Summer SAVY, Session 6 Day 1, The Science of Senses (3rd – 4th)
Hello Parents,
We had an exciting first day! Today, we dove into the wonderful world of matter and explored how our five senses help us perceive and interact with it. Here’s a recap of what we did, the key concepts we covered, and how you can support your child’s learning at home.
What’s Popping in Sensesational Science? Popcorn is the perfect symbol for our Sense-sational Science class because it engages all five senses, making it an ideal representation of the sensory experiences that we will explore each day.
S.A.V.Y. class creed. We were introduced to our S.A.V.Y. creed. We are S.A.V.Y. students!
We will be safe. We will be accountable for our actions. We will value our friends and adults. We will yield and be kind to our friends.
We will use this creed in class daily to create a positive, respectful, and supportive learning environment where everyone feels valued and encouraged to explore and learn together.
Classroom rules: We created classroom rules (student-created) to ensure a secure and productive learning environment for all our scientific explorations.
Introduction to the Five Senses and Matter: We started our science inquiry day by discussing the five senses (sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch, and their importance in understanding the world around us. We then introduced the concept of matter, emphasizing that anything that has mass and takes up space is matter.
Exploring Atoms and Molecules: Using modeling clay and toothpicks, the students created models of simple molecules like water (H2O) and carbon dioxide (CO2). This hands-on activity helped them visualize how atoms combine to form molecules.
We will complete this experiment tomorrow: Chemical Change Experiment: We created a volcano and mixed baking soda and vinegar in a small cup, observing the bubbling reaction that occurs as they form new substances. This experiment illustrated a chemical change and introduced the concept of reactions.
How You Can Support Your Child’s Learning at Home
Discuss Daily Learnings:
- Ask your child about what they explored and discovered today: Engage in conversations about their day at camp. Ask questions like, “What was the most exciting thing you learned about matter today?” or “Can you show me how you made the molecule models?”
Encourage Scientific Thinking:
- Promote curiosity and observation: Encourage your child to ask questions about the world around them. When they notice something interesting, help them think through what they are observing and why it might be happening.
- Conduct simple experiments together: Try out fun, easy experiments at home. For example, mix baking soda and vinegar to observe the chemical reaction and discuss what is happening.
Celebrate Curiosity:
- Praise their efforts and discoveries: Show enthusiasm for their scientific explorations. Celebrate their curiosity by recognizing their achievements and encouraging them to continue asking questions and seeking answers.
- Create a science-friendly environment: Provide materials like books, kits, or online resources that foster a love for science. Encourage them to document their findings in a journal or share them with family members.
At the end of each day, your child will have a choice board on the topic(s) that were discussed during the day. The activities are voluntary. If he/she decides to complete one of the activities, he/she will be asked to share their findings with the class, if they would like. A prize will be awarded the following day for their participation. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to join them on this scientific journey. Our first day was a huge success!