Ice

After exploring with snow in the classroom sensory table, the children were interested in the melting process. 

I asked them to think about how many ways they can imagine to make ice melt.

Zane:  Hot Water

Alex: Cold Water

Gabriel:  A Mitten

Lyla:  The Air

Teacher: What do the trucks spread when they clear our roads of snow?

Audrey: SALT!

We tallied our votes for the fastest method.

Trays with each of ideas were placed on the table and the children took over the investigation.

Here are some of their ideas and theories…

Matteo: The hot water will win I know it….

Alex: Hey look, it’s melting the fastest!

Melanie:  Look the salt made prickles on the ice!

Jayvin:  Maybe the mitten is protecting the ice from the light and so it’s melting slower!

Gabe:  The cold water is going to come in second because that ice cube is the smallest now!

Mackenzie:  The mitten is wet because the water from ice made it that way!

Zane:  The lights are like the sun… they make light and melt the ice.

Zane:  The water from the hot cup is cold now.  I think some of the cold water mixed in with it or maybe the air made it colder.

                           

                                    

The Results:

1st:  Hot Water,   2nd:  Cool Water,  3rd: Salt,  4th: Air,  5th: The Mitten

Part Two: The Ice Cube Melting Contest!

The children were challenged to apply their learning to an ice-cube melting contest. Each child got an ice-cube and planned out how to make it melt.

Who would be melt their ice-cube the fastest?

Some children sat on them…

Others layed on them….

Some children got their mittens…

Some children held them in their hands…

And then….

Matteo put the ice-cube in his mouth!

This was a game changer… I’m done!

How did you melt the ice-cube so fast Matteo?

I put it in my mouth!

Other children adopted that idea…. Here are some of their thoughts...

"The good news is, when it's in your mouth all you have to do is swallow the water when it melts!"
"My hands stay warmer this way!"
"I don't have to move for the puddle of water."

Much fun….thinking….problem solving… and exploration was experienced by all!

                                                   

                                                    

The Snow-Table

Snow has provided a wonderful catalyst for discovery and exploration.  The children were thrilled to see the SNOW in our water table.   At first they giggled and then the children got down to making observations and predicting what might happen to the snow.  Lyla announced that she was making a crystal factory because she could see crystals in the snow.  Zane mentioned that the ice that was forming in the table was not smooth but had bumps.  They built snow-cones, snow-castles and explored how the snow changed while it was in the table.

This very social learning opportunity allowed the children to think about big questions and discuss a new experience.  They determined theories about why things happen.  It is not important that the children are right.  This learning is more about how they are using their understanding of how the world works and applying their thinking to a new situation.  Their ability to analyze and put ideas together is evidence of what they know about their world and gives us insight in order to plan next steps for learning and support their interests.

Cameron notes: "The snow is too cold.  We need mittens!"

Wow!  Snow in the classroom?

Our predictions

Michael says: "Look my fingers are getting wrinkley, just like when I'm in the bath-tub!"

Evan predicts: "I think these gloves are water-proof."  

Audrey giggles: "Look the snow is sticking together now!"