What we did in math was fun. We were seeing if a pumpkin would float or sink. All of the pumpkins floated. We did some observations and some predictions. We thought the reason the pumpkins floated was because the seeds were on the sides and a big air bubble was in the middle. We got to measure the pumpkin’s circumference. We also counted all of the seeds. We got to carve the pumpkins. That is what we did in math. — by Kaylee Kaiser
For fire safety week, the Hay Springs Volunteer Fire Department made a visit to the Elementary on Thursday, October 12th. Ryan and Terry shared fire safety tips with students, took kids for a ride on the fire truck, and tried on the bunker gear. Remember to check the batteries in your smoke detectors and decide on a space place for your family. Thank you Ryan and Terry!
Last Thursday, October 5th, the kindergarten and 1st grade classes had a chance to read to the football players. The football players enjoyed it so much they decided to pick up some library books and do some reading on their own!
On Wednesday, October 4th, the 1st grade class took a trip to the Public Libary downtown! They had a GREAT time and were happy to get out of the classroom for a while after working so hard these last few weeks. Mrs. Rasmussen taught them how to be in alphabetical order just like her books and then she read them two stories. They also got to do leaf rubbings and, of course, read books on their own!
Third and Fourth grade went on a great learning adventure September 25th called Animals Inside and Out. The Nebraska Extension graciously invited third and fourth graders from surrounding towns. The kids learned a vast amount of information about animals. Nutrition was a big topic, the students even got to see the reproductive tract of a cow and a sow. The students were able to play a very fun knowledgeable game of bingo about animals, and their by-products. There were many other learning stations that we attended as well. A big thank you to all the people from the Extension office who helped educate our students about the agricultural way of life!
The 4th graders found out what it was like to come up with their own prototype and to test it. The goal was to keep their egg from cracking in a crash. They could only use materials that would fit into a gallon sized freezer bag. We had a diverse bunch of materials that came to the classroom. Some very clever ideas were tried. Sadly several students forgot their supplies at home so their classmates donated them materials in a gesture of kindness to others. Many of the eggs took a fatal crash. Some were only a little cracked, but one group…oddly enough the ones who forgot their supplies and took others donations, well their egg came out unscathed. Part of the purpose of this experiment is to show how important air bags are in a car cash. Fun and learning was had by all!!!
Mrs. Matthews is doing STEM(Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) education with the elementary kids and currently they are learning about robots. To control the robots they use phones and/or tablets. However, we currently have more robots than controllers! Please help get these robots under control by donating an old phone or an old tablet. Click here for a list of devices that work with the robots. Thank you!
In September elementary HAL(High Ability Learners) students were challenged to discover or investigate one of their passions and then reflect and share their learning with others. This idea, adapted from the search-engine, Google, promotes the thinking that if you allow people to work on something that interests them, productivity will increase. Students needed to make their project “Product Focused”, meaning at the end of the semester, they had to have made something that was a completed product. Throughout the first semester, students diligently worked on their Passion Projects. The students all did an amazing job, and I am so proud of each of them. On January 20th, students presented their finished products to their families.
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Hay Springs Elementary collaborated with Chadron State College to host the first annual Family Science Night on November 20th. This fun-filled evening featured a structured environment for families to explore, experiment, and talk about science. Hands-on educational, activities were planned and organized by Chadron State pre-service elementary students for families to investigate different science concepts. Elementary students got their hands dirty making an edible soil profile, observed a chemical reaction while making elephant toothpaste, created a model of the different levels of the ocean, and constructed a marshmallow, straw, and toothpick structure that would survive an earthquake.
Thank you to everyone who helped with and participated in Family Science Night as it takes everyone to make these events a success! It was exciting to see such a great turnout! We hope you all had a great night and that we can make Family Science Night an annual event.
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