Save the Penguins!

Hello, Readers!

I'm sorry it has been so long. Things have been crazy here on both a personal/family as well as a  professional level.  I decided to take a few weeks away from blogging since blogging became more of a chore 'have to' instead of a craving 'want to' thing.

Still, that didn't mean great things weren't happening.  I've gotten to teach a number of amazing lessons and have had so much success in the classroom.   Here was one of my absolutely favorite take aways from the past month.

In science, we had been studying Conservation of Energy and Energy Transfer.  As a final project, students were challenged to create a "Penguin Vacation Paradise."  For this, students would build a structure to protect an ice cubed penguin from the natural paradise environment.

This is based on this fantastic lesson located here: Save The Penguins, Auburn University.

Students were given supplies and a budget.  We did some preliminary labs and demonstrations to make observations of different types of insulators and conductors.  From there they created their first structure.

Material cost list.  Definitely something I reflected on after the activity.

Students weighed their penguins and then placed them in paradise for 20 minutes.  After returning from paradise, the penguins were re-weighed.  Students then calculated the total mass lost and the percent of loss based on the original value.  Students calculated the total cost of the structure based on given values, and then added 20% for the retail cost.  They then had to create a argumentative paragraph explaining why their structure was the best option.

Here are some pictures of the activities:

 Paradise gets heated up 

Comparison of the two temperatures - inside and outside paradise. 

The first prototypes go in.

As my science partner and I were developing this, we realized it would be a perfect showcase for parents to come in and observe.  We invited family members to the classes and had a great turn out.  Students presented their results, explained their math, and talked about the different types of energy interactions they learned about.

A student's display of work - data, charts, calculating total cost, and a persuasive paragraph!

They were amazing with their use of vocabulary and explanation of procedures.  I would say how proud I was of all of them, but they were truly proud of themselves... and really isn't that my purpose in all of this?