December 20, 2024

STEM Student of the Week: Hadley Lambe

This week in science…

Fifth grade students discovered how the Sun’s path changes with the seasons. In the visual activity, Guess the Season, students figured out the season of the year by studying a photo. Students came to realize that they can use the time of day and length of shadows to figure out the season in each photo.

Fourth grade students explored how solid rock breaks apart into smaller pieces through a process called weathering (including root-wedging and ice-wedging). In the activity, Sugar Shake, students used sugar cubes as a model for rocks. They performed an experiment with this model to understand the process of weathering and how this process explains why rocks at the tops of mountains are jagged, while those at the bottom are rounded.

Third grade students explored how variation in the toe scales of green lizards provides some individuals with an advantage when it comes to climbing and surviving. In the activity, Lizard Island, students participated in a simulation to explore what happens to these green lizards when a new species of brown lizards is introduced to their environment. Students gathered evidence to explain how a change to the environment can cause a certain trait to become more common in a population over time through the process of natural selection.

Second grade students learned the importance of handwashing and keeping a distance when they are not feeling well. Nurse Sherri Rice from the Health Department came and demonstrated how easy germs can spread. Students were also given lotion and a black light to simulate germs on their hands. 

December 6, 2024

STEM Student of the Week: Emmylou Fulton

This week in science…

Fifth grade students came to understand that the setting Sun isn’t moving, the Earth is spinning. In the activity, Spinning Earth, students used their bodies as a kinesthetic model of the Earth to understand how the speed of the Earth’s spin affects the length of a day. They also learned why our ancestors divided the day into hours and how clocks measure the Sun’s apparent movement. In the activity, Make a Shadow Clock, students made their own sundials. First, students used flashlights indoors to understand how the position of the light affects the time shown on the clock. Then, students took their shadow clocks outside to see how the position of the Sun can tell them the time of day.

Fourth grade students investigated how differences in lava types explain differences in the shape and eruption patterns among volcanoes. In the activity, Bubble Trouble, students compared two different types of “lava” — thin and thick. They used this information to figure out why volcanoes have different shapes and how the type of lava explains why some volcanoes explode.

Third grade students explored the extreme trait variation of different dog breeds — and pet pigeon breeds! In the activity, Pigeon Pairings, students analyzed trait similarities and differences among parent, offspring, and sibling pigeons. They interpreted this data to discover that the variation and inheritance of traits creates a pattern that explains why we see such extreme traits in artificially selected animal breeds.

Second grade students started their Digital Citizenship unit this week. We will spend the rest of the month learning about digital citizenship and safety. This week’s topic was all about the importance of device free moments.

First grade students started their Digital Citizenship unit this week. We will spend the rest of the month learning about digital citizenship and safety. This week’s topic was all about how we can be safe, responsible, and respectful online.

Kindergarten students observed and described the weather, paying attention to the sun, the temperature, the wind, and precipitation. In the activity, Be a Weather Watcher, students observed and drew the weather around them.

November 22, 2024

STEM Student of the Week: Wade Brown

This week in Science…

Fifth grade began their new Science Unit, Earth & Space Patterns. In this unit, students explore patterns of the Earth, Sun, Moon, and stars. They investigate how shadows change throughout the day, how the Sun’s position changes throughout the year, and how stars change throughout the seasons. They also create Earth, Sun, and Moon models to explore Moon patterns.

Fourth grade students explored the past and present pattern of where volcanoes exist on the earth. In the activity, Mapping Volcanoes, students plotted volcano locations on a world map and looked for patterns. Students analyzed these maps to discover that volcanoes form a “Ring of Fire” around the Pacific Ocean.

Third grade students examined plant traits and used that information as evidence to help them identify an unknown fruit. In the activity, Fruit Market Mysteries, students looked for similarities and differences in the leaves, flowers, and fruits of plants found at the grocery store to sort them into groups and identify patterns of inheritance.

