Science Enrichment

2011-06-19T19:18:00.001-07:00

Summer Science

2011-06-13T08:19:00.000-07:00

Be a scientist this summer!

Grades 1-3, choose one task;
grades 4 & 5, choose 2 tasks:
1. Explore a science topic that interests you and tell what you learn and what questions you have. How you explore it is up to you! You might keep track of how many monarch butterflies you see and visit the online monarch map, how the sunset time changes each night, or the leaves you find and identify on a hike. You might keep a journal, write a letter, keep a log, or label a collection.
2. Go outside and observe something in nature over a period of time. Write down what you are observing, any changes you see, and your questions and observations. Draw a picture and label it.
3. Conduct a science experiment and write what you observed and learned: Your question or topic, your observations, and what you learned from the experiment.
4. Read a non-fiction science book and write a review: title, author, what it was about, and if you liked it.
This should be handed in to Mrs. Moran or your classroom teacher during the first week of school in September.

Hot Air Balloons

2011-06-08T18:23:00.001-07:00

4th Graders launched hot air balloons and observed that hot air rises!

Space Balloon

Tree identification

2011-06-06T12:59:00.000-07:00

Leaves

Tree Terms

Tree Identification Key
ForestryAbout.com

1st graders each "adopted" a tree on the playground. They're measuring the circumference of the trunk, making leaf rubbings and identifying leaf characteristics, observing why their tree is healthy and what animals live in the tree.

Geodesic Dome

2011-06-06T10:29:00.001-07:00

5th graders constructed a geodesic dome using pvc pipe and a little muscle. We are learning about the strength of triangles. Next will make a smaller version, using toothpicks and gumdrops for the edges and vertices.

About geodesic domes
Geodesic construction
Other domes

Pinhole Photography

2011-05-23T13:10:00.000-07:00

As an extension to a science unit on light and color, students in 5th grade constructed pinhole cameras out of oatmeal boxes and are taking pictures with them. We have one small light leak in each camera (the pinhole) and the exposure time is between 2-3 minutes. 5th graders have shown they can stay very still and quiet for that amount of time! We are also experimenting with ghost images and movement. Unfortunately we cannot control for variables like the weather and sunlight!

Oatmeal box pinhole photography

Our class photo from a pinhole camera!

exposure: 2 minutes

Chicks hatch May 23

2011-05-23T12:53:00.000-07:00

After 21 days of incubation, our chicks hatched while many students watched. During the past three weeks, we candled eggs and observed the growing embryos, blood vessels, shrinking yolks, and air cells. Students kept a journal of the changes. We will weigh the chicks, name them and write birth announcements shortly!

About raising chickens

The Reason for a Flower...

2011-05-12T08:20:00.000-07:00

2nd graders dissected flowers and observed the reproductive organs and their function. We found the stamen, pistil, petals, nectar, and of course, pollen!

The Secret Life of Flowers

Liquid or Solid?

2011-05-05T19:46:00.001-07:00

non newtonian fluids
GAK recipe

3-D stereoscopic sight

2011-04-10T19:02:00.000-07:00

5th graders have been learning about light and color this half of the year. We constructed 3-D glasses and viewed some really cool photos!
Image library
images
"skytopia"
Mars
3D skies
apollo
How to make 3D images/NASA

2011-04-05T14:36:00.000-07:00

2nd graders finished up the rock cycle by learning about volcanoes. We set off our own "volcano" with Mentos and Diet Coke on the playground, which offered a little more excitement than the past baking soda and vinegar version.
Recipe
about volcanoes
quiz
volcanoes

Light & color

2011-03-24T18:08:00.000-07:00

electromagnetic spectrum
additive colors and subtractive colors (of light)
Bill Nye
color separation
light tutorials
adding colors with filters

Bees

2011-03-23T12:59:00.000-07:00

interpreting the language of bees
dance
life cycle
Finding a new home

Robins

2011-03-22T06:25:00.001-07:00

Migration update
read about robins
Will a robin choose your neighborhood?
Build a nest
Male or female?
Robin building a nest

Vampire bats (and other cool animals)

2011-02-25T12:11:00.000-08:00

1st graders are learning about features and behaviors of different animals and how they have adapted to survive. We began with mammals, and learned about the starnosed mole, blue whale, wolf, and now the vampire bat. Next we'll learn about reptiles and are anticipating a visit from Mrs. Dockendorff's bearded dragon lizard, Puff, and a boa constrictor and king snake from a nearby herpetologist (caged).
National Geo for kids

2011-02-24T09:28:00.001-08:00

3rd graders learned about their ethnic heritage: they made family trees, learned the meaning of their family surnames, and made a family coat of arms. We will culminate the unit with a simulation of Ellis Island: students will dress as immigrants and experience a few of the tests taken at Ellis Island 100 years ago. Thanks to Mrs. Bryce's 8th graders who will be the officials.
Ellis island photos (past)
Ellis Island 2
Ellis Island 3
Find the meaning of your surname

