"What You Can Do" Videos!

Exciting news!  The videos that our students filmed during last year's Earth Day celebration are up for viewing!  Each day this week a new video will be premiered.  Please use the link below to see what the budding PS 58 environmentalists had to say!
www.whatyoucando.ontheleesh.com

Sedimentary Rocks

First, the children "eroded" the rocks

They were left with graham cracker sediments!

Finally, they applied pressure to form their sediments into rocks!

Second grade geologists are exploring the different ways that rocks are formed.  This week the students are studying sedimentary rocks.  The children acted out the formation of sedimentary rocks with graham crackers!  First, they eroded the "cracker rocks" into sediments.  Then, the children applied pressure to form a "Graham Rock!"

ZINGO!

Our class frog Zingo needs a home for the holiday!  If you are interested in watching him during winter break, please send me an email.  He is very simple to care for!  He spends most of the day hopping around and loves to eat live crickets!

December Newsletter

KINDERGARTEN

The children will continue their study of what animals do to prepare for winter during the month of December.  The children will explore the concepts of food gathering and storage, hibernation and migration by learning about different animals such as bats and arctic foxes!  The students will watch short video clips, view photographs and then finally act out the animal’s actions with paper puppets!  The children will also learn about the different threats that these animals are facing, such as White Nose Syndrome in bat populations of New York State. 

FIRST GRADE

First Grade entomologists will spend the month of December exploring the behavior of the different insect we have been studying.  The children will first form questions about the insects, such as “Do darkling beetles prefer dark or light?” or “What foods do the insects like best?”  The children will then act out experiments in order to test these questions.  Finally, the students will record what they find about the insects by drawing and writing in their science journals.

SECOND GRADE

Second Grade geologists will wrap up their study of Earth materials by learning about the rock cycle.  The children will act out the different ways that rocks are formed, by learning about erosion and deposition, as well as the Earth’s tectonic plates.  During this study, the children will become familiar with sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic rocks and how each is formed.  

Bats and White Nose Syndrome

Kindergarten Scientists have been studying how animals prepare for the season of Winter.  This week, the students are exploring the concept of hibernation by learning about bats.  Sadly, large numbers of hibernating bat populations in NY State are being wiped out by a mysterious fungus, being called, "White Nose Syndrome."  The students learned about this terrible disease and what it is doing to our New York bats.  Please follow the link to an article about this disease!
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2010/12/bat-crash/quammen-text/1

Migrating Swallows

Kindergarten scientists have been learning about animals that live in trees and the different ways that they prepare for the season of winter.  This week the students learned about Barn Swallows.  They found that the swallows migrate to a warmer climate during the winter season and return for the spring and summer.  After making a swallow of their own, the students then acted out the long migration process in the classroom!

WAXWORMS!

First Grade scientists welcomed a new pet to the science lab this week!  The students will now be examining Waxworms in order to compare and contrast them to Mealworms!

Sorting River Rocks

The students started with a mixture of river rocks.

They then used screens to sort!

The students separated the mixture into pebbles, gravel and sand.

Second Grade scientists have been examining river rocks.  They used three different sized screens in order to separate the rock mixture.  The students found that there were three different sized rock materials in the mixture: pebbles, gravel and sand.

Lower Grade Science Open House- November 16

Since I was unable to attend Parent Teacher conferences this past Tuesday evening, I am hosting a Lower Grade Science Open House on Tuesday, November 16!  Please come in to say hello, see the science room and see what units of the study the children have been working on.  There will be descriptions of units, materials that students have been observing, as well as examples of student work.  Please stop by room 301 on Tuesday, November 16 from 8-9:15 & 3:30- 5:30.  I hope to see you then!
-Miss Marsh

November Newsletter

LOWER GRADE SCIENCE NOVEMBER NEWSLETTER

  Below is a short description of what each grade will be up to during the month of November!

Kindergarten

Now that the Kindergarten scientists have become experts on the different parts of a tree and how they function, they will begin to explore the different animals that live in trees.  After the children identify different animals that live in trees, they will examine what these animals do to get ready for the cold season of winter.  

First Grade

Now that the First Grade scientists have observed the complete life cycle of a mealworm, they will come up with a plan to care for the Darkling Beetles.  What do the Beetles need in order to survive?  The students will also observe wax worms in order to compare and contrast them with mealworms.  As the students observe these different insects, they will work on drawing diagrams of them, including the appropriate labels of insect body parts. 

Second Grade

Second Grade scientists will continue exploring rocks during the month of November.  The students will now work on sorting Earth material by size.  The students will use tools, such as sieves, to sort different rock materials into pebbles, gravel and sand.  Next, the children will mix sand and water together to find if there is an Earth material that is even smaller than sand.  Finally, the children will explore and discuss silt and clay.  

OREO

As the weather gets colder, I am always looking for families interested in pet-sitting for our beloved Guinea Pig Oreo over the weekends and holidays.  If you are interested, please send me an email to set up a date!  Thanks!

Introducing...

Mealworm Pupa

Our very first Darkling Beetle!

First Grade scientists made an exciting discovery this week!  Their mealworm larvae have all turned into pupae!  On Thursday, the students discovered that the first Darkling Beetle had emerged from its pupa!  When it first came out it was creamy white, and has been getting darker in color each day.

Fall Leaves

The children played a leaf matching game with leaves from different kinds of trees.

After observing real leaves with magnifying lenses, the students made fall leaves for our classroom tree!

While learning about the veins of leaves, the students used different kinds of leaves to make leaf rubbings.

