For the next several weeks, our focus will be Habitats of Georgia.

-Plants, animals, & habitats found within geographic regions (Blue Ridge Mtns., valley & Ridge, and Appalachian Plateau; Piedmont; Coastal Plains) of Georgia.
-Identify external features & adaptations (camouflage, hibernation, protection, migration, mimicry) of animals to construct an explanation of how these features/adaptations allow survival in their habitat.

This week, Laura Backus is bring dinosaur fossils to class.  T-Rex is coming and a fossilized dinosaur egg!

 

Next week, we will focus on Georgia habitats (Mountains, Piedmont, Coastal Plain, and Ocean).

 

We will continue our study of FOSSILS!

-Review the types of fossils with the models students created  (cast, mold, trace, insect trapped in amber, carbon film) 
-Become a paleontologist: dinosaur bone models
-Continue Mystery Science dinosaurs: How do we know what dinosaurs looked like?  Students will learn how we can infer what the outside of an animal looked like, by using clues about their skeleton.

The next few weeks.... More fun with FOSSILS!

-Each student will create a model of different types of fossils (cast, mold, trace, insect trapped in amber, carbon film)

-Observe petrified wood and other fossils

-Mystery Science dinosaurs: How do we know what dinosaurs looked like?

In this Mystery, students will learn how we can infer what the outside of an animal looked like, by using clues about their skeleton.

-READING RAINBOW: DIGGING UP DINOSAURS

Fosssils

-Fossil types: cast, mold, trace,...

-Mystery Science:  Students will explore the idea that the rock under our feet sometimes contains fossils. These fossils reveal how habitats have changed through time.

We are beginning our study of FOSSILS.

 

This week...

-How are fossils formed?

-How are shark teeth fossilized?

Students will search for shark teeth.

 

 

This week in class...(Continue next week if needed):

-Modeling the Rock Cycle, using Starburst candy: Students will cut Starbursts to model sediment, squeeze to model sedimentary rock, warm in hands to model metamorphic rock, -teacher will heat to model magma, and then it will harden to model igneous rock.  Students will draw/label the Rock Cycle diagram.

 

-Modeling Weathering, Erosion, Deposition using Skittles.  Each student will place one Skittle in the middle of a petri dish, drop 10 drops at a time on the Skittle- up to 100 total drops, and observe/draw after each 10 drops.

 

Have a Wonderful Winter Break!

Martha Barfield

This week...

-Modeling weathering of rocks by  sand blowing on them, using chalk and salt.

-Add more vocabulary (kinds of physical weathering) to their interactive notebooks.

Much appreciation!
Martha Barfield

Last week we had messy fun making cornmeal canyons.  Students dripped water over a mini mountain of cornmeal to observe weathering and erosion by water.   We also demonstrated physical weathering by shaking gravel and sugar cubes --- and chemical weathering (rust forming on iron wool).

 

This week, students will do more experiments to demonstrate weathering, erosion, and deposition and add this vocabulary to their interactive notebooks.

 

Students have learned a simple chant:

Weathering breaks it down!

Erosion carries it away!

Deposition drops it!

 

Much appreciation!

Martha Barfield

Last week, we explored sedimentary rocks and how they are formed (layer upon layer...)

We also modeled the process of weathering and erosion to demonstrate how sandy beaches are formed. 

This week...

-Why is there sand at the beach-activity? Draw process of rocks becoming smaller and smaller as they travel down a river from a mountain.

-Continue study of weathering/erosion and sedimentary rocks

 

Have a wonderful Christmas as we celebrate the birth of our Savior!

Martha Barfield

[email protected] 

Last week, we explored cone and shield volcanoes and modeled thick and thin lava.  

This week's focus: 

-Observe Tuff (an igneous rock that is also categorized as sedimentary. What happens when tuff is placed in vinegar?  

-Metamorphic rocks: rocks that are changed by heat and pressure.  A new kind of rock is formed. 

-Students will observe/compare how each example below changed to metamorphic rock and learn how they are used.

Granite-> gneiss (each student examines sample of gneiss/granite 
Sandstone -> quartzite
Limestone -> marble
Shale -> slate 
Basalt(igneous), shale(sedimentary), or slate(metamorphic) -> schist

 

Rocks are categorized by how they are formed.  The next kind of rock we will explore the week of Dec. 12 is---sedimentary.