States of matter

2011-02-22T18:18:00.000-08:00

2nd and 3rd graders are investigating states of matter: observing ice balloons, developing definitions for matter, solids, liquids, and gases, and looking at what causes changes in these states of matter. Students end the unit by making a polymer GAK and determining if it is a liquid or a solid. We will also make ice cream and watch salt lower the freezing point of water!
Molecules in solids- #16
Molecules in liquids- #17
Evaporation & Condensation- #18
Expansion & contraction- #19
Measuring temperature- #20
Temperature vs heat- #21
Intro to solids, liquids, gas
quick overview

Nervous system

2011-02-15T06:46:00.001-08:00

5th graders learned about their central nervous system earlier in the year. We mapped our brain, motor nerves, sensory nerves, senses and spinal column, then tested each our senses.

Brain & Nervous system

A sheep eye dissection helped 5th graders learn about their sense of sight and structure and function of the eye. We were able to find many parts, including the optic nerve, cornea, pupil, lens, and retina! Here are a few good sites for those who were uncomfortable with the dissection:

Neuroscience for kids
Cow eye dissection
Why animals' eyes glow in the dark

Star nosed mole

2011-02-11T03:55:00.000-08:00

The most amazing nose on the planet- is it a sense of smell or touch? 1st graders are learning about mammals and we focused on the amazing characteristics of the star nosed mole. 5th graders are learning about their senses and we will also learn about this mammal's amazing sense of touch.
Ani mal Planet
BBC

2011-02-09T08:47:00.001-08:00

4th graders are investigating electricity using wire, batteries and various bulbs. Students will be using some of these sites to learn more about electricity:
Circuit challenges
Electricity experiments
More experiments
Ben Franklin
Energy hog
Energy quest
atoms- #22
electrons #23
conduction- #24

Whales are mammals

2011-02-08T09:20:00.001-08:00

1st graders are learning about mammals and some special abilities and characteristics they have to survive. The blue whale is not only the largest animal known to live, but also the loudest and can be heard hundreds of miles away!
Blue Whale code
Blue whale diet-Krill !
quiz
Planet Ocean
Song of the blue whale
Blue whale song mystery
Humpback whale hunting krill

2011-02-04T09:18:00.000-08:00

cougar video clip

Schoolyard Habitat

2011-01-23T06:47:00.000-08:00

Resources to help support a schoolyard habitat for pollinators and other wildlife:

Pollina torLive
National Wildlife Federation
Eco-SchoolsUSA
Kids Gardening
Pollinator
Project Learning Tree
US Forest Service

Balls & Ramps in 1st Grade

2011-01-16T06:14:00.000-08:00

Students are observing and comparing how different balls move. We are describing how they look, feel, and forces that affect their motion. Students made their own balls and experimented with the ball's roll and bounce. Next we will design roller coasters from pipe insulation and experiment with changes in direction.
How to make a ball

From Zygote to Baby in Mrs. Burnham's class

2011-01-11T09:16:00.000-08:00

5th Graders learned about the development of Mrs. Burnham's baby over the past 8 months. We discussed how human life develops after conception, watched some incredible NOVA videos clips of cells dividing and differentiating, and watched what parts of the human body form first. The exploration leads nicely into the next 5th grade science unit, the nervous system! (not to mention Mrs. Burnham's next project!)
NOVA's The Embryo Takes Shape
Guess the Embryo!

Recycling & Conservation

2011-01-10T04:43:00.000-08:00

3rd graders are learning about how to protect earth's natural resources. We are making paper, exploring renewable and non renewable resources, holding a recycle drive and monitoring our water and energy use at home and school.
What happens to a plastic bag?
The story of bottled water

8 Things you can do to help
What happens to our school recyclables?
Environmental Protection Agency

Pizza box es
Composting

Consumer recycling guide

Earth 911

Think green site

Groundwater
Science Fair experiments on energy
How we use energy
The world's tallest tree

Caribou

2010-12-21T04:52:00.001-08:00

1st and 2nd graders learned how the caribou's incredible features and behaviors help it to find food and defend against predators (not the least of which: some are rumored to fly).
About caribou
Discovery clip

Lunar eclipse and solstice Dec. 21

2010-12-19T18:33:00.000-08:00

A great way to celebrate the holiday season-
NASA
What's Up This Month/NASA
12/21/10 lunar eclipse
winter solstice in Alaska

Magnetism

2010-12-15T06:10:00.000-08:00

4th graders have been exploring the force of magnetism: we observed how magnet interact, what materials they will attract, how much iron there is in our soil, and whether the iron in Total cereal will attract to a magnet (some surprising results). We finished by making a floating compass and learning about the earth's magnetic field. Next, electricity.

