Whodunnit? - Week 2

Here is the crime scene for our second class, a case of Industrial Espionage in the test kitchen of a famous cookie manufacturer. The kids quickly noticed that a break in had occurred, that the safe with a coded message inside had been accessed with the tools left behind by the culprit. It's harder to see but on the table is an Alberti Cipher Wheel and on the floor a package of chocolate chips with R=G written on it with black marker.

We discussed the history of secret messages and tried our hand at a grid cipher (check out the NSA's site for kids for some great information on this topic). Then we constructed our own cipher wheels and went to work on decoding the secret message from the safe. The kids really enjoyed this activity. We may try some other kinds of ciphers next week.

Whodunnit? Week 1

I started a new unit entitled Whodunnit? which mixes activities centered around forensic science and the study of the Mystery genre. In searching the web for classroom ideas I found Whodunnit and decided to pattern a class after this site. I created the crime scene below for the students to study and process (my apologies to Yankees fans, but it is a crime in Massachusetts to be a Yankee fan). Pictured is some graffiti, a spray paint can, a hat, a pair of gloves, a newspaper clipping of the Red Sox which has been defaced, a sweat shirt, soda cans, candy wrappers and a set of keys. I asked the students what they thought had happened and who might be responsible. They had some great ideas. The hat, gloves and sweatshirt were worn because the perpetrator rode a motorcycle. He/she is a Yankee fan and hates the Red Sox. The perpetrator has been to Hawaii because the key chain is from there. He/she liked to eat candy and drink soda. All great observations.

Then we proceeded to process the crime scene. First we took photographs. Then I gave the students a sheet of paper with a grid (very conveniently, the floor is tiled and I taped off the exact number of corresponding squares) for them to draw out the crime scene. Then I had the students take turns coming into the crime scene with me to measure the distances between the items. Lastly, the students made labels (date, item, and detective's name) and we bagged up the evidence.

With the crime scene sheets we can work on some math concepts. The grid can be numbered and we will be able to talk about coordinate planes (i.e. at what coordinate pair is the spray can?) as well as use the measurements to create math problems (which two items are the furthest away or closest? What two items are 17 inches apart?).

Endangered Species Day May 11th - Update

In the most recent online newsletter of the National Association of Biology Teachers (NABT) I have found a link for Endangered Species Day to share with you. You will find a variety of useful information, activities, and print outs. Enjoy celebrating this important day with your class.

Count Down to the End of the School Year

Now that we are into the second week of May, summer vacation doesn't seem so far away anymore. My daughter's math teacher has counted down the days since day one. Last week, I substituted for a 5th grade teacher who has a great twist on counting down the days. On the first day of school he represents the day as 1/180, the second day is 2/180 or reducible to 1/90, and so on. Each day the students calculate the fraction of the school year completed. Mr. M. has each of the fractions listed on the wall. Today was the 151st day of the year, as a fraction of the total it is 151/180 and is not reducible. Great way to build math skills!

May 11th Endangered Species Day

Endangered Species Day is May 11th and here is an idea for studying about these animals. Recently my Cub Scout den earned their Wildlife beltloop, and we discussed the difference between endangered and extinct animals. We placed the boys into small groups and had them research an endangered animal and answer the following questions: where does this animal live, why is this animal endangered and what are people doing to help preserve this animal?
My co-leader Joanne then explained a game that she and her sons created one night at the dinner table. They were eating hot dogs made from turkey, beef and pork and Joanne wondered what kind of animal that is. They create the "beorky," a black and white spotted, pig headed and tailed, tiny winged creature that stood on two turkey like legs. This creature's call is "wobloink," it can perch in trees and beware of the cow patty-like excrement. So we asked the boys to choose two to three endangered animals and combine them to create a new creature. They then had to choose its name, call, habitat, diet and to draw a picture of what it would look like. Below is a "progzly" a cross between a panda, grizzly bear and cougar. It lives in temperate woodlands, eats salmon skewed on bamboo and makes a "GURRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!" sound. (Drawing by my son Matt)