Mark Those Calendars

This week, we did an in-depth dive into food in outer space while touching upon our next curriculum unit of diffusion/osmosis (the spread and movement of molecules).

The high-level objective of these activities:

• Talk about some of the food requirements that NASA’s food scientists must meet, and gather data through experiments to make our own conclusions about the type of foods astronauts should take into space.
• Learn about weight – how to use weigh scales to measure the weight of items, how to use that information to make decisions, comparing numbers to determine what is heaviest/lightest, etc.
• Explore how taste perception is affected by other senses – does something familiar still taste the same if it is repackaged in an unfamiliar form?
• Explore how different atmospheres on various planets/celestial bodies affect our own weight
• Initial exposure to water diffusion/osmosis

The kids had a chance to step in the shoes of a NASA Food Scientist.  The astronauts wanted to take blueberrries on their next flight up into space, and the kids had to conduct experiments to determine which type of blueberry to pack in the shuttle.  The kids were told that the blueberries had to be tasty as well as light-weight.  There were three different types of blueberries – frozen, dried, and freeze-dried.

The kids conducted two experiments.  One was a taste-test experiment, where the kids tried the different types of blueberries and ranked the taste using a scale of  to .  The other was a weight experiment, and the kids worked together to weigh the blueberries using a precision scale.

The kids were given a template to fill in their results, and then, using that information, they had to determine which type of blueberry they would recommend for the next space mission.

Some concepts the kids were exposed:

• We noticed that one child’s freeze-dried blueberry weight measurement might be different from another child’s, but the RELATIVE weight between the different types of blueberries was the same.  After looking at some of the data from different kids, the class was able to draw the conclusion that frozen berries ALWAYS weighed more than dried berries, which ALWAYS weighed more than freeze-dried berries.   It was a great way to highlight the difference between ABSOLUTE and RELATIVE weights.
• The kids were introduced to both qualitative data (non-numerical observations) and quantitative data (numerical, measurable information).  Measuring “tastiness” is a qualitative measurement and measuring weight is quantitiative.  Depending on the subjective “taste” measurement, not all the children came up with the same recommendation for the astronauts.  A great way to highlight how science is not always exact with only one right or wrong answer.

If your child has further interest, this website gives more details about goals that the NASA Space Food Team has.

Amber had previously purchased a couple of freeze-dried meals (chicken/rice and marinara/noodles), so the kids had a chance to experience a typical meal that a real astronaut might have for lunch.

Before taste-testing them, we weighed the food packs before adding water as well as after adding water.  We asked the kids to hypothesize whether the weight would be more, less, or the same after adding water.  Of course, all of the kids guessed that the food packs would weigh more with the water added.  It reinforced the fact that water = heavy and highlighted the benefits of freeze-drying food for space travel.

The kids also had a chance to look at the food before and after rehydration.  They were especially wary of the chicken/rice meal, which looked like yellow powder.  Freeze-dried noodles look like regular uncooked pasta, so that wasn’t as strange to them.

There was a wide range of opinions of whether the meals tasted good or not, but most agreed that they couldn’t eat meals like this for an extended period of time and it highlighted just one of the (many) luxuries that astronauts willingly give up in the name of science!

Activity #3: How color affects taste!

Future Ideas:

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Read-Aloud Schedule

After hearing Ellie Luz read last month, many other children felt inspired to read to the

class, too. They begged me to create a sign-up and kept asking when they would read! So, we took time today to create this list, below. They chose where on the list they wanted to be (knowing the higher or lower they were meant sooner or later), but please talk with your child about when they’re scheduled to read and whether they’ll be able to prepare their book, by then.  If your child would like to go a little later on the list, in order to practice a book that he/she is comfortable it be ready to read it on his own, please let me know.

We talked as a class about read-alouds and how children prepared themselves to read for the class. Ellie Luz said that she practiced that ONE book both at school and at home with her family for a month. Genevieve said she practiced it at home a bunch of times and wanted to share it. Dominic and Logan said the same thing! I want to be very clear that this list is not about a list of books that they choose and I read aloud. This is the list that the kids asked me to put together, because they wanted to read a book to the class themselves. If your child’s goal is to do this, but he/she’s not ready right now, I can definitely have him/her go later! For children who aren’t reading yet but volunteered, too, they could simply do a picture walk (narrating the story orally based on each picture)! The last option is perhaps they can read with a partner, taking turns, or they can read a page and I read a page. The bottom line is that I want them to take as much ownership over this activity as possible 🙂 

What type of book?

Whatever book they want! From BOB books to picture books. It’s their choice of whatever makes them feel comfortable and CONFIDENT.

List of read-aloud dates and students:

1. Ellie  3/23
2. Genevieve 3/24
3. Logan 3/29
4. Dominic 3/30
5. Jada 4/21
6. Claudia 4/27
7. Maddie S./Izzy 5/4
8. Nakiya 5/11
9. Pranav 5/12
10. Tyler 5/18
11. Maddie K.  6/1
12. Sthanika 6/2
13. Sadie 6/7
14. Donovan 6/8
15. Quentin 6/9
16. Oscar 6/13
17. Byron 6/14
18. Nadia 6/15
19. Cameron 6/16

Opted Out (for now?)

Henry

Steele

Nicholas

Nature & Our Garden!

Friday Skill Sharing Schedule (9:00-9:30am)

Children will have an opportunity to explain, demonstrate and field question/comments

on ONE (1) skill of their choice. Some have to decide WHICH SKILL because they thought of two. Those children have an (*) next to their name. They have 5-10 minutes each. You can discuss with them how they may want to show their skill, what props they might need, how they will utilize the space of our classroom safely, and help them prepare for this public speaking opportunity by rehearsing it with them. I will prepare the children to be encouraging, kind, and respectful audience members. Some children already told me what they chose as a skill. So that’s why some names already have a skill in parenthesis. If your child has not chosen a skill, yet, please help them choose and prepare before their debut! Please see the following sign-ups, this week’s in bold:

• March 31: Cici (Flexibility), Genevieve (Art)
  

  Tyler’s share: Dance moves!

• April 21: Byron (Karate) and Nadia (Cat’s cradle)
• April 28: Tyler (Dance moves), Ellie (Drawing), Maddie K (Gymnastics)
• May 5: Donovan (Hockey), Pranav (Gymnastics), Maddie S. (Gymnastics)
• May 12:  Dominic (Basketball), Oscar (T-Ball) and Jada (Gymnastics)
• May 26: Logan (?) and Henry (Gymnastics)
• June 2: Sthanika (_________) and Nakiya (Teaching reading)
• June 9: Cameron (Gymnastics) and Nicholas (_______), Steele (Protecting)
• June 16: Quentin (Running) and Sadie (Dance moves)

Maddie K’s share:  Gymnastics! She actually showed us 3 moves and then had them vote for which one they wanted to try outside!