The earth's magnetic poles
The earth's inconsistent magnetic field

Spiders

2010-11-22T10:29:00.000-08:00

2nd graders are learning about spiders and their special features and behaviors. We will make a spider, "spin" an orb web, and learn about their life cycle.
How a spider spins an orb web
spider spinning
Spider kills its prey
Spiders up close
Spider anatomy
Wolf spider with babies
Spider kills bat
Spider dances for a mate

The solar system

2010-11-15T12:16:00.000-08:00

3rd and 5th grades learn about the earth, sun, and moon in the solar system. We use many of there very cool sites to help us:
What's up this month
your weight in space
class activities
Fun NASA sites
Alien safari
spaceplace NASA

Moon:
Is there water on the moon?
Moon connections- this month's moons
Phases of the moon
NOAA Current tide data
NASA Apollo 11 images
Apollo 11 video clips
Mr. Horn's Moon Phases video

The sun:
The sun in 2010
Solar Center Stanford
The colors of the sun
UV Index Scale

Solar System:
Solar System
Your weight in other worlds
Cassini spacecraft

Beyond:
The Milky Way/space school (5:40)
Strange things in space
The Universe
Stargazing

Life Cycles of various Pests

2010-11-09T09:18:00.000-08:00

Darkling beetle life cycle
Mosquito life cycle
mosquito larva & pupa
Dragonfly nymph feeding
Dragonfly life cycle
Dragonfly habitat:

squirrels

2010-11-03T06:18:00.000-07:00

Students in 2nd grade are learning about the special adaptations of squirrels. We have collected and stored acorns and learned about how these animals can be deceptive when it comes to hiding their food! We also observed a live flying squirrel and observed its amazing behaviors and features that help it find food and stay away from predators. The videos show both a pileated woodpecker and flying squirrel.

How does a bird's beak help it survive?

2010-10-29T05:33:00.001-07:00

3rd graders used various tools to pick up different bird foods to determine which "beak" was most efficient for which food. Our results were predictable!
Hummingbird

Finch game

Robin building a nest

Explorers

2010-10-27T16:42:00.000-07:00

5th graders will be learning about various explorers this quarter with Mrs. Turcotte and Mrs. Moran, then creating a "wax museum" to show what we learned!
1. Great explorers & their timeline
Why explorers explored the world
2. Mariner museum bios
3. Enchanted learning site
4. More explorers
5. Ask kids

Internet Public Library
Spanish, French, English Explorers
Library of Congress maps
Research project
Activities

Silkworms

2010-10-19T09:09:00.000-07:00

Silkworms are raised in Japan in order to produce silk. As an extension to life cycles unit, 1st graders are watching silkworms eat, grow and spin silk for their cocoons. Adult moths have been so domesticated, they cannot even fly away. (A contrast to our monarch butterflies that fly all the way to Mexico!) It takes thousands of cocoons to produce enough silk for a dress!
Watch a silkwo rm's life cycle
Making a cocoon
How silk is made
Making silk

How does a virus enter your body?

2010-10-04T06:09:00.001-07:00

Many classes will be learning about microbes this week and next, specifically viruses and bacteria. We are looking at how they can enter our body, how they multiply, and what we can do to help keep ourselves healthy! Pictured is a flu virus. We will watch a cells alive animation to see how small a virus really is.
How does a virus enter your body?
What are germs?
Stuffed "germs"
Exercise and health
pond microbes
molds
DE Fungus among us

2010-09-23T07:03:00.001-07:00

Ashford Town Hall

About Ashford

Owl Pellets in 2nd Grade!

2010-09-21T12:47:00.001-07:00

Owl pellets are masses of bone, teeth, fur, feathers and exoskeletons of various animals preyed upon by raptors, or birds of prey. Students made predictions about what their owl ate for dinner, and are now cleaning, sorting and identifying the bones in their pellet. In the process they are learning about the amazing adaptations of owls.

barn owl hunting

barn owl screeching

barn owl hatching

barn owlet & owlet hissing

Owl calls
Owls of North America
owl pellets

RETURN HOME

Bats and animal adaptations in 3rd Grade

2010-09-09T17:59:00.001-07:00

3rd graders learn about the special adaptations of bats this year in science, among many other animals. We are learning that there is a purpose for their really strange looking facial features!

