We ended our short month of February together strong.
As we wrapped up our Black History Month celebration, we learned about Mary Walker, who never gave up her lifelong dream to learn how to read, in the book The Oldest Student. We also read about Space heroes Neil deGrasse Tyson, Dr. Mae Jemison, and Katherine Johnson.
During our storytime, we focused on reading books about astronauts and life in space. This meant reading about Dr. Mae Jemison, the first Black woman, and John Herrington, the first Native American (of the Chippewa Nation) to go to space. We also read more about the International Space Station and were fascinated to learn it was assembled in space by astronauts. During one of our snack times, we watched a previously recorded "live stream" of two astronauts making repairs to the ISS in a spacewalk. It was quite the process (the entire video was 8 hours long!!!!), but it was certainly exciting to see.
Our volunteers this week were Jake, Lynn's dad, and Linda, Alex's grandmother. Jake allowed us to see the sun in a way we never have before (we were even able to see some sunspots)! To do this, he used a telescope with a special filter so our eyes wouldn't be damaged. He also showed us other telescopes they had and the parts of them that help us see into space. Alex's grandmother read to us Margaret and the Moon. It was such a sweet read-aloud about Margaret Hamilton, who played a critical role in ensuring the safety of the first people on the moon.
During our project time, students began to put their hypotheses to the test. Last week, they were tasked to build a supply list and a hypothesis surrounding the question: How can I drop an egg without making it crack? This week, they began constructing their structures and some began attempting to drop them with no passengers. As they begin to feel more and more confident, they will add in "crash dummies" using a plastic egg filled with enough so that it weighs the same as the egg they'll use in their final Egg Drop. They are doing a wonderful job communicating and trying out different ideas. I cannot wait to see what they come up with.
This week I will end the post with some lovely photos from our sunny day out at County Farm Park!
Have a wonderful weekend!
Tate
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