, and improve over the next few weeks!
Grade 5 Update
The trimester is winding down for grade 5, and sadly we only have 2 classes left before I have to say goodbye to these amazing students. I have been so impressed with these 5th graders and their ability to embrace the engineering design process and new technologies like Tinkercad in such a short period of time!
Right before vacation, we learned a new 3D modeling program called Tinkercad. Tinkercad is the program we are using to create a logo to go along with the 5th graders final aerospace engineering project. Each group is creating a final model rocket that will be launched to a specific destination in the solar system and with a specific mission to perform. For example, the mission to Pluto is to take a picture of the surface of the dwarf planet. Each group is also creating a model rover that will perform the mission on their destination. Finally, each group is also creating a logo to represent their mission team in Tinkercad. I will be 3D printing these logos during the last week of the trimester. The kids have divided their work collaboratively, and each group has a rocket, rover, and logo manager. I can't wait to see all these final projects in action during our last week together.
That's all for now! Hope to see you at STEAM night!
-Mrs. A
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