Friday in the Smart lab

Our Objective board . 

2nd graders mastering Code 

Zometool Spinning Tops - can spin for 15 sec or more . 

Knex - simple machines - a new way to view hinges , fulcrum , and axels. 

Google Map Discovery 

Programming NASA telescopes to view our planets and stars . 

Math in the Smart Lab

Self discovery Math through Zometools took to a new level this Friday . 4th grader Cambri - created a cube within a cube , then through shadows watched her design take on new shapes and go from 3D to 2D . Last she tried dipping her cube in a water / bubble solution only to discover the bubbles do not fill every spot ????? Why is this ? Why do only the 45 angles consume the bubbles ??? 

Looks like we have more investigations on Monday . 

How do you measure success ?

This proud group of 4th graders worked for 5 days  , 45 minutes each day , together on a very hard inclined plane structure . There are no instructions - only visuals - visuals created for high school students . They only completed step 13 - out of 78 .

I saw more problem solving , teamwork , achievement , and success within this group then any teacher could ever ask for . So how do you measure success ? Do you have to have a finished project or is it the process you took to get there ? 

Knex Strong

Building tools of the future 

We have been busy !!!

Building - Building - Building - 

While these may look like simple toys - they are actually Inclined planes - students have been working hard discovering - Wheels , axels , and inclined planes ( and of course having fun )