Ecosystem Destruction!

The science classroom has been a buzz of activity this week! With our ecocolumns together, we began to discuss how ecosystems can affect one another (natural disasters that start in one area and spread to another) and then built towards how people often have an effect on ecosystems through pollution. We talked about how pollution that happens in one area can spread to another area. So, if we were to pollute the terrarium (on the top of the ecocolumn), that pollution could be transferred to the aquarium at the bottom when it rains (when we water the terrarium). This led us to some real-world examples and our first research project. I introduced 3 types of pollution that are spread through the water cycle: acid rain, fertilizer runoff, and road salt pollution. The students formed teams and chose one of the pollutions to learn more about from a variety of resources. Next, the students chose a presentation method for how they will share what they've learned with the class. I gave them some possible ideas, and many students went with Google Slides presentations, but I do have a few groups that are taking on some challenges and trying skits. There is even one group who wanted to write a rap song! They spent the last few days working on their projects, and my goal is to have the students begin sharing on Monday. We will see if they meet that goal, which may be a challenge because I will not be in school on Friday during their final work time. Hopefully they will have taken all of my reminders to heart and use their work time well!
Speaking of Friday, I'm taking a personal science field trip to St. Louis! Just kidding. I am taking some personal time with my family and visiting my sister, who moved to St. Louis at the beginning of the year. She has a pretty busy schedule (she's a doctor), and she said summer isn't really the best time to visit due to the heat and humidity, so a day away from school in late October seemed to work in the calendar. I don't really like being out of the classroom (sub plans...), but this was a family trip that we have wanted to make. Plus, I wasn't fully kidding when I said I was going on a science field trip. We are going to go to the botanical gardens and zoo (life science), as well as the arch (engineering), so I'll have some good science to share with the students upon my return :-)

Mindfulness thought for the week: Kind words do not cost much. Yet they accomplish much. --Blaise Pascal

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