Second grade students compared multiple solutions for preventing erosion. In the activity, Erosion Engineering, they designed and tested ways to keep water from washing away a hill modeled out of cornmeal.

First grade students participated in a read and act along lesson. In this Read-Along lesson, Amy notices that baby animals look a lot like the adults in their families—and then discovers that she does, too! The lesson includes a short exercise where students get moving by acting like farm animals. 

Kindergarten students participated in a read and act along lesson. In this Read-Along lesson, students listen to an illustrated digital storybook with student participation.  In the story, JJ and his grandfather get ready for a big thunderstorm. In the activity, Get Ready for a Storm, students learn about other kinds of storms and act out ways to prepare for storms.

November 15, 2024

STEM Student of the Week: Remy Mangin

This week in STEM:

Fifth grade students participated in a STEM challenge this week in honor of National STEM Day. After finishing up their Web of Life unit they took what they learned and made models of an animal and their source of energy. They were so creative!

Fourth grade students also participated in a STEM challenge to wrap up their Animal Adaptations unit. Students were challenged to create a model of an animal that highlighted that animal’s adaptation to their environment. Students then presented their creation to the class.

Third grade students finished their Stormy Skies unit this week. In the Performance Task, students analyzed and represented real weather data in tables and bar graphs in order to forecast hail storms during different seasons and in different regions of the United States.

Second grade students made hypotheses and investigated the causes of canyons. In the activity, Cornmeal Canyons, students created a model landform using cornmeal. Then they dripped water over this “land” to observe how water can change its shape and to understand how, over long periods of time, canyons can be formed through a similar process.

First grade students made observations to construct an explanation of why camouflage is helpful to animals. In the activity, Moth Hide and Seek, students tested their ability to spot camouflage moths, and then designed a camouflage pattern for a moth of their own and hid it in the classroom!

Kindergarten students began a new science unit this week called Wild Weather. In this unit, students explore storms and severe weather! They obtain information from weather forecasts to prepare for storms and stay safe. They also practice describing the various characteristics of weather (wind, clouds, temperature, and precipitation) in order to make their own predictions about storms. 

November 8, 2024

STEM Student of the Week: Maxwell St. John

This week in Science…

Fifth grade students investigated the hypothesis that an asteroid impact caused the extinction of the dinosaurs. In the activity, Create a Dinosaur Food Web, students used cards and construction paper connectors to create a food web from the time of the dinosaurs. Using this model, they followed the flow of energy through the food web and figured out why dinosaurs went extinct but some other animals survived.

Fourth grade students made observations of external and internal parts of trees in order to collect evidence that these structures work together as a system to help plants survive in a particular environment. In the activity, Tree Detective, students used models of roots and branches to explore their functions and then constructed an argument about how these structures must work together in order to support the survival of trees in the unique environment of the frozen taiga. 

Third grade students were introduced to the concept of “climate” and explored the world’s five major climates. In the activity, Climate Decoder, students colored one part of a world map to figure out the different climates of that region. Students then combined maps and searched for global climate patterns.

Second grade students explored the phenomenon of flash floods and created an explanation of why these severe weather events are more or less likely in different regions. They specifically attempted to locate and explain a unique region in Texas known as Flash Flood Alley. In the activity, Find Flash Flood Alley, students developed a map to document how land and water interact across the state. Students then used that map to explain how different shapes and kinds of land increase or decrease the chances of rainfall causing a flash flood.

First grade students participated in a lesson called, “Why do baby ducks follow their mother?”. In this Read-Along lesson, Juan Carlos visits his grandmother who has a backyard full of ducks. The lesson includes a short exercise where students get moving by acting like ducks. 

Kindergarten students learned all about scarecrows. They learned where scarecrows originated and even about modern day scarecrows like cameras and flashing lights. They ended their lesson with labeling the different parts of a scarecrow.