Species
Flying Fox Pets
Flying Fox video
Fishing Bat
Natl Geo Top 10 weirdest animals

Water is a limited resource

2010-09-08T17:52:00.000-07:00

4th graders are learning about the water cycle in science this quarter and we were surprised to learn how little fresh water is available to us on earth. We will be exploring the continuous movement of water between the earth and atmosphere as well as how moving water helps shape the earth's surface. We will map the school grounds for evidence of erosion, cracking, and depressions and will study maps to learn about our watershed. We will be experimenting with different soil types, vegetation cover, and erosion, and learning the importance of taking care of our watershed and land.
Where is the water on earth?
Water science
How mudslides work
How the Grand Canyon formed
Watercycle song

Groundwater.org
EPA's water cycle

Watersheds
The Last Green Valley - What is it?
Thames Valley Watershed map - "The Last Green Valley"

Tropical Cyclones

2010-09-07T12:44:00.001-07:00

It's hurricane season! As an extension to the science curriculum, students in fourth grade are tracking tropical cyclones, or hurricanes, this season. They are using NOAA and NASA sites to view current storm conditions in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, view data from past hurricanes, and learn where and how they form. Next they will choose a hurricane from their birth year and track its course on a map. (Hurricane Katrina is pictured.)
Current weather- NOAA
Current tropical cyclones
How hurricanes form
Hurricane archives and activity
Atlantic storms, 1851-2008
Hurricane Field Trip
09-10 storms/timelapse
Monster storms
how a hurricane forms
How much does a hurricane weigh?

Monarch Butterflies!

2010-09-07T08:43:00.000-07:00

1st graders are observing some monarch caterpillars and documenting their eating, growth, molting and even pooping. We took a "field trip" to view some milkweed, and watched some cool video clips of a monarch in various stages of its life:
Milkweed aphids

Spring Migration
Map of monarch sightings
Life Cycle of the monarch
Annual cycle of the monarch
Monarch egg
Caterpillar caper
Larva to pupa
What helps the monarch to survive?
NPR on Monarchs

Pupa to adult

Butterfly wings
Do you know a monarch?

More videos and slides
Finding food along the way!
Ambassadors video

Summer Current Events!

2010-08-31T13:00:00.000-07:00

Click on some interesting science stories from this summer!
Science News for Kids

A Warm Atlantic Stokes Hurricane Fears
Deep In Gulf Water, Bacteria Are Eating Spilled Oil
Digital Overload: Your Brain On Gadgets
Suppose The Earth Got Saturn's Rings ...

Crayons and Choice: A Headache In 120 Colors
Study: Hearing Loss Increases In U.S. Teens
Study: Rare Twin Quake Caused South Pacific Tsunami
Dog a nd Elephant Friends

Scientists Try To Determine Oil's Impact On Sea Life
Calls of 'Shark!' Bring Caution, Smiles To Beach
Lit tle Brown Bats Could Disappear In The Northeast
Armed And Deadly: Shoulder, Weapons Key To Hunt
This IS His Grandfather's Bug, But Now It's Electric
The Food Chain's Weak Link: Tiny Ocean Plants Dying
NASA: The N erdiest Paparazzi
Wearing Flip-Flops? Watch Your Step
More Screen Time Means More Attention Problems In Kids
A High-Risk Egg Race To Save The Sea Turtles
The Tiny Ant That's Taking On The Big City
Vuvuzela Bzzz-es Its Way Into The B-Flat Pantheon
Prehistoric Whale Ate Other Whales For Breakfast

Navajo pen pals

2010-06-02T18:43:00.000-07:00

Ya'at'eeh (Hello, in Navajo)
1st graders have a few new friends from a Dine Navajo reservation in New Mexico. We have written and received letters, and are learning a little about families, customs and crafts. We hope to continue our new friendships into 2nd grade!

Navajo language- "mother and child"
Navajo kids
Navajo string game-How the coyote put stars in the sky
Making fry bread
Fry bread recipe
Design your own Navajo rug
about the Navajo
Star Spangled Banner

Dinosaur=terrible lizard

2010-05-13T08:25:00.000-07:00

1st graders are learning about dinosaurs during enrichment this month: we walked around a huge apatosaur drawn on the hallway floor, learned about the meanings of dinosaur names, and next week will invent and name our own dinosaur based on its diet, habitat, behavior, or special characteristics. These sites helped us get started:

Kids Dig Dinosaurs site
Creature Features

Pinhole Photography

2010-05-12T13:36:00.000-07:00

Sirius Coyote Performs

2010-05-12T08:56:00.000-07:00

Students in 1st-6th grades enjoyed "Music of the Americas" during an assembly by the group Sirius Coyote. The PTO, through its cultural arts committee, sponsors assemblies each year at the school.
(stock photo from Sirius Coyote web page)

Crayons Wanted!

