science unit ideas

Science Unit for computer class.

For my science unit I decided I wanted to do an older grade than kindergarten, I decided to do 4th grade. With 4th grade I am able to do much more complicated things than I would be able to do with kindergarteners.

1 My first idea is to do a plant unit with the students. I really want then to grow plants and take photos of them growing, then compile them onto frames to make a movie. Along with this unit I would have them send emails to my father. Why my father you may ask? My father has been working at a green house for over 16 years and has gone to flower conferences and is extremely knowledgeable. I was thinking along with the photos of plants since that probably won’t take much classroom time to plant the plants and take care of them that we could have field days and go outside and categorize plants. I remember doing that in 4th grade and it was so much fun.

2 Another idea I was thinking about for a science unit is a unit about the solar system. Students would learn about all the different planets and major stars. They then could make models using different materials. They could make clay ones and then make a video about each planet. They would draw on pixie constellations and how they are formed. They could do research on the histories of constellations telling the story behind the name in a pod cast.

3 Another unit I could do is a unit on rocks. I took geology is college and both my parents are geology majors so I have a lot of back ground information on it. If I did this unit we would study different kinds of rocks. And use a computerize microscope (yes there is one) where I grew up there is a copper mine and about an hour away is a granite quarry, we could take field trips. Make movie documentaries on how we get the granite out of the earth and use it in today’s society. One of the best things I ever did with rocks was determining them by hardness. Students could make a pod cast explaining how you classify rocks, and add pictures of them doing it.

4 Students could study a body unit, in that unit I would probably have them each work in pairs to make a Wikibook about the body’s major systems and functions. I remember studying the body and it was allows so dull. But if they were able to show others what they learned and know that their work was being publish and had a purpose they would enjoy doing it so much more.

5. My last idea for a unit is environments like tundra and rainforest. I think a terrific project would be for students to creative their own niche either in pixie and make a Wikibook. Not only would they have to design the place but add animals that live there and facts about the place. If they don’t want to make a Wiki they can write a song about each of the different environments.

I found it really hard to come up with other ideas for this unit because I knew what I wanted to do the minute science unit was said. I want to do the plant unit because I think it would be soooo much fun and allow students different projects to work on, which aren’t way to hard but very useful and creative for this