Summer SAVY, Session 2 Day 2, Sun and Shadow (1st – 2nd)
Dear SAVY Families,
Hello! Today at SAVY, our scientists impressed us with their curious minds and dedication to science. I am eager to tell you about all these young scientists learned about today at SAVY Summer 2024 Session Two: Sun and Shadow.
To start our day, the scientists got to return to the shadows that we located outside on Monday afternoon. We reviewed our hypotheses about whether or not the shadows would have changed when we checked in on them this morning, and then we went out to find our objects. The scientists recorded the same data in their science journal as yesterday to make meaning and draw conclusions. While most scientists hypothesized that the shadows of their stationary objects would change from Monday afternoon to Tuesday morning, many were very surprised at just how much their shadows changed. Be sure to ask your SAVY Scientist tonight what their shadow looked like!
Next, we learned about the last three steps in our scientific investigation wheel to better understand exactly what scientists do: experiment, create meaning, and tell others. The SAVY scientists started by asking a question about the width of a shadow based on where the light source is. Scientists then had to make a hypothesis, conduct the experiment, and make meaning of their data. We spent a lot of time discussing how to make meaning and what it looks like to share ideas. I was very impressed by some scientists who chose to stand in front of the class and share what meaning they had made from their experiment!
After this experiment, we transitioned to learning more about light itself. The scientists learned that there are two main types of light: man-made light and natural light. We studied one of the most world-changing inventions of all time: the light bulb. The scientists had a lot of fun imagining what life was like before Thomas Edison’s invention, and we had a productive discussion about how scientific investigation often results in inventions that improve our lives. Next, we looked at more examples of natural light including the sun, stars, and bioluminescence, and of man-made light including the light bulb and manufactured electricity.
The final lesson of the day was about the difference between day and night. While all scientists clearly understood the difference between day and night, allowing them to model this change that we live through each day was a new experience for many of the scientists! We marked Nashville on a globe and used our scientific minds to find places on the globe that may be experiencing a different time of day than we are. I think that the rotation models were a class favorite activity for our day together.
Questions to ask your scientist tonight:
- How did you act like a scientist today?
- What is the process that all scientists take?
- What are examples of natural light? Of man-made light?
- What would life be like if we did not have a light bulb?
- How does the sun create day and night?
I hope the scientists have a great night, and I look forward to working with them again on Thursday, June 20!
Sincerely,
Miss Gruchot