Project Lead the Way: Make a Paint Brush

Last week we completed the first module for PLTW. Students needed to build a paint brush that met the following criteria:

1. paint thick lines
2. paint  thin lines
3. paint squiggly lines
4. paint polka dots

• After we talked about what the paint brush needed to do, we discussed what materials we could use to make this project and then students drew two design ideas.
• When their designs were drawn, students had access to various materiel and made their paint brushes.
• They were then directed to test their design by painting with it.
• If a student's paint brush didn't meet the criteria, they discussed how they could improve their design.
• The last item in this module was to draw an improved model of their design and write a sentence about it.

4-4 Newsletter

End of Our Ocean Unit

We had so much fun learning about ocean animals over the last few weeks. It is sad to say goodbye but we are going to start our rainforest unit when we come back from Spring Break. I am so excited! Here are some pictures of  animals we made and wrote about.

3-7 Newsletter

Project Lead the Way- Structure and Function-Designing a House

Over the last few weeks we have been talking about the structure and function of a house. 

What a house is composed of (walls, roof, floor, door etc..) and what materials are used to build them and most importantly, why we need them. 

To support the lesson we listened to "The Three Little Pigs" and discussed the different building materials used to build a house. 

What makes a house stable? How would you know if the structure of the house would stand-up to high winds or other elements? 

1.  Then they were given materials and told to draw a design that would include walls, roof, one room, and would not be blown down by the Big Bad Wolf (or in our case, a shop fan.) 

2. Then told to build a house based on their design.

3. After they finished with their house, they were to draw a picture of it.

4. The next week we tested their build against a high powered fan.

5. Student then drew a picture of their house after the encounter with high winds.

Newsletter 2-29

Preparing for the Aquarium with an Ocean Unit

We started our Ocean Unit last week. We are researching facts about sea animals, labeling them and writing about them. So far we have written about Killer Whales, Sea Turtles, Seahorses, and Starfish. We create an art project to go with what we are learning on.

Each of their writing and labeling pages is being added to an Ocean Journal. Once we are finished with this unit, it will go home.  Below are pictures showing samples of student's writing and their art.