Complicated Contraptions

This week is a fun week in the Lower School filled with new and interesting experiences as we Learn, Enrich, and Play (LEAP).  My group is working to create "Complicated Contraptions" and we are using Rube Golberg Machine model as our inspiration.  I will share photos and a video soon, but here is something to enjoy while we complete our contraption!




You might also want to check out for experiments you can do at home:
PBS Kids
Goldberg Invention on PBS
Another Goldberg Invention on PBS
Goldie Blox

Olympics continued...

After working with several first grade classes this week on their "seasons" project, I was excited to run across this video about the "science of snow" and how it relates to the Winter Olympics.




I also ran across a list of books about the Winter Olympics from Reading Rockets that you might enjoy:

Click here for book list

9 days until the competition begins!! I've got the fever...

Olympic Fever that is!  Here is another website with neat scientific facts behind the Olympic sports.  I hope that you enjoy watching the video clips as much as I do:)

USA Ski Jumper Lindsey Van

Click here to watch the videos:
Science behind the sports

More Olympic Info...

 Please check out this cool video about the Olympic sport of "Curling" -


The Science of Curling from ProjectExplorer.org in Canada from ProjectExplorer.org on Vimeo.

Upcoming Parent Opportunities

I have Olympic Fever!!

24 days until the competition begins!!  In my last post I shared some links to Winter Olympic facts and fun things to do (most of the coloring pages need to be printed off).  I wanted to share this cool "infographic" about the Olympics with you:)

50 Crazy Facts About The Winter Olympics [Infographic] infographic

Happy New Year!!

Happy 2014 to all!  I hope that everyone has had a wonderful break and enjoyed playing the activities that I posted on 12/15/13 Holiday Break Activities (click on the purple words to go straight to that older post).

I am excited about beginning a new year and am extra-excited about the fact that this year is an Olympic year, specifically the Winter Olympic Games.  The Olympic games will take place February 7-23 in Sochi, Russia, 32 days and counting!!! (some qualifying events take place on 2/6/14).  I look forward to tracking the USA athletes and their accomplishments (including medal counts!) as well as learning about athletes from other countries around the world.  Here is a link to the Sochi Games 2014 website that explains the different "mascots" that will be used - Mascots.   Another part of that website has "interesting facts" about the Olympic Games as well as some "history" - Facts and History.  NBC also has a site that gives great information about specific American athletes (NBC site) and will keep count of the medals as they are won.  Finally, here is a site that includes LOTS of good information about the Olympics as well as some fun activities like puzzles, coloring pages, and crafts - Activity Village.
       

“Only those sports that are practised on snow or ice are considered as winter sports” according to the Olympic Charter.