Themis Orbiter Target Team

Today students in the 5th Grade MSIP project voted on an image that we would target the Themis Orbiter to take of the surface of Mars.  Students chose geography that was relevant to their research of erosion and simple channels.  They targeted coordinates that were sent to the Themis Orbiter.

We look forward to posting our processed image when it arrives.

Great work done by Mrs. Keppel's science classes.

Third Grade Hue Animation

The third graders just completed their Hue Animations of

The Life Cycle of a Butterfly

Students needed to create all of the parts for this video, and learn the new Hue Animation Software.

Students used Hue Stop Animation to create these short films.

Classroom teachers have the MP4 files of all the student work.

Great Job!!!

NASA Proposal 

Accepted

Today the fifth grade students made their proposal to 

Arizona State University and NASA for their research of the Hebrus Valles area.

Their research proposal was ACCEPTED!!!!!!!!!!!

Let the research begin:

We'll be using the Themis data and JMARS instruments to determine the type of water erosion that we are finding in the Hebrus Valles area of Mars.  

Pictures to come....

School-wide Pumpkin Design Challenge

We had a school wide pumpkin design challenge.  

Classes were competing to win an extra hour in the maker space.  

Two winning classes would be chosen.  

The Board of Education for SWCS participated as judges.

Below are the parameters.

Time: 1.5 weeks
Constraints: One entry per class, MUST include AT LEAST one pumpkin,
MUST be designed as a book character

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mars Student Imaging Project Underway

Mrs.  Keppel's 5th grade science class began analyzing images sent to us by NASA today.

Students began looking at the images and comparing them to resources.  We then made connections to the features that they see here on Earth that are similar and began asking questions.

Thank you Mrs. Buttafarro's Class

Mrs. Buttafarro's 5th Grade class made this awesome sign for the makerspace.

They delivered it today!

  

It's so amazing!  Thank you 5th grade!

National Park Pass-Every Kid in a Park

Every fourth grader received a National Park Pass today 

at school, look for it to be coming home today or tomorrow.

Life is about balance and much of what we do is plugged in...

So take some time to unplug and be in nature.

Every fourth grader and their family has access to all the National Parks for FREE 

all year until August 31, 2018

So get adventuring!!!!!

Check out the link below for more information:

https://www.everykidinapark.gov/

Fifth Grade Rocket Science

Today students in the Saturn Project 

designed and built paper Alka Seltzer Rockets.

They learned about Newton's Third Law and then watched it in action.

We had varied success today and talked about variables that can affect our outcomes, like the amount of water we add, the wind knocking over our rockets, and the tightness of the cap.

These rockets can go anywhere from inches to over 30 feet in the air.

Rylan Wagner had our winning rocket travelling 7 feet into the air!!!

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What you need to try this at home:

A film canister with the cap

Paper

Warm water

Alka Seltzer

When the rocket is built:

1. Fill the canister with desired amount of water

2. Add 1/4 of an Alka Seltzer tablet.

3. Close cap and set down

*NEVER stand directly above your rocket.

3...2....1.... ignition!!!

Saturn

The Fifth graders in Mrs. Buttafarro's & Mrs. Deppas's science classes

began their "Saturn the Jewel of Space" project 

with NASA and Cal Tech today.

We began learning about Cassini and the expedition to Saturn 

And we saw many images of Saturn and her moons taken by Cassini

Students were able to take a picture walk of many images 

and ask plenty of questions about Saturn and Cassini.

Roving Rovers

The Fifth Graders in the Mars Student Imaging Project worked on coding today.

Today we worked on programming our WeDo Robotic Rovers.
                         They don't always work the first time, and we need to go back and make adjustments.
                                           But when they finally do work the sense of accomplishment is great.

The Kindergarten Dash!!!!!

Today Mr. Case's kindergarten class started robotics.

We watched this National Geographic Kids video's about robots.

Then we listened to a story

Robots, Robots Everywhere

And then we learned how to control Dash on the iPads, using the control panel in the Wonderly App.

Why Makerspaces? Tedx Talk

This gentleman has a great perspective regarding the richness of learning that happens when we integrate curriculum content into the makerspace and maker movement.  

Stop Animation Third Grade Project Underway

Mrs. Strong and Mrs. Johnson's classes are well underway 

creating props and materials for their stop animation videos 

of the life cycle of a butterfly.

Students will be using Hue Animation Studios to create their own videos.

We watched a short tutorial on how Hue Animation works... check it out here

Students learned about what "onion skinning" is and a new vocabulary word "audio."

Here they are hard at work:

 

NASA here we come!!!!

Today Mrs. Keppel's and Mrs. Waite's homerooms began their distance learning 

with NASA for the MSIP program.

Today we brainstormed what we knew about Mars and what questions we had

Students then watched a short clip from this video about the Mars Rover.

Finally using our WeDo Lego Robotics, groups of students began building our own rovers, to learn how a rover works in real life.

More on this project to come, as these students get ready to use
THEMIS on Mars to take images to research.

Oompa Loompa Challenge

Mr. Fagerstrom's First grade is reading Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

so today we had an Oompa Loompa Design Challenge

*Using only gumdrops and tooth picks, build the tallest tower in 30 minutes

And the winner was 14 cm tall!!!

We figured out our structures needed support and balance.

Sept. 29th- Today- Makerspace Open at Prendergast library

Open day at Prendergast Library until 5:00

Check out their green screen, robotics, make a button and more!!!

Prendergast Library Makerspace event

How can 5th grade Makey Makey a fun Friday?

For Friday Fun a group of 5th graders 

used the Makey Makey's in the makerspace 

to create pianos, bongos, tetris-style games and more.