Our Lucky Wishbone

Today, as a team, we designed a apparatus that will send a water ball straight up into the air to test its velocity and to see how high it would go.  Here are some pictures of what we designed.

The Lucky Wishbone won the contest.
It averaged the highest velocity.

Watch video below.  Once we finished testing, we used it to play silly games.

Critters with Distinction

Baby Rattler Snake came to B2 today!

Coiled, ready to strike!

This Gila Monster visited our casita yesterday.

Scorpion illuminated at night.

This critter, a Blue Belly lizard, was saved from a few pine needles that poked him in the belly when he fell from the tree.  After removing the needles, the lizard fell asleep in this person's hand when his belly was massaged. 

Biobottles: A Closed System



A Portable Biosphere

 Here is a closed system which consist of 3 levels with living animals in each one. 
The bottom layer has a Beta fish enclosed with carbon, gravel, live plants and  water.
The middle layer has soil from the B2 Savannah biome, compost soil and four earth worms.
The top layer has air and a marigold plant.  At the very top, is an orange lung to capture CO2.
I chose a young fish, so that it can live for a long time.  It will be on display in my classroom.  Come by to see it. 

What should we name the fish?

Marigold in top layer.

Baking with Solar Ovens in the Desert Sun

Having fun, but working hard making solar ovens.

The inside has another box that is painted with a glossy black paint.

We assembled this solar oven together, but made another one for ourselves.

We each made a solar oven.  Pretty fancy, don't you think?

We tested each cardboard solar oven for the highest temperature, because each solar oven was designed differently.
Each solar oven had different insulations and different sized foil openings to capture the sun. 
Would you believe that our oven heated up to 348 degrees?  WOW!

Amazing Night Sky!

Last night, each of the Biospherian STEM Teachers (including me) received a Galileoscope to observe the night sky.  It needed to be assembled which made me a little nervous about whether it would work or not.  It has several lenses inside that have to work perfectly with each other.  Otherwise, you will have obscured vision and nothing will focus correctly. 

We could see a full moon coming over the horizon at about 7:00pm.  We all hollered with excitement, because it was the first chance we had to use our telescopes.  My first view was obscured by what I thought was dust and lint particles.  I was somewhat discouraged that perhaps I may have to reassemble my telescope.  After several minutes and focus attempts, I finally had a clear view!  It worked!!!  The moon was so large and beautiful!  I noticed the craters and crevices without any trouble. 
An astronomer from Lunt Solar Systems, Jerry Farrar, explained some of the research he has done on the sun.  He brought his mega-telescope which allowed us to view the moon, Saturn, and star clusters.  So BEAUTIFUL!  I tried to take a picture through his lens with my camera, but it did not work. Another teacher, however, took a picture of Saturn which I'll post on my blog. 

Then with just looking into the sky with our eyes, we also saw the space station floating across the sky.  I was surprised that it was large enough to see an actual shape.  It is my understanding that there are a few Russian scientists up there.  I think I heard someone say that the space station is about 100 miles from earth just above the earth's atmosphere.
 Here are just a few photos.



My New Telescope

Saturn!

Bugs Galore!

Tarantula Wasp
Up close and personal, these bugs are everywhere.  

Today, we learned about how to catch bugs in a safe way.  Even though it is not in our 5th grade standards.  There's got to be a way that we can study bugs in our curriculum.  Don't you think?  They are so interesting.  I'll have a bunch on display when we return to school.

The Scavanger Hunt

OMG! Yesterday, I went on a scavenger hunt which the Lead teachers called "The Amazing Biospherian Race."  It was the most strenuous experience of my life, plus it was a race.  I never watch that show, but perhaps I should start.  There were about 15 stations, but it felt like 40.  Like the game show on TV, we were given clues to figure out where we needed to go.  We were given a map of the Biosphere and away we went.  If you have been to the Biosphere, you know that climbing those steps is exhausting for just one trip.  But our group went up and down those steps at least 12 times, no kidding!  Huffing and puffing, we made our first station, and there was a Private Eye book with a jeweler's loop waiting for us.  Scientist and teachers love those tools.  At each station, we received something that we can use in the classroom.  But the Lead teachers made us work for them.  It wasn't easy.  At the last few stations, we received an IPod Touch and IPad2.  I was so elated!  These tools are just what I needed to use in the classroom, but, I did not know that at the time.  This is very new to me, and I'm excited to find out what possibilities this technology can bring to the classroom. Today, we are learning how to integrate some of the most interesting and useful APPs.  We will be using these tools to research data from the Biosphere.  Perhaps, I will be able to continue this research with my Fruchthendler students in the Fall.  I'm so excited!

Learning and having Fun