In Science Class . . . Mid - October

Here’s the update on what we’ve been doing in class.

Mid October . . .

This week, the fourth and fifth graders worked together to identify conductors and insulators by putting a variety of materials between the wires and seeing if the circuit was complete (by whether a motor ran or not). They discovered that metals conduct electricity, including iron, steel, copper, aluminum. We also discussed how electricity can be converted into light, heat, motion and sound.

Questions to discuss during dinner:

·       What materials were conductors, meaning they could carry electricity? How did you know the electricity was flowing?

·       What materials are insulators? How did you find out?

NOTE: On Thursday, October 18, the kids will be working on a study guide in class and will bring it home. Please help your child review. Their quiz will be on Tuesday, October 22 and will cover material up until this point. Please contact me if you have any questions!

Early October . . .

We wrapped up our exploration of magnetism by creating a hanging compass and detecting magnetic fields of magnets inside boxes. Last week, we lit a bulb using just a battery and wires. We also examined how electricity flows in a circle and requires no spaces in wiring. We were able to turn our bulbs on and off using a switch.

•  How did our hanging magnets detect the magnetic field of the earth? How were iron filings and a real compass helpful for detecting the magnetic field of magnets in a closed box?
• How did you get the light bulb to go on? What did you find out about the wiring?
• How does a switch work? What is the difference between an open and closed circuit?