September 5 - 8, 2017

Last week was unexpectedly shortened due to the local flooding.  I hope you and yours are well.  This week is also a short week because of the Labor Day holiday.  Hopefully, you were able to get outdoors and enjoy the beautiful weather! 

We were supposed to take a short quiz on Friday on the vocabulary of the week, but instead of moving it to Tuesday, I will add the vocabulary to our quiz this Friday and keep moving forward.  Additionally, this week we will not be working in our station rotations as we will be focusing all week on understanding the Engineering Design Process.  To do this, we will be completing some engineering of our own through Project Lunar Base: Build a Colony Base on the Moon!  Students will be asked to keep this Project Lunar Base Student Notebook up to date as they complete their work. Some will be completed as a whole group and some will be completed in small groups.  Each student will be responsible for documenting everything in their notebook.  They may choose to print the Student Notebook out if they prefer a paper copy.  

As we do these projects, I may ask you to be on alert for random objects you may have laying around the house.  For this project, we will be using: Tape, Cardboard, Different types of cups, Pipe Cleaners, Empty water bottles and tops, Bubble Wrap, Paper Plates, and other random supplies.  Feel free to send them in with your child if you have any you would like to get rid of!

Our vocabulary this week will help us to strengthen our ability to ask and answer questions scientifically.  They include: support, develop, explicit, ambiguous, identify.  Definitions can be found here as well as other words that are helpful to practice!

Tuesday

Students will be introduced to Project Lunar Base: Build a Colony Base on the Moon.  They will also receive their group assignments, materials list, and Student Notebooks. Groups will begin to brainstorm ideas while completing pp 1-9 in their notebooks.

Wednesday

Groups will begin to narrow down their brainstorming by providing pros and cons to their groups.  Students should decide on a plan by the end of the class.

Thursday

Students will begin to build their creations, documenting their process in their notebook as they work.

Friday

Students will present their work to the class and complete a critique of their peers’ projects.  They will also complete a 10 word vocabulary quiz.

Homework

Tuesday - What is the biggest problem you see with a lunar colony?  How are you going to fix it?

Wednesday – What change have you had to make to your plans today?  Was it a major change or a minor change?  Why did the change occur?

Thursday - In two sentences, tell me how your lunar colony works and why it’s a viable option?

As always, feel free to contact me with any questions, comments, thoughts or concerns!

Mrs. Preston