2010-05-12T07:44:00.000-07:00

As part of a recycling unit this spring, students in 3rd grade are starting a crayon recycling drive at Ashford School. Old crayons will be collected through May and donated to CCMC to help kids battling cancer. Students will be collecting old crayons from home and bringing them in to school. They will also be making posters, writing persuasive essays and sorting and peeling crayons as part of this effort. Crayons may be donated in a box in the primary wing.
www.crayonsforcancer.org

Recycle Paper!
Paper Making
We will also be collecting fiber and making recycled paper as part of this unit. Messy, but fun!

Force & energy

2010-05-11T10:23:00.000-07:00

inertia- #1
work- #8
kinetic energy- #9
potential energy- #10
inclined plane #11
the lever- #12
mechanical advantage & friction -#13
the screw and wheel- #14
the pulley- #15

Air Pressure in 4th

2010-05-11T08:24:00.000-07:00

Students are constructing giant hot air balloons from tissue paper during enrichment. We will launch them in June to show that hot air rises. We are also investigating air pressure and how it changes.
"It's a breeze"- learn about air pressure!
How high is the sky?

Blue Whale

2010-04-11T18:38:00.001-07:00

3-D sites!

2010-04-06T15:40:00.000-07:00

5th graders have been learning about light and color this half of the year. We constructed 3-D glasses and viewed some really cool photos!
National Parks in 3D
Image library
"skytopia"
Mars
3D skies

Stock Market Game

2010-03-29T05:30:00.001-07:00

4th graders investigated the stock market and what it means to purchase a share of stock this spring. Students each chose a company and followed its price per share on the New York Stock Exchange: Walmart, Walt Disney, PepsiCo, Mohawk, Gamestop, McDonald's, Hasbro, and Macy's. Who profited in this economy?
Company listings:
New York Stock Exchange

3rd Grade Ethnic Heritage

2010-03-09T05:32:00.001-08:00

3rd graders learned about their ethnic heritage: they made family trees, learned the meaning of their family surnames, and made a family coat of arms. We culminated the unit with a simulation of Ellis Island: students dressed as immigrants and experienced a few of the tests taken at Ellis Island 100 years ago. Thanks to Mrs. Bryce's 8th graders who were the officials.
Ellis island photos
Ellis Island 2
Ellis Island 3
Find the meaning of your surname

Nervous system

2010-02-01T12:04:00.000-08:00

Mohegan Assembly

2010-01-20T12:26:00.001-08:00

Susan "Golden Wolf" from the Mohegan Tribe shared stories and artifacts with 2nd-5th grade students. The assembly was funded by the PTO.

Recycling & Conservation

2009-11-13T04:07:00.001-08:00

Trashless lunch everyday. The 4-5-6 lunch got down to only 2.6 pounds of trash on Earth Day! But, can we reduce our trash to nothing? Classrooms and hallways are now equipped with single stream recycle containers, thanks to Mrs. Ignatowitcz and the recycling committee.
What happens to a plastic bag?
The story of bottled water

8 Things you can do to help
What happens to our school recyclables?
Environmental Protection Agency

Pizza box es
Composting

Consumer recycling guide

Earth 911

Think green site

Groundwater
Science Fair experiments on energy
How we use energy

The Earth's rotation

2009-11-10T04:20:00.000-08:00

world time zone map
time zone activity

Germs

2009-10-28T05:09:00.000-07:00

Several classes this week are taking this timely opportunity during enrichment to learn about microbes, specifically viruses and bacteria. We are looking at how they can enter our body, how they multiply, and what we can do to help keep ourselves healthy! Pictured is a flu virus. We also watched a cells alive animation that showed how small a virus really is.
How does a virus enter your body?
What are germs?
Stuffed "germs"

Silkworms make silk!

2009-10-21T16:44:00.000-07:00

Watch a silkwo rm's life cycle
Making a cocoon
How silk is made
Making silk

Crickets chirp to attract a mate

2009-10-20T08:49:00.000-07:00

1st and 2nd graders learn about the special adaptations of crickets!
hear a cricket

Animal Adaptations

2009-09-27T07:40:00.001-07:00

3rd graders learn about the many special behaviors and characteristics of animals.

Animals in a winter habitat
Spotted salamander
Ogre faces spider
Rafflesia
Satin bower bird
Black eyed susan
Archer fish
Tenebrionid beetle
Skunk cabbage
Strangler fig
Jumping spider
ants
Creature features
Natureworks-NHPTV

Solids, Liquids, Gases in 3rd

2009-09-20T05:42:00.000-07:00

3rd graders are investigating states of matter during science this year. We observed ice balloons, have developed definitions for matter, solids, liquids, and gases, and will be looking at what causes changes in these states of matter. Students will end the unit by making a polymer GAK and determining if it is a liquid or a solid. We will also make ice cream and observe how salt can lower the freezing point of water!
Molecules in solids- #16
Molecules in liquids- #17
Evaporation & Condensation- #18
Expansion & contraction- #19
Measuring temperature- #20
Temperature vs heat- #21
Intro to solids, liquids, gas
quick overview

2nd Grade Rocks!

