Check out the HUGE crystal we grew!

A little update from an activity we began during our rock unit about 6 weeks ago...

Our bright 3rd graders used just fertilizer and hot water to grow an impressive crystal! This fun and educational project shows how simple household ingredients can create something beautiful through the science of crystal growth. It's a fantastic example of what happens when curiosity meets hands-on science. 

Our crystal growth journey

·         Simple Ingredients: 

We dissolved a common fertilizer, like monoammonium phosphate (MAP), into hot water until it was completely saturated. 

·         Super-Sized Growth: 

Over a period of time, we watched as the solution cooled and the dissolved chemicals began to form a large, perfect crystal. 

·         Gifted minds at work: 

This project was a huge success for our gifted students, who loved experimenting with science to create a large, sparkling crystal right in our classroom! 

 

Why this works

This experiment works because as the hot water cools, the solution becomes oversaturated with the fertilizer's dissolved chemicals. The chemicals start to come out of the solution, and one small "seed" crystal acts as a base, allowing more and more chemicals to attach to it as it grows. 

We are growing plants in "space"!

Did you know that astronauts on the International Space Station grow their own food? Inspired by their work, our gifted 3rd-grade students have taken on the exciting challenge of growing plants under "space-like" conditions in our very own classroom.

We learned that growing food in space is possible, even without soil or sunlight! We watched a video from NASA on their VEGGIES system which sows seeds onto "plant pillows" which are soaked with water and fertilizer. The astronauts then use UV lamps to act as sunlight. What results is some beautiful, fresh produce!

As you can see in the pictures below, we designated our classroom closet as our growing environment. To mimic the conditions of space, we covered all openings that let in light, placed the seeds on our own plant pillows, placed them in an airtight sealed bag, then hung them near our UV lamps. We will check on our plants every few days to see how they are coming along. We are growing parsley and freckled lettuce. I hope to send students home with their plants before Thanksgiving break.

STEM and Candy? .....YES!

This week in our 3rd grade gifted classes, we traded textbooks for tape and blueprints for brainstorming in a special Halloween-themed STEM challenge. Our mission was to design and construct a functional candy bucket using only 1 piece of paper, 2 paper clips, and 6 inches of tape. The results were nothing short of brilliant!

The challenge may have sounded simple, but it required some serious engineering and problem-solving skills. The students were tasked with creating a bucket that could hold as much candy weight as possible before the handle broke. Each group put their brains together and came up with some very unique designs. The sturdiest design (across multiple classes), seemed to be the cone shaped "bucket." Excellent job kiddos!

Our final rainforest project: diorama boxes!

Our gifted third-graders just wrapped up an incredible unit on rainforest ecosystems, and the results are truly amazing! Students brought the layers of the rainforest to life in their own custom diorama boxes. From the forest floor to the emergent layer, each box was a unique showcase of creativity and critical thinking.

Beyond crafting beautiful scenes, our students demonstrated their understanding of this complex habitat. They researched the plants and animals that inhabit the rainforest and found creative ways to represent them, all while making meaningful choices about their learning. It's inspiring to see their passion and imagination on full display!

Sadly, we will be taking down our Rainforest Room tomorrow. But it has been a great experience that students have truly loved.

Our classroom has transformed into a RAINFOREST!

 As you know, the students have been working diligently on a variety of rainforest themed art projects. Over fall break, I came to my classroom and began the process of hanging their creations. The final product turned out amazing! The students were truly amazed when they entered the room!

Our classroom rainforest is complete with jaguars, monkeys, green anacondas, blue morpho butterflies, tree frogs, tropical flowers and greenery, as well as chameleons, hanging vines, and colorful macaws! And no rainforest would be complete without the calming sounds of the environment. 

We also get to see what the rainforest looks like at night, as I installed multiple black lights. The soft glow really gave a new perspective on our Rainforest room. This has been a fantastic unit of study! Students are working on their final project now, which is a 3D diorama of a rainforest (in a box). I will show those off next week :)