Fourth and Fifth Graders Experiencing Hands-On Science

In 4th grade Science students are studying the human body this quarter.  They’re starting off their study of the body by learning all about bones.  In order to get some first-hand experience with bones, students dissect owl pellets in class. The owl pellets contain the bones, teeth, and fur of the rodents the owls have eaten.  Students in Mr. Masem’s class remove the bones from the pellets and attempt to recreate the full skeleton of the rodent, which has many bones similar to our own.

Fifth grade students have begun their chemistry unit in Science class this quarter.  They’re learning about mixtures and solutions as well as physical and chemical changes of matter.  For a little fun and to show that the concepts of solid and liquid aren’t as easy to tell apart sometimes, Mr. Masem’s class read Dr. Seuss’s Bartholomew and the Oobleck and then made some oobleck!  A mixture of corn starch and water, oobleck exhibits properties of both solids and liquids depending on the pressure exerted upon it.

Just one more way, Sweetwater Episcopal Academy students experience hands-on learning!