November 1, 2024

Scientist of the Week: Tucker Reichmann

This week in Science…

Fifth grade students discovered what happens in unbalanced ecosystems and how that can lead to an overabundance of algae and harmful algal blooms. In the activity, Bloom Busters, students played a game in which they obtained and combined science ideas in order to help a community respond to and prevent harmful algal blooms.

Fourth grade students explored how animals receive information through their senses and process that information in their brain, using instincts and memories to guide their behaviors. In the activity, Raccoon Reactions, students used models to understand how an animal’s senses, brain, and memories all work together as a system to influence their behavior and support their survival.

Third grade students explored seasonal weather conditions across different regions. They investigated how weather patterns can be used to make predictions about future weather. In the activity, Snow Fort Weather, students organized daily temperature data from three snowy towns into a table so that they can compare weather conditions and predict which town is most likely to have the best weather for a snow fort festival next year.

Second grade students investigated the effects of rocks tumbling in a river. Based on their observations, they constructed an explanation for why there is sand at a beach. In the activity, Rocking the River, students pretended to be a river and tore up pieces of construction paper to model what happens to rocks as they travel along the river.

October 25, 2024

STEM Student of the Week: Josephine Martin

Helmsburg Elementary had an incredible pumpkin-themed STEM day!

Students kicked off the day by making predictions about the weight, circumference, and number of seeds in their pumpkins. They then weighed, measured, and counted to see how close they were! They also created pumpkin volcanoes, experimenting with baking soda, dish soap, and vinegar reactions for a hands-on science experience.

In music, they crafted pumpkin drums and string instruments, while in art, they created fizzy pumpkin paintings and paper pumpkins. Gym class featured exciting pumpkin relay races, and in science, students built towering pumpkin structures.

A huge thank you to Joey Dallas for donating the giant pumpkin and straw bales! Congratulations to our pumpkin weight-guessing winners: Rylee, Juniper, and Emmett!

This week in science…

A BIG thank you to the Purdue Extension program for teaching all the classes about apples this week! The lesson included topics such as food waste, production, producers, consumers, healthy eating habits, and using our five senses. Third, fourth, and fifth grade students used the scientific method to determine which liquid prevents oxidation the best. Kindergarten, first, and second grade discussed pollination and the life cycle of apples including the difference between apple trees in the spring and apple trees in the fall. Of course, there was lots of apple tasting too! Students also made observations and then voted on their favorite apple based on taste and texture. 

October 18, 2024

STEM Student of the Week: Eli Gordon

Fourth grade students began a new unit all about Animal and Plant Adaptations. In this unit, students explore the adaptations of animals and plants. Students investigate how the external and internal structures of an organism work together as an interconnected system that aid in their growth and survival. They also use models to explore how a combination of instincts and memories influence animal behavior.

Third grade students began a new unit called Stormy Skies. In this unit, students investigate and make predictions about the weather through careful observation of the clouds and wind. Students also learn to differentiate between weather and climate and use models to reveal global climate patterns.

Second grade students began a new unit called Work of Water. In this unit, students explore how water shapes the Earth’s surface. Students construct and use models of mountains to demonstrate that water flows downhill, and in the process, transforms huge rocks into the tiny grains of sand we find at the beach. Students also construct and use model hills to determine the causes of erosion, and to design solutions to problems caused by erosion.

First grade students carried out an investigation to determine the relationship between the shape of different bird beaks and the food each bird eats. In the activity, Find the Best Beak, students experimented with long pointy beaks that are great for picking up seeds and wide flat beaks that are good for scooping. They discovered that different beaks are best for different kinds of food.

October 4, 2024

STEM Student of the Week: Linda Gobert

This week in science…

Fifth grade students combined what they have learned about plants, animals, and decomposers to see how they interact in an ecosystem. In the activity, Pond Ecosystem Game, students first built a pond ecosystem that will support a sunfish. To succeed, they had to make sure that carbon dioxide levels are healthy for both plants and animals. Then, students played a game called Big Fish where they competed to make a healthy ecosystem for a sunfish.

