To Build a Density Column

January in the classroom can be a challenging time of year. The students know the routines, but they are out of practice, and internal motivation often forgets to come back from the Christmas break with students.  I have the added barrier of planning around our second round of MAP testing right now, but I have found that well structured group work will pull most kids back into the routine of the classroom. 

Occasionally there are one or two kids who shut down this time of year. I have one this year - a student who has spent whole group and small group time wandering around the room, laying across a desk, and playing with a variety of small items with intense focus. Attempting to draw this student into our novel study, discussion of liturgical seasons, or really any class activity has become draining in the past couple of weeks, but science investigations are a notable exception.

We built density columns this week. Simple ones made out of vegetable oil, corn syrup, and colored water. Although students were enthralled by the pictures of columns with up to seven different layers, they were grateful that I did not require them to weigh and measure that many liquids to calculate their densities before pouring their liquids into one graduated cylinder and watching them separate into three distinct layers. My kiddo who is having a difficult time participating these days commandeered the group's calculator and was meticulous about rounding and proper notation.  Mission accomplished: full, active, participation... for at least one class period.

Watching my little scientists observe the liquids as they separated and settled was definitely the highlight of my work week. One student was adamant that I photograph the density column from above, and many thanked me for the activity on their way out the door. I wonder how many students are building more complex density columns in their kitchens this weekend.

Happy New Year

We staggered back into the classroom this week, many teachers were bleary eyed and still reeling from ringing in the New Year. My school had school on Monday, January 2, the only one in the area, probably only one of a very few nation wide to have school on the National Holiday (observed). But students were excited be back and the only student in my class who was still on a vacation was in Mexico, and did not return until the end of the week anyway.

My school has short school-wide get togethers to start and end each week as a whole community. Monday morning we gathered in the auditorium for prayer and to discuss the International Baccalaureate attribute we are focusing on this month: inquirers. Energy was high and students were probably more focused on each other than on what the principal had to say. Two weeks can be a very long time, especially among kids, and there was much to discuss: What did you get for Christmas? Where did you go? Who came to visit? Why didn't you respond to my texts?

The best lesson plans for these circumstances require students to move around, get into groups, and work together. I think I was able to meet these criteria most of the week. We are investigating the properties of matter in science. Students worked in small groups to find the volume and mass of different quantities of water and calculate its density. They also measured and weighed blocks of different substances to calculate their volume, mass, and density. Not everyone quite understands what it means that density is a characteristic property of a substance quite yet, but we will continue our work with this next week with irregularly shaped objects.

We started a novel study this week to compliment the fifth grade social studies unit on the Revolutionary War. My class is reading My Brother Sam is Dead. Their comprehension of the book so far is high, but the vocabulary has them scratching their heads nearly every page. So I had students come the board and write down any words they weren't 100% sure on the meaning as it was used in the book. I use this phraseology in an attempt to free students from the worry of what their classmates might think about the words they don't know. This time it worked - the students covered the board with unfamiliar words. I took their words and wrote one on an index card for each student to define and illustrate. I love my word wall since I started doing it this way.

By the end of the week, I was done - ready for the weekend. The first week back is tough, even if the break was "only" two weeks (which, I reiterate, can feel like an eternity to kids). So if your kids, or loved ones who work on the school schedule, are a little tired or grumpy this weekend, cut them some slack. And maybe, suggest they take a nap.