2009-09-20T05:40:00.000-07:00

We are closely observing properties of rocks: hardness, color, weight, texture, cleavage and luster.
Anatomy of a volcano
Discovery- rocks
Discovery- rocks & minerals: the hard facts
Life & Rocks

Sound Experiments

2009-09-09T19:46:00.000-07:00

5th graders are learning about sound energy in enrichment and science. We will be experimenting with pitch, volume, and timbre and creating several instruments such as pan pipes, a sound sandwich (below), and a string guitar.

Instruments/NY Philharmonic
Breaking a wine glass
Peter Whitehead, Inventor
Sound game
Vibration & pitch
Animal hearing
Sound wave clips
Music in the forest

Pan Pipes
As an extension to a unit on sound, students in 5th grade made pentatonic scale pan pipes from pvc pipe. We then adjusted our pitch and tried playing a "mosquito duet." According to a recent story on National Public Radio, during mating, mosquitos' "hum" is close to a perfect fifth- females at about a G, and males at about a D. So, the girls played the G, and the boys a D. (I can't say we attracted any mosquitos!)
mosquito mating
Instruments
Peter Whitehead inventor

Sowbugs

2009-09-09T12:31:00.000-07:00

In 2nd grade, we are finding and observing sowbugs to learn about their behaviors, habitat, diet, and life cycle!
life cycle video clip

The solar system

2009-09-08T11:55:00.000-07:00

3rd graders learn about the solar system this year in science. We are comparing our weight and age on the moon and observing images to compare that environment to earth's. We can view some NASA images from space on a few websites:
Cassini spacecraft
Phases of the moon
Mr. Horn's Moon Phases video
Moon connections- this month's moons
What's up this month
Is there water on the moon?
NASA Apollo 11
The Universe
Galaxies
Stargazing
Solar System
Alien safari
Fun NASA sites
Solar Center Stanford
UV Index Scale
The sun in 2010

Beekeeper Visits School May 09

2009-06-02T12:09:00.000-07:00

Beekeepers from UConn visited the school to share their beekeeping with students. 2nd graders learned about honeybees and their importance to our ecosystem, viewed the hives and beekeeping equipment, and asked many questions. Students had learned about bees in their reading anthology.

Bees follow their leaders

Chicks Arrive spring 09

2009-05-22T15:52:00.000-07:00

After many hours of effort, chicks hatched while students sat and watched. During the 21-day incubation period, we candled the eggs and observed the growing embryo, yolk, blood vessels, and air sack. Students kept journals of the changes.

Black Hawk Visit May 09

2009-05-22T15:45:00.000-07:00

Students in grades 1-5 learned about the forces of flight in enrichment, then watched a Black Hawk arrive at the school. CT National Guard Staff Sergeant Bob Mullady arranged for a visit.

Enrichment Cluster Choices! Spring 09

2009-04-28T16:52:00.000-07:00

Enrichment Clusters are planned for May 14, 21, and 28. 2nd & 3rd grade students and their parents may sign up now for their cluster choices. Please click below to print the document, make choices, and return to the school:
Enrichment Clusters- word document
Enrichment Clusters - pdf
Students who do not bring in choices will sign up in school on May 5. Please email me if you have questions!
-Mrs. Moran
cmoran@ashfordct.org

Monarchs' Spring Migration

2009-03-12T07:01:00.001-07:00

In the fall, first graders raised monarch caterpillars and watched their development into chrysalises then butterflies. We set them free in October to make the long migration to Mexico. Monarchs are now returning from their winter roosts in Mexico. Sightings updated weekly tell us they have entered the Southern United States, particularly in Texas. How long will it take for them to return to Connecticut? Check the map and make a guess!

CLICK HERE to see the Monarchs.

What Bugs You?

2009-03-04T18:34:00.000-08:00

Think of a problem to solve for the Invention Convention April 15th
The band aid, velcro, post it note, drinking straw, legos, slinky, popsicle, potato chip, frisbee, yo-yo, chocolate chip cookie, blue jeans... all simple inventions and great ideas that solved a problem or made life better in some way. Students are invited to improve upon these ideas or any other invention and come up with their own unique idea. Inventions will be judged on practicality, originality, usefulness and need. Selected inventors will go on to the State Invention Convention at Gampel Pavilion in May.
Real world inventions? Click here to see new "flyable car."

Take Apart Lab

2009-03-04T13:03:00.001-08:00

4th & 5th grade students took apart old keyboards and identified how they work. Many were surprised at the simplicity of the components! Parts will be taken to UConn for recycling, and many of the plastic treasures from inside will be used in a 1st grade "make it and take it" lab.

Ashford School Reptiles!