Second grade students investigated which kinds of birds are likely to visit a bird feeder based on what they eat. In the activity, Design a Bird Feeder, students first drew their own bird feeder design to attract a specific type of bird. Then they built a prototype of their bird feeder using available materials.

First grade students carried out an investigation to determine the relationship between the shape of different bird beaks and the food each bird eats. In the activity, Find the Best Beak, students experimented with long pointy beaks that are great for picking up seeds and wide flat beaks that are good for scooping. They discovered that different beaks are best for different kinds of food.

Kindergarten students observed different animal behaviors and worked to discover another pattern: all animals seek safety in order to survive. The activity, Gopher in a Hole, included physical movements in which students pretended to be snails hiding in their shells, praying mantises scaring away predators, and gophers popping out of holes.

September 27, 2024

STEM Student of the Week: Elliott Williams

This week in Science…

Fifth grade students discovered the role fungi play in decomposing dead materials and in creating soil. In the activity, Mold Terrarium, students planned and conducted an investigation to discover the factors affecting decomposition. Students filled Ziploc bags with different types of foods and changed environmental conditions to study how different variables affect mold growth. They then observed mold growth over a period of two weeks.

Fourth grade students explored the brain’s role in receiving information from the senses, processing that information, and controlling the muscles to enable movement. In the activity, Think Fast!, students tested their reflexes with two very quick experiments and one more involved activity. They learned about how we process information in our brains and then respond to that information in different ways.

Third grade students learned about how fossil dinosaur tracks revealed how quickly a dinosaur was running. In the activity, Outrunning CeeLo, students figured out if they could have won a race with a dinosaur that was just their size. To determine the winner, students compared the length of their running steps with the dinosaur’s steps.

Second grade students learned about a case study in biodiversity using the frogs of North America. In the activity, Who’s Calling?, students learned to identify frogs by their unique calls and investigated which of two locations has a greater variety of frogs. After listening to recordings of frog calls, students created words that will remind them of the sounds, and then used those words to identify frog sounds in different environments.

First grade students made observations of baby animals and their parents, gathering evidence that they look similar because they share many of the same traits. In the activity, Baby Bird Rescue, students helped identify lost baby birds based on observations of their specific traits.

Kindergarten students participated in a Read-Along lesson. In the story, Sofia wonders where animals live and goes for a walk in the woods to find out. The lesson included a short exercise where students pretended to be squirrels and learned about their habitats. 

September 20, 2024

STEM Student of the Week: Aubree Priddy

This week in science…

Fifth grade students developed their thinking about the predator/prey relationships between living things. In the activity, Eat or Be Eaten, students played a card game in which they made food chains with predators and prey, and producers and consumers. The students who made the longest food chains won the game!

Fourth grade students delve further into the workings of the eye, exploring the function of their iris and pupil. In the activity, Pupil Card, students added a smaller pupil to the eye model that they created in the previous lesson. Then they observed how the changing size of the pupil controls how much light enters the eye.

Third grade students analyzed data from dinosaur fossils in order to provide evidence about the appearance and behavior of those dinosaurs when they were living. In the activity, Dinosaur Detectives, students compared the traits of dinosaur fossils with the traits of modern animals in order to help a paleoartist draw a dinosaur as accurately as possible.

Second grade students solved the mystery of why a group of wild bighorn sheep would leave their usual desert habitat to visit a second, very different habitat: a local playground. In the activity, Habitat Scavenger Hunt, students recorded observations of the diversity of life found in the desert and the playground, as well as the physical characteristics of each location. Students combined these observations to create an understanding of how the living and non-living parts of a habitat support the animals that live there.

First grade students made observations of baby animals and their parents, gathering evidence that they look similar because they share many of the same traits. In the activity, Baby Bird Rescue, students helped identify lost baby birds based on observations of their specific traits.

