Pinhey Sand Dunes - Visit Two

We returned to the Pinhey Sand Dunes to participate in restoration of the dunes. Lots of help is needed to remove debris and organic matter from the sand. We did lots of sifting!

Caribou Math Contest Prep - Tangrams

This year, all students in grades 3 and up will be participating in the six Caribou Math Contests. Every Caribou Contest has an interactive math game as one of the questions. This year there are some new games that have been added, one of which is Tangrams. 

A few weeks ago, all the students in STEM class tried using Tangrams in case it appears on an upcoming contest. 

Rube Goldberg Machines

For several weeks now, students have been testing ideas for Rube Golberg Machines. Grades 1 - 4 are working on machines that will drop a candy into a basket. Students in grade 5 and up will have machines that smash a pumpkin. 

Here is some early experimenting:

After testing out ideas, each team made a formal plan of what their machine will look like - or at least outlining all the steps. Here are some pictures of implementing the plans:

Pinhey Sand Dunes - First Visit

On Friday September 11, 2015, all students from JK - grade 8 attended an amazing day of learning and activist at the Pinhey Sand Dunes. Scientists and volunteers from Biodiversity Conservancy International taught us why it is important to save the sand dune habitat (it is the only place in the world that some insects, like the Ghost Tiger Beetle, can live), and all about the flora and fauna that live on the dunes. Our time for dune restoration was shorter than we had hoped so we made arrangements to come back another day. 

Evidence of Ant Lion activity:

Catching an Ant Lion:

More insects on the dunes:

Exploring the dunes:

Dune restoration:

We also got to learn about reptiles, although none of these species live on the dunes.