2009-02-07T16:03:00.000-08:00

1st graders are learning about classification of animals. We observed some cool reptiles: Mrs. Dockendorff's bearded dragon lizard, Puff, and Mrs. Moran's baby snapping turtles. Students each wrote a letter to Puff through Wee Deliver, the in-school postal system.

Science Night raises many questions!

2009-02-06T12:04:00.001-08:00

K-5 Students joined the older students at Science Night on February 4th. In addition to the many student projects to view, there were many hands-on questions to explore:
Does sound travel through string? What is a vortex? How do we make GAK? What is your wingspan? Can you jump as far as a red kangaroo? How has a snapping turtle adapted to survive? How do astronauts survive in space? What vibrates to make the sound? At what angles do bubbles form? How do bubbles form on 3D surfaces? What roller coaster designs keep a marble on track? How do we identify different scents? How do pigments separate? What characteristics on a skull help to identify the animal? How does a helicopter fly?
Thank you to the many parents who manned the stations!

Bubblemania!

2009-02-06T11:49:00.000-08:00

Students in grades K-4 learned about the science (and fun!) of bubbles with "bubble guy" Casey Carl. Thank you to the PTO for the awesome assembly! Bubbleology was a popular station at Science Night, thanks to this great introduction!

5th Grade- Moon Sites

2009-01-19T18:33:00.000-08:00

Lu nar Eclipses

Phases of the moon
Phases video
Virtual reality
Moon explorers

Worms Recycle!

2009-01-09T08:59:00.000-08:00

This month, 2nd graders are practicing vermicomposting (feeding food scraps) to worms. We have Eisenia foetida, or the "Red Wrigglers" in our bin. These worms can eat up to 50% of their own body weight in organic matter per day! Worm compost, aka worm poo, is rich in nutrients and microorganisms. We will be feeding them our lunch scraps (fruits and veggies) and watching them grow, make soil, and lay eggs!

Worms are the biggest decomposers in the bin but they can’t do it alone. They actually eat the microorganisms that eat the food scraps. For cool pictures and info about the other critters in our bin you can go to: http://www.allthingsorganic.com/How_To/12.asp
About worms

Echo Uganda Assembly

2008-12-16T07:29:00.000-08:00

The local group Echo Uganda treated PreK-2nd graders with some music and storytelling on Tuesday, December 16th. Students got to sample some of the handmade instruments and dance to the upbeat music. Thank you to the PTO for funding cultural arts events!
http://echouganda.com/

Spiders are Amazing

2008-12-11T06:14:00.001-08:00

2nd graders learned about spiders this fall and several students helped build an orb web in the hallway. We discovered how much work it takes and wondered how a spider can accomplish it without flying!

How Many Bears Can Survive in This Forest?

2008-12-02T16:38:00.000-08:00

2nd graders learned that bears need food, water, shelter and space as they "gathered" a variety of different foods for survival out on the playground. (Several students also discovered they had unwittingly collected a "bullet" as well!) As bears are solitary animals, some of the the students "survived," while many others had to "relocate" and find a new territory.

2008-12-02T16:31:00.001-08:00

Geodesic Dome: the strength of triangles! Mrs. Schaffer's 5th grade class built a large geodesic dome outside. Awesome job in the cold! The other two 5th grade classes will build one outside in the SPRING. All 5th graders made a small scale model with toothpicks and gumdrops.

Xtreme Tangrams

Cartoonist Guy Gilchrist

2008-12-02T06:08:00.001-08:00

The PTO brought in award winning author, poet, and cartoonist Guy Gilchrist on two dates this fall. Students in grades K-8 learned about drawing techniques and the process of creating characters and poems.

Mock Election

2008-11-08T13:59:00.000-08:00

Students in grades 2-6 joined the junior high students in a mock election in the final campaign days before the election. Students accurately predicted the election outcome by electing Barack Obama as president and Joe Courtney for U.S. Representative.

Deceptive squirrels

2008-11-08T13:28:00.000-08:00

2nd graders were squirrels this month, collecting and storing acorns for the winter. They tried to "survive" by showing deceptive behaviors used by squirrels in order to survive. Squirrels have been seen pretending to hide acorns for fear other squirrels will steal them. Red squirrels hide their acorns all in one place, while gray squirrels will choose many different spots. What are the advantages of each strategy? Many 2nd graders found that they could not find their acorns or that some were even stolen! (Would a squirrel do that?)

Camera Obscura

2007-12-20T12:02:00.000-08:00

Camera= "room" Obscura="dark" in Latin. 5th graders will transform a resource classroom into a camera obscura later this year (pictured is last year's image of the soccer field). The room was darkened by a black curtain except for a pinhole of light. We saw the view outside reflected upside down and backwards on a poster placed in front of the pinhole. Students will also make their own camera obscuras out of shoeboxes.

