Over the past few weeks, our sixth grade students have been learning about weather, how to predict it and how different weather conditions are created. Then the class built their own weather stations to measure it.
They created anemometers, barometers and thermometers that were tested in the classroom and then placed outside to see how they act in an outdoor environment. By doing this, the students were able to observe, in an uncontrolled environment, the challenges of unknown variables affecting their results.
Some of the most memorable moments of the experiment were when students would see the barometer that seemed to struggle in a controlled, classroom environment but thrive in the outdoor environment. After seeing the straw rise and fall over a short period of time as it adjusted to the air pressure, some would shout "it works!" with joy.
Sixth grade science teacher Brianna Damplo was impressed with the class of 2024's ability to give feedback to their classmates.
"Students were very rarely frustrated when their instrument did not produce a desired result. They instead performed a different experiment to see what would happen if they changed their methods," said the Middle School teacher. "Whether it was putting the hair dryer right next to the thermometer or putting the barometer into freezing ice water, students acted as mature, thoughtful scientists in completing their many trials."
Hands-on collaborative projects like this continue to allow our students to develop leadership skills, learn the importance of teamwork, discover their potential and grow in responsibility and confidence to make good choices.
It's The Lausanne Way.