Science

How do we "know" anything?  How do we gather, use, and store information about the world around us? 5th graders started the year by analyzing their prefered learning styles.  

We then used a variety of learning styles, or multiple intelligences, to memorize the major bones in the skeletal system.  Students constructed a paper skeleton and then considered how clothing is designed, or engineered, taking into consideration the constraints of the skeletal system.  

Some people dress up as skeletons at Halloween, so our skeletons are dressed up as people!  There are pirates, magicians, disco dancers, doctors, clowns, and more outside the 5th grade classroom.  Students also wrote a paragraph explaining how their skeleton was designed with the skeleton in mind.  Each paragraph uses at least three scientific bone names.

Finally, students had the opportunity to try virtual knee replacement surgery.  EdHeads.org has a number of simulations including virtual hip replacement surgery, deep brain stimulation, cell phone design, and crash scene investigation.  Students have the log in information if they would like to try these at home.