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Our kids have been busy in the Science
Room! Here is a snapshot of some of the
things our kids have been engaged in from the beginning of the school year.
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Kindergarten
started with learning all about
the Five Senses.
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We went into great
detail about how the Eye, Ear, Nose, Nerves and Tongue work to help us live in
our world. Did you know they are all
connected to the Brain? All the Kindergartners
know that! In November they were immersed in the study of Animal and Plant Characteristics. They’ll be moving on to Weather after the
holiday break.
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First Grade
will be jumping into Solids and Liquids.
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This is a very active unit
exploring the properties of stuff. They will also be trained as penguin experts as the famous First Grade Penguin Unit takes them to the far reaches of Antarctica. Your dinnertime conversation will not be lacking during January! Then comes Air
and Weather, Plants, and Animals.
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Second Grade
had the pleasure of meeting one of our favorite
creatures.
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Butterflies
were ourfocus as we studied this amazing animal’s life cycle. Classroom-raised butterflies were observed
and released in September. Since then,
we’ve been rockin’ out with Pebbles, Sand and Silt, including an exciting field
trip to Shell Ridge. We will
be investigating whales in the month of January. Stay tuned for details about a visit from The
Marine Mammal Center’s “Whale Bus” at the end of the month. We will end up the year with Sound and Balance & Motion.
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Third Grade
will be exploring States of Matter, Energy,
and Planets.
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We will also take an up close
and personal look at our local watershed.
The highlights of this unit are the Third Grade-only “Fishing
in the City” program in April and a trip to the Mountain View Sanitary
District.
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Fourth Grade
is exploring our Earth.
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They begin their second rotation of
Interrelationships of Life, Magnetism & Electricity, and Earth
Materials. The 4th Grade
teachers have shared these units with their own classes and now will be
rotating different classes through these three different science adventures in our Science Room.
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Fifth Grade
learned
all about Body Systems
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These included Respiratory, Digestive and Circulatory. Some of the high points of these investigations included testing for
enzymes in saliva, discovering if we really do exhale carbon dioxide and learning
all about blood and its components. Next, they
studied ecosystems and food webs via the barn owl and dissection
of owl pellets. The new year will
present Weather Systems, Chemistry and Astronomy.
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Students Wild About Trash
(S.W.A.T. Team)
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There is a new state law that prohibits throwing batteries and other such hazardous waste in the trash. Since Buena Vista is at the cutting edge of proper disposal, we can help you remain a law abiding citizen if you bring in dead household batteries, and we will dispose of them for you! A collection bin is located in the office for your convenience.
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S.W.A.T. Team Update: Buena Vista is again leading the “green way” as a pilot school
for the Central Contra Costa Solid Waste Authority. We are now recycling milk and other beverage
cartons and boxes. No other school in
the Lamorinda area has taken this on. We are happy to report that it’s
working well here! The new trash
compactor has made it imperative that we keep as much liquid out of the trash
mix as possible. So, we are handling two problems at once. Good job, S.W.A.T.
team! This team of environmentally
astute students will also be working with Kindergartners to keep them in the
recycling loop.
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