Parents and Guardians of all 6th grade students,

We have spent a few weeks identifying the properties of sound through exploration and the engineering process.  At this point, I am introducing to each class their sound engineering challenge.

Each class will be responsible for designing and creating 5-6 instruments over the course of the next few weeks.  The instruments will be created out of everyday materials, and they will be used to form a band, playing along to a song of my choice and/or class choice.  My goal is to have the students ready to “audition” for the band competition by late November – early December.  Each class band will be competing with each other for the Rising Star Competition.

This specific performance task was found on Defined STEM, a collection of performance tasks and resources to be used in classrooms.  Below you will find a document titled, Rising Star Competition, that explains that task in more detail.  Your child should be bringing this paper home with them this week.

As we begin our design process, your child may start asking for a few things to borrow from home. We are looking for common household items that are safe and inexpensive.  He/She may want to bring some household materials to school.  Please know that if your child brings materials from home, they will not be returned, so please don’t let them bring something to school to use as part of their instrument if you want it back.

I’m super excited to see what the students design as they prepare to enter our musical group competition! The 6th graders have shown creativity and innovation over the last few weeks – this should be a fun challenge for the students.

If you have any questions, please email me at amber_mccabe@elanco.org.

Sincerely, Mrs. Amber McCabe

Rising Star Competition

Now that we are a few weeks into each grade level’s science and engineering units, it is time for an update! Each grade level has an area of focus for semester one, using exploration and project-based learning to teach the required state standards.

What have we covered? 

• Sixth Grade – Our focus is on acoustical engineering. We used the engineering process to brainstorm and plan a design to allow us to “see” sound vibrations. Currently, we are investigating two different instruments – the guitar and the horn. Using a variety of materials, the students are identifying how to dampen the sounds/vibrations on each instrument.
• Fifth Grade – To investigate forces and motion, the students created and tested pendulums. Following a controlled experiment, our fifth graders identified how the variables of mass, release position, and length impact the number of cycles a pendulum makes in a unit of time.
• Fourth Grade – Circuits! Circuits! Circuits! We began by exploring how to light a bulb using wires and a battery. The students enjoyed this investigation and learned how electric current flows through a circuit. This week we changed the energy source, heading outside to use solar cells to power a motor!
• Third Grade – Our investigations began with identifying the need for standard units of measurement in science and everyday life.  We practiced using the meter and centimeters to accurately measure a variety of lengths and distances. Currently the third grade scientists are using syringes, graduated cylinders and beakers to measure volume and capacity.  Hopefully, the students don’t get too wet as we explore volume!
• Second Grade – As we study Earth’s materials, the students have become geologists in my classroom. We identified the properties of rocks by exploring what happens when rocks are rubbed together and placed in water.  This week the students will be using screens to separate a river rock mixture.  And of course, going on their field trip to Crystal Cave!
• First Grade – Our first graders are learning about solids and liquids this semester.  Each group started with investigations to identify the properties and materials of solids.  We used this knowledge to be engineers for the day – building a tower out of solid objects.  The key was to choose the best materials for the job! This week we are exploring bottles of “mystery liquids.”
• Kindergarten – Autumn leaves are falling down! These young scientists are using their observation skills to describe trees and leaves by their properties.

Looking forward to the next few weeks!

~Mrs. McCabe