Kindergarten students observed animal behaviors and worked to discover a pattern: all animals seek food in order to survive. The activity, Eat Like an Animal, included physical movement in which students acted out animal behaviors, pretending to be quail scratching in the dirt, raccoons wading in the water, and woodpeckers pecking a log.

September 13, 2024

STEM Student of the Week: Willow Hardin

This week in science…

Fifth grade students began a new science unit called Web of Life. In this unit, students explore how organisms depend on one another and form an interconnected ecosystem. Students investigate food chains, food webs, and the importance of producers, consumers, and decomposers.

Fourth grade students began a new science unit called Human Machine. In this unit, students investigate structures and functions of the human body. Students explore how our bones and muscles are interconnected, how our eyes interact with light and impact our vision, and how our brain responds to stimuli in our environment.

Third Grade students began a new science unit called Animals Through Time. In this unit, students develop an understanding of how animals and their environments have changed through time. Fossils provide a window into the animals and habitats of the past. Analyzing the traits of animals that are alive today and comparing them to fossils, provides evidence of how these ancient organisms and environments of the past may have appeared.

Second grade students began a new science unit called Animal Adventures.  In this unit, students begin to develop an understanding of the world’s animal biodiversity. They explore animal classification and the traits that define each group. Students then turn their focus to habitats and how the surrounding environment affects what organisms live in a particular environment.

First grade students began a new science unit called Animal Superpowers. In this unit, students explore how the external characteristics of animals are essential for their survival. Students also make observations of parents and their offspring, determining how they are similar and how their behaviors help offspring survive.

Kindergarten students began a new science unit called Animal Secrets. In this unit, students use observations to understand the basic needs of animals. Students explore how animals need things to eat and a safe place to live, and also how animals can change their environments to meet those needs.

September 6, 2024

STEM Student of the Week: Jaz-Leigh Davis

This week in science…

Fifth, fourth, and third grade continued learning about new science tools. They all learned how to use and read a triple beam balance scale. They weighed and recorded the mass of various objects from the science lab and compared their results with each other.

First and second grade made a Curiosity Wheel to take home and use whenever they are curious and have questions. They learned that asking questions helps scientists learn even more.

Hot and cold was the topic for kindergarten this week. Students listened to a story and then did and hot and cold sort.

August 30, 2024

This week in science…

Fourth and fifth graders learned all about our microscopes. They learned the history, how they work, and the different parts on the first day. The next 2 days were for looking at different slides and drawing and labeling what they saw.

Third grade started their week with another scientific method lab. This time they made predictions on how many drops of water they could fit on a penny, nickel, dime, and quarter. They recorded their data and averaged their results. They also came up with reasons why their results may be different than those at their table. 

Kindergarten through second grade practiced with bucket balance scales. Kindergarten compared weights of objects while first and second grade counted how many cubes were equal to their objects.

August 23, 2024

STEM Student of the Week: Axel Braunagel

This week in Science…

Students reviewed the steps of the scientific method and had their first investigation lab. Fifth grade students investigated what happens to gummy worms after they are left in liquid for 24 hours. Students chose between seven different liquids and formed a hypothesis based on research. They measured height, length, width, and mass before and after the worms and recorded their data, analyzed their results, and concluded if their hypothesis was correct or proven wrong.

Fourth and third grade students had a skittles lab! They predicted which color would be the most prevalent in their bag. They collected their data, graphed their results, and found their conclusion if they had predicted correctly or not. And of course they got to eat their skittles!

August 16, 2024

STEM Student of the Week: Norah Tiernan

This week in Science students reviewed the steps of the engineering design process with their first stem challenge of the school year. Students were given 12 index cards and 20 dot stickers. They had to work together to build the tallest tower in the time limit. We talked about the idea of a growth mindset and how important that is when completing stem challenges and persevering when something doesn’t go as planned. Students took what they learned the first time and completed the challenge again. They did a great job and there were some very creative designs!