Making Models to Study the Human Body

Hello From the Science Center,

   In our studies of the human body, we have just finished modeling the human hand. Students used string as tendons and straws for the tendon sheaths. Together, these allow the muscles in our forearms to close our fingers. Here is Natalie attaching her tendon sheath to her model hand.

  For some 4th graders, making a life science model of the circulator system was a must! After tracing their body, these students added a heart and lungs. Then they began to add in major blood vessels. In this photo they have labeled arteries and veins leaving the heart. They just need to finish the arteries and veins that take blood to the lower body- those are pretty important!

Best,

Noah Robinson

Happy Valentine's Day!

The 4th Grade girls each made a surprise Valentine for a classmate to celebrate Valentine's Day! Thank you, parent volunteers, for the goodies and craft supplies you provided to help us celebrate!

Morphing Animation

Morphing animation

Fourth-grade students explored the concept of morphing animation. Morphing is the process
that permits a smooth transition from one image to another. Through their research about
various cultures and art practices around the world, students have learned that people may
have different interpretations of the same concept based on their personal and cultural
experiences.

As an introduction to the morphing animation unit, students have created a class morphing
animation using post-it flipbook. This was done to observe the process of collaborative animation.
Individual fourth-grade students created images transforming into their partner’s image gradually.
After a short critique about a class mini morphing animation with post-its, students democratically
decided a topic and criteria for their collaborative morphing animation.

As their final project, students learned a process of creating animation and how to create
morphing animation using Scratch program. Making a collaborative morphing animation,
the students explored and experienced how artists and designers balance experimentation
and safety, freedom and responsibility while they develop and create artworks.