Playing with tendons

2007-10-30T10:28:00.000-07:00

A 3rd grade recess club dissected chicken feet. We found many tendons in each foot, and were able to move the "toes" just like a puppet by pulling on the tendons. One student was able to pull the right tendons for the "peace out" sign.

Wee Deliver

2007-10-18T18:33:00.000-07:00

The student-run postal system is up and running at Ashford School! Each classroom has chosen an address with an animal theme, and students may write to any other student or staff member in the school. Fourth graders applied for weekly jobs, where they collect, sort, stamp and deliver the mail. Addresses are posted by the mailboxes near the front office and at the top of the primary ramp.

Flat Stanley

2007-10-18T18:14:00.000-07:00

Third grade students are extending their learning about communities with a "Flat Stanley" project. Students listened to portions of the book Flat Stanley by Jeff Brown, which is a story about a boy who is flattened by a bulletin board. Students created their own Flat Stanley to send to a relative or friend in a different state or country. When Stanley returns, students share his experiences with the class. Stanley has visited many states and countries this far: Massachusetts, Maine, Illinois, Wisconsin, New York, Georgia, Texas, California, Canada, Japan, Australia, Iraq, and The Philippines.

We were excited to learn that a Flat Stanley from West Hartford even helped President-elect Barack Obama practice his speeches!

Monarch Butterflies

2007-10-18T13:04:00.000-07:00

First graders set several butterflies free in October with their wishes for a healthy trip to Mexico. This was a culmination to a unit on life cycles. Students spent many weeks observing young caterpillars eat and grow, shed their skin, change into chrysalises and eventually hatch as beautiful monarchs. Students kept journals of their observations. The monarch butterfly is unique because it migrates to Mexico, where it spends the winter with thousands of other monarchs. Students pointed the way south for the newly hatched friends. (not all heeded our advice!)

Science Enrichment

Summer Science

Hot Air Balloons

Tree identification

Geodesic Dome

Pinhole Photography

Chicks hatch May 23

The Reason for a Flower...

Liquid or Solid?

3-D stereoscopic sight

Light & color

Bees

Robins

Vampire bats (and other cool animals)

States of matter

Nervous system

Star nosed mole

Whales are mammals

Schoolyard Habitat

Balls & Ramps in 1st Grade

From Zygote to Baby in Mrs. Burnham's class

Recycling & Conservation

Caribou

Lunar eclipse and solstice Dec. 21

Magnetism

Spiders

The solar system

Life Cycles of various Pests

squirrels

How does a bird's beak help it survive?

Explorers

Silkworms

How does a virus enter your body?

Owl Pellets in 2nd Grade!

Bats and animal adaptations in 3rd Grade

Water is a limited resource

Tropical Cyclones

Monarch Butterflies!

Summer Current Events!

Click on some interesting science stories from this summer!Science News for Kids

A Warm Atlantic Stokes Hurricane FearsDeep In Gulf Water, Bacteria Are Eating Spilled OilDigital Overload: Your Brain On GadgetsSuppose The Earth Got Saturn's Rings ...

Crayons and Choice: A Headache In 120 ColorsStudy: Hearing Loss Increases In U.S. TeensStudy: Rare Twin Quake Caused South Pacific TsunamiDog and Elephant Friends

Navajo pen pals

Dinosaur=terrible lizard

Pinhole Photography

Sirius Coyote Performs

Crayons Wanted!

Force & energy

Air Pressure in 4th

Blue Whale

3-D sites!

Stock Market Game

3rd Grade Ethnic Heritage

Nervous system

Mohegan Assembly

Recycling & Conservation

The Earth's rotation

Germs

Silkworms make silk!

Crickets chirp to attract a mate

Animal Adaptations

Solids, Liquids, Gases in 3rd

2nd Grade Rocks!

Sound Experiments

Sowbugs

The solar system

Beekeeper Visits School May 09

Chicks Arrive spring 09

Black Hawk Visit May 09

Enrichment Cluster Choices! Spring 09

Monarchs' Spring Migration

What Bugs You?

Take Apart Lab

Ashford School Reptiles!

Science Night raises many questions!

Bubblemania!

5th Grade- Moon Sites

Worms Recycle!

Echo Uganda Assembly

Spiders are Amazing

Click on some interesting science stories from this summer!
Science News for Kids

A Warm Atlantic Stokes Hurricane Fears
Deep In Gulf Water, Bacteria Are Eating Spilled Oil
Digital Overload: Your Brain On Gadgets
Suppose The Earth Got Saturn's Rings ...

Crayons and Choice: A Headache In 120 Colors
Study: Hearing Loss Increases In U.S. Teens
Study: Rare Twin Quake Caused South Pacific Tsunami
Dog a nd Elephant Friends