Hello everyone!
Since the last post, students have started their Astronomy unit! We investigated space exploration last week and watched the Challenger: Lost Tapes film on Disney+ that uses real news and interview footage of the astronauts on that mission who unfortunately passed due to the terrible explosion and malfunction with the O-rings on the rockets. Watching this film allowed them to consider whether Space Exploration is worth the risk. A quote from that mission by Ronald Reagan states, "The future doesn't belong to the fainthearted; it belongs to the brave". We discussed the meaning of that quote and about the current Artemis missions to once again have humans back on the Moon!
This week, we explored the Origins of the Earth! Students were broken up into 9 different groups exploring 9 topics that scientifically explain the possibilities of how the Earth formed and how it became the habitable planet that we know and love today! Below is an example of one of the posters that I thought looked really cool.
I plan to make a large timeline out in the hallway using some of the best-designed posters with the most accurate information. That picture will be in the next blog post. Friday, students are going to do rotations and take notes on the Sun!
Next week, students will be exploring why seasons occur! If you didn't realize, the Spring Equinox just occurred Monday on the 20th. The past couple of days has been great with such spring-like weather. We are going to dive into why we have seasons, why the length of day and night changes throughout the year, learn about the orbit and rotation of the Earth, and start discussing the Moon by the end of next week.
Part 1 of Astronomy will come to a close on our next Early Dismissal day before Easter break. The remainder of Part 1 focuses on everything stated above, but also on Tides and Eclipses. When students return from Easter break we'll start Part 2 which focuses on Planets, Celestial Bodies (Dwarf planets, moons, asteroids, meteors, comets), and the Life of a Star. Part 2 will end right before PSSAs at the end of April. After we finish with Astronomy, students will be creating a stop-motion video project on different Astronomy topics! It should be a really fun project for them all!
Well, until next time... if you have any questions feel free to email me at curtis_silverwood@conestogavalley.org
Feel free to follow @sciencewithsilverwood on Instagram to see images of classroom updates, student activities, etc.
Thank you,
Mr. Silverwood
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