This week, the 3rd graders investigated a real environmental mystery happening in the nearby town of Red Bank. The Navesink River had been experiencing higher than normal levels of bacteria caused by human and animal feces. We did some research to find out what was causing the problem and what is being done to solve it. We discovered that there were some leaking pipes causing human waste to go right into storm drains and eventually into the river. People are also not cleaning up after their pets, and rain brings this waste to the river. Things like chemicals from lawns and waste from farm animals are also part of the problem. One solution is to educate the citizens about the importance of cleaning up after pets and being careful with what they use on their lawns. Another solution is to introduce oysters back into the river because they naturally filter water.
Some 4th graders added color sensors to their robots this week and are exploring ways to change the robot's behavior based on the reflected light bouncing back from the color sensor. Some groups are also exploring how to to get the robot to do different things based on the specific colors it detects using a multiple switch.
The robot will use the color sensor to navigate through this obstacle course.
The 5th graders designed a new invention made from a piece of their dismantled technology. Then they had to pitch the idea to investors - Shark Tank style! Check out one example below: the ThermoScoop!
This week, the 3rd graders learned about how the materials we used in our model oil spill relate to materials used to clean a real world oil spill. We learned about how absorbent pads, skimmers, booms, in situ burning, bioremediation, chemical dispersants, shovels, and even alpaca hair wrapped in pantyhose can help contain and remove oil in the event of a real oil spill. We also discussed that many of these materials also come with some problems. For example, burning oil causes air pollution and using chemical dispersants is harmful to coral reefs.
The 4th graders were busy figuring out how to move the robot through an obstacle course, make it draw shapes and pictures, make it move objects from one place to another, use a loop to make it go around a baseball diamond, and much more!
This team programmed the robot to draw circles.
The 5th graders had a blast dismantling technology and discovering all the circuits and parts that make it function! Then they came up with a new invention using a part of the dismantled technology. I was so impressed with the creative ideas the students came up with!
This week, the 3rd grade engineers tested materials to see how well they contain and remove oil. Some materials worked very well to soak up the oil (nylon) while others soaked up water and repelled the oil (the sponge). With this knowledge, we will be able to make informed decisions when designing an oil spill clean up process.
3rd graders test oil spill clean up materials
The 4th graders continued to program their robots to do all sorts of things- make different types of curved moves (see video below), have the robot complete an obstacle course, go around a baseball diamond, move an object with an arm that lifts up and goes down, and much more! The students are doing a great job at understanding and explaining how the programming blocks afffect the robot's behavior!
In 5th grade, we discussed how some inventions (like the flushing toilet) were invented way ahead of their time, and they didn't have the supporting technology to make them really useful. We made a tech web to show all of the supporting technology necessary to make Gorilla Glass and other inventions successful, and we realized that many of these webs included electricity as a necessary supporting technology. We then did a little research about electromagents and how they are used in inventions and created our own electromagnet! After some experimenting, the students discovered that tighter coils made the electromagnet stronger.
These students used twice as much copper wire and a tight coil to make their electromagnet stronger!
Our third graders were environmental engineers hired by Mayor Higgins of Greentown to investigate problems with animals and plants dying in the pond and garden. We used pH strips to test soil and water samples from various locations around town and compared this data to data taken three years ago. We noticed that some areas had become much more acidic, causing problems in the pond, while other areas had become more basic, causing harm to the garden. We then made visits to the locations in question to learn more about what was going on. Finally, we made recommendations to Mayor Higgins about how to solve these problems and prevent future problems with the ecosystem in Greentown.
samples we tested with pH strips
In 4th grade, we learned a lot more about how the programming blocks work. We learned that making the power negative moves the robot backwards, while making the steering negative makes the robot move left. Some groups began learning about the various types of turns the robot can make by adjusting the power of the left and right motors.
Our 5th graders learned about the 4 steps in the inventive process: idea, invention, innovation, improvement. Our challenge was to take the invention of cardboard and create an innovation and improvement using that invention. I was so impressed with the amazing inventions the students came up with: a stool that actually works, a hockey game, a bowling alley, a few puppet show theaters, shelving systems, a camping chair, a computer cooling station, and more! Each group was also able to improve their original innovations. For example, the camping chair creators added a part that pulls out to become a bed. Check out some of these innovations below!
One 5th grade class also started to take apart old pieces of technology in order to see what's inside. You can see them in action taking apart a calculator and headphones!
