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Cara Cook
Brenau University
GA

Greetings All! I love wondering about things. That is why I love science. I find the wonders of science to be like magic. I have been teaching elementary school for twenty-one years. My favorite units have always been based in science themes. The more I learn about science, the more I want to know. I live in a place where the stars are still brilliantly visible in the dark, night sky and the birds join in joyous chorus with each sunrise. Coffee on the front porch and something sweet baking in the oven. Life is good.

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Forum Posts
Recent Posts by Cara

Tue, Dec 06, 2016 8:24 PM in Weather and Elementary

I agree with all the posts that mention graphing weather on a daily basis. When children are aware of what is happening, they begin to notice patterns. It is interesting to compare graphs from week to week and month to month. We say, "Climate is what you expect, weather is what you get."

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Sat, Dec 03, 2016 6:00 PM in Magnets

On a much more basic level, many adults do not realize that the iron that is taken as a supplement is the same iron that is attracted to a magnet. I used an iron capsule given to me to fight anemia. I poured it out in a plastic bag and used a magnet to show the kids. That was the introduction to the cereal and magnet activity that is popular with third grade students. The idea of rocks and minera...

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Sat, Dec 03, 2016 5:53 PM in Speed and Measurement and data

I will be combining third grade mathematics with speed. How long it takes a train to pass.... Any thoughts on how to successfully integrate the two topics?

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Reviews
Recent Reviews by Cara

Warp speed

Sat, Dec 03, 2016 6:09 PM
Art and Science Collide

Arthur Eisenkraft and Larry D. Kirkpatrick do an excellent job combining art and the theory of speed of light traveling. It is interesting that students took a try at explaining the light travel theories. This article does a beautiful job of sparking an interest in traveling at the speed of light. The application is found in a common item, the camera.

Scientific Journals: A Creative Assessment Tool

Sat, Nov 12, 2016 4:36 PM
Wonders of Scientific Writing

Most teachers would agree that there is not enough time to accomplish everything that is required in a day. Larissa Beckstead has a solution. She combines scientific conceptual learning with proper written communication. She begins by teaching her students proper essay techniques and then moves on to writing scientific essays for a class journal. She also explains how to use a friendly letter to assess the students' knowledge of scientific content. Additionally, she uses poetry to explore the world of science through the student observations. The science notebook was key in all the writing tasks. She was able to assess the students and inspire a love of science. These are tips that I can certainly put into practice with my own third grade scientists!

Curriculum Compacting

Sat, Nov 12, 2016 1:48 PM
Student Contracts Lead to Learning

Kimberly Sutton does an excellent job explaining Curriculum Compacting. Her experience with a very mixed group of students has given her expertise in meeting the needs of varied learners. In the article, Sutton clearly explains the process of curriculum compacting. It was easy to follow. She included pros and cons. Additionally, she included the contracts and forms that help to make the program a success. She nailed it when she stated it takes time and effort, but the advantage is a classroom geared for all students actively engaged in learning. It was obvious that Sutton's classroom environment would be conducive for all students to feel success.

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