The Moon - 3rd and 4th class

3rd and 4th class studied the moon.

We learned its size relative to the earth, that it is composed of rock, that it orbits the earth on a 28 day cycle and that because its orbit is elliptical, and its plane of orbit varies, its distance from earth varies, and moonrise and moonset vary. We discussed the interplay of centrifugal force and centripetal (in this case gravity) needed to keep an orbit.  We discussed NASA lunar missions and kept a moon calendar for several weeks. We performed an experiment to investigate the effect of meteors crashing into the moon, pictured below
We plotted our experiment's results
We plotted the moonrise/moonset data and it is discussed on the technology blog.

Experiment: We investigated the effect of meteors landing on the moon
We created 3 'meteors' from clay with a diameter of 1cm, 3cm and 5 cm.
We dropped each of them from a height of 1m and 2m and measured the results in terms of diameter of 'crater', depth of 'crater' and to lesser extent ripples (circular lines around the crater) and rays (radial lines coming from the crater)

Before we started, we wrote down what we thought would happen.

Then we set up a tray of flour with a dusting of cocoa to act as the surface of the moon.

We carried out our experiment and recorded our results.

We  discussed areas of further investigation. We would like to get a wider and deeper tray and investigate the diameter of ripples and the length of ray with the 3 sized meteors.

The circulatory system - 3rd and 4th class

3rd and 4th class investigated the circulatory system. 

We learned about
white and red blood cells
the path that blood takes through our body to deliver oxygen and collect carbon dioxide

We took our own and each others pulses and learned that the heart pumps blood more than once a second, for every moment of our lives.
We learned that the windpipe or trachea, is so important that it is reinforced, like a petrol hose, but with cartilage to make sure it is never obstructed, and we felt these cartilage rings on our own tracheas

Finally we created, in groups a collage of the system, to show the path taken by blood around our body.