March 17, 2015
The first week of this month was a big week for third graders at Triton Elementary because students were working extra hard to show their personal best on the ISTEP test.
Students still enjoyed learning about science in the afternoons. Their recent “Big Idea” was to learn about how natural materials can meet the needs of plants, animals, and humans. To meet state objectives Triton teachers began by teaching vocabulary such as natural resources, leak, seep, permeability, and embankment, then students identified earth materials that could be useful to living things, learning about the properties these materials have, and how they can be altered to meet needs.
Third graders continue to use the Purdue University SLED program (Science Learning through Engineering Design) to connect science concepts through solving “real world” problems. This challenge was for students to figure out a way to help keep a fishing creek from running dry. They could only use natural resources such as wood, plant material (straw/cotton), rock, sand, and soil to create their solution. Students drew designs in their science notebooks and then built prototypes in plastic boxes to see if water would remain in the creek or seep/leak out and leave behind a dried out fishing spot. Teachers asked, “Who can save our fish?”
Triton elementary students were also excited that not only were they creating a great solution, they also had a distinguished guest from the community join them during construction. Officer Martin, from the Bourbon Police Department, graciously took part in interacting with students and taking some pictures for them to share during his school visit!