WHY POPCORN POPS

This term we have been learning about where our food comes from. We investigated why popcorn pops. First we looked at a corn kernel. It was solid, hard, smooth, pointy, light, teardrop shape, yellow, hard outer shell and transparent. Here's a Bubbl.us I made about it.

After popcorn is popped it's fragile, puffed, very light, has holes in it, larger, cloud shape, white, brown inside and edible. Here's another bubbl.us about popping corn.

After we looked at the corn kernel and the popping corn we were wondering what was causing it to explode.We found out that the moisture in the kernel was making the moisture evaporate then there was no more room for any more steam and that made the corn kernels explode.


by guest blogger
Tom

OUR TRIP TO THE EKKA

On Thursday the 5th of August we had a trip to the Ekka on a train. We had to walk to the train station. We had to change trains once. We were squashed in like banana's and the other passengers were staring at us. 




When we arrived we saw cows and lots of cow manure. We had to be really careful where we walked...not everyone was so lucky!!

We had our morning tea and then we split up into groups. First we went to the Cattle Pavilion and we got to pat them. Some of the cows weren't very happy.

Some of us also saw bulls, the Dog Pavilion,  horse stables, goats, the Agricultural Pavilion, the auditorium and the Government Pavilion. 



We all saw the reptile show. No-one was game to pat a snake. Others got to plant tomatoes and a few lucky people got to milk a cow.

We met for lunch and after that we got our showbags. Then it was time to go home. 

At the train station everyone began to scavenge through their showbags, try on their masks and test their toys. 




On the train some of us played The Non Talking Game which Miss Mac loved! Others were playing with their remote controlled whoopie cushions.

We wish had such a great day. We can't wait to tell Mrs M all about it when she comes back.


Do you have an agricultural show where you live?
What do you love best about your show?

OUR HENNY PENNY CHICKENS

This term we have some chicks and some eggs that will hatch. We are keeping them in 2R Shining Stars classroom. The eggs are kept in an incubator which is shaped like a dome. It's a container that is heated.  It has lots of eggs in it. The eggs hatch every day.

When they hatch they are put into a clear plastic enclosure. They have lots of room to walk around and plenty of food and water. The enclosure has 9 chicks in it. They have fluffy, yellow feathers. One of them is fluffy black and she is sleeping right now.  

When they first hatch they look like they are wet, sick and sleeping. This is because they are exhausted from pushing the egg open. When they come out, their heart is beating so very fast. Once they dry and get their strength back, they look happy and healthy. We are happy and proud to have them in our classrooms for a while. :)

WE WANT TO KNOW ABOUT EARTHQUAKES

We have been talking a lot about people in Haiti and Chile. We can't begin to understand how hard life must be for them.

Our discussions lead to us talking about earthquakes.

For us to better understand what life is like for people who are affected by earthquakes, we need to know about earthquakes.

Below is a wallwisher to help us rcord the question we have that will guide our inquiry.

A NEW CLASS MEMBER

Sophia was so inspired by her trip to the museum yesterday, that she went on a 'backyard safari' when she got home and look what she found...



some grasshoppers...

and look what was on the bottom of the bug viewer - FRASS!!

Sophia even found a skin! - evidence that one of the grasshoppers has just moulted.

But the last of her 'finds' we have really fallen in love with ... and it doesn't want to leave!

So meet the newest member of 2M.

MUSEUM ADVENTURES

Yesterday we went on an excursion to the museum.
Our day was filled with 'hands-on' insect workshops and exploring all the exhibits.

There was a lot of exploring, observing, examining, touching, classifying, drawing and discussing - and almost some sleeping on the train trip back to school!

There's so much to tell - from acting out the stages of metamorphosis, handling stick insects and sorting their frass (insect poo) from their eggs to examining specimens through powerful microcopes - that we can't do it all in one post.

So for now, here's a movie to 'show' you some of the sights and experiences of our day.
Watch out for future posts that will explain in more detail what we saw, did and learnt.

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com