Aiden practiced using the compound light microscope to view several different specimens: an oocyte undergoing cell division to create female gametes, an anther containing male gametes, a bee extremity and a root cap undergoing mitosis.
Aiden created a comic strip about the life a snowman from beginning to melting illustrating and incorporating the following terms: kinetic energy, potential energy, temperature, thermal energy.
Matthew experimented with pressure and motion by using the bottle rocket racer. He experimented with wind lift on airplane wings by making a styrofoam airplane fly. We discussed the principles of gas pressure build up and lift.
Aiden viewed a wet mount slide of onion cells, cheek cells and salt. We discussed that living things have cells and nonliving things do not. We discussed that plant cells have a cell wall and animal cells do not. We performed a DNA extraction from a banana.
Aiden viewed a video showing liquid nitrogen boiling. He recorded his observations and created a list of questions to investigate to find out more about the phenomenon. We discussed how liquid nitrogen has weak attractions and therefore has a low boiling point. He created a claim about why substances exist as a solid, liquid or gas.
Matthew learned about magnets' poles and how the stars can be seen at night because there is no light pollution from the sun. He found iron filaments outside in the dirt with his magnet, and made a constellation cup to project the Big Dipper on the wall.
