Middle School is continuing the exploration of the Scientific Method. Students put glow sticks in various places to determine how temperature would affect how long they would last. Glow sticks were put in hot water, cold water, outside in the sun and in the freezer. While the ones placed in the cold lasted longer than the hot places, the control group that left on the table stayed the most consistent.

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The Lower Elementary classroom is a registered Monarch Waystation. Due to declining sources of milkweeds and nectar along with widespread use of herbicides, monarch populations have been adversely affected. McGuffey students learn how to identify the egg of a monarch caterpillar. Those eggs are brought inside and cared for through the stages of egg, caterpillar, and chrysalis. When the green casing and gold flecks of the chrysalis transform over roughly 10 days, a monarch butterfly emerges. Before the butterfly is released to migrate 2,000-4,000 miles, a tracking sticker is gently placed on the wing to help scientists better understand and protect the Monarch. The awe and wonder is evident in the faces of our students and there is also pride in the part they are taking to help this important species. 

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Primary students are studying the structure of the Earth. They are reading books about the layers of the Earth: the crust, mantle, outer core and inner core. The shelves are full of works like geodes, a puzzle showing the layers of the Earth, types of rocks, and a volcano. Gordon & Kristen Adams visited the class with a Geology presentation via Miami University educational outreach program. Students have been taking their curiosity outdoors, exploring the crust (ground) and looking for fossils everywhere! 

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Slow Start has come and gone which means Primary and Lower students, both returning and new, are on their regular schedules. Slow Start provides a day for new students to learn the ropes of the classroom and meet a limited number of people. The second day of slow start ensures returning students have a day to reconnect and talk about how they can reach out to new students. Now that everyone is together, returning students model classroom behavior and norms while new students get to meet lots and lots of new friends. 

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Upper Elementary began science this year by exploring how science is made through observation and classification starting with a scooter! After journaling their observations, they moved indoors to classify them. The horn is loud! The seat feels furry but in some places the fur was worn. The scooter smells kind of like a car but different. It has a license plate which is smaller than one on a car. It seems like a small motorcycle.

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Middle school students spent time in science lab reviewing the steps of the scientific method. They conducted an experiment to discover what happens when gummy bears are placed in different liquids. There is no data on whether gummy bears were consumed in the name of science. 

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Middle School students presented their Imaginary Island Projects to their classmates. Island features include history, government, human resources, natural resources, transportation, and education. Some island features are “cosmic,” while others could be islands we already have and know. 

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Lower Elementary had a fantastic sleepover! Highlights were game night, evening soccer, pizza, ice cream, a movie, and a delicious pancake breakfast. Thank you to our Lower Elementary teachers and parents who made it a memorable night. 

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In Practical Life, Upper Elementary students are continuing to expand their understanding and use of tools. This week, students have practiced soldering. 

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