We LOVE to explore at school!  This year we have completed numerous hands-on STEM experiments.  Our first unit in science has been all about air and weather.  I am pleased to see the students become such confident meteorologists! 

The FOSS program (Full Option Science System) allows students to learn STEM by exploring, predicting, planning, experimenting and revising.  Teachers and students work together as a team rather than the teacher reciting information at the students.  In early elementary years students learn science best from direct experiences in which they observe, describe, sort, etc. while using their senses to acuire data.  Students also use language and math skills to process and communicate their observations.  FOSS requires students to write their predictions and explain their findings (evidence) in detail.




We are engineers who constructed                        This system works just as a supersoaker.
a parachute to demonstrate                                    When you compress the air and create
air resistance.  By connecting more                       air pressure, the air pressure then pushes
paperclips at the bottom we were able                 on the water.  If you press on the syringe with
to see if the parachute would drift down                the water, the water compresses the air. 
more quickly or slowly.  Also, we
experimented by dropping the parachute
from different heights.



We constructed an anemometer to measure          Each student engineered their own wind
the wind speed.  Students are now familiar             vane.  They had to figure out the
with the wind speed and terms such as:                  importance of where parts were placed.
no wind/calm, gentle breeze, calm breeze,              I was very excited to hear students
moderate breeze, and strong breeze.  We               use vocabulary such as "area" and
have used the anemometer to count the                 "balance."  What amazing young
rotations caused by varying wind strengths.            engineers!  The children were also able 
                                                                                 to use logic to determine whether the 
                                                                                 wind vain points in the direction the wind
                                                                                 goes, or the direction the wind is 
                                                                                coming from.  Do you know which it does?