Day 166 - Protect the Popsicle - Mrs. Duncan - Memorial School Kindergarten

This post first appeared on Mrs. Duncan's Blog

We enjoyed a special engineering project with Mr. Musselman from the Burlington Science Center today.  The students built shade structures to try to protect their popsicles from melting in the sun!  The project involved working in a small group to make a plan, build a structure, and test it out!  The students were very successful!  All four groups designed and built structures that kept their popsicles from melting as fast as the one left in the sun.  Please ask your child to describe the project and what he/she did to help protect the popsicle!

Day 153 - Stream Table Demo-Mr. Daley-Fox Hill Grade 4

This post first appeared on Mr. Daley's Blog

Yesterday, Mr. Musselman, from the Burlington Science Center, visited Fox Hill 4th graders to lead a "stream table demonstration" as part of our "Earth's Changing Surface" science unit. During the hour-long hands-on activity, students recreated models of river systems in tabletop experiments. The demonstration advanced students’ understanding of how rivers shape the Earth’s surface, while explicitly providing kids with opportunities to develop their scientific practices such as observation, modeling, and experimentation. Students gained knowledge that the angle and amount of water flow affect the shape of a river and observed the surface features that resulted. Following are some photos of our Room 20 scientists "in action" at the stream table activity. Enjoy!

Day 153 - BECC Cub Cadets Get A Visit From The Burlington Science Center

This post first appeared on the Cub Cadets Classroom Blog

Wendy from the Burlington Science Center visited us with three animals yesterday to explain how animals use their senses. We learned how snakes, rabbits, and alligators use their senses to help them explore their environment.

Thanks Wendy!!

Day 144 - Ethan Rousseau builds raised beds At Pine Glen School for Eagle Scout Project

This post first appeared on the Burlington Science Center Blog

Ethan Rousseau decided to build raised garden beds at Pine Glen Elementary School for his Eagle project. Ethan researched and designed the beds. He also asked and received several donations for materials/supplies. He was able to finish his project within 2.5 months. The goal of his project was to provide an area for students to learn about growing plants and agriculture. We are very proud of Ethan and would like to thank him and his volunteers for their hard work and dedication to the Burlington Community.

Day 135 - Modeling Changes to Earth’s Surface: Where Would You Build? - Mr. Musselman - Burlington Science Center

This post first appeared on the Burlington Science Center Website

Pine Glen fourth graders got an opportunity to play waterfront developer during their stream table investigation this week. After creating what was discovered to be a model stream/river and beach, students were given the opportunity to decide where they would build homes on the landform site.

Oh my delta!

A post shared by Burlington Science Center (@burlingtonsciencecenter) on Apr 10, 2018 at 7:10am PDT

More modeling...

A post shared by Burlington Science Center (@burlingtonsciencecenter) on Apr 10, 2018 at 7:06am PDT

Some went for big risk, big reward while others took a more conservative approach. In the end many realized that the power of moving water was a force to be reckoned with! Along the way they considered how their small scale model might provide evidence for how larger landforms such as canyons and deltas form on our Earth’s surface.

Some amazing Pine Glen geologist explaining the changes to their earth surface model. #bpschat #elngsschat

A post shared by Burlington Science Center (@burlingtonsciencecenter) on Apr 10, 2018 at 6:51am PDT

Day 126 - Exploring Ever Changing Habitats on Plum Island - Burlington Science Center

This post first appeared on the Burlington Science Center Blog

Students overlook the Parker River Wildlife Refuge salt marsh at low tide.

To support second grade’s life science curriculum transition to habitats this spring, the Science Center coordinated field trips with the Mass Audubon Society for all of our grade two classrooms to the Joppa Flats Education Center on Plum Island. These programs are facilitated by a mix of Mass Audubon educators and volunteers who are passionate about introducing our youth to the often overlooked, but invaluable Parker River Wildlife Refuge, and estuary at the mouth of the Parker and Merrimack River home to a diverse and abundant amount of wildlife.

Students started on the salt marshes of the Parker River, investigating the organisms that make their home in the habitats thick sea hay and the role the ebb and flow of the tides play in bringing life to and from the ocean and the marsh. They slopped through porous ground and vegetation, hunting for “coffee bean snails” and other creatures that make their home in the detritus layers of the marsh as its native ducks would.

Ducking around in search of coffee bean snails! Our spoons are like duck bills!

A post shared by Burlington Science Center (@burlingtonsciencecenter) on Apr 3, 2018 at 7:56am PDT

A short bus ride away, students clambered over sand dunes that had overcome the boardwalk during the March storms on their way to the beach. They mimicked the behavior of piping plovers making nests on the island’s beach and dunes while learning about how their nesting grounds are protected by the reserve during their nesting season. Students caught a glimpse of the reconstruction efforts of the sea walls along the islands more developed area before learning about how the sand dunes interlocking roots create natural barriers for the salt marsh and land further inland.

The boardwalk is covered in sand! What caused this sand to cover our path?

A post shared by Burlington Science Center (@burlingtonsciencecenter) on Apr 3, 2018 at 8:55am PDT

What is the human impact on this habitat?

A post shared by Burlington Science Center (@burlingtonsciencecenter) on Apr 3, 2018 at 6:42pm PDT

What is the human impact on this habitat?

A post shared by Burlington Science Center (@burlingtonsciencecenter) on Apr 3, 2018 at 6:42pm PDT

All the while students braved the elements, with stronger winds and cooler temperatures than those found in Burlington. Our students were very engaged and we look forward to making connecting between these habitats and those they will explore closer to home later in May when they investigate the many habitats found at the Mill Pond Reservoir.

Day 99 - Mr. Stringer’s Latin Class Enjoys a Scavenger Hunt in the BHS Science Center

This post first appeared on the BHS World Language Blog

Did you know that all animals (and plants, viruses, and other organisms, for that matter) have official, international names that are in Latin (or Latinized forms)? The so-called ‘binomial nomenclature’ (from the Latin word “nomen” meaning “name”) are the official genus and species designations for animals in the scientific community. For example, canis familiaris refers to the common domestic dog. Last week students in Magister Stringer’s Latin II class spent an engaging period combining their learning of Latin with biology in BHS’ Science Center on an interactive scavenger hunt. Students were given a list of Latin sentences describing animals, their body parts, and their actions. Students then had to figure out which animals were being referenced and film themselves interacting with them as instructed by the sentences and then finally make connections to how those words related to some of the animals’ Latinized binomials. Fun and learning were had by all!