Surprise Science is a 45 minute block of time each week where students are able to participate in a science activity of their choice. The three first grade teachers and the two second grade teachers each plan their own activities on a science related topic. They then teach the same lesson on that topic every Wednesday for five weeks. Each Wednesday students in all five classrooms choose the activity that they would like to participate in that day. Although students have choice in what activity they participate in each week, over the course of the five weeks they will participate in each activity once. Their only choice is in the order in which they participate. This way, students are exposed to a variety of science topics that they would not otherwise get to experience in 1st or 2nd grade. What a fun way for hands-on science learning! This also gives students the opportunity to interact with students from other classes and grades (just grades 1 & 2) for a brief time each week.
We do not reveal the subject of each activity to students prior to their choices, simply the title of the activity. This is where the "surprise" in surprise Science comes in!
The science activities for this round of Surprise Science are as follows:
- Bear's Joy Ride
- Saving Sam
- Strong Shapes
- Balancing Act
- Straw Towers - this is the activity I will conduct!
Each Wednesday remember to ask your child which science topic they were able to learn about that day! See what they can tell you about their fun, hands-on experience :)
*I am unable to post pictures of this activity because my class each week is made up of a variety of students from each classroom in first and second grade. I do not have technology permission forms for all of those other students. I will, however, post pictures at the end of the 5 week rotation of the various final designs of our straw towers.
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