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Building an Online Volcano

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In the science lab this week, grade levels TK-3 were learning about volcanoes. For 2nd and 3rd grade students, we had a demonstration of the creation of new gas within a closed system (bottle volcano explorerwith a balloon over it) and we related that demonstration to what happens with volcanoes. I may use this same demonstration for TK-1st next week.

The information and vocabulary were more focused on for 2nd and 3rd grade, while 4th and 5th were still focusing on the tectonic plates.

The website that students might be interested in is this one: Discovery Kids Volcano Explorer.

On this website, students can change the thickness of the lava and the amount of gas and discover what type of volcano those conditions might make, and also what type eruption it causes.

Vocabulary introduced (in no particular order):

  • crust*
  • lava vs. magma*
  • mantle*
  • eruption*
  • ocean floor
  • lava flow
  • fire fountain
  • viscosity
  • stratovolcano
  • shield volcano
  • cinder cone
  • caldera
  • lava tube
  • pyroclastic flow
  • plume
  • ash
  • lahar
  • debris
  • landslide
  • tectonic plates

*terms that I want are the primary ones I want them to know

 

Science Field Day Explained

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Elementary Science Field Day (ESFD or SFD for short) is sponsored by the San Diego County Office of Education and is hosted at Lakeside Middle School. As long as I have been participating in SFD, it is always held on the Saturday right before Mother’s Day OR the following Saturday, from approximately 8:30-3:00. Schools from all around the county sign up and pay an entry fee to participate. At this time, over 50 teams come to participate in Science Field Day!

SFD is a competitive event centered around science. There are (currently) 15 events offered at Science Field Day, but students only compete in 1-3 individually. They are part of a team of 16 plus 2 alternates (although sometimes we have less).  Each student is assigned two events (or 1, occasionally 3) for which they have to prepare, study, research, practice, and/or build. Each event has its own expectations and guidelines that are prepared and administered by the Event Captains. In addition, on the day of the event, there are many non-competitive science-related activities for students to participate in, as well as fun food, and Mad Science presentations. Even if students do not win a ribbon, it is a fun event.

Mrs. Allard runs the Starry Starry Night event, and will be in the planetarium from 8:30-2:00. She will not be able to chaperone students. Parents are expected to accompany their children, or make arrangements with other parents or adults to supervise.

Students have an opportunity to win ribbons or a first place medal.

Information can be found at the SDCOE website.

Hour of Code

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Join us in the “Hour of Code” – a world-wide event on learning about computers, technology, and robotics. Mrs. Allard will be doing a lesson on code in the Science Lab. There are also great lessons and activities for kids to try coding at http://code.org/learn

Our Space in Space

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