6th Grade Science: The First Weeks of School

Hi Parents,

Last week the 6th graders began to work in the lab.  Their first lab was about safety.  They observed different clear liquids and began to infer what they were, but what they learned was that some were safe and essential to life (water), some were acidic and used in food (vinegar),  some were flammable and used in the medical field (alcohol) and some were household solutions, but could be very dangerous if mixed (bleach and ammonia.)  All look the same, are important, and useful if used safely.

Next we tackled "Thinking like a Scientist."  The objective of this lesson was to learn that some major discoveries were by mistake, were designed for something else (mechanical heart designed from a jet engine) and how few woman were in science 30 years ago and now women have more opportunities.  Most of all it is okay to make a mistake in Mr. T's science class.  Take that risk in learning and be inquisitive.

Lastly, Why do scientists use models?  The kids recreated the atom by looking at model components that described the atom's make-up.   Their challenge was to define the atom based on the model components and how they looked and reacted.

Next week we will begin magnetism and be at Outdoor Ed.

Office Hours: Tuesday 3:30 -4:30.