Kindergarten scientists have been exploring trees.  They have spent the last couple of weeks examining different kinds of leaves.  The students learned that leaves make the food for the tree!  The students have also been wondering why leaves change color during the fall?  Stay tuned for more updates!

OOBLECK!

Pre-K scientists in Ms. Zundos' class have been exploring their five senses.  The students made oobleck to experiment with their sense of touch!  The students found that the oobleck felt:
-slimy
-"like pancake mix"
-like mud
-gooey
-sticky
-mushy
-cushy
-like glue
-like a "grilled cheese sandwich"

Harvest Festival Success!

Our first ever Harvest Festival was a huge success!  The children worked so hard collecting the beautiful produce from the Earthboxes!  The smell of basil in the schoolyard was mouth watering.  Best of all, the children got to enjoy the plants that they grew for lunch in the cafeteria.  Thank you so very much to all who came and helped at the event!  Here are some pictures from the celebration.  More to follow...

MEALWORMS!

First Grade scientists welcomed new pet mealworms to our classroom this week.  Stay tuned for more photos and observations...

October Newsletter

KINDERGARTEN

Kindergarten scientists will continue to learn about trees during the month of October.  The students will compare and contrast different types of trees.  They will explore different shaped leaves in order to identify what tree they have come from.  The students will also examine what happens to trees during the fall season.  We will end the month with a pumpkin and squash exploration!

FIRST GRADE

First grade scientists will continue exploring insects.  The students will observe live mealworms in the classroom.  They will become familiar with the life cycle of an insect as they observe the mealworm larva change into a pupa and then an adult beetle.  While making these observations, the students will also become familiar with the structure of an insect’s body, including the head, abdomen, thorax, antennae and exoskeleton.  Finally, the students will explore what an insect needs to survive. 

SECOND GRADE

Second grade scientists will take what they have learned about rocks and shells during the month of September to begin a more in depth study of rocks.  The students will observe and sort different kinds of rocks.  The students will also act out different experiments, such as rock rubbings and placing the rocks in water, in order to learn about their different properties.

Earthbox Produce in the Cafeteria Salad Bar!

The tomatoes arriving in the cafeteria!

Last week we harvested some of the tomatoes to be put in the school cafeteria salad bar.  Please come to the Harvest Festival Celebration on Wednesday, October 6 from 3-4:30 to harvest the rest!  The food that we harvest will be served in the salad bar and as a pesto during lunch on Friday, October 8.  If you would like your child to eat what they have grown, please select school lunch on that day.

Shells and Rocks

Second Grade scientists have been exploring the question, "What is the difference between rocks and shells?"  In order to investigate this question, the students acted out an experiment in which they placed different rocks and shells in water.  Each student practiced making a prediction about what they thought would happen when they placed the objects in the water.  The students found that most shells could float, where there was only one rock, a pumice stone, that floated.

PS 58 Lower Grade Harvest Festival!

Maker Faire

Check out the link to the Maker Faire event happening in the city this upcoming weekend (September 25-26) at the New York Hall of Science!  Thanks Teri!

http://makerfaire.com/

Earthboxes!

Many of you may have noticed the Earthboxes in the small schoolyard on 1st Place!  The children in the lower grades planted herbs, lettuce, peppers and tomatoes in them at the end of the last school year, and were able to make and eat salad from the boxes before school ended.  The plants have been thriving all summer long and the produce is ready to be harvested!  Please stay tuned for a future post about a possible Harvest Festival in which the students will pick the produce for use in the school cafeteria!

First and Second Grade Journals

In First and Second Grade science, the students work on recording their findings during observations and experiments.  In order to do this, each child will need a Science Journal.  Please send in a standard sized, lined notebook for your child to use in science class.  Label the cover of the notebook with your child’s name and class number.  Please send the notebook to school with your child ASAP.  Thank you so much!

September Newsletter

Welcome back!  It has been another great start to the year at PS 58!  As I have my first classes with the children, I am blown away with the enthusiasm and knowledge about science that they have.  Below you will find a short description of the units that we will begin with this year.  The best way to reach me is by email at marshdiana730@gmail.com, but please feel free to visit me in room 301 as well!  Thanks!

Pre-K- ZUNDOS

Pre-K students will visit the science room once a week for a 45-minute session for a four week cycle.  The students will begin the year exploring what a scientist is and what they study.  The children will then participate in many hands-on activities in order to learn about their five senses.  They will smell and taste and describe different kinds of apples, go on a “listening walk,” and use their sense of touch to make slime!

Kindergarten

Kindergarten scientists will visit the science room once a week for 45-minute sessions.  Some of the general science skills that the children will work on throughout the school year are classifying, comparing and contrasting, observing and communicating ideas.    They will start the year exploring what a scientist is by examining many of the different tools scientists use, such as hand lenses and balance scales.  The students will then begin their first unit of study about trees.  The children will identify the different parts of trees and how they function.  

First Grade

First Grade scientists will visit the science room once a week for 45-minute sessions.  Some of the general science concepts that the students will work on throughout the year are questioning, predicting, comparing and contrasting and recording data.  The students will begin the year by exploring what a scientist does, as well as setting goals for what they would like to do this year in science.  The children will then begin their first unit of study on insects.  The children will make observations of many different kinds of insects, such as mealworms, and their lifecycles.

Second Grade

Second Grade scientists will visit the science room twice a week for 45-minute sessions.  Some of the general science concepts that the students will work on throughout he year are questioning, predicting, measuring, and recording and interpreting data.  The students will begin the year by looking at what a scientist does.  They will practice forming questions, making observations, acting out experiments and recording what they find.  The students will then use those skills in order to observe the differences between rocks and shells.